USA > California > Lassen County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 31
USA > California > Plumas County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 31
USA > California > Sierra County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 31
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A MODEL INQUEST.
Early in the spring of 1856 Bill McCartney and Jim Grace concluded to embark in the express business, running between Gibsonville and Nelson Point. They held a powwow over the scheme one morning at Onion valley, a stranger named Lyons being present. While they were consulting about the enterprise, old Simeon Fowler of Nelson Point walked in, and stated that he had just found the dead body of a Chinaman lying on the trail on Washington hill. McCartney proposed that they resolve themselves into a coroner's jury at once, and hold an inquest over the remains. This was agreed to, and McCartney, Grace, and Lyons repaired to the spot, made an examination, and arrived at the unanimous decision that Mr. Chinaman had met his death through exhaustion and exposure in the snow. On the person of the deceased were found three dollars and seventy- five cents, together with a fine revolver. The question of disposing of the body was easily solved, but the disposition of the effects found thereon was a subtle problem about which it was difficult to reach a conclusion. Finally McCartney struck upon a brilliant idea, and said : " Well, Mr. Lyons, you take the cash. Mr. Grace and me are about going into the express business, and we shall need that revolver." The stranger was surprised and disgusted, and walked away, remarking: "Not any for me, gentlemen. Take it all yourselves. We don't rob the dead where I was raised."
THREE FUGITIVE MURDERERS.
On the eighteenth of October, 1857, in Indian valley, Caleb Holliday was shot and killed by Stephen D. Shore, with a Colt's revolver. Shore immediately fled, and returned overland to Missouri, escaping those who were in pursuit of him. The grand jury indicted him May 7, 1858, for murder, but he never returned to answer the charge; and, so far as is known, has not since visited the state, the climate probably being too sultry for him. Jacob Dertsh was shot dead November 18, 1856, in Indian valley, near the Deutsche or Dutchman's ranch, now known as the Matt Knoll ranch, by Henry Van Orman, with a shot-gun. Van Orman was indicted for murder April 10, 1857, but had fled the country, and never returned. Another homicide occurred at Smith bar on the east branch of Feather river, September 2, 1857, in which George Jaque drew a revolver and shot John McKinzie, killing him instantly. Jaque immediately emigrated to Fraser river to avoid punishment for his crime, and was never captured. He was indicted for murder October 15, 1857.
O'BRIEN'S BRIEF BONANZA.
On Jamison creek, in 1858, Tim O'Brien was employed in a mining claim belonging to Nelson Stewart, William Ford, and Simon Cenlin. One day he left suddenly and very mysteriously, noti- fying no one of his intended departure. One circumstance that made his absence look queer was that the company owed him for two weeks' work, and it generally is a pretty strong incentive that can draw a man from wages due him. Pap Stewart was both alarmed and suspicious, and started in pursuit of Tim. The fugitive had stayed all night at Gibsonville, and left carly the next morn- ing in a heavy snow-storm, hiring a man to go with him to Rabbit creek, to whom he had liberally paid twenty-five dollars for such service. From there he took the stage to Marysville. When Stewart arrived there, O'Brien had just left on the stage for Sacramento. Accompanied by an officer, the pursuit was continued and the stage finally overtaken, upon which the driver was ordered to halt. At the sight of Stewart the Irishman wilted, and cried out, " I have it; here it
18 000 16 PLUMAS LODGE NO.88. I.O. O.E
QUINCY
HOTEL
CLOTHING. JEISNER BRO'S.
WELLS FARGO CO EX
DRUG& VA
ETY STORE
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FURNISHING
50000
ODD FELLOWS BUILDING.
J. R. WYATT. AGT. W.F. & CO.
B.B. HUGHES. DRUG & VARIETY STORE.
HALL & HOWARD,
J. M.CHAPMAN. DRY GOODS &C.
EISNER BRO'S. CLOTHING & FURNISHING GOODS.
QUINCY HOTEL. O,BOURRET, PROP'R.
MAIN STREET, QUINCY, CAL.
DRUG & VARIETY STORE.
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is." At the same time handing over a chunk of pure gold weighing eighty-one ounces. The officer took the gold, and they went back to Marysville, where he managed the business so well that the owners never got a cent of it.
EXECUTION OF ELDER AND JENKINS.
