All language subtitles for S16E25.The Pieces of the Puzzle.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.H264.AAC-jenkins_track3_[eng]

♪ [ trumpet ]

One of the most fantastic
characters of the Southwest

was a man who called himself
the Baron of Arizona.

He claimed an empire
larger than

the states of Connecticut
and Rhode Island combined.

Government investigators
suspected his claim
was fraudulent.

It became the job
of United States Attorney

Matthew Given Reynolds
to put together...

Hey there, Mr. Weedin.

Oh, Bill.

What brings you
to Tucson?

Well, newspaper man is supposed
to go where the news is, Bill.

What's going on?

Well, it's the Reavis trial.

Matt Reynolds is supposed
to talk to some witnesses.

You don't believe Reavis
really is a baron, do you?

I mean, that it's all true?

No, but a lot of important
people do believe it.

His documents have been
examined by experts.

Authentic.

Some of them date
back to 1748, 1776.

I'd sure like
to see one.

I've done a lot of reading
about old type and old printing,

And I've seen pictures,
but I've never seen
the real thing.

Well, I'll tell you what,

I'll mention it
to Matt Reynolds,

could be to let you
take a look at them.

I'd sure like that,
Mr. Weedin.

Morning, Matt.

Tom. Yes, it is morning,
I suppose.

You haven't been
here all night?

Well, the trial's less
than two weeks away.

I've got to be ready.

Any word from
your man Prevost?

No. He's still in Spain.

Will he make it to
Santa Fe for the trail?

He'd better.

I'm counting on him
to find out something

about Reavis' dealings there.

You know, Tom, Reavis must
have made a mistake somewhere,

but where?

When he first came
to Arizona, that's where.

Well, the more
I go over these papers,
the more hopeless it looks.

It's like a puzzle with pieces
that go back hundreds of years.

Look, Matt, he's a conman with
his phony Spanish land grant.

The whole thing is a scheme.

Yes, but can we
prove it with facts

to five judges sitting
on that bench in Santa Fe?

He's no more a baron than I am.

Coming around here
with his fake deeds,

scaring poor folks into
paying him so he won't
run them off their land

and then threatening those
that won't pay,

sending the strongmen
to wreck my paper.

I know, Tom. I know.

And it's up to me to prove it,
or 12 million acres

of Arizona will belong
to James Reavis.

I heard you were talking
to some witnesses.

This afternoon.
Speeds things up for the trail.

Will Reavis be here?

Well, he's supposed to.

I notified him.

He's still in San Francisco,

he and Mrs. Reavis.

Matt, you look worn out.
Come on, let's get
a cup of coffee.

All right.

Huh, look over there.

The Baron himself.

Yeah, it's him, all right.

Doesn't look much like
the same seedy character

came riding through
here 12 years ago.

You know, he said he
was a newspaper man.

You know what he was?

Streetcar conductor
in St. Louis.

Sophia Loreta Micaela
de Maso Reavis,

Baroness of Arizona.

Or is she?

That's part of the puzzle.

What is this about a puzzle?

Well, James Reavis claims that
King Ferdinand VI of Spain

gave the land to
a Spanish nobleman
named Miguel Peralta

as a favor for services
rendered to the crown.

He also claims that his wife
is the only decedent of Peralta,

and, as such, is entitled
to this "land grant."

Now, that raises a couple
of interesting questions.

First, was there ever
such a grant?

Second, was there ever such
a man as Miguel Peralta,

and if so, is Mrs. Reavis
the true descendant?

Of course she's not.
None of it's true.

Well, that the court
will decide.

Come on, Tom.
Let's get that coffee.

[ knocks at door ]

Come in.

Mr. Reynolds,
pleasure to meet you.

Mr. Reavis.

May I present
Mr. Miguel Noe.

I'm glad you could
come, Mr. Noe.

Mucho gusto.

Gentlemen,
won't you be seated?

Thank you. Gracias.

Now, as you know,
Mr. Reavis has filed a case

against the United States,

and the questions today
are similar to those

to be asked in court.

Do you understand?

Sí, Señor--
Ah, I mean, "yes".

Now, when was the first time
you saw Mrs. Reavis?

Um, she was just
a little baby,

two, three weeks old,
in San Francisco.

What were the circumstances?

I mean, how did it happen
that this baby of royal birth

came to be in San Francisco?

