The dragoon regiment of Mexico was ordered in all haste to the capital, and measures were taken to preserve public order and tranquillity. Nor were these precautions unnecessary. Confusion and tumult prevailed in the city. Armed bodies of Creoles and natives thronged the streets with threatening demonstrations, while fears were entertained that an attempt at rescue would be made by a division of the Jalapa regiment, whose captain, Joaquin Arias, and his brother officers declared that they would liberate Iturrigaray or perish in the attempt. They were finally, however, dissuaded from their purpose. For greater security Iturrigaray was removed to the fortress of San Juan de Ulúa, [1] being conducted thither on the 21st by a guard of sixty soldiers of the volunteers of Fernando VII. and fifty dragoons. A few days later he was joined by his wife and family, and on the 6th of December embarked with them on board the San Justo for Cádiz. On his arrival at that port he was confined in the castle of San Sebastian, whence he was removed to that of Santa Catalina. There, impeached for treason, and accused of extortion and maleadministration, he awaited his trial.
Meanwhile, all the hoarded wealth in his palace be sides other property was sequestrated, [2] and the oidor
- ↑ At attempt at rescue was made, of which Vicente Acuña was the instigator. Acuña was sent prisoner to Spain, where he was acquitted. Returning to Mexico three years later, he was arrested at Perote, and shot under sentence of the council of war stationed there. Bustamante, Sup., Tres Siglos, iii. 243-4.
- ↑ His accumulations were immense. In three apartments of the palace were found, besides a great quantity of diamonds, snuff-boxes, ornamental bouquets, breakfast services, knives, forks, and spoons, all of solid gold, a gold writing-desk, gold cigar-cases, and costly ornaments, trinkets, and bric-a-brac almost without number. The silver ware was hardly less valuable; no fewer than 50 dozen sets of plates, knives, forks, and spoons were found, with corresponding dinner-services and table ornaments. Behind his cabinet a box was discovered, labeled 'Dulce de Querétaro.' The sweetmeats it contained were 7,383 gold ounces. In another chest was a massive circular ingot of gold and a great variety of rare trinkets of the same metal, 'que no será, muy comun hallarlas en los palacios de los monarcas.' In the corners of these apartments were found more than 30,000 duros in bags. Moreover, among the spoil were four interest-paying bonds of 100,000 duros each. (The duro was the same coin as the peso fuerte.) Veracruzano, i. 76-7. The editor of this periodical states that the document from which the above particulars are taken is a copy of the original manuscript. The same is to be found almost verbatim in Cancelada, Conducta fturrigaray, 88-91, and in Alaman Hist. Mej., i. app. 41-3, copied from Cancelada. Before the wife of Iturrigaray left Mexico she petitioned that the jewelry of which she had been deprived, and the bonds of her children, might be returned to her, and also that her husband's plate and ornaments be restored to him. The audiencia acceded to her request as regarded the jewelry and plate, but refused to surren der the bonds. Id., i. 260-1.
