San Mateo County Gazette Redwood City, San Mateo County, California Saturday Morning, November 18, 1859, Vol. 1 No.33 COURT OF SESSIONS - Pursuant to adjournment this court opened on Monday and proceeded with business as follows: In the case of The People vs. Jose Roderigues, a demurrer to the indictment was entered, which being overruled, the defendant plead not guilty and was place upon his trial which resulted in a verdict of guilty of the charge alleged in the indictment, grand larceny, with a recommendation to mercy. This prosecution was for the stealing of two yoke of oxen from Geo. Dale, in August last. The People vs. James Riley, indictment for grand larceny in stealing sundry articles from the residence of Daniel Lunt, in August last, after disposing of various preliminary motions the defendant plead not guilty. On Tuesday the case was tried, and the jury brought in a verdict of guilty. The People vs. M.H. Lowt. This defendant was indicted for an assault, and upon his trial was acquitted. On Wednesday morning, motions for new trial and in arrest of judgment, were made in Riley's case, both of which were overruled, and the court sentences him to the State's Prison for two years. In the case of Roderigues, a motion in arrest of judgment was made and overruled On being called for sentence, he made a statement in Spanish, which was translated by his counsel, Hon. W.B. Maxson, admitting that he did drive away the cattle as proved, but claiming that it was not done for purposes of gain, but to punish Dale for certain injuries - which were stated, but which being of a family nature, we shall not repeat - and that he sold them for a low price so that Dale might get them back without the payment of a large sum of money. The statement altogether was much in keeping with Spanish character and notions, and the prisoner having heretofore borne a good reputation, and having been recommended to the mercy of the court, the court sentenced him to one year in the State Prison. In the matter of the defaulting Grand Jurors, for whom attachments were served last week, they all appeared in person, or sent their excuses. In every instance but one the excuse was sickness, and was accepted. In that one instance the excuse was carelessness and over-sight, which being deemed insufficient, the juror was fined twenty-five dollars. On Monday afternoon the Grand Jury reported one other indictment, and having no further business before them, were discharged. On Wednesday, at eleven o'clock, the court adjourned over till Friday, the 25th inst. at 10 o'clock. Deputy Sheriff Hovius on Wednesday last left for San Quentin, having in charge James Riley and Prudencio Roderigues, sentenced to imprisonment in the State Prison by the Court of Sessions. COUNTY COURT - On Friday of last week, in this court, the case of Vidal vs Feliz was tried before the court without a jury. The court took the case under advisement, and on Tuesday rendered judgment in favor of defendant for thirty dollars. The court stands adjourned until Saturday the 26th inst., at 12 M. EMPTY - The jail of our County is once more empty and its doors stand unbarred. The present term of the Court of Sessions has emphatically dried up that institution, and relieved the county of a considerable bill of expense. SOLD OUT - We learn that ex-Sheriff Ackerson has sold his place to Capt. E. Beale, and is about to remove to his ranch near Monterey. FOR TRIAL - The case of Webb vs Diller, et. al, in the U.S. Circuit Court, an action of trespass against Supervisor Diller for removing a fence which had been constructed across the Whippple Mill road, is set for trial on Wednesday next. CHANGES - We notice among other changes which have taken place that Chew & Hilton have completed their splendid new brick shop, and commenced operations in it. They no doubt will find this more convenient, but we doubt whether it can improve their hitherto excellent work any. Messrs. Heller & Co. are now occupying their large, new livery stable, in addition to their old establishment. They can now accommodate fifty horses. Mr. Ernest has also found it necessary to make a change in his business, and during the rainy season, will run his stage only one way each day, as will be seen by reference to his advertisement. SCHOOL RETURNS - The returns from Districts Nos. One and Two are now in. From the report in District No. One there appears to be one hundred and eleven children between the ages of four and eighteen, about equally divided between boys and girls. There are forty-six children in the district under four years of age, and one hundred and three of all ages born in California. Only twenty-three attended school during the last term, and the average daily attendance was a fraction over thirteen. In the Second district there are one hundred and seventy-five between four and eighteen years of age - ninety-nine boys and seventy-six girls; eighty-four under four years of age, one hundred and forty-five of all ages born in California; nineteen attending school, with an average daily attendance of twelve. MORE SILVER DISCOVERED IN CARSON VALLEY - The Placerville Observer of Saturday is informed by its correspondent that new and rich discoveries are made on the other side of the mountains. Brazil, Mexico and Peru, that have so long supplied the world with the beautiful and precious metal, are now surpassed. The great American nation now owns the richest mines in the world of all the needful and precious minerals. DISCHARGED BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT "COME DOWN" - Officer Gay, one of the most efficient men on the Sacramento Police, has been dismissed. He got his "walking papers" because he would not submit to an assessment of $10, at the last election, for party uses. Mr. Gay was engaged in the killing and capturing of the highwaymen who attacked the Todd Valley stage the other day. SUDDEN DEATH - A man named James Bennett, entered a saloon in Sacramento, on Thursday evening sat down in a chair, and in a short time was seized with congestive chills and breathed heavily. Before medical assistance could be procured, the man died. A NEW TELEGRAPHIC COMPANY - Mr. Bee has made arrangements to open a telegraph office at Strawberry Valley, to accommodate the traveling public, which will be of great importance to persons crossing the mountains. MORTALITY AMONG CHILDREN - Scarletina and putrid sore throat are prevailing among the children of this city to a fearful extent. These diseases seem to be very virulent and fatal. -Call MASONIC - The members of California Lodge No. 1, F.A.M., celebrated the Tenth Anniversary of the introduction of Masonry into California, at their Lodge Room on the 15th inst. MEXICAN DOLLARS - The bark Adelaide, which arrived at San Francisco on Sunday night, from Mazatlan, brought 152,992 Mexican dollars. OVERLAND MAIL - More than 5,000 letters were sent 14th inst., by the Overland stage. About 150 were way letters. The claims of Henry Combuston, to eleven square leagues of land in Sacramento Valley, was on Wednesday rejected by Judge Hoffman, of the U.S. District Court. The principal ground on which the decision was made, was that the applicant, at the time the grant was authorized, was a foreigner. The Judge says: "I have thus, in obedience to the injunction of the Supreme Court, inquired into and scrutinized this case with great care as to the authority of the Governor to make the grant and the bona fide of its exercise. The result of that inquiry is, that the grantee was a foreigner, and does not appear to have been naturalized. Nor does it appear that the express license of the Supreme Government was obtained. The Governor, therefore, had no authority to make the grant. The claim must be rejected." FROM THE NORTH The steamer Columbia arrived on Sunday. The latest papers from Oregon are of the 8th; Crescent City, of 9th; Humboldt Bay, of the 5th. The new Sim-il-ka-meen mines are exciting considerable interest. The members of the Bundary Commission, who are now at Portland, corroborate the first report relative to their richness. All fo them have more or less dust, and from all that can be gathered from the employees there can be no doubt that the diggings are extensive. Prospects have been made five miles each way from the bar on which the gold was first discovered, and 50 cents to the pan has been the yield. George Allen, one of the engineers of the steamer Belle, was accidentally downed at Portland on 4th November. To see other old newspapers, visit http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/index.php