Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-06-14
PERALTA-REANIS CASE.
Reavis Concludes His Remarkable
StOry--Shown By Father O'Reilly
that Church Records Were
Forged-TiptOn on the
Stand.

Interest in the hearing of the Peralta-
Reavis land grant case, now pending be-
fore the United States court of private
land claims in this city, continnes I'M
abated.
EXAMINATION OF REAyIs CONCLUDED.
The examination of Mr.. Reavis was
concluded about l 80 yesterday morning,
and Father Stockman was called to the
stand by the government. The father
testified that he WAS in charge of the
parish of San Bernardino and had been
for many years.
| He was asked to examine two books
| defendants exhibits), and he stated that
they we're records Of the births and deaths
kept at that parish.
He was next asked to examine the
entries therein, which purport to record
the birth of one of the Peralta children
and the death of another. He testified rs
an expert that they were different from
the other pages in the book; that they
were in a different handwriting, although
an attempt had been made to initiate, and
that they we're without doubt forged. He
further stated that Father OReilly had
had charge of these records at times.
Mr.. Reavis was given leave to cross
examine this witness later.
MOST INTERESTING TESTIMONY.
Father O'Reilly was then called to the
stand. His testimony, although very
short, as expected proved to be the most
Interesting of any yet offered, mostly on
account of the GOODNESS displayed by the
father under the fearful and insulting
cross-examination indalged in by Mr.
Reavis: and, as might have been expect
ed, the further Mr.. Reavis extended the
examination the worse he made it foI
himself, for, at first, the father contented
himself with stating that he "beieved'
Mr.. Reavis was the gentleman to whom
he had loaned these very church records
in 1892, but, upon being pressed with sar'
castle and vehement questions, he assert
cd positively that Mr.. Reavis was the mar
that called and to whom he gave the
books, and he backed it up with sufficient
statements as to leave no doubt OF Its
truth.
The fathers statement in substance
was that in 1892, Mr.. Reavis and Mexi
can called at the parish and asked for the
RECORDS OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS.
He gave them the books. Having only
been in the west short time, "and be
ing unacquanted with its wickedness,' hi
allowed the books to be taken away ane
they we're kept over two weeks.
Among the many sharp answers given by
the witness, was one as to how he remem
bered the name "Reavis' so we'll. HI
said it was because it sounded to hin
/, lust like 'Reeves," and that Reeves
was Irish, and yet he thought it strang'
that an Irishman should marry Mexi
can, and wondered within himself why i
was if it was for economy's sake, o.
what; but, upon inquiry of Reavls him
self, the witness learned that it wa'
'Reavis' not "Reeves."
Mr.. Reavis then tried to make some
thing out of the interview which witness
acknowledged he had with Special Agen
L. A. Hughes, in April last, but absolutel!
: failed, as it appeared that the father ant
Mr.. Hughes merely talked the facts over
a which are given above.
4 MIR. Upton TEsTIF1Es.
;. Mr.. Will M. Upton was then called a
expert witness for the government, ant
he is probably the most important thu
government has, rs by Mr.. Upton it ii
expected to prove, with the use of thu
dispositions taken in the various countries
the spurious character of the Reavll
documents from top to bottom, ane
judging by the way he started in yester
day afternoon just before adjournment
there is no room to doubt that he il
equal to the occasion, and that his ex
plantations of the mass of docnmentar!
evidence and innumerable photograph
introduced will render the same NOR
than ever interesting and make their re
lation to each other better understood.