The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-21
Title to Forty Square Leagues
Vested in the Highland
Patient.
ATTORNEY GALLARDUs FIND.
Documents That VIII, He Declares,
Establish His Friends Right
20 Millions.

SANTA BARBARA, CAL, May 90
During the recent examination of Judge
Charles Huse of Santa Barbara, seeking
release from the San Bernardino Insane
Asylum, Judge Otis, in passing upon the
evidence, specifically named, among ths
delusions of Judge Huse, the idea that he
possessed important property interests in
this and Ventura counties. Attorney
Gallardo's search in the Hall of Records
of this county has already developed some
important facts, and it seems that the old
man is in a fair way to establish the
truth OF his assertions and the validity OF
his claims in one or more instances.
In 1874 Pic Pico, then Governor ad in
terim of the State, granted to Jose DomIn-
guez great tract of land, comprising
some forty square leagues and taking in
the entire coast valley from Carpenteria to
the Old Mission and back to the San
Rafael range, incloslng the whole of what
are now ummerland and Montecito and
goodly part of Carpenteria, with all the in
| tervening lands.
In 1851 Congress established a land COM
mission, before which all such grants
should be taken for approval, time limit
OF three years being set. Dominguez
neglected to present his claim within the
appointed period, believing that his title
was perfectly clear, and asterward sold the
title to Thomas Chabasco, who transferred
1t 10 Felipe Arrellanes. He in 1856 sold
il 10 Judge Huse, the latter paying its
fair market value at that time.
Ten years later Congress passed sn act
confirming to Dominguez the entire claim,
upon Judge Huse's petition. Afterward
the Surveyor-General of California, Mr..
Gallardo claims, disregarded this decree
OF higher power, arbitrarily limited the
tract 10 eleven leagues and refused to issue
patent for more than thirty-three square
miles. 1t is claimed that an appeal to
Congress must necessarily result in the
extension of this survey, as there have
been precedents for su :h a decision.
The eleven leagues already surveyed and
TO which Judge Huse's title was confirmed
by the State, were mortgaeed to the late
Alexander Montgomery OF San Francisco,
and foreClosed; but as the time for their
legal redemption passed by while the
Judge was incarcerated in the asylum, it
is claimed that the bar against the re-
demption after a certain period becomes
imperative in his case.
Attorney Gallardo has unoiminished
confidence in the strength of his case and
ii bids fair TO become one of the most cele-
brated in modern litigation. The Monte
cito property alone is now valued at many
millions and contains valuable improve
ments, having upon it the costly resi-
dences Of such men as r. Radcliffe Waite
head, /. K. Waterman, a. B. Ogilvle,
George Earnscliffe, Charles f Eaton, P.
Blair Thaw, E. H. Sawyer, Thomas Ma
gee, the Hayne homestead, Miss Everiy's
beautiful home and countless others.
The attorney scarcely takes into account
the advanced years of the men who are
undertaking to establish the claim to this
valuable property and the enormous re-
sistance which will be aroused if it ever
gets either into the courts or into the Ma
tional halls of legislation. The most that
could be hoped for would probably be to
establish a shadow upon titles which it
would require small fee to release.