Well, you see,

my friend
José Ramon de Maso

was the father
of the baby, Sophia.

He had married
a lady from Spain,

Doña Sophia Peralta.

She as visiting in California

with her mother and her father.

That was the second baron.

Yes. Go on, Mr. Noe.

Uh... Doña Sophia...

Doña Sophia died
when the babies were born.

Babies?

Twins. My wife was one of twins.

And as you probably know,

two years ago we became
the parents of twin boys.

Go on.

One of the babies die, a boy.

The old baron
and the grandmother,

they bring to San Francisco

the baby girl.

What happened to your friend,
the baby's father?

Oh, he was sick with grief.

He and the old man,
they go back to Spain.

They died there.

Only the grandmother
stay with the baby.

Where did she take the baby?

Um, to the house
of John Treadway.

They lived there?

For a while,

and then they go
to the ranch of...

Alfred Sherwood,

and she lived there
until the grandmother die.

How old was she then?

Uh... I think...

15.

Then she go to Sacramento,

and one day she come back,

and on the train,
she meet Señor Reavis,

and that is the way
the romance started.

The Barony of Arizona.

Sometimes I wonder why
he didn't throw in

California and New Mexico
for good measure.

Beautiful.
It's a good job.

Tom tells me you're
interested in
old printing.

That's right,
Mr. Reynolds.

He said that maybe I could
take a look at

one of those
old Spanish papers,

if it isn't
too much trouble.

Well, I don't think that
would hurt anything.

There.

Now, then.

This is the will
of the first baron.

Is it all right
if I hold it up?

I can't see too well
at a distance.

That'll be all right.
Just be careful.

Well?

Did you ever see
anything that old?

I don't think
it's that old.

What do you mean?

I don't want to say
anything wrong, but--

But what?

Mr. Weedin,
I've seen this type.

You know those catalogues
I'm always getting,

the ones with
the new type styles?

But even if it were the same,

couldn't the foundry
have copied an old Spanish type?

It's possible,
but it sure seems--

Mac, what if he's right?

Well, we've nothing
else to go on.

Let's check it out.

I'll try to get Will Tipton.

Who's he?

He's a graphologist.

Washington doesn't want
to spend any more money

on this case, but he's
the best and it's worth a try.

This is the best news yet,
the people will--

Now, hold on a minute, Tom.

Don't go getting
their hopes up, not yet.

I mean, we're not sure
and this is only one document.

All right, but it's more
than we had before.

Hello, Darling.
Sorry I was so long.

I understand.Children resting?

Yes, they wanted to see you,
but they fell asleep.

It's not good for us
to be away so much.

They're just babies.Yeah, I know.

Well, in a couple of weeks
this trial will be over,

and we'll be home for good.

I'm gonna miss you
when you go to Santa Fe.

Sophia, I'm sorry, but, um...

What is it?

You'll have to come
to Santa Fe to testify.

In court? But I can't.

My attorney insists.

But they'll ask me questions.

Just tell them the truth.

It's all in the records,
the way you've always said.

I know it's in the records.
They have to hear it from you.

Oh, I don't know.

All those people staring at me,

hating me for taking
their land away.

You could say it
so much better.

Why don't they believe you?

Because they're fools,
all of them.

Everything is in order,
all the documents.

When this trial's over,
I'll make them wish

they'd settled it years ago.

What's this?

It was delivered for you.

Bad news?

From my attorney.
Can't come to Santa Fe.

Well, it doesn't matter.
I'll wire Mr. Ingersoll,

and if he can't come,
I'll handle it myself.

I've been doing everything
myself from the beginning.

I can finish it.

James, do you think it's wise
to proceed with this trial?

What?

We don't need this land.

But it's ours, by right.

What's the matter
with you?

I'm afraid.

[ chuckles ]

Don't you worry.

When you take that stand,
everyone will know

that you're
the Baroness of Arizona.

Mr. Tipton.

Matt Reynolds.
Glad you could come, sir.

Got here soon as I could.

Dusty place, Arizona.

Well, it has dust,
all right,

but let me tell you
something, sir.

Arizona has everything.

Sand and stone and dust.

Well, that's just
part of it.

And there's timber.
There's great ranching
and grazing land,

copper, gold, silver,

railroads, water,

but most important,
Mr. Tipton,

it's home to hundreds
of families who fought

for what they have
and now stand to lose

everything if Reavis
wins this case.

