Los Angeles herald., 1905-05-28
SOME ODD CHARACTERS
OF OLD PUEBLO DAYS
Los Angeles Was Cosmopolitan When II Had Only
Five Thousand Inhabitants and No Railroad
Connection With Outside World
Written for The Herald by COL Joseph D. Lynch

The school census, with its enumera-
tion of population on the side, having
given us warrant for placing our pop
ulation at upward of two hundred
thousand people. we are beginning to
feel that we are metropolitan.
We can the more easily assimilate
| the feeling because Los Angeles has
really always been cosmopolitan. Even
when the population of the city was
only a scant five thousand souls 1t
was scene of curious interest and
diversity, In which about every race
on the footstool was represented.
A generation ago every race on earth
was represented in the chronological
melange-the five Caucasian races, of
which in many respects the Spaniard
is first, the French, the Anglo-Saxon,
the negro, the Asiatic, the American
from all sections, the islands of the
sea, and what not. For some years
those interested In books have been
looking for the great American novel.
Surely it's habitat ought to be in the
Golden state, and it's author ought to
be either a native son or some Argo-
naut who. like Goethe. retains the fire
of imagination beyond the eighties.
In such an inspiring land as this, age
should count for nothing, and If Dan
dolo, ninety-six years of age and
blind, could achieve the greatest VIC
tory of Venice, some forty-niner should
come to the front with the marvellous
story which tells the wondrous ro-
nance of California.
The Old French Consul
When Los Angeles was small
pueblo, and up to the day of his death,
the French consul here was Monsieur
de Mochrenhout He was a Belgian,
born in that portion of Gaul which
Caesar enumerates in his "Trespartes."
When l first had the pleasure of meet
ing Monsieur de Mochrenhout he was
about eighty-four years OF age. He
was an exceedingly handsome old gen.
tIeman of most elegant manners, such
as recall those of the courtiers of Louis
XIV. He lent the grace of his presence
to all public functions and dispensed
most elegant hospitality at his resi-
dence on Main street. Toward the
close of his life he patronized a young
musical genius from Guatemala named
Espinosa, who gave a concert under
his auspices at the old Turner hall.
attended a banquet given by Monsieur
de Mochrenhout after the function.
He presided at his table with mimi
table grace and 1 shall never forget
how he rallied us young fellows at our
| inability to keep pace with him in
tossing off the champagne This octo-
| genarian was a wonder in that line.
Gray-Eyed Man of Destiny
Walker, the filibuster, in the early
days of California was a most potent
factor all over the Pacific coast and
especially in this state. When he went
down to meet his death in Nicaragua
he was followed by many of the most
gallant spirits in the Golden state,
with a contingent of Angelenos, all of
whom are well known to old timers.
Three of these were Col. James G.
Howard, Col E. j. G. Kewen and Maj.
Horace Bell. OF these Maj. Bell is
the only survivor and the fact that
he is very much alive is shown by his
forcing big verdict for fee from the
ex-king of Little Paree in the courts
the other day.
Col. Jim" Howard in his early days
was an adventurous spirit. Before
coming to Los Angeles he was mixed
up in the plans of Lopez to exploit
| Cuba. He wrote an interesting
novel on this phase of his career. 1t
was the most natural thing in the
world that he should join hands with
| Walker and troop off with him to
| Nicaragua. Fortunately, while his
chief was being shot, he managed to
our orange groves, or, rather, to San
Francisco, from which point he started
Kewen was an enthusiastic Southerner
who was ready in his green and
salad" days to thrust in his sword
with any daring enterprise that prom
ised either fame or fortune. He re-
turned to Los Angeles to become emf
nent at the bar and to figure for many
happy years as the always gracious
owner of FL Molino del Rey, where
he became a byword for hospitality
in California del Sur.
AS for Maj Horace Bell, him we have