The San Francisco call., 1897-03-07
Victor Castro's Evidence Is
of a Most Startling
Nature.
D c ares That He Never Bor.
/ rowed Money OF Decided Away
HIS Rights.
Records Show That He Did, but H
Denies That the Sign atures
Are His.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALI
908 Broadway. M .rch g., {

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALLt
9oS Broadway. M M.rch e., !
Ten years ago suit was brought by the
late Edison Adams of this city to quiet
title 10 the enormous Sobrante grant. sit
ueted across The border in Contra Costa
County. The object of the suit is to parti-
tion 20. 600 acres or more of the Sobrante
among the different claimants who can
show good title. All these years have
passed since 1885 without the case reach
ing trial. But it is now beins heard in
the Superior Court of Martinez. Edison
Adams has died and his son is now acting
in the place of his father. A small army of
attorneys is engaged on tie case. John
R. GIascock and C. E. Wilson represent
the heirs of Edison Adams, Victor Castro,
the original grantee, is represented by P.
G. Galpia, and other lawyers in the case
are: Messrs. Mhoon, Raieht, Ball, Rix-
ford, Countryman, McGraw, Griffith, Sam
Bell Mckee and Reed & Nuspaumer.
The testimony shows that in 1S41 Gov
ernor Jean B. AIvarado bestowed a grant
of land upon two brothers. Victor Castro
and Jean Jose Castro. The grant was the
famous Sobrante. Victor Castro is the
central figure of the suit; although he
must be 50 years of age he Is so we'll pre-
served that he does not appear TO be m ore
than 60. He lives on his homestead in
Pinole and during the trial he has given
testimony which has amazed some Of the
attorneys. There is not among all the
surviving Spanish Calfornians a more in
teresting character than Victor Castro.
The grant was recognized as valid by
the United States Land Commission. and
the Castros set up claim to about 70, 900
acres 1t was finally decided thar the
grant did not include the surplus lying
around the edges of the original five
ranches, but only single body of land
living between them.
Fifteen years ago patent was issued
for the Sobrante, which fixed the extent
st abou. 20, 600 acres. located on the water
sneds OF the San Pablo Creek and Wildcat
Creek. lis present value Is bout $3.50. 600
The tangle TO the title began when the
Castros gave notes secured by mortgages
which they failed to pay, and foreclosure
| followed. Among the persons from whom
Castro borrowed money was Edison Adams
and E. w. Leonard, and both OF these par.
ties foreclosed and secured title by sherif #
SALE John Wilson also loaned money to
Castro. and this C aim is supported by the
usual evidences, but old Victor Castro
when he went on the stand paralyzed the
lawyers by asserting that he never bor-
rowed any money and never gave any
notes or N mortgages.
The old man, whose mind seems to be
very clear, said that in 1856, when the
loans are said to have been made. be was
worth $3.50. 600 and was shipping beef cat
tie to San Francisco by schooner from
Pinole three times a week. The notes
with his signature were presented to him,
but he denied ever signing them. Even
when Judgment on record for $193. 600
was shown to him he calmly said that he
had never borrowed the money.
Other transactions were produced in
evidence, one of them being deed to he
whole Sobrante in 1857 executed by both
Castros to John d. FrIsbee and De SaIdo
for a consideration of $40, 100.
The remaining interests were disposed
of to Horace Carpenter and Edison
Adams.
In addition to these complications, the
mortgages in many instances assigned
their claims, which were again assigned
until the complication of titles is now
more intrica e than any Chinese puzzle.
All told :he litigants number between 800
and 400. Some of them live on the land
and are liable to be Gispossessed. although
this will not occur for some years, as it is
impossible for the case TO be decided ulti-
malely by the Supreme Court without
many delays.
A great deal of the fighting for posses
sion accompanied by bloodshed. which
took D ace in former years, was outside
the limits of the present Sobrante grant.
1t was when the courts decided hat Cas-
tro could hold only the single body of
Sopranie land and not the margins that
the latter lapsed into the public domain,
and upon these pieces took place those
bloody struggles which were so frequent
twenty years ago.
The trial of the case will occupy several
more weeks.