USA > California > Amador County > History of Amador County, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 20
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armed party away from the town or not was uncer- tain, but it was now evident that one or both places was to be attacked. It was also evident that, but for the premature alarm, Drytown would have been the first victim, and probably Rancheria afterwards. Two persons, Robert Cosner being one, volunteered to go to Rancheria to inform them of the danger. They avoided the road, going up Rattlesnake gulch; but while the party were discussing the matter the Mexicans had done the work. On the arrival of Cos- ner and , the robbers appeared to be leaving the town on the opposite side. There were no lights and a dreadful silence prevailed. They called aloud sev- eral times before they heard any reply. David Wil- son was found hiding in a ditch; when he heard their voices he said: " My God! The whole town is slaughtered; my brother Sam is killed, and I don't know how many more." At Francis' store they found Dan Hutchinson, his clerk, dead behind the counter, also Sam Wilson and Francis was missing but was found not far away with both legs broken and several severe wounds, but still alive. It seemed that he had fought them to the last and eventually ran out of the back door on the stumps of his legs. While searching for Francis they found the dead body of an Indian. The safe was blown open and the contents, about twenty thousand dol- lars, abstracted. At Dynan's Hotel they found Mrs. Dynan dead, shot through the body, and Dynan wounded. Mrs. Dynan secmed to have been shot while putting her child out of the window. Francis died the next day. One leg was amputated and the other set with the hope of saving his life. After death it was discovered that his back bone was nearly severed, apparently by a blow from an axe. Altogether there were six men, one woman and an Indian killed and two men wounded. It seemed that the party divided, a part going to cach house, com- mencing the attack at about the same moment. At Dynan's a party were playing cards when the house was attacked. Dynan escaped up stairs and through the windows. A man by the name of Foster, the simpleton of the party, had wit enough to throw himself under the table and remain there until the trouble was over and thus saved his life.
THE NEXT DAY
The news rapidly spread. By nine the next morn- ing perhaps five hundred people were present. The atrocious character of the murders, the unprovoked and causeless attack, raised the anger of the mass of the people almost beyond control. Some were for an immediate war on all of the Mexican race. Parties were engaged in arresting and bringing in all in the vicinity. It is difficult now to ascertain whether any trial was held or not. There was no organization of the crowd which was continually coming and going. A few elderly men, among whom may be mentioned two Hinksons, acted as a sort of jury, to give a form of deliberation to the affair. Judge Curtis is said
RESIDENCE OF O. E. MARTIN, AMADOR CITY, AMADOR CO CAL.
RANCH, RESIDENCE AND BUSINESS PLACE OF S.W. EMMONS,
LITH. BRITTON & AFY. S. F. PINE GROVE, AMADOR C., CAL.
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RANCHERIA MURDERS.
also to have taken part in the proceedings. These men were noted for their moderation and prudence. They probably prevented the crowd from doing much worse than it did. "Let us proceed cau- tiously; let us be just; let us hang no innocent men," said they. They were men in whom the people had confidence. Some thirty-five men were brought within the rope circle and guarded. A motion was put to hang the whole of them, all but a few voting for it. They were then asked to give the men a trial. This was reluctantly consented to; and a com- mittee-it could not be called a jury- set themselves to ascertain the evidence against the men. All that could be found was that James Johnson, a miner who lived in a cabin near by, and looked out through a crack in the door when the shooting was going on, thought he heard a Mexican, ealled Port Wine (because he was always drunk, or nearly_ so, on port), shout- ing for Mexico. Another one had placed a light in the road in front of his house. The third one was seen running around with the banditti during the shooting. This was on the testimony of one man who thought he saw it through a slight opening of his cabin door. The committee reported that this was all that could be found against any of them. It was determined to hang them immediately. Port Wine was a half-witted man, almost incapable of commit- ting a crime. He cried and begged, to no purpose; he was hung while his wife was begging for him, two others being hung at the same time. The jury, whose names it is impossible to learn, must not be blamed in this matter. It is impossible to tell what any one would do until they arc tried. Hundreds of exasperated people were clamoring for the death of somebody. It is likely that the hanging of the three appeased, to some extent, the thirst for vengeance. William O. Clark, a well-known citizen of Drytown, made a speech advocating a trial by law, by the Courts, and made an appeal to the people to place themselves, in imagination, in a foreign country, and about to be hung for a crime some of their own countrymen had committed; but the people were in no mood to hear finely constructed sentences, and he was silenced. It was even proposed to hang him for being friendly to the Mexicans. A Mrs. Ketchum was particularly active in creating a sentiment against Clark. The balance of the party arrested were liberated on condition of leaving the camp within four hours.
DEATH OF ROBERTS.
About this time a terrible accident occurred. A man by the name of Roberts, or Robinson, who had been one of the most violent in demanding a whole- sale hanging, shot himself in the breast, dying imme- diately. There are so many conflicting reports that it is with reluctance the subject is mentioned. Onc person says they were about to go home, and Rob- erts was taking the gun towards him, neither angry nor intoxicated, when it went off, striking him in
the breast. Another one says that Robinson-or Roberts-was violently. demanding the death of another prisoner, which was not immediately assented to, whereupon he said he would settle the question himself, snatching up the gun with the result heretofore stated.
BORQUITAS.
William Sutherland, whose veracity no one will question, relates the following circumstances in regard to it: A young Spaniard by the name of Borquitas, General Castro's business agent, happened to be visiting Sutherland's at the time of the mur- ders Being a well educated man, speaking the English language fluently, he remarked that he might be of assistance in ferreting out the criminals, and would go up to Rancheria. When he got there, he found himself one of the criminals, or, at least, he was reckoned among the criminal class. During the affair, trial it could not be called, he conversed with one of the accused. Becoming convinced of the innocence of the party of any complicity in the murders, he told the people so; whercupon, it was proposed to hang him (Borquitas) also. It was then that Roberts undertook to shoot him, with the result of death to himself. Sutherland then told Borquitas that he could do no good by staying and risking his own life; that he had better leave. Tak- ing the advice of Sutherland, he left in the con- fusion, caused by the death of Roberts.
It is said that Judge Gordon, S. B. Axtell, District Attorney, Judge Hubbard, and others, were present; but as the hanging took place before noon, and the Court met at ten, as usual, on the morning after the murders, it is almost impossible that they should have witnessed the hanging, though they probably were present during the afternoon.
Port Wine had a good claim, which was considered forfeited at his death, James Robinson, on whose testimony he was hung, taking possession of it the same evening. He worked it for a few days, but finding work a burden, he sold it for two hundred dollars, which he spent in a week's spree, shortly after.
WHERE WERE THE OFFICERS ?
Phoenix, and some of his deputies, visited the scene of the disturbance, in the early morning. After looking at the mutilated bodies, he merely said, " Follow me." A party was immediately organ- ized to pursue the banditti, which, as before stated, left Rancheria, taking the road towards El Dorado county. This proved to be a false scent. They went as far as Indian Diggings, and, finding them- selves off the trail, returned to Jackson. There they learned that the gang had crossed the Mokelumne at Diamond bar. Phoenix, Cross, Perrin, Sherry, Eichelberger, and Durham, went to Mokclumne Hill that night. They there learned that Sheriff Clark, Paul McCormick, and six-fingered Smith of Camp Seco, had attacked the murderers at Texas
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HISTORY OF AMADOR COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
bar, on the Calaveras, and had wounded and eap- tured one of the party, who had told the history and names of the others. His name was Manuel Garcia, and he had been a vaquero for Charles Stone, at Buena Vista. He was sent to Jackson with Eichelberger and Perrin. The crowd had assembled to receive him; parting to the right and left, and closing up after him, they escorted the prisoner to the tree, which was already provided with a noose. When his head was placed in it, the buggy was moved along, and the body left dangling. This was the eighth time the tree had borne its fruit.
It was now aseertained that the balance of the party were concealed around Bear mountain. Two days spent in hunting failed to find them; and then the officers went to Jenny Lind where they learned that the Mexieans were eamped near Reynold's ferry on the Stanislaus. A large number of Mex- ieans at Jenny Lind were disarmed, to prevent any assistance reaching the banditti from that settle- ment, and the pursuit continued, but somebody had given notiee of the approach of the officers and the party had left going towards the Tuolumne river. A guard was set at Reynold's ferry, but the robbers did not attempt to eross. The next day the offieers visited Tuttletown, Sonora, Campo Seeo, and Jamestown. At the latter place they again struek the trail, and found some of the horses, which had been stolen at Rancheria, dying of exhaustion.
