The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-19

of Reavis' old papers. that while the
Spanish In the major part of the sentences
were correct, II became peasant OF Next
can Spanish In all references to the Pc
raltas and the barony of Arizona. There
were several glaring anachronisms In the
Peralta letters. Also in the royal Span
ish cedulas there were two grave his
torical Inconsistencies. For instance, one
cedula offered by Reavis was dated 1872.
and In II was reference to the general OF
the internal provinces of New Spain:
whereas, there were no internal provinces
in New Spain until 1866
Investigation showed that there was
not one line in any unmutilated Mexican
or Spanish records 10 show that any
such man as Don Miguel de Peralta de la
Cardoba ever lived, and that the barony
of Arizona existed only in Reavis' mag
ination. Priests told how Reavis had
bought ancient portraits of Spanish grand
dees. which he swore were pictures OF
rich. naughty Peraitas. Marriage bap-
tismal and death records had been in
geniuosly doctored to show documentary
facts concerning mythical family. The
all-important royal cedula showing the
appointment of Don Miguel Peralta as
Baron of Arizona, was shown on micro
scopic inspection by Mr.. Mallet-Prevost,
TO have been in its original form a cedula
from King Philip ". informing the loyal
citizens of Guadalajara of the royal ap-
pointment OF Count de Fuencjara as vice.
roy of New Spain. In one ancient book
Reavis; had interpolated twenty-five in
geniously and patiently written pages
about the Peralta ancestry, so that only
persistent investigation revealed the
fraud
Other investigators employed bv Mr.
Reynolds Tor the government came for
ward and swore that Mrs. Reayis was a
half breed Mexican who had lived in Sac
ramento valley In California since she
was little girl. They produced photo
graphs OF her when she was IL child. She
had not been in Mexico until she went
there with Reavis to prepare for tho
prosecution OF the Peralta land grant
claim. witness from Pomona, CAL
showed where Reavis had taken out a
license to marry the witness daughter
TWO years after he said he welded the
heiress OF the Peralta grant Another
witness testified that Reavis had APP
preached her with an offer OF marriage
IL she would join him In his legal fight TO
palm herself OF as the great-great- grand
daughter OF the Baron of Arizona A
young man testified that Reavis spent
nearly year in seeking some bright
yong Mexican woman of hazy origin
who would be a sagacious heir to tho
barony of Arizona Still another witness
testified that Reavis met his wife on a
railroad train between Sacramento and
Red Blum, and that he spent months in
coaching her on the Peralta ancestry be-
fore they were married.
The court OF private land claims unani-
mously rejected Reavis claim. The same
day ne was arrested for conspiracy. He
was tried speedily. Mrs. Reavls went on
the witness stand. Under a searching
cross-examinatlon she broke down and
confessed that she had been married sole
ly because her husband wanted some one
10 help his claim to the mythical barony
of Arizona Amid her tears she told how
she had been taken TO Mexico TO ac-
quaint her with the local coIbr OF her
supposed home there. and how she had
been drilled daily for years concerning
what she was TO say OF her childish recol-
ieptions and the Peralta history.
Reavis was convicted and sentenced 20
the United States penitentiary at Santa
Fe for six years. That WAS In January
iS& He earned time by good conduct,
and last September he was set az liberty
There are four indictments hanging over
him, bat he Is a shrunken haggard man
IN wretchcd health. and Il Is not likely
he viii ever BE- tried on any II them