The Americans go heavily
armed, and only travel in large bodies. Public rage reaches its climax,
when there is found pinned on the body of a dead deputy-sheriff a
printed proclamation of the Governor of $5,000 for Joaquin's head.
Under the printed words is the scrawl:
"I myself will give ten thousand.
"JOAQUIN."
The passions of the Americans break loose. Innocent Mexicans are
shot and hanged; all stragglers driven out.
The San Joaquin valley becomes a theatre of continued conflict.
"Claudio," another dark chief, ravages the Salinas. He is the
robber king of the coast. The officers find a union between the
coast and inland bandits. Now the manly settlers of the San Joaquin
rise in wrath. Texan rangers, old veterans, heroes of Comanche and
Sioux battles, all swear to hunt Joaquin Murieta to death.
Maxime Valois takes the saddle. He posts strong forces in the defiles
opening to the coast. A secret messenger leaves for Monterey. A
vigorous attack on the coast bandits drives them toward the inland
passes.
"Claudio" and his followers are killed, after a bitter hand-to-hand
duel. One or two are hanged. Sheriff Cocks is the hero of the
coast. Maxime Valois calls his ablest men together.
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