On the twenty first of March last there was a Frenchman who
called his name Bt. Rashall a citizen of the United States of America
pased through this Neighborhood, he had in company with him a
man he said was an Indian. Rashall had a small cavallard sixteen
in number of horses and mules of different brands, as they passed
through the neighborhood of the Colorado they stole thirteen head
of horses from Mr Buckner and Parker, came on to Martin Varner
living on the road in the neighborhood of the Brazos and stole four
head from him, and passed on across the Brazos entending to make
their escape for the United States we raised a party of men and
followed them near the Trinity river and overtook them, and they
having no pasport we brought them back, and on examination found
them Guilty of Theft I detained the cavallyard and started the
men on to St Antonio under a guard for your instruction at the
Colorado, the Alcalde and Comandant stopt them, and directed the
guard to return, saying they had instructions from your excellency
not to send any guilty of such crimes on but to decide on the case
ourselves, their doing so put it out of my power to send them on
after they returned as we have not horses for that purpose and men
could not leave their crops having lost so much time already being
convinced of the guilt of Rashall I took the property I found to be
his, to pay the expence of appehending them and also to pay for the
property they stole and did not return thir was one hundred and
fifty dollars of the stolen property we could get nothing for, which
was lost to the owners, that was the property of Mr Parker which he
will lose as Rashall had not property sufficient to satisfy the
demand, and the property they stole was lost and not returned— the
hands that were with Rashall were Spaniards who claimed part of
the property which we gave them and directed them to return home
the property I let Parker have to pay part of his loss, I had it valued
and bound him in a bond to return the property or the value thereof
in case you disaproved of the proceedings and anyone came forward
to claim it, the manner in which I acted appeared from every
evidence I could get on the subject to be as near justice as was in my
power to come at and I wish your Excellency so soon as convenient
to say whether the part I acted was right or not, we are much at
a loss for Instructions from that place, as we have never received
one official line since the officers were elected be so good as to give
us instructions when you can with convenience.