The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-10-01

occasion, and furnish n copy to he hled IN
the Library of Congress, where all such
productions were to be preserved, and
acceded.
Nv wife had been suffering for some
time with rheumatism and as her heart
had always been weak, her physician ad-
yised ME to take her into Sonora, Mex,
where at Ymuris, a small town on the So
nora River, near the larger town of Mag
dalena, on the same river, there is not
spring said to be beneficial to those who
battle in it. l began preparations for the
trip, my brother-in-law offering good
two-horse team and spacious wagon with
canvas cover and his own services as
driver. My mother-in-law, as good and
kind an old lady as ever lived, and my
wife's elder sister, Refugio, were also to
accompany US. Four mounted and we'll
armed men were hired as escort to pro-
tect us, until we should reach our desti-
nation.
COMMISSIONED FOR IMPORTANT RESEARCH.
Zeckendorf Bros. the largest CONNER
cial establishment of the Territory at the
time. was then contemplating dissolu-
ton of copartnership. The brothers had
large amounts due them in Sonora and
asked me to undertake collection OF those
debts | promised that l would try. Ihey
gave me bills amounting to about $2o,0Oo,
with the necessary power IN writing, GER
tilted to by the Mexican Consul at Tucson
On the evening before my departure
which was on July 10, 1876, an attorney
of Tucson came to me with proposition
which at first appeared very singular. He
said: IF you possibly can, after giving due
attention to your wife's condition, go to
Hermosillo, l wish you would hunt up in
the archives there land grant or title
deed given and signed by King Philip VII.
of Spain. If you do not find such docu-
ment there. you will have to go to Ures,
the Capital. where you will find undoubted-
~ one or more. Be sure that you have be-
fore you genuine, bona fide document.
Arrange for permission to translate such
deed, or deeds if you find several, and to
have them photographed. He handed me
n considerable sum of money and added:
"Be sure that you obtain a genuine docu-
ment and n good photograph; spare no
money; l will hand you like sum if you
return successful
Our trip to Ymuris was accomplished in
four days We crossed the frontier where
Nogales now stands. A Custom House In
spector stopped us for few moments, III
quired into our business. took look into
the wagon, and said: "Esta bien, paren."
Ut is all right; passD
OF course, l had not expected to find a
hotel ready to receive us at the hot springs
but, still, thought l could reasonably ex-
pect some place of shelter near, as my in
f9emants had written that there was plenty
accommodation to be found at Ymuris for
any number of persons. The town of
Ymuris was situated upon the top of a
high, steep, rocky hill. a full mile distant
from the spring. which was in the valley.
/ rented small adobe building. which |
proceeded to make habitable. This was n
matter of necessity, as my wife's aff1lction
had assumed grave proportions; her lower
limbs being useless, SO that she had to be
carried to and from the springs for the
first two days. After three or four days
we began to perceive decided improvement
In her condition. and before the end of one
month her health was completely restored,
and she returned with her mother, brother
and sister to her children at Tucson, and
made ready to proceed to Hermosillo to
attend to the business entrusted to me.
As far as the collection of bills was con-
cerned, my efforts were, if not entirely
futile, very far from successful. The man
does not live who, coming from another
country, has ever succeeded in collecting
moneys due in Sonora, in any sum worthy
Of mention.
With the land grant business lad bet
ter success. The Capital was being moved
from Ures to Hermosillo at the time of my
arrival After / had examined the docu-
ments on hand among those archives that
had already made the transit to Hermo-
sillo, and had not found what l needed, l
interrogated State official as to the ma
ture of the documents remaining at Ures,
and learned that the document / WIGS look
ing for was there, locked up in q strong
box. After a very private and intimate
interview with this gentleman, he gave me
q letter to the Secretary of the Governor,
and advised me to take a good photogra-
pher with me from Hermosillo.
On Aug. 20 I entered the diligencia
(stage-coach) for Ures, and after gallop-
Ing ride reached the latter place In the
night Of the 21st. The Secretary of the
Governor received me in the most polite
manner, and readily granted my requests.
The document was quickly found. carefully
translated, and then photographed upon
eight separate plates. Fortunately it was
a grant of land made by King Philip VI.
Of Spain to person for meritorious SER
vices in subduing hostile Indians and fur
thering the development of the country
then called New Spain; fortunately, l say,
because 1 discovered later the object in
view for obtaining the photographs, when
] saw them in the the Courts of Arizona
before whom one Reevis claimed tie So
called Peralta grant, which embraced the
best lands from nine miles above Tucson
to and embracing the town site OF the pres
ent city of Phoenix. The document offered
In evidence by Reevis on behalf of his
wife, whose maiden name was Peralta
purported to have been issued to an an
cestor In direct line Of this woman, fol
services rendered in the manner above de
scribed, by King Philip VII, at the same
time bestowing upon the grantee Peralta
a title of nobility-"Barop of the Colo
RADIOS"
Later on, before ceur: in New Mexico
these photographs were instrumental il
proving the deception practiced by Reeyi.
In presenting his fraudulent title deed o.
land grant, and he received a sentence o.
10 years in the States prison.
ADVENTURES OF DOCTOR THoRNE.
The Secretary OF the Governor was
highly educated gentleman, with the polit
and elegant manners Of the old school
and extended to me the hospitality of hi
house.
1t was at the hospitable board of tn
Governors Secretary that l had the GOO
fortune to meet gentleman with whom
had long desired to become acquainted
knowing that he was one of the very fey
white people who had lived among tn
Apaches in their wild state, and coul
therefore give reliable information as t
them their habits, home life, and perhap
Of their inner life.
This gentleman was Doctor Thorne, the
q resident of Casa Blanca, three mile
above Socorro, n. NJ He was visitin
Sonora, and had called at the Governor
Office. l requested the Doctor to relat
his adventures of early DAVIS He comnlip