Reavis's documents
have been examined.

I've read the report.

They appear to be authentic.

Well, that's true.

I've looked at documents
till I'm sick of the word.

Well, so what did you
drag me down here for?

Well, there's a young man
in town who believes

one of the documents is printed
in a wrong style of type.

I thought you
might help us.

By what authority
does he speak?

Well, he's the local printer?

This claim has been under
investigation for 12 years,

and you expect me to make
a careful inspection in--

When is the trial scheduled?

Next week, sir.Impossible.

As long as I'm here,
I'll take a look.

Your name, sir,
for the record.

Don James Addison
de Peralta Reavis,

third Baron of Arizona.

Objection, Your Honor.

The title used by the plaintiff
has not yet been established.

Sustained.

Strike it from the record.

You're not being represented
by council, Mr. Reavis?

I'm representing myself,
Your Honor.

So be it.

Is the defense ready?

Matthew Reynolds,
United States Attorney,
Your Honor.

Defense is ready.

This court calls--

Your Honor, I'm sorry
to disturb the court.

This is evidence
to support my claim.

I trust that we
can proceed now.

This court calls
upon the plaintiff.

Your Honors,
I shall establish

by means of documents,
the authenticity of which

has been verified
by officials of Mexico,

Spain,
and the United States,

that the land lying
within that area

known as the Peralta grant

does rightfully
belong to me,

as the spouse
of a direct descendant

of Don Miguel Silva
de Peralta de la Cordoba.

Born in 1708,

he was the son of Don José
Gaston Silva y Carrillo

de Peralta de Mendoza.

This is the will of
the second baron,

the grandfather of my wife.

All of the documents I have
are indexed here.

They are all here in court.

Their authenticity
is beyond doubt

[ inaudible speaking ]

Your Honor, may I
request a recess?

My associate Mr. Prevost
has information

pertinent to my case.

This court is adjourned
until 9:00 tomorrow morning.

Ask the clerk for whatever
papers you'll need,

and then come on
into the office.

We've got a lot
of work to do.

Mr. Reavis, during the course
of the past 12 years,

how many people would
you say paid you

for deeds to their property.

Well, that would be
impossible to say exactly.

Well, approximately.
Hundreds?

Hundreds.

Thousands?

Perhaps.

Was the Southern Pacific
Railroad among them?

Yes.

And the Silver King
Mining Company?

Yes.

How much money would
you say you've collected

from these companies
and others, approximately?

Oh, have no record of that.

Would you say five thousand?

I would say five million.

[ awed gasps ]

And when you lived with
these families in California,

what name did you use?

Treadway.

You never used
the name de Maso?

No.

The first time you ever heard
that name was the day

you met Mr. Reavis
on the train?

Yes.

Had you ever heard of
any inheritance

before your meeting
with Mr. Reavis?

No, I had not.

Mrs. Reavis,

do you understand Spanish?

Why, yes.

Now, this document...

When Mr. Reavis
showed it to you,

was it your understanding
that it referred

to the will of
your grandfather?

I do not remember.

Well, you read it,
didn't you?

I never taxed
my mind to read it.

So that you only know
what Mr. Reavis told you?

You never read it
for yourself?

That is correct.

Well, read it now.

Go on. Take your time.

[ Mrs. Reavis stammers ]

But I can't.

Why not?

Because I...

never went to but three months
of school in my life.

I cannot read.

[ crowd murmuring ]

I demand that
the witness be protected.

I will excuse the witness
until tomorrow.

No, we will finish today.
I will not come
back here again.

Mrs. Reavis,
do you realize that
you're impersonating someone

who does not exist
and never did exist?

I'm impersonating
no one but myself.

That will be all,
Mrs. Reavis.

Your Honor, I call
the Reverend P.J. Stockman,

rector of the church
of San Salvador

in San Bernardino, California.

Father Stockman.Yes.

Do you keep a record book
of the births and deaths

in your parish?Yes, sir.

Is this the book?

Yes, sir.

Did James Reavis ever
have possession of this book?

Yes, sir, he had it over
a period of several weeks.

When it was returned,
did you notice anything
different about it?

Yes, I noticed changes
had been made.

Oh, would you explain that?

Two pages had been removed

and two new pages inserted,

one listing the birth
of twins named de Maso,

the other listing the death
of a baby boy de Maso

and Doña Sophia de Maso.

