The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-13
HUNDREDS UF DEFENDANTS
In a Suit for the Possession
of Land
MANY THOUSANDS OF ACRES
Embraced 10 Mexican Grants and Ia.
volved in Litigation.
The Lawyer n'st Familiar With the Records
says the Defendants Need Have No
Fear of Results

Associated Press Special Wire
SANTA Cruz, Dec. 12.-The biggest suit
ever known in this county was commenced
today in the superior court. 1t involves
tie possession of over $4,000 acres of
land, and more than 800 persons are made
defendants. The value of the land is esti-
mated at about $2.O0O,O0O. The Sequel,
San Andreas and Sequel Augmentation
ranches are sought to be recovered by the
heirs of Martina Castro Despaux. The
land is located at Capitola, Sequel, High
land and Wright's, and extends into Santa
Clara county.
On the land are churches, school houses,
railroads, wharves and big ranches, some
of which have been in possession of the
present owners for over thirty years. The
story OF the claimants reads more like a
romance than anything else, and the first
chapter in litigation began today, when
Elizabeth Peck, granddaughter of Mrs.
Despaux mot Beasaux) was appointed adj
ministratrix of the latter's estate. Mrs.
Despaux died some five years ago, SO that
letters Of administration had to be taken
out by tomorrow at least, or the petit
toner would have been barred by
the statute of limitation. Mrs. Despaux
was the daughter of Joaquin Castro, ply
sician and surgeon in the Mexican army,
who was given Spanish grant to San An
dreas ranch. Later his daughter was
granted by the Mexican government the
Sequel and Sequel Augmentation ranches.
In 1880 Despaux, who was French ad-
venturer, was shipwrecked near Sequel
and taken TO the home of the deceased.
She had already been married twice, first
to Simon Gotta and then to Michael Lodge.
Despaux was young man. while she was
al ltrn in Skx,v, |. IL
to health and strength and fell in love
with him, the result being that they were
married in San Juan by Father Antonio
Auser. In 1850, the year OF the marriage,
she made an agreement with the children
to let them have possession of the land if
they would pay the taxes and keep squat
ters Off. This agreement was in force un
til 1870, when she gave an absolute deed
to the ranches to Archbishop Alemany and
Fathers lngolshe and Llavares. Despaux
now sought to abandon his wife by leaving
on ship, which was wrecked, and he was
forced to return to her.
Imagining she had been wronged she
made arrangements to go to Mexico to ap-
peal to the government for protection un-
der the treaty that that country had with
the United States.
Despaux was to take her to Mexico, but
instead he took her Aboard a ship bound
for Honolulu. When that port was reached
lie obtained all of her money, leaving her
penniless and deserted her, and was never
heard of again. She sold the furniture she
had brought along for housekeeping to OBJ
tain passage money for San Francisco
When arrived at her home in Sequel after
her unlucky experience she was hopelessly
insane. A few days after her arrival a
decoy letter was sent her from San Fran
cisco saying her husband longed to see her.
Still loving the man who had so cruelty de-
a in nh e.,
relatives never heard of her. She had dis
appeared as completely as though the
earth had swallowed her up. until rela-
tives happening to be in Stockton in sane
asylum recognized her, although she was
weak and wasting away. She had been
committed from San Francisco with
out her relatives having, had any
relatives at once had her re-
leased from the asylum. In the mean
time those who had been granted absolute
deed to the ranches brought suit in eject
ment against the children. After years of
litigation the case was decided in faqor of
the children, with the exception of a one
ninth interest, which was decided to be-
long to the plaintiffs, it being Mrs. Des-
paux share. The ground OF the action to
dispose of the presen holders of the land
will be that as Mrs. Despaux was insane,
and that the agreement with the children
and the absolute deed were null and void,
therefore it follows that all subsequent
deeds are of no force. The plaintiff says
she can prove that her grandmother was
insane as early as 1S47. There are seven
heirs to the estate. Fer some years prepa-
rations have been under way towards bs-
ginning much research among old deeds,
and j. .. Wanser, an attorney who is fa-
miliar with the title to the ranches, says
that the defendants need not worry over
the result of the litigation, as the supreme
court has repeatedly declared that the
deed from Mrs. Despaux to the children
was absolutely perfect.