History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 37

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660

USA > California > San Joaquin County > History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 37

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The Stockton Journal

The Stockton Journal was published by John Robb as proprietor and editor. As an editor Robb fired shots right and left regard- ing the tricksters in politics and never failed to express his opinion. His attack by Ex- Mayor Purdy, as already noted, was the re- sult. The newspaper editor's next sensation was along matrimonial lines. There came to California in 1852 a company of concert singers touring the state by the name of the Mandeville Sisters. In the company was a handsome young lady vocalist, Marian G. Goodenow. She was a great favorite with the young bachelors and when the company ap- peared in Downieville August 25, her admirers gave her gold specimens to the value of $900. In the meantime Robb was wooing her for his wife. Whether he had known her in the East doesn't appear but succeeding in his courtship, they were secretly married in So- nora, November 27, 1852. The company were billed to sing that evening in the lively moun- tain camp, and the bachelors took $400 worth of tickets, but when they learned that the queen was married-well.

Robb was more of a lobbyist than editor and he spent most of his time at the legislature, which at that time assembled every year. While he was absent, the Journal was edited by John Tabor, and pursuing the same policy as Robb, he fired hot shot and shell into the rascals. This brought him into conflict with the young district attorney, C. C. Gaugh. Ben Williams succeeded Judge Reynolds as county judge and on the charge of bribery and corrup- tion he was indicted by the grand jury, but through the connivance of the district attor- ney, Williams was acquitted. Tabor in a long article severely criticised Gaugh. When he read the article in the Journal the next morn- ing he immediately put on his war paint and began looking for Tabor. Going to the office he found Tabor earnestly engaged in reading. and politely addressing him, inquired, "Who is the author of that article in the Stockton Journal reflecting on the district attorney?" "I am," replied Tabor. "Then, sir, I hold you personally responsible." "That suits me," said the editor, and Gaugh left the office. Tabor had been warned by his friends to look out for Gaugh, and as he said, "As is usual in these ruffianly times, we kept a pair of pistols some- times loaded, and other times not." Think- ing no more about the trouble with Gaugh he

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was surprised that evening about 4 o'clock to see that gentleman approaching. He evident- ly knew where Tabor kept his weapons, for stepping into the office between his enemy and the desk, he straightened himself up, says Tabor, threw back his coat, as if to address a jury, and drew a revolver from beneath his coat, at the same time exclaiming, "I intend to inflict personal chastisement, and your only recourse is to stand and take it." Transferring his revolver to his left hand, he drew from his breast a cowhide whip and raised it as if to strike Tabor. Tabor was in a rather delicate position. He must either submit to the insult or run. He was no coward for most of the editors were plucky men, and Tabor was no exception to the rule, but he scarcely knew how to act. However, at this opportune time, the foreman of the office, Byron Gallup, ap- peared. Hearing the conversation he got busy and quickly stepping into the room he placed two single-shot pistols within reach of Tabor. The editor grasped the weapons and remarked, "This puts us om a level," the article referring to you was gotten on good authority, and if it is true I will not retract it neither will I sub- mit to a thrashing." Gaugh raised his left arm ; if to strike and Tabor grabbed his left arm; the district attorney then fired and the ball went wild. Tabor then fired, striking Gaugh in the left breast. He was uninjured however, as a heavy pocketbook checked the force of the bullet. Gaugh again fired without result and the editor speedily hastened out of the back door. The district attorney did not follow. The following day he was arrested, put under bonds, and thus the matter ended.

The San Joaquin Republican

It was the general belief among the poli- ticians of early days that an official organ was an essential factor for political success and, as Democracy had no advocate in San Joaquin County, George Kerr, coming to Stockton soon after, purchased the Stockton Times. Under the name of the San Joaquin Republican, the Times was to have been issued May 4, 1851, as a Democratic journal. There was some delay however, and it did not appear in its new form until May 14, the great fire of May near- ly destroying the entire printing company. The new paper was a four-page twenty-column journal issued every Wednesday and Saturday, the price being twelve dollars per year, or twenty-five cents a copy. The proprietor was a young man who had learned the printer's trade in the New Orleans Delta office, and ar- riving in California in 1850, he purchased an in- terest in the Transcript and other Democratic papers and he wanted the Times to complete the chain. In 1852 he was elected state printer and until his death the state printing was done

in Stockton. Kerr was an easy-going, big- hearted, generous, fellow, spent money freely, and died May 6, 1854, at the age of thirty years. A year previous to his death he was not able to carry on the business and he took in as partners H. C. Patrick, and John Mans- field, the firm being Kerr & Company. Mans- field was a printer, he had learned the business in his native city, Boston, and reaching San Francisco in 1849, he located in Stockton in 1851. After the death of Mansfield, Philip L. Shoaff purchased his interest in the Republi- can, and sold out in 1855 to James A. Hutchin- son, the firm being H. C. Patrick & Company.