The first legal executions in Plumas county were those of John Jenkins and Thomas Elder, both of whom were hanged on the same day. John Jenkins was indicted by the grand jury June 21, 1859, for the murder of Sterling McCarthy on Light's ranch, Indian valley, May 25, 1859. On the fifteenth of July he was brought to trial before Judge Peter Van Clief, then sitting on the district bench. W. D. Sawyer, district attorney, appeared for the people, while Tom Cox and Alexander Baldwin defended the prisoner. On the second day of trial the jury rendered a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree. The sentence of death was pronounced July 23, and the day of execution fixed for September 16. The case was appealed to the supreme court, and the judgment confirmed. Jenkins was again sentenced at the October term, and on the twenty-eighth of October, 1859, suffered the extreme penalty of the law. Thomas Elder was indicted July 8, 1859, for the murder of Michael Myers, on Rich gulch, June 24, 1859. The homicide was the result of a dispute about a mining claim on Rich gulch. Elder secreted himself behind a log, and upon the appearance of Myers discharged the contents of his shot-gun into his body. Quite a number of miners were at that time working on Rich gulch and Rush creek, but many of them were attending a dance down at Rich bar. Those remaining on the gulch, when informed of the killing, assembled together, and the proposition made to lynch him was voted upon. By a majority of one, it was decided to surrender Elder to the authorities at Quincy. Elder, after killing Myers, endeavored to escape, but the miners gave vigorous pursuit, and, aided by the sagacity of an Indian, they tracked and overtook him. On his way to Quincy, Elder directed the attention of the miners who were escorting him to the limb of a tree that would make a convenient gallows, and suggested that they hang him then and there. But they proceeded onward and delivered him into the hands of the sheriff. His case came to trial, and he was convicted on the nineteenth of July, 1859 ; sentence of death was pronounced upon him by Judge Van Clief, July 22. His attorney, Thomas Cox, appealed the case to the supreme court, but the verdict was confirmed, and the day of execution was fixed for October 28, the same as that of Jenkins. The double hanging took place in Hangman's ravine, near Quincy, in the presence of a large crowd, Sheriff R. C. Chambers being master of ceremonies.
GOT THE WRONG WITNESS.
A German resident of Nelson Point, Adolph Rhinsmeyer by name, desiring to be clothed with citizenship and enjoy the privilege of wielding the potent weapon of freemen, the ballot, appeared before the district court in October, 1859, for that purpose, accompanied by his attorney, P. O. Hundley. Doctor Vaughan, also of Nelson Point, and entertaining the same political views as the applicant, was requested by Mr. Hundley to take the stand and testify to the good moral character of the embryo voter. Without saying a word, the doctor marched up to the stand and was sworn.
" Doctor Vaughan, do you know the applicant, Mr. Rhinsmeyer?" asked the attorney.
"Yes, sir."
" What is his reputation in the community in which he lives ?"
" A damned scoundrel, sir."
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" Ve ish got de wrong vitness," whispered the anxious applicant in his attorney's ear.
Doctor Vaughan was permitted to retire rather hastily, and another witness was procured who was not so well acquainted with the man's character, and he was finally admitted to the circle of American citizenship.
BARTON'S BAIL-BOND.
A curious and somewhat amusing incident occurred at Quiney, in 1860. In September of that year, a man named Jim Barton was held in. enstody for burglarionsly opening a safe at Jamison City, and getting caught afterwards. Bail was granted him; but being friendless as well as dishonest, he could not procure bondsmen who would be responsible for his reappearance in court. To obtain his temporary freedom, he was compelled to deposit one thousand dollars in gold coin in the hands of John D. Goodwin, the county clerk. Goodwin had a vanlt or safe in his office; but being afraid to trust its impregnancy, deposited the bag of gold in his office stove for safe keeping. The same day a fire was built in the stove by Goodwin, who had forgotten about the treasure it contained, and the bag was destroyed. On the same night an attempt was made to rob the clerk's safe, supposed to have been done by Barton to recover his property. The following morning, upon learning of the attempted burglary, Goodwin remembered the disposition he had made of the funds, anxiously rushed to the stove and raked over the ashes, finding the ducats all safe and sound. Barton never appeared in court, and the bail money was forfeited.
TRAGIC DEATH OF RANSOM GRISWOLD.
