Florida -- History -- Spanish colony, 1565-1763 -- Sources; Saint Augustine (Fla.) -- History
although he has not said a word of how he intimidated the people to
elect him Governor--nor his other doings--nor how he refused to turn
over the Government to the Sergeant-Major. But he did demand his pay.
Your Lordship, the Governor and Captain-General arrived at this
Garrison on the 18th of June, 1654, having received in Havana $20,000
sent by the Auditor and placed to the credit of this Garrison. This
money he used in Havana as follows: Goods--$7,000, gaining in this
purchase more than 200 per cent. He sent Don Alonzo Menendez with $8,000
to relieve the suffering and need of the infantry and others who are in
your service, and he sold to advantage the remaining goods. In the month
of February of this present year there arrived a vessel laden with
flour, iron implements and other goods, and although it is true that the
person in whose charge they came, brought over $40,000 to be delivered
to this treasury, he only delivered $15,000, because in Havana the
duties were so heavy and they demanded the pay. The soldier in whose
care this money and goods came, is Domingo Nunez. He spent in Havana
$2,000 on clothing, filling an order received from the Governor, and
another $2,000 in clothing he was to bring from New Spain. The Governor
after ordering this became infuriated with Domingo Nunez, cursing him,
beating and slapping him in the most unheard of manner--accusing him of
not bringing all the clothing ordered, and finally he had him placed in
the stockade on the beach. He then had the boxes and packages taken to a
neighbor’s and soldier, and opened them--finding after pricing them and
adding one-fourth more than the cost to them, that they amounted to more
than the $2,000. He then went several times to Domingo Nunez, demanded
his papers, searched them, kept him in prison, and then without cause or
reason turned him out. It is true he becomes enraged for the slightest
cause. It is a positive fact, that he and another spendthrift named
Fanfan, have sent out from his (the Governor’s) house, chocolate to be
sold on the streets by his body guards. At the time there was such great
distress and scarcity, he sent out wine to be sold at such exorbitant
prices that only those compelled to have it could buy. In this tavern of
his, the people sell cutlasses for bread, chocolate and tobacco. In the
large store, run now by Lorenzo Josi, they sell rum and clothing--a
bottle of rum costs eight dollars which is an outrage. According to
Manuel Barrios, the tavern keeper, he makes thirty-one dollars on a
cask. Since there is no more money left to buy these commodities for
cash he has adopted another method of selling them in exchange for
labor, and makes out checks for this amount. My Lord, in the month of
July of last year, there came to this Garrison a party of Indians, who
live on the coast near the Bahama Channel with a large quantity of
amber, some of which they presented to the Governor, the rest they gave
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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