The office at this time and for several years previous was in the second story of a brick building on El Dorado Street, near Main, the lower story being occupied by Rayner and Pat- terson's libery stable. On the office walls were pasted hand bills in all colors, shapes, and sizes, announcing political meetings, torch- light processions, Fourth of July celebrations, Sunday School and Firemen's picnics, reward for robberies and murders, theatrical bills and other cuts of various orators, horses and bills the world over. The press, an old-fashioned affair worked by hand, stood near the stair- way, and it took quite a while to print the limited edition of 1,000 copies, 240 per hour be- ing the limit of the press. Frequently they had trouble with the ink rolls which were made of molasses and grew hot. In 1853 so hot was the day (104 in the shade) the rolls softened and did not work and said the editor, "We are actually obliged to give our rolls ice to cool them, a very expensive luxury," Ice was then five cents a pound. Paper was sometimes very scarce and on one occasion the newspaper was printed on fools-cap pages, the paper failing to show up. Again out of paper in August, 1852, the Republican issued several numbers on dark brown wrapping paper, that issue announcing the death of the great statesman, Henry Clay. In those early days the printers were always on good terms with the saloon men, and on New Year's day or Christmas, the saloonists would send to the office liquors, beer, cham- pagne, cakes, and often cold meats and fowl. The leading citizens on the day of their mar- riage would remember the printer, and he in turn in a complimentary notice would acknowl- edge the wine and cake. The ladies holding church or family festivals would never forget the printers, and would send them ice cream, cake and coffee.

At the time of Mansfield's purchase of the Republican there was considerable enmity be- tween that paper and the Stockton Journal regarding the city printing. After they had been writing harsh words for several days, Tabor, on the evening of June 22, 1854, pub- lished an article severely criticizing Mansfield.

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The following morning as Mansfield stood on the corner of Levee and Center Streets talking with J. M. Schofield, the custom house collec- tor, Tabor approached, and as he was about to pass Mansfield stepped in front of the edi- tor with the remark, "Young man, I want to tell you what I think of you," at the same time raising his hand. Immediately Tabor drew a revolver and fired; the bullet passed through Mansfield's left breast and caused a mortal wound from which he died two hours later. Tabor was arrested and tried for the murder, was found guilty and sentenced to be hung, March 16, 1855. The murder caused great excitement throughout the state as both citi- zens were well known and petitions for pardon were sent to Governor Bigler from prominent citizens, judges, and legislature, even the legis- lature of Texas praying for his pardon. The pressure was very strong and finally the gov- ernor granted Tabor a full pardon.

In 1856 Hutchinson and Kennedy withdrew from the firm leaving Patrick and Conley as partners. Patrick was the pilot of the paper and in 1859 he so guided its course with the flag of disunion flying at the mast head that he finally destroyed it. That was the pivotal year to decide for or against the union. Brode- rick, the leader of the Democratic party, was leading his followers towards Republicanism, and the Democratic paper never spoke of him, except in harsh and abusive terms and when he was. shot and killed, the proprietors secretly rejoiced. In 1861 the Democratic party was split asunder, the Douglas Democrats joining with the Republicans. The Republicans still clinging to the creed of the party proclaimed the doctrine of the State rghts and the peace- ful secession of the Southern States. As the Civil War progressed secession editorials were continually published and December 13, 1862, the Republican was suppressed by order of General Wright, the commanding officer of the Pacific Coast.

The Stockton Argus

Tabor in the meantime, had purchased the Stockton Journal and his subsequent killing of Joseph Mansfield closed his newspaper career. The Journal then passed into the possession of B. W. Owens, a grocery mer- chant and a rampant Whig leader who con- ducted it only a few months. In 1854 there came to Stockton with his wife and four chil- dren a young man named Wm. Biven. Soon after his arrival he began the publication of the Stockton Post in a small building on Cen- ter Street near Levee. He continued its pub- lication until Mansfield's death and then he and Henry A. Crabb, the first city attorney, purchased the Journal material and moved it to that office, and June 7, 1854, they issued the

Stockton Argus. It was a strong Whig news- paper and Crabb was editor. After his retire- ment William Biven continued the publication of the Argus and advocated the doctrine of the "Know Nothing" party and became the offi- cal organ. In the following year he upheld the Vigilance Committee and scored unmerci- fully the "law and order" party, David S. Terry coming under the lash for stabbing Hopkins. In 1857 the Argus took up the Broderick fight defending him against his assailants and when he was killed the Argus declared Terry a mur- derer that should be hung. Biven published a clean, lively paper that stood out boldly for truth, justice, and morality, but unfortunately in 1861 he got the political bee in his head and was desirous of being elected sheriff for San Jacinto County. Defeated for the nomination in the Union convention, he angrily left the hall and the following day published disloyal sentiments until September, 1862, when the Argus also was suppressed by the Govern- ment.

