Bartolomé Sepulveda (b. August 24, 1839, d. November 6, 1926)
Bartolomé Sepulveda (son of Juan Bautista Miguel Sepulveda) was born August 24, 1839 in Pueblo de San Jose, Calif, and died November 6, 1926 in San Jose, Santa Clara County, Calif.
Notes for Bartolomé Sepulveda: Bartolomé SEPULVEDA was convicted for the murder of store-keeper Otto Ludovic, in the July term 1874 of the Alameda County District Court . The following is a brief history of the murder, the trial and the events leading up to the pardon signed by California Governor George Stoneman. The information is taken from the information attained from the California State Archives Department in October 1995.
The murder of store-keeper Otto Ludovic was committed, January 10, 1871, at the Rancho Suńal in Alameda County. From the testimony of the witnesses, the murder was committed by three masked individuals. The arresting officer, Sheriff Harry N. Morse was certain that the murder was carried out by Juan Soto, Bartolomé SEPULVEDA and another individual that was never mentioned.
Bartolomé had told during his testimony, that on the night of the murder, he was about thirty (30) miles away in the town of San Jose. In fact, he had been in San Jose since early January 1871, until about the 15th of the same month. The weather for the day of January 10, 1871 was extremely bad and the dirt roads, more likely dirt trails, were muddy and full of ruts due to the traffic from wagons and horses. The weather continued into the night of January 10. The journey on a clear day would have taken about three days, but with the weather the way it was, the journey would have likely taken twice that.
In March 1872, Bartolomé left on a cattle drive that would take him to Sonora, Mexico. Bartolomé know that Sheriff Morse was searching for him, but did not know why when he left on the drive. Bartlolomé would return in 1873 to find that the Sheriff had already accused Bartolomé and Juan Soto, whom Sheriff Morse had shot and killed while trying to take into custody. Upon his return, Bartolomé was told why the Sheriff was looking for him. The friends of Bartolomé told him that if he had anything to do with the murder that he had should head back to Mexico at once and send for his family at a later date. But, Bartolomé had told his friends and family that he was completely innocent of the crime and traveled the office of Sheriff Morse in Alameda County. The Sheriff arrested him upon Bartolomé's arrival.
The trail was held in the July term of 1874 in Alameda County. Bartolomé was convicted on the statement given to Sheriff Morse by the person that Bartolomé was sharing a cell with, while being held at the Alameda County Jail. The testimony of the cell-mate was rumored to have been prepared by the Sheriff. The testimony of the convict said that Bartolomé had confessed to this individual that he had committed the murder while the two were sharing a cell. While most of the testimony was questionable, due to the fact that the cell-mate did not speak Spanish and that Bartolomé spoke no English, the jury found Bartolomé guilty of murder and Judge McKee sentenced him to remain in person for the remainder of his "natural life".
By the year 1882, Bartolomé had been in prison for nine (9) years. Many letters were written by friends, family and by Bartolomé himself to the Governor of California. In the Spring of 1884 evidence had been brought to Judge McKee and the Judge wrote the Governor regarding this evidence. The State Board of Prison Directors, approved a full and complete pardon for Bartolomé on December 16, 1884. The pardon was signed by Governor George Stoneman on January 21, 1885.
More About Bartolomé Sepulveda: Address: North 11th Street, San Jose, Calif. Baptism: August 25, 1839, Mission Santa Clara, Santa Clara County, Calif. Burial: November 9, 1926, Calvary Cemetery, San Jose, Calif..61 Religion: Roman Catholic.
More About Bartolomé Sepulveda and <Unnamed>: Marriage: July 25, 1859, San Jose, Santa Clara County, Calif.
Marriage Notes for Bartolomé Sepulveda and <Unnamed>: The romanticized family version of the elopement is that Bartolome rode out to the Jose Maria de Jesus Alviso Adobe at the Milpitas Rancho in the middle of the night and rode off with the sixteen year old Angela (as Maria de los Angeles was known as), astride his horse. Undoubtedly Angela was a co-conspirator in the elopement, since some preparation had to be made without awakening the remainder of the sleeping family. The two young people remained at the Sepulveda adobe in the Pueblo de San Jose, while negotiations were made to obtain the permission of the girl's mother and step-father, Jose G. Uridias. As objection was made due to the age of Angela and to the character of Bartolome.
Children of Bartolomé Sepulveda are:
+Juan Felis Sepulveda, b. January 12, 1860, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, d. October 28, 1958, Oakland, Alameda County, California62.
Maria de Jesus "Jesse" Sepulveda, b. January 15, 1863, San Jose, Santa Clara County, Calif, d. June 1950, San Jose, Santa Clara County, Calif.
Virginia Sepulveda, b. December 12, 1864, San Jose, Santa Clara County, Calif, d. 1865, San Jose, Santa Clara County, Calif.
Virginia V. Sepulveda, b. November 1865, San Jose, Santa Clara County, Calif, d. May 10, 1963, Oakland, Alameda County, Calif.
Maria Armparo Sepulveda, b. February 11, 1867, San Jose, Santa Clara County, Calif, d. July 31, 1905, San Jose, Santa Clara County, Calif.
Alice Sepulveda, b. March 27, 1871, San Jose, Santa Clara County, Calif, d. November 15, 1906, San Jose, Santa Clara County, Calif.
Bartolomé Sepulveda (b. August 24, 1839, d. November 6, 1926)
Notes for Bartolomé Sepulveda: