WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1859
281
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's court, is found to intervene to effect the object of Treanor's mission. It is eventu- ally, by his persuasions, and by that of $500 in mo1iey, that Gon- zales 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 deposi- tion 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 decoy- ing 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 Orleans. It appears, however, that the payment of seven or eight hundred dollars additional, which League said was to compensate the old Mexican, who was a tanner, for some hides left in his vats, proved more powerful in inducing him to go to New Orleans than the alluring picture of "civilization" with which he was promised to be amused. In his testimony before the committee, League says that he prom- ised the old man, if he would go to New Orleans, to show him "a steamboat and a railroad." By a very wonderful coincidence, just as he was using his persuasion, "the steamboat came puffing up towards Rio Grande City." "How pretty,'' he said, "we can go on that boat, and be taken to New Orleans." But old Gonzales cared more for the hides, either absolutely or constructively, in his vats, than for taking "pretty" tours on "puffing steamboats." Mr. League then tries another temptation, by offering him seven or eight hundred dollars in the shape of compensation for his hides; and "by that means," says Mr. League in his testimony, "we got him to New Orleans." It is worthy of remark what boldness is displayed in the actions of League and Treanor, in attempting to assert the validity of this power of attorney on the personal testimony of this poor old man. Who is Gonzales, that his deposition should have such value? He is without official station; he is the custodian of
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