 The romance of the ranchos Los Angeles 1846 revolt threatened small American garrison San Francisco 1846 lone rider covers 600 miles in ride for help San Pedro 1846 battle of Dominguez ranch disastrous American defeat the title insurance and trust company of Los Angeles presents the romance of the ranchos a weekly dramatization of the colorful characters and events which furnish the background for our Southern California of today each week our wandering Vecchero Frank Graham returns to tell us another true story of an exciting chapter in the history of the Southland starting on March 8th romance of the ranchos will be brought to you at a new time 8 30 to 9 o'clock each Sunday evening radio listening records indicate that for the great majority of Southern California families this will be a more convenient day and hour and title insurance and trust company of Los Angeles hopes that all of you present listeners will continue to be their guests every week remember a new day Sunday and a new time 8 30 p.m. and the starting date Sunday March 8 remember to to buy defense bonds and stamps as liberally and as frequently as you can make it a regular habit to invest in America and in your own families financial future and now here to tell us the story is our wandering Vecchero Frank Graham when I stop chase senior assi seniors our story tonight deals with the dramatic period in the growth of California the American conquest and also with a particular incident in that period which had circumstances been slightly different might have been celebrated in song and story along with the ride of Paul Revere it was the feet accomplished by John Brown whom the Californians called Juan Flaco or lean John it's a story rich in the romance of the ranchers our story starts in the uneasy days just before the Californians learned that Mexico was at war with the United States Colonel John C. from on had just organized an expedition to continue his explorations along the West Coast and incidentally to keep an eye on the province of California for the Californians were dissatisfied with Mexican rule and the British were vying with the Americans for the purpose of winning the country peacefully and so it was that as Colonel from on was recruiting his small force he was approached by a tall slim man yes Colonel from on I'm Juan Flaco lean John the Californians call me you have another name no doubt oh sure name John Brown an American well now I think so born in Sweden though hmm you don't speak like a sweet and speak in English and Spanish most of my life see I ran away from home when I was 15 shipped as a cabin boy aboard a Britisher and the souls are mostly for whom well most anybody who had some fighting to do bought in South America under General Simone Bolivar bought in California under Alvarado and me shall terrainer you know California pretty well better than any place well I don't know lean John we're going to do a powerful lot of riding you don't look to me as though you'd last very long on a horse don't let this year long stretch of me fool your Colonel I can ride pretty well maybe but matter of fact I've got a pretty good reputation as a horseman out there in California hmm well sir we'll see if you can hold up in one of our sidles you mean you'll take me I'll give you a chance lean John but I'll never know why it'll be the first time I ever saw a beanpole on a horse and so lean John Brown joined the horsemen of Colonel from on spotty as they crossed into California there they found things fast coming to a head as the party road north toward Oregon a messenger arrived with news war may be expected any time Colonel from on and it's your duty to see that nothing goes wrong in California but what about the American fleet gonna speak Commodore's load is anchored in Mexican water they'll move north at the first sign of trouble but in the meantime you're the only one really here on the scene to protect American interests you can't go on north I'm not sure where my duty lies if I go back the Californians may take offense they might even find it a cause for war but if you don't who's protect the Americans there already they're panicky about an attack from the Californians yes maybe you're right Gillespie I'll give the order to turn around and head back into California Remont arrived in the Sacramento Valley just in time to find the American settlers expecting an attack momentarily and ready to take strong measures against the native Californians quickly feeling spread and culminated in the big bear flag revolt in which a handful of Americans proclaimed California a republic Remont resigned his army command so that he might join with them but before they could see much action news came that war with Mexico was on in earnest now Remont with his men hurried to meet Commodore Stockton's naval units both from Ant and the messenger Gillespie received commissions from Stockton and they prepared to embark for the South to occupy San Diego and Los Angeles things on John Brown yes I'm sending you down on the other ship with Captain Gillespie why can't I string along with you Carol because you're familiar with the country and Gillespie will need a man like you all right sir you say so good man don't let that horse throw you I'm not worried about any horses but I don't think much of this year next stage of the trip I'm worried about keeping my seat on this buckin bronco of a ship Remont landed at San Diego occupied the city and started north to meet Stockton whose forces landed at San Pedro with no organized opposition they took Los Angeles and to all appearances the occupation of California was completed without the shedding of blood everything was so peaceful on the surface that Stockton and from Ant left from Monterey leaving only Captain Gillespie's small force to occupy the hotbed of revolt that was Los Angeles they'd not been gone long before the young captain's ill-considered restrictions had caused bad feelings but senior captain the 15th of September the day of celebration here