Source: Amy Notes (ID702)
Author: Howard, Amy (ID633)
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Content id: 26370
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Have Mont run across this report and try to investigate the same building for the secret door.
Have Mont run across this report and try to investigate the same building for the secret door.
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SA's factor and treasurer embezzled supplies through a secret door
Date Created: 2023-10-12 20:56:17
Source: The King?s Coffer (ID 83)
Author: Bushnell, Amy (ID 32)
Content_id: 721
Arguelles’ opportunity to supervise the steward did not last. A new factor-overseer, Alonso de las Alas, quickly established his authority over the steward’s position, which he had once held. When Las Alas’ suspension was engineered a few years later, the governor replaced both him and the steward with Juan Lopez de Aviles, a veteran of the Menendez armada. [Note 22: Cedula to Gov. Mendez de Canzo 8/12/1598] The harried interim official complained that of all of the officials he was the busiest and most exposed to risk, answering for the laborer’s wages, the royal ships, and the slaves, besides the rations and supplies. [Note 23: Juan Lopez de Aviles 2/23/1600; Arguelles also complained of an extra load, but it seems clear who was doing the work (11/2/1598)] After Factor Las Alas was reinstated and recovered control of the warehouses, he used them for storage of his own goods (flour, hardtack, wine, meat, salt, blankets), and through a false door, the king’s property found its way into his house. AN103 It was said that 100,000 pounds of flour went out through that door to be baked into bread and sold in one of the shops he and the treasurer owned in town—shops they secretly supplied with unregistered merchandize. Governor Fernandez de Olivera suspended them both. His interim appointees to the treasury found Las Alas short 125 pipes of flour, 5,540 pints of wine, 1,285 pints of vinegar, and 94 jugs of oil—and this was only in the provisions. [Notes 24: Alonso de las Alas 1/24/1602; Gov. Fernandez de Olivera 10/13/1612; Juan de Arrazola, Andres de Sotomayor, and Joseph de Olivera 5/28/1612, with marginal note of 8/12/1613] On his way to defend himself before the Council, Las Alas was wounded by a pirate musketball and died owing the crown 5,400 ducats. Hoffman and Lyon, following his story, were surprised to discover three subsequent cedulas praising Las Alas’ integrity and services during an attempted colonization of the Straits of Magellan to forestall Drake. An heir of the twice-suspended factor was granted 200,000 maravedis, the salary which had accumulated after Las Alas’ death while his post was vacant. [Note 25: Cedula to the royal officials 12/5/1620] (Bushnell KC)