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

in that court in the spring Of 1895.
As the trial of the case progressed a
very formidable array Of evidence was pre-
scented. 1t showed the indomitable ZEAL
the unfiagging perseverance and the in
ventive resources Of Reavis. No petty
detail had been too small for MIN 10 work
out and no labor too wearisome for him to
follow TO the end. There had been many
changes In the modest Willing claim to
I.I00.000 acres OF Arizona land In 1875 Now
Reavis prosecuted his claim on behalf OF
his wife--the alleged great-great-grand-
daughter OF old Peralta. the friend of
King Philip v. OF Spain In 174s. who made
Peralta the first Baron Of Arizona In the
New World The Reavis side brought
great boxes OF ancient parchment docu-
ments. deeds with gorgeously Illuminated
heads. sworn transcriptions from records
In Madrid. Seville and half a dozen cit
les In Mexico. Reavis had bundles OF
parchments to show all the titles his wife's
grandsire had. when and how he came to
Mexico. and a host Of corroborative doc
uments bearing upon public acts In his ca
reer. There were bushels of papers in
Spanish to show how Mrs. Reavis was a
descendant of the Baron Of Arizona. Cop
les of oil paintings were even introduced.
showing the iineaments OF some Peraltas
In different generations. There did not APP
pear a weak link in the wonderful chain
OF evidence.
Reavis and his wife were each exam
ined and cross-examined for three days.
and were never stirred In their testimony
concerning the long line of Peralta gran
dee genealogy. Reavis testified to the
number of children In each Peralta gem
GRAFTON: he told the characteristics. the
wealth and influence OF each, and named
dates with uncommon preciseness Mrs.
Reavis told how she was one of twin chill
dren born to her mother In Sonora. Mex
leo: how the mother died with parting in
functions that the baby daughters be in
formed OF the great estate in Arizona and
New Mexico that awaited the Peralta
heir who could assert his or her rights In
the United States courts. and how ina
other twin child died later. leaving Mrs.
Reavis tnee Maso) the sole surviving heir
To the Peralta name and fortunes The
testimony seemed most formidable.
The diiigent and careful ReaY1s sup
ported his wife's testimony by producing
a sworn copy OF several books he had dug
out OF the mnsty archives of the Ayun.1-
miento at Guadalajara, Mexico These
books, he alleged. showed the probate
records of Mrs. Reavis' fathers VIII. and
OF her grandfather's will, and apparently
proved "A dozen points In the chain OF tes-
timeny given by the young wife as to how
the barony OF Arizona had been transmit
ted from father to son for il6 years. A
certified copy of the Spanish royal cedu-
las from 1851 To LIS was presented under
the stamp OF the American minister at
Madrid, with potent effect upon the court
II contained the record Of the achieve
monts OF the first Baron Of Arizona, and
narrated the genealogy OF me frs, baron
back TO the thirteenth century. So far as
documentary evidence went. 1t seemed
strangely correct.
Then several witnesses were produced
by RsaVts who swore 20 Mrs. Reavis
birth and parentage and grand-parentage
These witnesses testified that they had
heard Mrs Reavis' grandfather say time
ana again that he had documents TO
prove that he was entitled 20 an onor-
tnous land grant IN the Southwest. but
mat Il would require lots OF money and
hard work to prove the claim. There
mere other witnesses who told every
event IN Mrs. Reavis sife. from her birth
TO the trial. United States Senator White.
~ ryos Angeles, said the proof was over
,sbetmins. ana q seemed as II the United
states must award Mrs ReaVss posses
sinu az she siYloin OF Arizona, and about
one-,hlra 81 New Mexico. Reavis and his
wtfe saw an empire about TO IAN INTO
their hands,
rhey the defense came on. Luckily the
limited States government had IN Us en-
ploy In the Southwest Matthew y Rey-
nolas az United states attorney Tor the
court ~ private land claims. MI Key
nolas and sevon assistants had been as
carefully and pcrkistcntly al work prepar-
ms fer the trial az ReRyis had. Mt Severe
Mallot. Provost. a Spanish scholar, and AZ
one time secretary Of the Venezuela
boundary commission. was employed on
the government side Of the case Tor three
years. Attorney Gen. oiney knew the
for,riaahie evidence which Resvis would
present. and he gave carte hlanch or
aera 20 snare no effori % prepare strong
defense. Mr Mallef- Provost ard several
others Travelled from the City ~ Mcxico
90 san Francisco and Santa Re many
tirne- weeks we're spent IN 0verhauiing
archives IA half tozer caihedrals and
IA spanish headquarters Ia Mexico The
sarne investigators were four months In
Madrid and Seville. Every point Of evil
dence that Rravis had prepared during
eighteen years 81 labor and scheming was
investigated. Mr. Reynolds found where
Reavis had offered a bride 10 a priest in
Suaaalajara 10 let him interpoiate a few
words IN a volume ~ baptlsmal records
That started Mr.. Reynolds on new tack.
II was found by close examination that
the Mexican government archives had
been polluted ~ Reavis; that he had
crafty removed pages from records and
substituted other pages referring TO some
psralsa and the mythical barony OF Ari-
zona. The Spanish artist who had made
with brush and paint the illuminated
heads Of his old tattercd parchment docu-
rnents was found and his deposition taken.
Mr.. Mallet-P Provost observed In his study