it is a holiday for all citizens of Mexico yes but you'll no longer citizens of Mexico's in your and there'll be no celebrations here what your celebrations are it lasts a week everybody get drunk and anything might happen you're feeling it might run away with you and I'm not taking the chance there'll be no celebration very well senior but I warn you the people will not like this they have not liked many things you have done you had better watch your step 15th of September came and passed and there was no celebration but feeling was running high and on the 22nd of September 1846 Captain Gillespie everything quiet yes it was a noisy crowd in the streets a little while ago sounded like a rowdy party maybe quieted down now it's almost too quiet I don't like it well I haven't seen anything suspicious captain streets deserted so dark out there you can't tell whether it's deserted or not look did you see something move over there in the shadows why no I don't think so yeah something did move probably dog or something you ever see a dog wearing a sombrero look you can see the outline of it it's a man I can see him now he's creeping across the street and look behind your mother's not only a lot of men we've driven them off it was easy most of them are so drunk I didn't know what they're doing anyway there's only a handful to it doesn't matter how few of them there were this is serious tomorrow we're going to take measures to see that this doesn't happen again Captain Gillespie it looked to me like just a while spray a few rowdies who got a little too much firewater doesn't matter what it looked like to you this could start something serious tomorrow I'm going to make a few arrests just to see that it doesn't all I've been at ease that's just the attitude captain that's really going to get us into trouble one clock was right Captain Gillespie's deligerent attitude only inflamed the Californians and what might have passed off as a minor incident became the spark that set off revolt Gillespie arrested several prominent Californians to be held as hostages for good behavior and within a day Los Angeles was seething with unrest and word came to the garrison why it's a copy of the proclamation they issued against us this is outrageous it's a revolution yes Captain Gillespie it is courier says almost 200 towns people have taken up arms several of the parole Mexican officers joining them for a's Andre Pico Jose Antonio Carrillo he'll be sorry for this perhaps but captain those men are respected responsible sir these men they're leading their support and leadership to make a serious matter perhaps more serious what do you realize I mean that we have a full fledged war in our hands there are several hundred disarmed soldiers in this area they're all armed to and good fighters they're all rising up and our little companies no match for them you don't think we can handle this frankly no well we're going to you tend to your writing brown and I'll give the orders of course but if you're determined to face them may I make a suggestion all right what is it here in this government house we're trapped I suggest we move out of town and up onto the hill overlooking the town there we might be able to hold out cannon and our long range rifle retreat I wouldn't say so I'd say it was smart strategy to move to a stronger position might be a good idea that we better do it now quickly captain before they're mobilized and moving to town all right I'll give the orders immediately through the streets and up to the top of Fort Hill the little band dragged the two cannon with as much ammunition and provisions as they could carry they established their positions none too soon look at them there are at least a hundred of them at the foot of the hill more over on the other side yes Captain Gillespie we're completely surrounded they've established picket lines around us they're gonna starve us out eh yes and they will too our provisions won't last very long not more than two weeks at most we just have to figure out something to break the siege how we're perched up here where they can't do us any harm but we can't do them any either we can't afford to waste a single shot I want no wonder fire unless they try and attack up the hill which they probably won't a shit tight everybody we just have to wait them out we have to do something we're caught here in a trap they're not going to give up it doesn't look much like it just hold us here until we're starving if we could only get help you have to get help but how Captain Wilson and his men have been captured at Chino Ranch and from out in Stockton or at Monterey over 400 miles from here and they're the nearest I can make it in let's see three days they sail right away we should have help here in a week that would be time enough man what are you talking about you think you could get through their lines and ride to Monterey in three days what crazy I'm not crazy I can do it but even supposing you got through their lines you'd have a ride of over 400 miles through hospital country where every man is your enemy I know but I could take the back trails where would you got the horses at that speed you'd kill off your horses fast and you could find new ones I'll find new ones all right now get word to Stockton I promise you no Brown I can't let you do it it's suicide all right it's my life isn't it oh but there's nothing else that'll save us I'm going whether you give me permission or not all right John you can go as soon as I get this saddle go easy there and now now she's already best horse in the camp he's going to have to be I'm afraid all right lean John here's a message for Stockton I've written it on cigarette paper and fixed my seal to it so they'll know you can be trusted it'll roll up into a little ball where do you want to put it let's see how about in my hair like this just tied in my hair and no one will find it there how's that all right fix it good now it's almost dark you can start any time right there's no use waiting I'll be off wait