User:Asiaticus/sandbox/Reyes Feliz

Reyes Feliz(1836 - 1852) was a Sonoran immigrant to California during 1849, during the California Gold Rush. He subsequently become a murderer and bandit. According to his own confession in 1852, he a rode with the company of Joaquin Murrieta, and Pedro Gonzalez and committed robbery with them. [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DAC18521215.2.8&e=---en--20-DAC-21-byDA-txt-txIN-bandits---1 Daily Alta California, Volume 3, Number 345, 15 December 1852, p.2, col.2 Later from the South. --- Execution of Reyes Feliz. --- Discovery of another Murder. --- Conviction of the Murderer. --- One hundred horses stolen.] :"My name is Reyes Feliz, am 15 or 16 years old, was born at the Real de Bayareca, State of Sonora. I did not know General Bean. I don't know who killed him. Here, in Los Angeles, I heard some gentlemen, whose names I do not know, say, that Murrieta's woman had said that Joaquin Murrieta had killed him. I live at San Gabriel. It is true that I asked Piliguije for a dagger, and I told him that I was going to gamble with two Americans, and that in case I should lose, that I would take the money from them; I don't know what my intentions were in that act.  I do not own but one murder; the man I killed was called Anselmo Marias.  I killed him with a shot at the camp of Sonora; it is a year since I committed this crime — because I had a dispute with Anselmo.  He was going to kill an American, a night previous, who was a "padrino" of mine.  I belonged to the company of Joaquin Murieta and the late Pedro, who was killed by Americans in the "cuesta del conejo." I was not then with Pedro; I was then ill in the Tulares of the effects from bites of a bear. We robbed, Joaquin Murieta, the late Pedro, and myself. In Avisimba, "orilla de la Sierra," (foot of the mountains,) in front of the Pueblo of San Jose, we robbed 20 horses, which we brought to the "Tejon." There the Indians took some of them from us; others, the owner took, who went in pursuit of us. I don't know his name, he was a Mexican. I have not robbed any more. I did not kill any body else. I know nothing more about the death of Gen. Bean."

Life
In his confession at his 1852 trial in Los Angeles, Reyes Feliz said this about his origins: "My name is Reyes Feliz, am 15 or 16 years old, was born at the Real de Bayareca, State of Sonora."

=
Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 4, Number 533, 8 December 1852, p.3 col.1 Later from Southern California.======

Later from Southern California.

By the steamer Sea Bird which arrived on Sunday morning from San Diego, we have later and important advices from Southern California. The U. S. Commissioners, Hon. Hiland Hall, and Messrs. Robert Greenhow and Geo. Fislier are among the passengers; also, Scnor Don Tomas, Captain of the Diguenos Indians. The U. S. sloop of war Portsmouth was at San Diego bound for Panama. The murder of Gen. Bean had created the greatest excitement — the Star of the 27th ult. says:

Ever since Gen. Bean's death, his friends, of whom he had many and true, have been unremitting in their exertions to ferret out the circumstances of his assassination. We stated in our last that a man had been arrested on suspicion. but it has since transpired that he had no connection with the affair. His examination, however, has led to the arrest of six persons, named Eleuterio, Cipriano Sandoval, Juan Rico, Jose Alvisu, Reyes, and ____, some one of whom, there is every reason to believe, was guilty of the murder. These persons are supposed to belong to the gang of the noted Solomon Pico, the band referred to above. They were brought into town on Thursday and Friday, and taken charge of by a guard of citizens. Yesterday afternoon a public maeting was held at the Court House, at which J. O. Wheeler, Esq.,presided, and Don M. C. Rojo and Wm H. Rand acted as Secretaries. It was resolved by the citizens present that as the county jail was too insecure for the safe detention of the prisoners, they should be conducted to some suitable place, and there guarded until their connection with the murder of Gen. Bean could be ascertained, and Mr. D. W. Alexander was charged with and became responsible for their safe keeping, the citizens generally agreeing to assist.

A committee was then appointed, who were to take the whole matter under advisement, and report some plan to be pursued in its further investigation.