In the fall of 1860 a rather depraved character, who went by the title of Ransom Griswold, came to Honey Lake valley with two ten-gallon kegs of whisky strapped on his mule, his purpose being to trade the liquid commodity to the immigrants who came into the valley. He was from Long valley, and was ready for any kind of a barter ; so, as a purely business venture, he succeeded in exchanging his stock of whisky for an immigrant's daughter, the other party to the transaction being the girl's father. Griswold, with his newly acquired property, returned to Long valley, and leased her to some stock men as a cook. At that time she was fourteen years of age; but six or eight months later he married her, and in the spring of 1861 moved on the Humbug ranch on the middle fork. Here his wife was again engaged in cooking for stock men, and one of them, Jim Bradley, becoming enamored of her, negotiated with Griswold for her sale to him. The purchase was soon concluded ; and the trio packed their effects on horses and started for Quincy to get the marriage contract canceled, that there might be no future trouble about the title-deed to the girl. On their way thither they stopped at Mr. Trimble's place, where the girl wished to remain until her possessors returned ; but Mr. Trimble would not hear to it, and made them go away, advising them to go home and behave themselves. In a short time Griswold disappeared suddenly, and did not return until the next March, the neighbors supposing him to be dead. During his absence Mrs. Griswold consoled herself for his loss by becoming the temporary property of Bradley, and living with him in Long valley. Finally the lost husband returned and took possession of his house and ranch again. He lived quietly alone at his place for some time. On the eighteenth of June, 1863, James Byers came along with a small band of cattle, and after conversing a few moments with Griswold, continued on the road towards Beekwourth. He was accompanied a short distance by Griswold, who carried an oil can, and a keg with a bail to it, to get some water from a spring. Having filled them with water, Griswold went back, and Byers continued on his way. He had not
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gone far before he heard the report of a gun, and looking back before leaving the valley, saw Griswold's house in flames. On account of his cattle he was not able to return at. once. An examination of the ruins, however, revealed the remains of Griswold lying in their midst, with the can on one side of him and the iron hoops of the keg on the other. The manner of his death has always remained a mystery; but from the position of the water vessels it was supposed that he was shot while entering his cabin, and that the murderer had set fire to the house to destroy the evidence of the crime. After the death of Griswold, Bradley married the woman, and is still living with her, in easy circumstances.
HANGING OF AMADA CARDINEZ.
In the fall of 1860 E. H. Bush, a resident of Indian valley, started on a trip to Virginia City, Nevada. He was accompanied as far as Taylorville by a young man named Jones, at which place they each purchased a pair of boots of Hosselkus, from the same case. This little circumstance fur- nished the key afterwards to some important testimony. Mr. Bush made his trip to Virginia City, and returned by way of Mohawk valley, stopping at J. P. Hill's for the night. Shortly after his arrival two Mexicans rode up, took supper, and went on in the direction of Jamison City, where there was a large settlement of Spaniards at the time. In the morning Mr. Bush departed for Quincy, eight miles below. Eight or ten days afterward Abel Jackson was passing along the road near Jackson's ranch, when his dog discovered the body of Bush hidden a short distance to one side. He had been shot twice, and one of the balls had entered his forehead. His feet were bare, and lying beside him was a pair of old boots, entirely too small for him. Horses' tracks were found leading towards Grizzly valley, and a pursuit was made. At Red Bluff, in Tehama county, Bush's horse was found, where it had been traded off by two Mexicans, and one of the men himself was soon caught in a gambling-house and brought back to Quincy. The boots he wore were identified by the young man Jones, alluded to above, as having belonged to Bush, and a mineral specimen of his from the Comstock lode was also discovered on the prisoner's person. On the twenty-eighth of March, 1861, Amada Cardinez was indicted by the grand jury. His trial was begun on the twelfth of July, before .Judge Robert H. Taylor, and he was convicted on the following day. The day of his execution was fixed for August 30, 1861. Cardinez was a Mexican of the lowest and most brutal order. While he was incarcerated in the county jail, in the charge of Sheriff R. C. Chambers and his deputy, Billy Webb, Cardinez made an attempt, or was about to make one, upon the life of Webb, but was foiled by the sheriff's dog. For a day or two before his execution he was attended by a Mexican priest from Marysville, who remained with him to the last moment. The execution was performed in Hangman's ravine, by Sheriff R. C. Chambers, in the presence of a large assemblage. The old priest spoke to the felon in Spanish, with much animation and fervor, while on the scaffold. At the first drop the rope broke, and Cardinez cried out pitifully, " Boys, don't hang me any more," as they were adjusting the rope for another trial. After supper the priest repaired to Coburn's saloon, and bucked at a monte game all night.
FREDONYER'S TALK AGAINST TIME.
Atlas Fredonyer was indicted May 7, 1862, for an incestuous and criminal assault upon the person of his own daughter. His case came to trial May 12, before the court of sessions, Judge E. T. Hogan presiding. Patrick O. Hundley, being then district attorney, prosecuted the case ; while the prisoner volunteered to conduct his own defense. The evidence was conclusive and damning.
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Mr. Hundley made a strong argument, which carried conviction to the mind of every juror. Fre- donyer then opened his case, and by subterfuge and windy argument, endeavored to prolong the trial and gain time. All this while a young man from Honey Lake valley, who was confined in Fre- donyer's cell for horse-stealing, was making a laborious effort for liberty. Fredonyer held the court for four days, while the young man sank a shaft and tunnel under the floor of the jail. Just as he got the avenue of escape completed, and while Fredonyer was still talking against time in the court- room, three other prisoners, confined in different cells, told the sheriff that a fresh, earthy smell came from Fredonyer's apartment. An examination proved the correctness of their impressions, and the plot was frustrated just in the nick of time, for the birds would have flown that night. When the matter was related in the court-room Fredonyer closed his argument very suddenly, and for his pains received a sentence of six years in the state prison. Subsequently, James Duesler, always interceding for the good, bad, or indifferent, started a petition, and had Fredonyer pardoned; but he never returned to Plumas county. The jail used at the time of the trial was the old log house standing at the head of Bradley street in Quincy, which was built in 1855.
LYNCHING OF ROSS AND WILLIAMS.
The lynching of John Ross and Robert Williams, occurring as it did in the year 1864, when the law's inefficiency could afford no extenuation for the people's offense, and when the extent of the victims' crime was wholly inadequate to the punishment inflicted, was truly a lamentable affair, and one well calculated to inspire a horror of mob justice. In the early part of July Ross and Williams had been arrested, taken before E. H. Metcalf. justice of the peace at Spanish Ranch, and examined on a charge of sluice-robbing on Silver creek. For want of evidence sufficient to implicate them, the accused men were discharged. Sundry miners, not satisfied with this result, took them in charge, marched them up to Silver creek, and extorted confessions from them by threats of hanging. Men then came to Quincy and lodged a complaint with the district attorney, and on the twelfth of July, 1864, an indictment was found against John Ross and Robert Williams for " willfully and maliciously entering a dwelling-house with intent to steal." The case came to trial on the eighteenth, in the county court, Judge A. P. Moore presiding. They were defended by J. D. Goodwin, Esq., who succeeded in getting them cleared. The prisoners were in charge of Sheriff E. H. Pierce, and when their freedom was secured they were warned by their counsel not to take leave of the town during the day-time, as the feeling against them was very strong in the breasts of the miners, and they would endanger their lives by venturing forth. But this sound advice was unheeded ; they left the jail, where they would have been safe, and boldly walked into the street. Immediately they were surrounded by a howling mob, blind to reason, who hustled them out of town, proceeding several miles, when they hung the unfortunate men to a tree. When the last sparks of life were extinguished, the bodies were taken down and buried on what is known as the Island, near Spanish Ranch. During all this time neither the sheriff nor any of his deputies was to be found, they having prudently discovered pressing business elsewhere, to avoid the necessity of interfering with a mob which they well knew would accomplish what it undertook.
THE FRANCIS TRIAL.
Perhaps the most vigorously contested trial ever held in the courts of Plumas county was that of the People versus Robert Francis, in May, 1869. The circumstances that led to the trial are briefly related as follows: Francis, a Canadian, though of Irish nativity, was a miner on Sawpit
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RESIDENCE OF B.W. BARNES, LA PORTE PLUMAS CO. CAL.