aren't you taking a gun no just useless baggage if I get to the point where I need one I'd be a goner anyway you have to have some protection I have my reata so I can rope myself a horse that's enough well goodbye captain bless me I'll do my best goodbye lean John God bless you say if I make this maybe Colonel Fremont will have to eat his words about a beanpole on a horse there are still some people who believe that a policy of title insurance is nothing more than a written opinion as to the ownership of a piece of land or real estate based on an examination of public records now the issuance of a policy of title insurance does involve such a search of the public records but some of these records date back for many years and it may be necessary to check more than 50 public offices in addition to that of the county recorder to find them all however in theory any land investor could make his own search of the records and form his own opinion but your policy of title insurance goes far beyond the mere search of records and an opinion in two vitally important respects in the first place it ensures the accuracy of the opinion that title insurance and trust companies experts arrive at after searching the records in the second place the policy of title insurance specifically protects you against a number of title defects that the most careful examination of public records would not reveal so when you think of title insurance which title insurance and trust company of Los Angeles provides don't think of it as merely a search of public records and a written opinion remember that it is an actual insurance policy a policy protecting you against loss due to many specified causes and remember that some of the risks against which it specifically protects you are risks that the public records do not reveal that is title insurance lean John Brown whom the Californians called Juan Flaco took leave of Captain Gillespie and the 50 besieged Americans left behind him the comparative safety of old Fort Hill in Los Angeles and slowly threaded his way toward the Californians lines at the foot of the slope carefully his horse picked its way down the ravine closer closer to the guns of the enraged citizens of the Pueblo friend to me go watch your step we have you covered by 15 rifles very well here I am a kind of soldier oh senior you give yourself up see I'm desert from that bunch up there be careful keep him under the point of your gun this may be a trick why should I want to trick you I'm tired of those Americans up there they have enough sense to see when they're licked but I have come to make peace I'm not armed as you can see what food I'm hungry so will they all be before this is over so you are deserted a senior very well this mountain come forward stop I said this month I had you and those I say you are insolent in your if you expect clemency for me obey what I say this month I will when I get good and ready what you stop is not a desert he's a mess he got through the lines all right but they're after him he only wasn't wounded the sound I'd say there must be 15 horsemen chasing him yeah they're going away fast almost out of here already you can pray now soldier pray that lean John gets through if he wasn't wounded or his horse hit they'll never catch lean John he's on his way to moderate all right faster faster can I get away from them fast fast he's going on the horse is still running here but slower we'll catch him before he gets to the I know it's hard but you can just get me past the canyon come on faster they're gaining on and on pounded one fuck was gallant horse even though it was already seriously wounded after them roared 15 hard-riding Californians gaining with every step they were almost upon the lone rider and suddenly out of the night loomed a 20-foot chasm the canyon on Flaco did not hesitate and his gallant horse neither faltered no pause the time we cross down and around he will be miles ahead pulling away the safety was lean John and his faithful animal only after the sound of his pursuers had died out completely it won't let go allow the wounded horse to slow down the animal was running on his heart they'd only gone about two miles beyond the canyon jump when suddenly the horse could go on no longer it fell to earth leaving the dead horse one Flaco on foot now made his way northward along the Santa Monica Mountains hiding in the brush from the pursuing horsemen toward dawn he approached a lonely ranch house nestled at the foot of the hills and there we approached the corral where the horses were kept but as he reached it a figure appeared it was the ranch arrow aroused by the commotion of the horses oh put up your hands you a dead hombre why even in this light I can see that's not a gun you're holding only a stick of wood you're not an American of course but does that give you any right to steal them a horses an American oh thank God explaining his mission he obtained a fresh horse from the American and once more he was off on his long journey over mountains across open plain through the brush and on the beach he raced there was no road half of the time we could not even use the little trail that left north for he had to detour around every ranch every village and avoid any horseman he might see for this was hostile enemy country he would probably be shot on site on and on he pressed borrowing a fresh horse whenever his steed was worn out he'd been on the trail for twenty seven hours when he pulled into Santa Barbara there small American Garrison offered him food and rest but he had no time a fresh horse was all he wanted and within an hour he was riding hard again once more he was cited by a Californian patrol and once more he rode his horse to death to our business and two days more he rode and on the evening of the third day his panting horse pulled up in front of the government house at Monterey captain Gillespie's company reporting I have a message from Captain Gillespie good heavens man you look as though you'd ridden all the way without