The reader will bear in mind that the ground at this season of the year (August) is hard as a rock, receiving seareely any impression from a hoof or a shoe passing along; and besides the Mexieans traveled in the night time, eoneealing themselves in the thiek chaparral, with which the hills around Bear mountain abound during the day, so that elosely following the trail was out of the question; but it was now evident that they were nearing the objeets of their search. Chinese Camp and a Mexiean eamp, at what is ealled Old Chinese Camp, were visited. At the latter place was a large danee-house near the hills, the thiek chaparral coming down elose to the house. It was out of the question to get any eorreet information with regard to the party they were in search of, but they coneluded to stop awhile and watch events. Drinks around and the usual hospitalities followed, as a matter of course. While some of the party engaged the señoritas in conver- sation, others kept a general lookout. A girl at the door was seen making signals to some one in the rear, as if to go away. Durham sprang to the door, and saw some of the men they were in search of. Phoenix was anxious to capture them alive, and to this reluctanee to kill them, was due the fatal result; but sbooting eommeneed at once. It is difficult to recall events in their order, in which two or three seeonds make a failure or success of a movement; but in the affray Phoenix was the first to fall; his slayer the next-the latter though severely wounded, still kept fighting, being finally dispatched by a blow
on the head with an axe. The party dispersed in a short time, the officers holding the ground. A boy, who had witnessed the affair from a distance, told the officers that he had seen a wounded man crawl into a cloth shanty, blood stains indicating the cor- rectness of the statement. The man was told to come out, but as no answer was received, the hut was set on fire, as it was deemed dangerous to follow him in. Not until it was blazing all over, so that it was thought impossible for any living being to be there, did he appear. Ile rushed out, covered with blood, elothes and hair on fire, with a pistol in each hand, shooting as he came. He was more frightful than dangerous, and was soon quieted. Phoenix was shot through the heart, dying immediately. He was buried by the Masonie order at Sonora. He was, perhaps, thirty years old, of social character, open- hearted, holding malice towards none, and was universally esteemed. He was in poor health at the time, hardly fit for such an enterprise, as he took upon himself to lead. On his return from the unsuccessful search in El Dorado, he was urged to rest; was told that, considering the disturbed eon- dition of the county, his presence was needful-which was true. But he replied that if he should decline pursuing the murderers, his courage would be called in question, and he started the same evening. His attempt to capture the men alive, was a fatal mis- take. It was no kindness to the party, for, in the exeited condition of the people, every one taken was sure to be hung without a trial.
This affair oeeurred Sunday evening, August 12, 1855.
A day or two after these oeeurrenees, Marshall Wood, of the town of Columbia, telegraphed the party that he had arrested forty or more Spaniards, and thought that some of the men they were in search of, were among them. On visiting Sonora, Durham recognized one of the party, a well-dressed, edueated, young man, who had formerly lived at Drytown. At first, he understood no English, knew nothing about the matter, but upon being ealled by name, Manuel Eseobar, and being told that Garcia, the one taken at Camp Seeo, had given the names of the whole party, he commeneed eursing in good English, and did not deny his connection with the murders. He was taken to Jackson, and hung, being the tenth and last hung on the famous tree. A photograph was taken of the scene, and the pieture lithographed, some copies of which are still pre- served by the people of Jackson.
Shortly after this, an old Mexiean from Algerine Camp, told the officers that the man who had killed Phænix, eame to his house wounded in sev- eral plaees, he thought fatally, wanting to be taken eare of; that he did not wish to harbor him, as he thought that the Americans would kill him if they found it out, and so told the wounded man, who, however, threatened to kill him if he refused assist- anee. The old Mexiean had put him down a shaft
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RANCHERIA MURDERS.
which had a short tunnel connected with it, in which the wounded man was hiding. Durham and his party visited the place, and called upon the man to come out; receiving no answer, some brush was thrown into the shaft and set on fire, shortly after which the report of a pistol was heard. He had shot him- self rather than surrender. When the fire had gone ont, he was brought out dead. He was shot in five . places around the neck, and could hardly have recov- ered under any circumstances.