The Duelling Editor

In 1857 Rasey Biven, a brother of William, started the Weekly Democrat, which was pub- lished from the Argus office. A supporter of the Douglas wing of the Democratic party, the editor did not heed the advice of the great leader to stand by the Union when the Civil War broke out. The paper assailed the Gov- ernment and was finally suppressed by the Secretary of War. Biven, although a short, spare-built man, was quick-tempered, erratic and of undaunted bravery. He was one of the Walker filibustering expedition. Returning from Nicaragua in September, 1854, he fought a duel with Dorsey. His leading second was Senator Henry A. Crabb, his brother-in-law, he and Crabb marrying the Ainsa sisters, while Dorsey's second was the brilliant attorney, Ed- mund Randolph. The two men fought at Oak- land with duelling pistols, standing ten paces apart, and they shot for the purpose of severe- ly wounding if not killing each other. At the first round Dorsey's bullet took effect in Biven's wrist, and he was shot in the stomach.

A. C. Russell, a Stockton editor for many years, fought two duels and yet lived to a serene old age, rearing an estimable family of children. His first duel, with Captain John F. Folsom, was bloodless. Russell, one of Cali- fornia's best editors, was then in charge of the Evening Picayune of San Francisco. He was a bold, outspoken writer, publishing his ideas of men and their public actions, and fearing not the results. Several times he criticised the actions of Folsom, then a quartermaster in Uncle Sam's service. The Captain, offended because of the article, challenged Russell. The editor was obliged to retract his words or

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fight. Russell never was known to acknowl- edge himself wrong, and so he accepted the challenge. The duel took place September 10, 1851, out among the bushes in the suburbs of the city, just at sundown. The two opponents fired and both missed. Again they fired with like results, and, as Folsom was now satisfied, they returned and had a good laugh over their poor markmanship. Russell's second duel, January 16, 1852, was less fortunate for him, as he was shot in the knee and lamed for life. He had aroused the wrath of Governor Mc- Dougall by criticizing his acts, and a duel was the result. The parties with their seconds went to the appointed place in the evening, and fought the next morning at sunrise. At the first shot each missed his antagonist, but at the second fire McDougall's bullet hit Russell in the knee, and the Governor's honor was vindicated.

The Daily Evening Herald

After the suppression of the Argus, Biven shipped the plant to San Francisco and there issued the paper under the same name, sending copies to this city by boat. Unsuccessful in this, he returned to Stockton and issued the Stockton Beacon from the old Republican of- fice on El Dorado Street. This scored another failure, but with the pluck which was charac- teristic of the man, July 3, 1865, he issued the daily and weekly Evening Herald. In the fol- lowing year he purchased the material of the defunct Stockton Gazette, moved from El Dorado Street to the third story of the Hook Building, corner of Main and San Joaquin Streets, and, increasing the size of the paper to a twenty-eight-column, four-page paper, printed it on a new cylinder press. Biven was a good newspaper man, but,a poor business manager, and the paper ran behind. He then mortgaged it to certain parties and in January, 1875, the Herald appeared under the firm name of the Daily Evening Herald Publishing Com- pany, with the following as directors: Charles Haas, J. R. W. Hitchcock, John S. Davis, J. A. Morrissey, Joseph Cole, P. D. Wigginton, Thomas Ketcham and William Biven, the last- named being the manager. Three months later, in May, while Mr. Biven was taking his usual morning ride on horseback, he was thrown from the animal and killed, his neck being dislocated. After his death, his son, Frederick, who had been ten years in the of- fice, took charge of the Herald, and reducing the size of the paper, he removed the plant to the new brick building, corner of Market and San Joaquin. Fred managed the Herald less than a year and then sold it to an experienced newspaper men, John V. Bell, a printer for- merly of Nevada, and B. T. K. Preston, who had been editing the Truckee Republican.