In the meantime, other persons are suspected, and strong efforts are being made to have them arrested. It is not improbable that these persons will be tried by a people's court, and the guilty ones punished as they deserve. There can certainly be no objection to this mode of procedure, when we hear our very court officers acknowledge that the law is utterly incapable of bringing them to justice.

If these proceedings should lead to the detection of Solomon Pico and any of his party, our citizens will be well repaid for their exertions, though no atonement can be made for the many travelers who have been the victims of these desperadoes between San Diego and Monterey. It is to be hoped, however, that passion will not get the better of justice and judgment, but let everything be conducted in a manner worthy of an American community.

The Alta states that the day of the sailing of the Sea Bird was the same as that fixed by the Vigilance Committee of Los Angeles for the execution of the parties mentioned above. Of seven arrested and tried three were found guilty and condemned to death. The others were turned over to the people, and from the evidence against them, in connection with the murder of Bean, it was thought that they also would be condemned.

=
[https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DAC18521215.2.8&e=---en--20-DAC-21-byDA-txt-txIN-bandits---1 Daily Alta California, Volume 3, Number 345, 15 December 1852, p.2, col.2 Later from the South. --- Execution of Reyes Feliz. --- Discovery of another Murder. --- Conviction of the Murderer. --- One hundred horses stolen.] =====


 * Later from the South. --- Execution of Reyes Feliz. --- Discovery of another Murder. --- Conviction of the Murderer. --- One hundred horses stolen.

The steamer Sea Bird, Capt. Hillard, arrived here ay morning at 11 A. M., after a passage of four daya from San Diego. She brings thirty passengers, a list of whom, together with their memoranda, will be found in another column.

We have received a copy of the Los Angeles Star of Dec. 4th, being one week later. The news shows that Los Angeles county has been infested with a gang of robbers and murderers for a long time past, and have succeeded in eluding detection until the present time. Some discoveries have been made as to the murder of Gen. Bean, and the crime is fixed upon one Cipriano Sandoral, who has fled.

Reyes Feliz, who was arrested upon the charge of being a party to the assassination of Gen. Bean, was executed by the people of Los Angeles on Tuesday, the 27th ult., at 12 M. It was not proved that he was concerned in causing the death of Gen. Bean, but he acknowledged to being a robber and a murderer. The following is the confession which he made :


 * "My name is Reyes Feliz, am 15 or 16 years old, was born at the Real de Bayareca, State of Sonora. I did not know General Bean. I don't know who killed him. Here, in Los Angeles, I heard some gentlemen, whose names I do not know, say, that Murrieta's woman had said that Joaquin Murrieta had killed him. I live at San Gabriel. It is true that I asked Piliguije for a dagger, and I told him that I was going to gamble with two Americans, and that in case I should lose, that I would take the money from them; I don't know what my intentions were in that act. I do not own but one murder; the man I killed was called Anselmo Marias. I killed him with a shot at the camp of Sonora; it is a year since I committed this crime — because I had a dispute with Anselmo. He was going to kill an American, a night previous, who was a "padrino" of mine. I belonged to the company of Joaquin Murieta and the late Pedro, who was killed by Americans in the "cuesta del conejo." I was not then with Pedro; I was then ill in the Tulares of the effects from bites of a bear. We robbed, Joaquin Murieta, the late Pedro, and myself. In Avisimba, "orilla de la Sierra," (foot of the mountains,) in front of the Pueblo of San Jose, we robbed 20 horses, which we brought to the "Tejon." There the Indians took some of them from us; others, the owner took, who went in pursuit of us. I don't know his name, he was a Mexican. I have not robbed any more. I did not kill any body else. I know nothing more about the death of Gen. Bean."

After the confession was made known, a public meeting was held, and the deceased unanimously condemned to death. He was carefully guarded, and next day taken to Prospect Hill and executed. Just before he was launched into eternity, he addressed a few words to the assembly, saying that his punishment was justly merited, and advising them never to put faith in woman. Ho persisted to the last in knowing nothing of the death of Gen. Bean.