EXPULSION AND DISARMING OF THE MEXICAN
POPULATION.
The excitement all through the county was such that business was nearly suspended. Extravagant rumors of the intention of the Mexican population to rise and take the county, got into circulation. The same excitability that demanded the hanging of a whole nationality, formed a good material to float impossible stories of an insurrection. The second day after the murders, a great number of people eame around Rancheria. The Mexieans had left the day of the hanging. It is said that some of the wives and friends of the executed had hardly time to bury the dead. When the crowd came the second day they destroyed all the huts and houses belong- ing to the Mexicans. It was then resolved that they should leave the country. A large body of those that had been expelled from Ranehevia were en- camped in Mile guleh, which runs north into Dry creck, its head being near the town. Thither the party proceeded. An indiscriminate shooting com- menced. Some Indians, who scemed to be watching the Spanish, were told to kill all they could. Some were known to be killed-it is hoped, however, not as many as were reported-but the whole people left as rapidly as they could. One Mexican was seen packing two trunks on cach side of a donkey. The overloaded animal could not keep up and he was obliged to abandon them. They were broken open and found to be filled with shirts and finery, appar- ently goods plundered from Francis' store. The Indians drew these on, one over another, until they would have on five or six caeh. This prevented the Indians from killing many of the fugitives, though when questioned about it afterwards, they said they had killed ocho, meaning eight. Some were found dead in holes and shafts, others at springs, where they had dragged themselves after being wounded. Several persons say they have seen the hogs devour- ing the bodies of the slain. Pork was at a discount during the season, on that account. At Sutter Creek an extravagant rumor got into circulation that five hundred men were coming to take the town. A committee of safety was organized, and some fifty or sixty Mexicans who were mining on Gopher flat, were arrested and brought to town. One man was unfortunate enough to have some connection, in some way, with the Rancheria affair. He was traeed into the Mexican camp and a thorough search made for
him. It was about to be abandoned when a large pile of elothes, just ironed, lying on a bed, attracted attention. Underneath was found the man. He was dragged out and hung on a gibbet made by lashing wagon-tongues together, forming an A, the wagons being locked to prevent separation. The fifty on Gopher Flat were ordered to leave, which they con- sented to do provided an escort was given them, for they dared not leave the town disarmed and alone. They were eseorted across the Mokelumne river. At that time nearly the whole of the street below the bridge, was occupied by the Mexican population. They were ordered to leave and señoras and señoritas, as well as the children (of which there was a con- siderable number), were seen climbing the hills on their way out of the town. At Hacalitas, the camp where the banditti stayed the Sunday night previous to the outrage, the people were disarmed and ordered to leave. One white man was left to make out the passports, the others leaving for a similar duty at another camp. The Mexicans at Hacalitas pleaded utter ignorance of any knowledge or participation in the operations of the murderers, but went without making any resistance. A company from Drytown went towards El Dorado county, disarming and driv- ing all the Mexicans away. Men came back with numbers of revolvers and other arms taken from them.
OUTRAGES AT DRYTOWN.
There were but few Mexicans at Drytown, the Spanish population being mostly Chilenos; hence, the name Chile Flat, the portion of the town where they lived. Though speaking the same language, the Chilenos and Mexicans had very little to do with each other; and, consequently, the Chilenos were not charged with any complicity in the out- rages at Rancheria, and were generally living on good terms with the people of Drytown.
On the following Sunday, about dark, some fifteen or twenty men on horseback, came into Drytown, and set fire to the Chilenian part of it, and in a few minutes the whole was in a blaze. The people, most of whom were poor, some being women and children, ran in dismay to some of their friends, among the Americans. It is said that William O. Clark's house was filled with crying women and children, who had fled from their burning homes. One man, by the name of Williston, usually called Boston, from his native city, set fire to the Catholic church, which was soon in ashes. The persons engaged in this evening's work, seemed to have had all their plans laid before coming into town, appar- ently consulted no one, and permitting no interfer- ence. Some of the citizens of Drytown have been charged with assisting the rioters, but a thorough investigation fails to connect any one of its citizens with the affair, which was generally condemned as eruel and wanton.