Immediately taking possession, January, 1876, they removed the plant to the Parker Build- ing, opposite the Eureka engine house, and raised the price from twelve and one-half cents to twenty-five cents per week. One of the em- ployes on the paper at this time was Charles Lincoln Ruggles, a bright, active young man, who, at the age of twelve years, had come to Stockton from Martinez with his family. At- tending the public schools, he began carrying the Herald after school hours, taking Joe Dorsey's place. When the new proprietors took possession they employed Lincoln to take charge of the carriers' route and do the collect- ing. Faithfully attending to business, three years later, in 1880, he became a local reporter, one of the best on any of the city papers. Mr. Bell withdrew from the Herald in 1883 to take a political office on the San Francisco water front, and Mr. Ruggles bought his half-interest in the Herald. At once the form of the paper was changed from an evening issue to a morn- ing issue. The proprietors, in stating their reason for the 'change, said, "A morning jour- nal can be made a much more interesting and useful paper than an evening journal. Stock- ton needs an enterprising morning paper. The field is practically unoccupied. We mean to make it ours and will still advocate the prin- ciples of the Democratic party." The change was not conducive to the health of the paper, and January 2, 1885, the Herald was again is- sued as an evening paper .- The local Demo- cratic party was split up into factions, and one of the factions was desirous of purchasing the Herald; Preston, however, persistently re- fused to buy or sell, and the matter was then passed up to the court. As a result Mr. Bell, who held the mortgage, bought up the entire plant, and April 2, 1885, the Herald suspended publication, and the entire outfit was shipped to Merced.

Minor Newspaper Publications

During the second decade of local journalism a whole swarm of newspapers came into life and as quickly died, six different papers being issued in 1873. The first of the number, the Stockton Gazette, a Democratic organ, was first issued August 9, 1867, by C. M. Harrison and C. G. Miller. Harrison formerly worked on the Republican and later on the Independ- ent. For many years he was the publisher of the California Odd Fellow, at Sacramento. The Gazette suspended in September, 1869, even the well-known newspaper editor, D. W. Gelwicks, the last owner, being unable to keep it alive.

In this year the Pacific Observer, the official organ of the Christian denomination, was re- moved to Stockton by its editor and proprietor and published in the attic of the church, now

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the Garrick theater site. Financially, the paper was not a success, and in a year it was moved to greener pastures.

In that year there was much talk regarding a narrow-gauge railroad to Visalia. William Glenn, to be in the swim, in June, 1873, began the publication of the Narrow Gauge. He had formerly been editing the Herald, and, to in- crease the popularity of his paper, he employed Mrs. Laura De Force Gordon to edit a wom- an's page. In about six months it gave up the ghost.

D. H. Berdine, one of the most capable all- round printers ever in Stockton, in May, 1873, issued an eight-page, four-column monthly, the Temperance Champion. It was the official or- gan of the champions of the Red Cross, its editor being C. V. Anthony. The paper nine months later was removed to San Francisco. Mr. Berdine then began the publication, in August, 1873, of the Morning Courier, which lasted four months. Then he sent out the Sun- day Morning News, which saw its finish in 1874, Leroy Atwood at this time being an ap- prentice in the office. In the meantime, Ber- dine retiring from the Evening Mail, December 24, 1885, issued an opposition paper, the Even- ing Democrat. It was a six-column, four-page, issued daily, Sundays excepted, the price be- ing twelve and one-half cents per week. Al- though they claimed a daily issue of 1500 copies, the Democrat suspended within the year.

The Daily Leader

Laura De Force Gordon, a bright, hand- some young woman, after the discontinuance of the Narrow Gauge, purchased the plant of the San Joaquin Republican and May 1, 1874, issued the first number of the Daily Leader. It advocated the cause of the Democracy and The Stockton Independent woman suffrage, and it enjoyed the reputation of being the only daily newspaper in the United This paper has the distinction of being the oldest paper in San Joaquin County and one of the oldest papers in the state. Away back in 1856 it was born in San Andreas, Calaveras County, a paper established by miners to de- fend their water rights. It was published by Armor & Kooser, the latter a printer and edi- tor and one of Stevenson's regiment. Several months later Kooser sold his interest to Or- lando M. Clayes. In 1861 the Republicans of Stockton were anxious to secure an official or- gan, and they made arrangements with Armor & Clayes to remove their plant from San An- dreas to this city and publish a daily and week- States owned and edited by a woman. It was a bright, newsy paper and the Stockton Inde- pendent said of it, "It is the same size as the Herald with the same number of columns to the page. If the ability Mrs. Gordon invari- ably displays as a public speaker is infused into it, its success is assured." That year as an in- dependent candidate for senator she cam- paigned the county, George S. Evans and George W. Trahern being her opponents, and she received 116 votes. Aside from the office of Senator she espoused the cause of the Dem- ocracy, and that party carrying the state, she changed the Leader from a weekly to a daily, . ly newspaper. The little two-story brick and in 1874 removed to Sacramento.

