“MONSTROUS AND ILLEGAL PROCEEDINGS”: LAW ...

Guimaraens, Malta and their allies broadened their campaign against Thevenet and Reilly.
They repeatedly accused them of corruption in the local press. 39 Malta in particular launched
an investigation into the “irregular practices” of the local juez de paz, Sergio Guarch. Sergio
was Agustín Guarch’s relative. The investigation was likely designed to further drive Guarch
and his family from the sinews of local power. 40
As the Guimaraens faction engaged in a sustained assault on the local reputations of
their political rivals, their prominent allies in the town seized the opportunity to settle old
scores in connection with property rights and business dealings. In the process, they
clarified the limits of the power of national judicial authorities like Arteagada to intervene in
local affairs and enforce property rights that went against the tide of local opinion. The
specific proceeding began in 1876 with allegations that Teodoro Lafitte, a French citizen,
had stolen a number of cattle from nearby ranches and pastured them on his property. 41
Lafitte retained Agustín Sañudo to represent him in the matter. Sañudo obtained Laffite’s
release on a bond. Immediately afterwards, however, over fifty vecinos drafted a letter to
Salto’s jefe político demanding justice in the matter. In their letter, they noted the desire of
local officials to “protect the laborious and honorable portion of the vecindaria in this vast
countryside.” 42 They continued by noting that in the past, the interests of “peaceful and
hard-working vecinos” had been “constantly threatened” by men “without respect for the
inviolable rights to property and with distain for national laws.” They argued that these
(1876). The documents were produced in a companion proceeding regarding printed
allegations against Thevenet in the local press.
39
D. Emilio E. Thevenet c. D. Eulogio Arisaga por injurias, AGN-SJ. Salto. Penales, n. 318
(1879), referring to articles in El Salteño from late 1876 and 1877.
40
D. Salvador Malta denunciando procedimientos irregulars del Juez de Paz de la 1º Sección, AGN-
SJ. Salto. Penales, n. 164 (1877).
41
Sumaria información seguida á Teodoro Lafitte y Manuel Escobar por abigeo, AGN-SJ. Salto.
Penales, n. 62 (1876).
42 Ibid., 31.
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