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HISTORY OF AMADOR COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
CONVENTION, OR MASS MEETING, AT JACKSON.
A meeting was called to consider the propriety of ontlawing all of the Mexican population. Some of the more violent approved of the measure, but the hanging of the men at Jackson and Rancheria, the excesses committed at Mile gulch and vicinity, had caused the more thoughtful to doubt the pro- priety or necessity of turning all the blood-thirsty loose, with license to kill Mexicans wherever they could be found, for such would be the result of out- lawry. R. M. Briggs, especially, violently opposed the measure, and it was abandoned. Most of the Mexicans had left the county, and the necessity of such a measure, was questionable on several grounds. W. O. Clark, who opposed it, perhaps in imprudent words, came near being lynehed, his speeches at Rancheria, the day after the murders, being remem- bered. Many of the Mexicans who fled the county on that occasion, settled near Jenny Lind, in Cala- veras county, where they have made peaceable and quiet citizens.
GENERAL FEELING A QUARTER OF A CENTURY AFTER.
There are few, and the number is few, who helped to vindicate justice, as they term it, who are proud of the part they took in the matter. But the more thoughtful look at it as one full of excesses to be re- gretted. There are many who believe that the three persons hung at Rancheria the day following the out- rage were entirely innocent of any complicity in the crimes committed. There appeared to have been two classes of the Mexicans, the caballeros or horse- men and the peons or laboring class. The first were accustomed here, as they were in Mexico, to help themselves to whatever they wanted of the peons, who occupied much of the former position of the blacks in the Southern States, having no rights which a caballero was bound to respect. It is said that when- ever these gentry were known to be in a Mexican camp, or expected, the lights were blown out and everything kept as quiet as possible so as to at- tract no attention. Old residents say that though a Mexican with a crowbar and bataya might steal an axe or a piece of meat, he was never known to commit an outrage. The fact that half a dozen white men would go to a Mexican camp of ten times their number and disarm them does not prove them very belligerent. It would seem that most of the erimes, and they were many, committed by the Mex- ican population may be justly charged to the cabal- leros, who were generally gamblers and horse-thieves, or worse; who never worked for themselves but appropriated the results of others' industry, not hes- itating at murder when necessary to accomplish their object.
CHAPTER XX.
POLITICAL PARTIES IN 1855.
Sueeess of the American Party-List of Officers Elected- Rivalry Between Towns-Financial Matters-Efforts to Suppress Gambling-Political Parties in 1856-Names of Officers Elected-Calaveras Indebtedness-Tax Levy in 1857 -Disbursements for 1857-Table of Receipts for all Moneys up to 1857-Political Parties in 1857-Officers Eleeted in 1857-Officers Eleeted 1858-Tax Levy 1858-Condition of Treasury-Financial Matters in 1859-Condition of Polit- ieal Parties.
THE Know-Nothing, or Native American Party, had become the most numerous of any. The almost annihilation of the Whig party in the Presidential contest of 1852, and the subsequent growth of the free soil element into a party, had left the Whigs to form new combinations. As the defeat of the Whigs was largely due to the solid, foreign Democratic vote, it is not strange that the defeated Whigs should organize to control or resist the foreign element. The epithet, "Know-Nothing," seems to have been first given in derision, from a constant assertion, " I know nothing about it," when the members were interrogated about the existence of such an organi- zation, and afterwards partially adopted, or, at least, quietly received by them. The object was a practical exclusion from power of the foreign ele- ment. It was urged that a few individuals often controlled hundreds of votes, and could be influ- enced by improper means; that the foreigners, as a rule, when they come to this country, had no knowl- edge of the nature of our institutions, and, from hav- ing been subjected to unjust laws in Europe, were instinctively opposed to all wholesome restraints; that the percentage of crimes and misdemeanors committed by the foreign clement was mueh greater than their percentage of the population. The meet- ings, at first, were held secretly, and nearly all the members of the Whig party, as well as many Dem- ocrats, were induced to act with them, so that until the day of the election, few men, not belonging to it, were aware of the extent of the organization, and were surprised to find the new party in posses- sion of nearly all the offices, from the Governor down. When the election was over, and conceal- ment no longer necessary, the members showed themselves in processions and public meetings.
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