The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 49, July 1945 - April, 1946 Page: 352
717 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 24 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
terial construction of the buildings, the "distribution of labor
to be made proportionately in the indispensable and necessary
manner, so that some may not work more than others." Those
failing to comply with the decree were to be fined twelve pesos,
which sum should be applied to the work on the buildings.6
Morals also concerned the city fathers. On August 22, 1790,
Acting Alcalde Joseph GonzAlez issued a decree forbidding the
sale of certain liquors within the town. The order included
in addition action against gambling, public scandal, and va-
grants. The decree banned the sale or introduction in the city
of prohibited liquors and provided for the destruction of the
liquor upon seizure. The alcalde further decreed that as gam-
bling resulted in the total corruption of the morals of a town,
a fine of six pesos should be assessed against those found
guilty, together with incarceration in the public jail for one
month. He evidently wanted to put the new jail to some good
use. Citizens leaving the town were directed to give a full
account of their destination and the object of their travels.
Strangers arriving in the place were to register immediately
with the alcalde, making known their destination, whence they
came, and their business. The order further prohibited the
holding of entertainments lasting later than nine or ten o'clock
at night, without first securing a permit for such purpose, the
order stating that these night entertainments resulted in "of-
fenses against God, the King and the public."'7
The peace officers of the town were kept active. Today when
one visits the post offices he will see on the wall various cards
showing fingerprints and descriptions of fugitives from justice,
with the request for their apprehension. In those early days
of the frontier the Spaniards also sought to apprehend law-
breakers. Many minute descriptions of criminals were sent
out by the various governmental agencies of the Spanish vice-
roys in Mexico. The one issued from Celaya on October 5, 1796,
which was received by the alcalde of Laredo, is an example.
Some prisoners had escaped from the royal prison in
Celaya. The descriptions of the fugitives were good for that
day and time. One read: "Pedro Nolasco Calsonsi, Indian, 29
years of age, crisp hair, dark reddish color, face pitted from
smallpox; has a scar under one ear; on left arm is tattooed
'6Decree of Joseph Gonzalez, lieutenant alcalde, July 4, 1790, Laredo
Archives.
"Decree of Joseph Gonzalez, lieutenant alcalde, August 22, 1790, Laredo
Archives.352
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 49, July 1945 - April, 1946, periodical, 1946; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146056/m1/407/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.