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

aoJuoicated IN the American courts ur-
der the treaty of Guadaloupe. Reavis con-
suited a local lawyer and began work
upon prosecuting the cIaim. From the
knowledge he gained during the investiga-
ton or his clients alleged rights. Reavis
got his first ideas toward the establish
ment OF claim to the richest part Of the
territories. Crude at the start, his
dreams OF wealth and his conception Of
the empire he might become possessed of
grew with time and circumstances.
While studying the Willing chain of
title. Reavis came upon several Spanish
land grants made In the early cigh-
teenth century to territory now In New
Mexico and Arizona. The crudity OF tho
descriptions OF the grants, the ioosencss
OF the naming OF the metes and bounds
fred The Missouri real estare agents I'M
aginafion and abandoning all else he
made the confirmation of one of the
ancient Spanish land grants his life work
IL was grant made in 1TfS by the king
OF Spain to Don Miguel de Peraita de in
Carboda, for some 1.i00,000 acres of land
In what Is now central Arizona. Reavis
confessed at his trial that that was the
germ OF the famous Peralta land claim.
willing said he was a great grandson and
the only lineai descendant OF Don Miguel
de Peralta~ Reavis ana Willing went To
Arizona TO follow the investigation OF the
title and to press the claim In the courts
but while Reavis was looking over the
records In the old Spanish mission In Los
Angeles. Willing suddenly died at rrss-
colt. Arix. Two doctors swore that he dad
OF poison. Reavis FASTENED to Prescott
and gathered up all his dead clients doc
uments and effects.
Reavis active and incessant work upon
the Peraita claim began. He showed
deed OF the claim from Willing to him
self. He induced several wealthy men in
Los Angeles and San Francisco to give
him thousands of dollars for stock In the
Peralta Estate Company which he form
ed With the proceeds he hired lawyers
ana went to Mexico and Spain in the In
terests OF the Peralta land grant. BY ISL
Reavis had got together so much evil
dence In support OF his ownership OF the
Peralta grant that he filed in the Office
OF the United States surveyor general OF
Arizona formal petition praying that
the PeraIta grant be recognized under
act Of congress of July %, 1854. relative to
Spanish and Mexican land grants existing
at the time OF the treaty OF peace at
Guadalupe. Mexico. The people OF Ari-
sona and New Mexico were thrown into
condemnation at the news that Rcavis
was legally the owner Of all the proper
~ upon which they had spent their saw
ings and years OF toll. Dozens of local
lawyers said that Reavis title seemed In
disputable. Reavis pretended that during
his several years Of investigation he had
found that the grand comprised II. Gu, 900
acres. instead of 100000 as he and Will
ing had believed. He threatened imme-
date dispossession suits to people who
defed his claim 10 ownership of their
lands, buildings. mines and other prop-
erty within the boundary he set up as his.
Surveyor General Johnson. OF Arizona,
refused to recognize the Peralta grant
although badgered by Reavis attorneys
from every side.
ReayiS suddeply herume rich Hundreda
Of cattle ranchmen were frightened at
h,s threats TO dispossess. They made
terms with him by the payment OF small
fortunes for releases. In one day at the
Royal Hotel In Prescott the cattiemen OF
Yavapai county alone handed over to
Reavis and his lawyers $1,000 for re-
leases. Reavis claims clouded the titles
to homes. business blocks. mines and ev-
cry form OF real estate within the great
area he asserted was covered by the Per-
alta grant. For a few years no one dared
buy any real estate within the boundaries
OF the grant, unless a release was given
by the Peraita Estate Company, which
meant Reavis principally. So there were
thousands OF settlers. miners. sheep herd
ers. alfalfa ranchmen. owners OF homes.
and stores In Phoenix. Globe. Florence.
Clifton. Morency and other towns, who
had to buy releases from the Peraita Es-
tate Company before they could sell their
property. And Reavis could demand any
price ne thought tho property would bear
before he would release so much as a
square inch. County Clerk Hotchkiss tes-
tined at Rsavis' trial that the sum OF
saa.5oo was paid 90 Reavis In Graham
county. Ariz.. In one year by poor men
and women who were frightened at tho
claim 10 their hard-earned property.
The easy mode OF robbery wheticd the
greed OF the impostor. He organized az
NJ. trL slf. ~. -.
Jersey and New Mexico. several mining
companies and Incorporated IN them ali
the mines and smelfcrs and gold reduc-
ton works embraced in the as4T square
miles comprising tho area OF tho Per-
alta grant That terrified the mining
companies there. and he SOLD mining re-
leases for sums varying from M0oa TO
sTooca The Axtec Silver Company. OF
cochise alone settled with Rcavis In Bos-
ton for SIS 0r
Meanwhile Surveyor-GenerM johnson
had been looking into the mass Of doc.
nments. transcriptions and maps filed In
support 81 the peraita grant Tie an.
nounerd IN June. 1871, that the claim was
fraud AMI that Reavis was a rare i'm.
rostor. That checked the collection ~
nancy fer releases By Reavls and his sew
ersi interpretations HUT Reavls never
missed a day Ia his schemes ana work
IN fortifying his evidence in Suppor, a,
his claim He went "a Mexico and srair
half doEen times ana he FASTENED N
New York and Roston every few weeks.
Tic was always busy With lawyers
The surveyor general had no sooner Sc
nounrod the Reavls claim 10 the pcral,a
grant than RcRVis brought 10 Arizona A
young wife whom he introduced as the
only blood descendant % Don Miguel fe
Persita De Ia Cordoba That altered the
complexion of the Reavis case and hfnnrh.
fresh believers in the legality % ths pre-
tensions Reavis told romantic story
OF how, while he was investigating the
peratia grant. ne accidentally met a poor
Young woman living IN = hamlet IN Mex
leo. She showed him some papers con-
corning her birth. christening and "a.
rentage, and he was hStonIshcd 10 ind
that she was the sarvtvor az oA Don Pc
ralta. Reavis said she had assisted him
ia pnravcllng several snaris IN the Ps-
rata chronology. ana that he married her.
From that time he signed himself James
Feralta Rcayis, and he prosecuted his
..lafna In his wigp's interest no instituted