The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-26
Some Interesting Statistics About GrOWin

necessary was to add son or daughter
to families whose last descendant had
died several generations prior to the
time did my work, then marry this
son and daughter and l had connected
the families and started the lineage.
All my work was characterized by
absolute simplicity. In every town in
Mexico and Spain are public scrtbes to
whom you may go and they will copy
or write anything you ask. BY going to
different scribes and using caution none
of them suspected the purpose to which
/ put their writings. Indeed, they do so
much copying that any particular piece
of work soon slips from their mind.
Then it was easy to slip out pages and
insert papers in the records of the
archives because l was given the great
est liberty in my work. Patience was
required in the task and l possessed
that quality in abundance
Recurring to the work in Spain,
recall that 1 had stuffed the archives
there in two cities, Madrid and Sc
vile, before L sought any copies; in
other words, / always did my work in
that line before l began an investiga
ton, depending upon the investigation
to develop the work that / had depos-
tied in the archives, and for this rea-
son 1t took me a great while to do
very little. I found no inconvenience
In any of this work from the simplicity
with which the officials received me,
as l was always on the outlook for
curiosities to mention in my CORE
spondence.
After completing my work in Mexico
[ took a rest of some three weeks to
allow the matter to season, and then
made formal application for search.
The custodian found this portion of
the archives fairly glued together with
age, so was completely "off his feet,
certifying with zeal to all this find,
which went forward to startle the
world and set at naught all criticism
insomuch that my supporters declared
that the Government would be COM
PEELED to confirm the grant in the Su-
preme Court regardless of what the
lower court should, would or could do.
Thus mot a farthing for corruption"
was the motto.
During all this time I never had an
accomplice. I did my work absolutely
alone; therefore there could not posi-
bly, have existed ground for a charge
of conspiracy to defraud the Govern
ment and all the evidence introduced
by the Government to that end for the
purpose of conviction was false and
vicious. When I started in l could not
speak or write Spanish. l hired public
scribes in Mexico and Spain to do my
copying. During the latter part of our
visit in Spain my wife and myself were
received in noble families and were en-
tertained lavishly. The public is ia
miliar with my trial and how the great
est men of this country pleaded my
case.
To estimate the expenditures on
either side of this case would lead into
differential calculus. 1t has been said
that | expended a quarter of a million
dollars, yet the half would strike nearer
the mark, and 1 would not make
guess for the Government, understand
ing as / do the various avenues for
Klondiking Uncle Sam in such matters.
The Assistant District Attorney in his
review before the jury at the trial upon
a charge of conspiracy to defraud the
Government, a simple misdemeanor,
stated that the Government had ex-
pended $45 900 to convict me and he
hoped the jury would consider that part
and not disagree. Yet this trial did not
cost me one nickel, and the good reason
was, l had 1t not.
The Government said: 1--WE consider
this one of the greatest schemes to per-
petratt fraud on the Government that
was ever attempted in this country, or
possibly in any other. 1t has been car
ried on successfully for over a quarter
of a century, and a large amount Of
money obtained. based upon it's sup
posed and really prima facie genuine
ness, and for quarter of century,