Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/581

 from Saltillo; and from the former place, as if the movements of the party were again determined by the old anxiety to avoid notoriety and attention, Treanor proceeds alone to the scene of operations. On reaching Saltillo, it might be supposed that he would at once have consulted the archives in relation to the power of attorney. But instead of exhibiting an honest purpose; by proceeding at once to the archives, and comparing the copy which he held with the original, he directs his steps, first to the house of Gonzales, a former alcalde of the place, an old man, partially blind, and he exhibits the important document to him, and prompts him to give an opinion of its genuineness. A quarter of a century had elapsed since the document purports to have been made. The old man naturally suggests that he will go to the archives—of course, to examine the original. Mr. Treanor's reply is that he does not wish this; and suggests as a reason, "that the proof was to be taken, not for a Mexican, but for an American court." Subsequently, he (Treanor) does examine the archives; he goes there alone; and, it appears, for another purpose than that of examining the original of this power. And in answer to the inquiry if he had found anything there corresponding with the copy or testimonio which he held, and whether he compared them, replied, "I compared them not very particularly, but I saw they were very nearly equal." Not very particularly! why not? The matter of this power of attorney was the sole object of his mission to Saltillo. "Nearly equal" to the testimonio.

Such is his testimony before the committee of investigation. Strange, indeed, that Judge Watrous and his astute counsel did not think proper to ask. the witness (their witness) in what respect the original and the testimonio differed.

The proofs of the forgery were too plain. Treanor did not dare to take the deposition of old Gonzales, before the authorities of Saltillo, as in such a case, according to the law of Mexico, the officer taking the deposition would have been required to give notice to La Vega and other parties, whom it was his object to keep in utter ignorance of his machinations.

It therefore became necessary to take Gonzales away. But it was found the old man was not willing to leave. Here Hewitson, who resided at Saltillo, who had, by a deposition of his own at Galveston, sustained this forged document, and who, it has been shown, was a general partner in the system of fraud dealt out through the machinery of Judge Watrous' court, is found to intervene to effect the object of Treanor's mission. It is eventually, by his persuasions, and by that of $500 in money, that Gonzales is induced to accompany Treanor, six or seven days' travel, to Rio Grande City.

After Gonzales was got as far as Rio Grande City, his deposition was taken ex parte. League was bent upon making the most of this old man's testimony, to obtain which, it is proved, he has paid him at least $1,300, besides his expenses, and was desirous of taking the old man to New Orleans, as he said, to testify before the court there. Mr. Treanor, for whose able services it is also proved that League paid $1,300, over and above his expenses, and further sums not revealed, is appointed to prevail upon Gonzales to go to New Orleans. League assists in the persuasion by decoying the simple old man, as he himself states, by pictures of the "progress of civilization," which he would see by an extension of his travels to New