Another political journal of but an hour was the Workingmen, which was issued in April, 1878, by an incorporated company of citizens, William H. Little, the saddler and street preacher, being president ; Ben J. Rodger, who

declared "the Chinese must go," vice-presi- dent; Eli Confer, secretary, and S. V. Tread- way, treasurer. Lee Moreing was the busi- ness manager and James Beckwith editor. It advocated the election of a United States sena- tor by the people, but it suspended soon after the May election, its party being hopelessly defeated throughout the state. In 1874 Fred Severy and Clement Detten published the San Joaquin Valley News, which appeared for a season of six months, and in 1878 Severy tried to revive the Workingmen. Failing in this, with E. Rawlins and H. W. B. Hewen, Sep- tember 13, 1888, he issued the Stockton Ex- press, an evening Democratic newspaper, in opposition to the Mail, many hidebound Dem- ocrats opposing the Mail's nonpartisanship. The Express was a seven-column, four-page daily, published in the old church attic, and survived only a few months.

J. E. Ruggles, since employed for many years in the state printing office, and John M. Dormer, on May 8, 1890, issued from 308 Main Street a seven-column, four-page paper which they called the Daily Republican. In their first number they stated that their employes nearly all were natives of Stockton, and the paper was printed on paper made in Stockton. In the policy of the paper they declared: "We will be found solidly Republican, firm upon the side of good government and uncompromising- ly devoted to good morals." Ruggles, the edi- tor, was very aggressive and plainly attacked vice in all classes, even in high society. In May, 1891, Dormer retired and J. E. Ruggles & Co., in September, 1891, removed to Parker's Alley, where four years later the Record came to life. The last number of which I have any knowledge is that of February 8, 1893.

building on Center Street, 20x40 feet, was rented, and, from this little cheese box August 1, 1861, the Stockton Independent was issued, with Samuel Seabough as the editorial and T. C. Osborne the local writer, the latter hav- ing been formerly employed on the Argus.

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Seabough was given full political control of the paper, and he advocated the claims of the Douglas Democracy. In less than four months he saw that if the Union was to be saved against a united South, then the Douglas Dem- ocrats and the Republicans must unite. He then came out strongly for Lincoln and the Republican party and since that time the In- dependent has stood firmly for that party in city, county, state and national politics.

The Independent during its sixty historic years has seen many changes in ownership, it being published under the name of thirteen firms during the first twenty years, and the Herald spoke no lie when it said in November, 1883, "Buying and selling interests in the In- (lependent is a kind of pastime or recreation. It does not cost much to buy an interest, and when one sells he has sold nothing except the right to work hard and draw a salary." In 1862 George Armor sold out because of ill health and O. M. Clayes, with D. S. Peters as a silent partner, carried on the paper until No- vember, 1866. Clayes was then elected state printer, and as he purchased an interest in the San Francisco Alta, the Independent was sold to N. E. White & Company, the firm compris- ing Charles E. Clayes, N. E. White and A. C. Bertzhoff, who had formerly managed the Herald. White & Company ran the paper less than a year, and on July 6, 1867, it went into the hands of the Stockton Publishing Com- pany, composed of a number of leading Re- publicans, among them L. U. Shippee, H. W. Weaver, Charles Haas, H. T. Dorrance and Charles Belding as directors. They controlled the Independent until April, 1869, when it was purchased by A. E. Milne and A. T. Worley, former employes of the Bulletin office in San Francisco. Unable to make it pay, they passed it back to the bank in January, 1881, and ten months later Nash & McKaig bought it. Nash retired and in August, 1882, C. O. Cummings became Mr. McKaig's partner. He retired and in January, 1883, the firm name was McKaig, Brunton & Phelps. McKaig sold out in May, 1883, leaving Brunton & Phelps. In Novem- ber Charley Brunton drew out because of sick- ness, and then the firm name stood, "Phelps & Company," R. Mortimer Wood being the part- ner. Wood retired in a few months, and in March, 1884, the present firm was established, J. LaRose Phelps and Charles Lincoln Ruggles. J. La Rose Phelps, the senior part- ner of the firm, learned to set type in early life and then engaged in various employments. In 1881 he was engaged in the county clerk's of- fice as deputy. At that time the Independent was heavily mortgaged to the Stockton Sav- ings and Loan Bank, and L. U. Shippee, the president of the' bank, and other friends ad- vised him to buy an interest in the paper. He

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History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 37

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849 Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1660

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660