State v. Gallardo

• Decision Date: 08 February 1911
• Citation: 135 S.W. 664
• Parties: STATE v. GALLARDO et al.
• Court: Texas Court of Appeals

135 S.W. 664

STATE v. GALLARDO et al.

Court of Civil Appeals of Texas.

February 8, 1911.

Rehearing Denied March 8, 1911.

Appeal from District Court, Travis County; Charles A. Wilcox, Judge.

Action by the State against Jose L. Gallardo and others. Judgment for defendants, and plaintiff appeals. Judgment reversed and rendered in part, and in part affirmed.

The state of Texas, acting through the Attorney General's department, brought this suit in trespass to try title, seeking to recover two leagues of land situated in Hidalgo county, and described, in part, in plaintiff's petition as "all that part of that certain tract or parcel of land known as `Los Ejidos' that lies on the north side of said Rio Grande river." Jose L. Gallardo and a large number of others were made defendants; the plaintiff alleging that they had unlawfully entered upon and ejected the plaintiff from the possession thereof on the 1st day of June, 1900, and had continuously since that time been in possession, receiving and enjoying the fruits, rents, and revenues arising therefrom. W. A. Boswell, L. D. Brooks, J. P. McDonald, and F. Spaeth were also made parties defendant; the state alleging that they were asserting some character of claim to the land. The four defendants last named filed an answer in which they admitted the truth of the material allegations in the plaintiff's petition, but alleged that they had made proper applications to purchase the land from the state, and were therefore entitled to have it awarded to them. Several of the other defendants failed to answer, and an interlocutory judgment by default was rendered against them. The other defendants filed answers, the full scope of which need not here be stated; it being sufficient to say that they included pleas of not guilty and general denials. The state filed a supplemental petition, which included a plea of res adjudicata. The defendants who had answered, except Boswell, Brooks, McDonald, and Spaeth, filed a supplemental answer challenging the sufficiency and legal effect of the matters pleaded as res adjudicata. The case was tried before the court without a jury and final judgment rendered against the state and in favor of all the defendants except Boswell, Brooks, McDonald, and Spaeth. As to the latter defendants the court held that, as the proof showed that the state had never had any title to the land, there was no issue to be determined between them and the state, and as to them the suit was dismissed. The state alone has prosecuted an appeal.

There is little, if any, conflict in the testimony, and the salient facts are as follows: In 1767 the government of Spain granted to the town of Reynosa four leagues of land as town commons. The grant referred to included other lands to individual settlers, and reads as follows:

                                   "Municipal Hall of the
                [Corrected
                                      NOTE: OPINION CONTAINING TABLE OR OTHER DATA THAT IS NOT VIEWABLE Seal
                 Rubric.]
                                    Town of Reynosa
                                   "Don Juan Fernando de Palacio
                                 vowed Knight of the order of St
                                 James and Commander of the
                                 shield in the same, Field Marshall
                NOTE: OPINION CONTAINING TABLE OR OTHER DATA THAT IS NOT VIEWABLE  of the Armies of his Majesty, Governor
                                 and Lieutenant of the Captain
                                 General of the Colony of
                   Two           the Gulf of Mexico, and Sierra
                  Seals.         Gorda, their Missions, Garrisons
                                 and Frontiers; and the Licentiate
                                 Don Joseph Ossorio y Llamas, Advocate
                NOTE: OPINION CONTAINING TABLE OR OTHER DATA THAT IS NOT VIEWABLE  of the Royal Council, commissioned
                                 to visit the same by his
                                 Lordship the Marquis of Croix
                                 Vice-Roy, Governor and Captain
                                 General of the Kingdom, we do
                                 hereby certify that in the Fifth
                                 Budget which treats of the distribution
                [Rubric.]        of lands we find the following:
                

"Act.