You see, there's another book,

a cross index.

When I checked against that,

I realized
what had taken place.

That's a lie.
You're lying.

JUDGE:
Mr. Reavis.

I'm sorry, Your Honor.

According to the records
of your church,

was there ever a baby girl
named Sophia de Maso
born there?

No, there was not.

Mr. Sherwood,

did Mrs. Reavis live
in your home as a child?

She did.

Was there ever
an old woman with her,

a Spanish woman,
a grandmother?

No, sir, there was never
any person like that.

Mr. Sherwood, who was
the father of the child

called Sophia Treadway?

Why, John Treadway.

And who was her mother?

An Indian Squaw
by the name of Kate.

That will be all for now,
Mr. Sherwood.

Your Honor, I should
like to call

Mr. Severo Mallet-Prevost.

Now then, Mr. Prevost,

you've just returned
from Seville, Spain,

have you not?

Si, Señor,
that is correct.

And will you tell us
what you found there?

Mr. Reavis visited
the archives in Seville.

He stated he was
the husband of the heiress

to the Peralta land grant

and spent many days
going through the files.

It is the policy
to assign a staff member

to guard the documents,

and after a few days,

Mr. Reavis handed
the guard an envelope

in which there
was a document

and requested that
a copy be made.

The guard, José--

José Cantano

noticed that was something
unusual about the document.

First, that he'd never seen
it in the files before,

and second, that it was
folded lengthwise.

None of the files
is ever folded there.

He reported the incident
to his superior,

who verified that indeed
Mr. Reavis was tampering
with the files,

attempting to insert into them

a document
of his own manufacture.

A warrant was issued in Seville
for the arrest of Mr. Reavis.

However, he left the country
before it could be served.

Thank you, Mr. Prevost.

Mr. Cantano told you,
I suppose, that he tried
to blackmail me.

Blackmail?

He knew that I was
looking for documents

which would complete
my evidence for this claim.

He said he'd get them
for me if I paid him.

His word is worthless.

Now, Mr. Tipton,
as an expert graphologist,

would you say that these
documents are indeed authentic?

Oh, some are,
and some are not.

Would you explain, please?

Well, take this one.

It's dated 1758.

In my opinion,
the paper is genuine.

However, it has
no bearing whatsoever on
the Peralta grant.

As you can see,
this title page,
which is genuine,

has pasted over it
a very thin piece of tissue.

Now, these two lines
written on the pasted tissue,

do refer to the grant.

They were written with
a modern writing fluid

and with a steel pen.

Is there anything
unusual about that?

Well, the steel pen
wasn't invented until

a hundred years later.

Now, this next paper--

this is printed, however.

The type used is modern.

On this one,
the original name was erased,

and the words
"Baron de Arizonaca"

substituted.

Go on.

Now, here,

"descrubudo,"

it says it's written by
a clerk at the Spanish court.

It is supposed to be
the past participle

of the word "to describe."

The correct word
is "descrito."

This word, P-A-S-S-O,

should be "paso,"
with one "S."

Same with this one.

"Mil" should be one "L."

Any others?

Oh, lots of others.

Every document I examined
was altered in some way

or was an out-and-out forgery.

Objection! I object.

Mr. Tipton is an expert
witness, Mr. Reavis.

Go on, Mr. Tipton.

But they're not forgeries.
They're lying, all of you.

It's collusion.

Sit down, Mr. Reavis.

I'll have you for contempt.

The court finds
from the evidence

that said Peralta grant
is not entitled to confirmation,

that the claim is wholly
fictitious and fraudulent.

It is therefore ordered
that the claim called

for Peralta grant
is rejected and dismissed.

Mr. Reavis will remain
in this courtroom

to be placed under arrest
by the United States Marshal

for perjury
and attempted fraud.

This United States court
of private land claims
is adjourned.

[ gavel strikes ]

Congratulations, Matt.

Congratulations.

Looks like you put all
the pieces of your
puzzle together.

All except one.

We'll never know
who she really is.

Well, we know
who she isn't,

and that's enough for
the people of Arizona.

James Reavis was fined
five thousand dollars

a served two years
in the Santa Fe penitentiary.

He died penniless in 1914.

His wife, Sophia, brought
up their two sons in Denver

and died there in 1934,

her true identity
still a mystery.

Next week, another true story
from Western history.