a stop I have Gillespie's in trouble and the siege must have helped immediately I must deliver my message to Commodore Stockin at once good lord man Commodore Stockin isn't here he's on up north at San Francisco three days and three nights of continuous riding now his destination reached Juan Flaco founded he must go another hundred or more miles to get help for his friends for three hours he slept the sleep of exhaustion then climbed a strido racehorse punished him by Captain Maddox and started again on and on doggedly determinately although he was aching in every muscle his eyes were sunken and blurred his head spinning from lack of sleep on and on all day until that night after four days of the roughest ride in history he pulled up on the beach at San Francisco having written almost 600 miles from Los Angeles there he met Commodore Stockin John Brown you've done a great thing with your help we'll get Captain Mervine and his mental Los Angeles in time to save Gillespie but now man you'd better get some sleep Commodore just show me a bed Commodore Stockin ordered the frigate Savannah to set sail for Los Angeles at once but out in the bay she ran into heavy fog and was delayed for days even so the relief would not have arrived at Los Angeles in time that is the ironic twist to Juan Flaco's great ride it was in vain perhaps that is one reason why it has not been celebrated in song and story along with the easier exploits of Paul Revere or General Sherman two days after lean John Brown arrived in San Francisco Captain Gillespie met with Juan Flores commander of the Californians so you come Capitan Gillespie you are ready with your answer to my ultimatum first let me be sure of your terms general Flores of course I promise your men no harm if you will evacuate the city at once march to some Pedro board the ship Vandalia at anchor there and sail away for good it's very reasonable I think I do not ask for your arms or even for surrender just go away and leave us alone and if I refuse refuse how can you send your captain you know as well as I do that your supplies will not last much longer they will be gone before any reinforcements could reach you what if I do refuse then I promise you an annihilation my men will not be held in bounds much longer we'd make a very good fight of a general perhaps until your supplies were gone your ammunition exhausted what then all right we'll march to San Pedro with heavy heart Gillespie's men marched to San Pedro and boarded the waiting merchant vessel but they did not sail instead they waited until a few days later Captain Mervine and the Savannah anchored nearby then with their combined forces Mervine and Gillespie tried to retake Los Angeles but the Californians were ready for them and on the Dominguez ranch near the harbor they started a long-range battle that desky cannon and we do something to get rid of it what Captain Mervine we've tried charging at time after time they just lasso it and drag it away to a new position but if we could only get past it we'd lick them in no time that guns are only weapon well it's enough they can keep us out of firing range with it and it's doing a lot of damage sir our casualty list is already high what do we do I guess there's only one thing to do can let's be retreat retreat to the ship and sail it'll take the whole Army and Navy to catch us in Los Angeles this time so the Americans turned back carrying their dead and wounded with them if only they could have known that on the Californian side great size of relief went up there they go turning around to go back see the Americanos are retreating the rebels saved see but Senorys get down on your knees and thank the saints that preserved us why what do you mean Kendra Flores look do you see that little cannonball there he see of course it is for the old woman's don't see for the brass cannon which forced the Americanos to retreat he quit by the body that Senorys is the last cannonball if they had charged again and we had fired it there would have been nothing more to stop the Americanos from taking Los Angeles so thank the saints me amigos Madre de Dios and so Juan Flaco's ride came to naught it remained for the forces have stocked in in Vermont to retake Los Angeles and California in a full dress war but that unhappy ending can never take away the homage due to lean John Brown Juan Flaco one of the most daring most dangerous most grueling rides ever made for the cause of a nation America owes gratitude to another unsung hero Juan Flaco his story furnished a chapter of history rich in the romance of the ranchos romance of the ranchos is a service offered to the people of this community by the title insurance and trust company of Los Angeles service to the community of which it is a part has been the watchword of this institution since its founding and the title insurance and trust company is continually searching for new ways to serve most important of all is this company's ability to provide the most complete accurate and prompt title insurance service available this outstanding ability is your positive protection against loss when you deal in real property and it is available at the title insurance and trust company at rates which are substantially lower than the average cost of such service elsewhere now Frank what's the story for next week next week will reveal the romantic life story of the founder of the city of Wilmington Denious Banning but remember the next romance of the ranchos comes to you at a new time 8 30 on Sunday evening chat that down 8 30 Sunday evening March 8th the romance of the ranchos so until a week from Sunday this is your wandering by caro Frank Graham saying I still have Easter sing on us he sing on us the romance of the ranchos a presentation of the title insurance and trust company of Los Angeles featuring Frank Graham is the wandering for caro is dramatized by John Dunkel and produced by Ted Bliss with special music arranged by Erwin yo Bob Lamon speaking this is the Columbia broadcasting system okay