"Inasmuch as there has not been at this place any individual distribution of lands, although frequently directed by Royal Orders, let the citizens of this town be informed that they shall convene after morning Mass, through the medium of the Captain, in order to appoint two experts for the purpose of classifying the lands in reference to those that are irrigable and those that are temporarily irrigable and suitable for cultivation, grazing, pasturage, commons, and those suitable for the town, for the purpose of giving them an equitable distribution, that all may share in the good and bad, and to select those best adapted to the Mission, of which notice shall be given to the Reverend Father in charge, who has to supervise sundry matters, not only for himself but for the natives under his protection, that he may ask for the land best adapted for his purposes. It shall also be made known to the citizens that they shall appoint two surveyors who jointly with Santiago Longoria and Joseph Bernardo Gomez, citizens of Camargo, whom as impartial persons we nominate on the part of his majesty, to execute said distribution in conformity with the instructions which shall be given to them, with attention to the particular circumstances of the lands, the town and its inhabitants. And it shall also be made known to them the resolution contained in Chapter First of the Mandate of the Twenty-Ninth of March, of the year One Thousand Seven Hundred and sixty-three in order that they may give information or a statement whether this settlement has moved from some other point, and if they have not done so, then to select the place that may accommodate and suit them best in order to fulfill the mandates of his majesty.

"Enacted at Reynosa, on the Twenty-third day of August, One thousand seven hundred and sixty-seven—Juan Fernando de Palacio-Licenz do Don Joseph Ossorio.

* * * * * * * *

"Act.

                  "In consequence of the result of the foregoing
                proceedings we declare and set apart
                as the boundaries of the town commons, as
                commons, pastures and estates of the Town,
                one league round about, counting from its
                center, the survey to be run west and marked
                at the point called El Desierto, in front
                of the ranch of Xavier Zamora; towards the
                east to the place called Ramadita; towards
                the south to the place called and marked as
                Berendas; to the north to the place known
                and marked as Santa Gertrudes; and the
                town shall enjoy all within the said limits;
                and the Mission all that may belong to it
                           and that looks towards those that
                [Rubric.]  shall be set apart for its benefit,
                           and the one and the other may
                freely let their stock loose thereon without
                injury to third parties; and the corresponding
                league on one of the aforementioned
                courses we set apart and designate as Town
                property, upon which, in urgent cases, a
                tax may be imposed to be disbursed availably
                and reasonably, as shall be directed at the
                end of this book. The surveyors shall proceed
                at once to survey and set apart to each
                of the Ninety-two registered citizens their
                respective porcions, giving to each of the
                Original Colonists two leagues of pasture
                land for small stock and twelve Caballerias
                of land, the first for grazing the second to
                be dedicated to planting; to the sons of
                these and to the old settlers who have been
                in the service for six years and upwards, two
                leagues of pasture land for small stock and
                six Caballerias of planting land; to the
                recent settlers only the two leagues of pasture
                land for small stock; and for this object
                they shall carry with them a list taken
                from the Registry; to the Captain is conceded
                a double Porcion; and to each one
                shall be left a watering place on the river
                for cattle; narrowing the fronts and lengthening
                the depths so as to accommodate a
                greater number, compensating in length the
                deficiency in width; trying to avoid all injury,
                and taking note of the ranches or improvements
                of each individual so as to include
                it in the porcion that he may receive,
                and not to injure anyone unjustly; and the
                others, should they disagree, shall draw
                

                lots for their porcions, and for this object
                they shall be numbered; and this Act shall
                be made known to them that they may comply
                therewith, and they shall be informed of
                the quantity of varas in each league and
                Caballeria as they are instructed; and this
                being done they shall proceed to survey the
                Public Square, taking into consideration its
                circuit and the vicinage, assigning them
                Town lots under the stipulations and conditions
                as below shall be prescribed.
                

"Enacted at Reynosa on the Twenty-sixth day of August, One thousand seven hundred and sixty-seven, with witnesses of assistance who in all the proceedings were present, we sign it.

"Palacio Lizdo Ossorio. Of Assistance, Duran. Of Assistance Federico Losada."

The town commons referred to, otherwise known as the "Ejidos," crossed the Rio Grande river, and the portion thereof that was on the north side of that stream is the land in controversy in this suit. It appears from the statement of facts that at some time prior to August 31, 1836, probably in 1801, upon the petition of the citizens of Old Reynosa, the town or municipality was by the government removed from that place to another, about six leagues away. The cause of such removal was the danger of inundation by the flood waters of the Rio Grande. After the removal referred to, and on August 31, 1836, the alcalde of New Reynosa addressed a letter to the Governor of Tamaulipas, stating that disputes had arisen among the owners of certain lands adjacent to the "Ejidos" or commons of Old Reynosa, as to the boundaries of their respective tracts, in which letter he recommended the sale of the commons or "Ejidos" of Old Reynosa. That letter was referred to the Departmental Junta at the city of Victoria, and that body addressed a communication to the Governor, recommending that the commons of Old Reynosa be...