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Show OLD and De Munn to leave Spanish terri tory, which they did, Chouteau and De Munn and their hunters proc eeding to the headwaters of the Arka —e winter. nsas where they trapped and hunted ~~ awevy BVUUWU during the fall and In the following spring De Munn intended to leave for St. Louis, taking with him the furs which had been cached. Before it was possible for him to leave, however, he was arrested by Sergeant Bernal, along with Chouteau, and taken to Santa Fé. Their property was confiscated and they were even put in irons in the old jail, which stood in the plaza in front of the old palace. Finally, after a court-martial, Sentencing them to leave the dominion s of Spain, they returned to St. Louis, where they arrived in Sept ember, 1817. In a letter to Governor William Clark , written from St. Louis, November 25, 1817, De Munn gives in detail the facts connected with the court-martia] at Sant a Fé. He Says: “After forty-eight days’ imprisonment we were presented before composed of six members and a ident who was mself (Pedro Maria de Allande). presOnly one of the to have any information, the others not evel toPeared sign their n Many questions were asked, The president denied that our a license, and entered into such a rage that it Prevented his speakh ing, contenting himself with Striking his fist several a tj must Neve ast Seveal tes on the table, eaying, “Centleme, ft ° ¢ we At such conduct of the pres ident I did not think muc h of my SANTA FE TRAIL 101 life, for all the members were terrified in his presence, and unwilling to resist him; on the contrary [were ready] to do anything to please him. ‘He talked much of a big river that was the boundary line between the two countries, but did not know its name. When mention was made of the Mississippi he Jumped up saying that was the big river he meant; that Spain had never ceded the west side of it. It may be easy to judge of our feelings to see our lives in the hands of such a man. ‘That day the court did not come to any determination, because the president (as I heard him say to Lieutenant de Arce) had forgotten everything he had to say. Next day we were again presented to the court, but as I knew the kind of man we had to deal with, I never attempted to justify myself of any of his false assertions. We were dismissed and Mr. Chouteau and myself put in the same room. ‘Half an hour afterward the Lieutenant came in with a written Sentence; we were forced to kneel down to hear the citure of it, and forced, likewise, to kiss the unjust and iniquitous sentence that deprived harmless men of all they possessed — of the fruits of two years’ labors and perils. ‘What appears the more extraordinary is that the governor acknowledged to me afterward in the presence of Don Piedro Piero [Don Pedro Bautista Pino] the deputy of New Mexico to the Cortes, and several others, that we were very innocent men; yet notwith- Standing this all our property was kept and we were permitted to come home, each with one of the worst horses we had.’’”° At the time of the imprisonment of Chouteau ‘° When Sour this Chouteau and De Munn Congressman, Scott, they put and De Munn, returned to’ St. Louis, through the Misin a claim for damages. As late as claim and the one preferred by McKnight was still being urged. 1836, I do not know whether it. was ever finally liquidated by the Spanish government. See U. 8. Gov. Doc., 24th cong., 1st sess., Sen. Docs., Nos. 400 and 424. Ina manuscript by William Waldo, on file with the Missouri Historical Society, Ms., No. 135, the following anecdote appears: ‘*Chouteau, having been brought up in the city of St. Louis, which in its early history had perhaps re Spanish inhabitants than those of any other nationality, spoke the Spani language, which enabled him to communicate freely with the authorities and priests [of Santa Fé]. His superior powers of conversation and his ,ourtly address so captivated the Spanish governor that he would frequently have the Colonel carried from the prison to his house to amuse him and entertain him. one of these occasions, when the governor had favored his Visitor with Ona long catalogue of his numerous benefactions in his behalf, he paused and with great earnestness demanded what more he would Colonel quietly replied, ‘Mi libertad, Seftor Gobernador!’ This the boastful magistrate that the prisoner was quickly ordered back "pes '_ The author of this anecdote was the uncle of Henry L. a8 Vegas, New Mexico. have. so The incensed to his vile Waldo, of |
