This Week in Duval County History, April 29 — May 5

 

POSTED BY: CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM APRIL 29, 2019

  

April 29

The Fort Worth Daily Gazette credited Nueces County Deputy Paulino Coy, “Good Coy”, with involvement in the hanging of two alleged horse thieves. Alleged because they had not been charged, much less convicted. While the Gazette does not bother to mention the dead men by name, their names were Mateo Cadena and Pedro Peña. In the interest of full disclosure, I believe Cadena was my great-granduncle. For more information see my two-part series on this event here: https://www.soydeduval.com/2014/05/killings-of-four-men-is-one-of-most-heinous-events-in-the-annals-of-the-south-texas-frontier/. By way of explanation, not in defense of, the Gazette was not alone in this type of reporting, which was epidemic. Take a note from the Corpus Christi Caller on the same event: “Coy had nothing to do with lynching. If he had and the thieves were killed while fighting and resisting arrest, it is not a crime that they would have died with a rope around their necks.”

Fort Worth Daily Gazette, April 29, 1886

April 30

D. Hirsch reported heavy wool sales in San Diego. E.L. Lang bought two of best clips in Duval County at 16¢ from  Cayetano Rios (100 bags) and Gueydan wool (50 bags) first class condition

Corpus Christi Caller, April 30, 1887.

May 1

Justice of the Peace Juan de Alcala died suddenly (unclear whether it was May 1 or 2). He experienced pain to heart and died within minutes. A second sudden death was that of Mauricio Gonzales, a wealthy ranchman. He died a few days earlier from pain in the stomach.  

Corpus Christi Caller, May 11, 1908

May 2

Agua Poquita grant to Santos Flores was patented on May 2, 1862. It contained 26,745 acres in six leagues.

May 3

Candelario Saenz, charged in the murder of John Cleary and whose habeas corpus hearing consumed 2 ½ days, was denied bail and remained in jail. An array o witnesses gave testimony. Evidence is wholly circumstantial. Saenz was represented by Lt. Gov. A. B. Davidson and Attorney Bailey of Cuero. Courtroom crowded throughout proceedings.

Corpus Christi Caller, May 11, 1908

May 4

On May 4, 1892, Trinidad Flores (widow), E. Garcia Perez and his wife Praxedis Tovar de Garcia, and Calixto Tovar of Duval County mortgaged land for $10,500 owed to Francis Smith from Indiana. Henry P.l. Drought was named a trustee. The note was due in five years plus 10 percent interest. Five payments of $700 were due annually beginning on April 1, 1893, and ending on April 1, 1897. They mortgaged 13,925 from San Diego de Arriba and San Diego de Abajo. This did not include their homesteads.

Jim Wells County Deed Records

May 5

The main talk in San Diego was “fiesta” which started on May 5; music coming from Mexico; also gun club matches; baseball matches between San Diego, Corpus Christi, and others; horse races; wheelbarrow race and sack races. San Diego does not make much “blow” but always gets large crowds.

Corpus Christi Caller, April 14, 1888