Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/606

588 At Branciforte, certain evil-doers disobeyed and even ridiculed the alcalde's orders. Comandante Castro sent Lieutenant Soto with a force to aid the municipal authorities. Nine, all members of the Robles, Salazar, and Soria families, were arrested. On the march back to San Juan the prisoners refused to obey orders, and were fired upon, Avelino Robles being killed and Nicolás Robles badly wounded. Reports based on this affair and the plots of Ramirez, were circulated in the south, to the effect that the whole north was in revolt; but Prefect Peña issued a denial of such reports, presenting the death of Robles and the imprisonment of his companions as a salutary example for the benefit of the Angelinos, showing the energy of the government and the inevitable consequences of insubordination.

Yet despite the warnings thus given by the prefect, a tumult occurred before the month was over in the city of Los Angeles, or 'Los Diablos' as it was