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flat. On one occasion, in the latter part of the summer of 1868, he had had a disagreement with one Robert Oliver, an Englishman, resulting in a pugilistic encounter, in which Francis got badly worsted. Much bad blood was engendered between them, and it needed but a favorable oppor- tunity to produce a more serious rupture. It was not long before such an opportunity occurred. On the night of the twenty-sixth of September a party was given by William Metcalf, the proprietor of the hotel. Oliver was in the dancing-hall when Francis arrived, and the latter's friends advised him not to go in; but he did. While the dance was going on, Oliver collided with Francis, and a few sharp words passed between them. Francis then left the house for his cabin, some distance away, and soon returned with his revolver. As he entered the room Oliver was boasting that he could whip him, at the same time using an epithet especially provoking to a Californian. Fired by these words, and at the affront which had been given him, Francis raised his weapon and shot his opponent dead. He was brought to trial on the thirty-first of May, 1869. H. L. Gear, district attorney, assisted by Judge Peter Van Clief, appeared for the prosecution ; and Creed Haymond, John R. Buckbee, G. G. Clough, and J. D. Goodwin, in behalf of the prisoner. Never had a more intense interest been manifested in a criminal trial in Plumas county. The case of the people was strongly 'and eloquently presented by Judge Van Clief, and the other side was equally well supported by the opposing counsel, Buckbee's plea eliciting the highest admiration of the bench, bar, and auditors. The main defense was insanity. The jury, after a retirement of many hours, brought in a verdict of murder in the second degree, and Francis was sentenced to fifteen years in the penitentiary. An appeal was taken to the supreme court, but the judgment of the lower court was sustained. Strong efforts were made to secure his pardon from Governor Haight, but without success. After a lapse of three years, Francis was pardoned by Governor Booth, left the state, and now resides in Dakotah.
KILLED FOR A BEAR.
An unfortunate mistake that was attended with fatal results happened near La Porte on the seventeenth of September, 1871. Walter Harkness and Asa S. Harvill started out bec-hunting, and in the search for honey soon became separated in the woods. Harvill, noticing indications of the honey-makers in a tree, climbed it for examination, and while perched high up in the branches, Harkness, his partner, quietly approached. Noticing something stirring the limbs, he concluded it was a cub bear, the dense foliage preventing a clear view. Under this impression, he leveled his gun and fired. Immediately Harvill's hat fell to the ground, and the horrified man discovered his mistake upon reaching the tree. The poor man was dead. An inquest was held the same day, and the coroner's jury declared that " Harvill came to his death by the accidental shot of Walter Harkness."
THE CENTENNIAL IN QUINCY.
Tuesday, the fourth of July, 1876, the one-hundredth anniversary of the nation's birth, was a great day in Quincy. The following account of the celebration is condensed from the columns of the Plumas National : Great preparations had been under way for several weeks, and as the day drew near, the excitement among all classes became too intense to be restrained. On Sunday and Monday large delegations from almost every part of the county commenced pouring into town, and it seemed for a while that the accommodations prepared would be entirely inadequate to the necessi- ties of the occasion. Indian valley was well represented; the North Fork region eame to the front in large numbers ; the Spanish Ranch, Meadow Valley, and East Branch people were almost all on
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hand; and Nelson, Sawpit, and La Porte were out in force. Many of our Sierra county neighbors also came over to celebrate with us. The Gibsonville band, with our old townsman Mr. D. C. Hall as leader, arrived on Monday evening, and as they drove into Main street their splendid music thrilled every heart with the feeling that the great day had come. The band boys were greeted with a salute from the cannon. The town was gayly decorated with flags and streamers, and a fine, shady arbor had been erected in front of the court-house. The committees had been busy, and everything was in readiness for the exercises on the morrow.
At four o'clock on Tuesday the cannon's loud thunder awoke the sleepers, and proclaimed the centennial. At eight o'clock the assembly for parade commenced, and by nine the pro- cession had been formed and was ready to move. Major Whitlock, of Greenville, acted as marshal of the day, and was ably seconded by Hon. B. W. Barnes, of La Porte, and Mr. A. J. Gould, of this place. The procession was formed as follows :
1st. Gibsonville band. Next to the band came a pony-car carrying Master Clarence Kellogg and Miss Gracie Goodwin, the representatives of George and Martha Washington. They were handsomely attired in the style of '76, and supported their assumed characters with a gravity of deportment and demeanor highly interesting and amusing. Following this was a large car-wagon, neatly decorated, containing fourteen young ladies representing Columbia and the thirteen original states. They were beautifully dressed in white, and crowned with the name of the state which each had been chosen to represent. The car was drawn by four large horses, and made a fine appear- ance. Next was a very large six-horse car, decorated with evergreens and flags, and containing twenty-four little girls dressed to represent the states admitted since the adoption of the consti- tution. The children were beautifully attired in red, white, and blue, and the car formed one of the most interesting features of the procession. Next came a large number of boys, bearing flags, representing the different towns in the county. Following them were the Odd Fellows in full regalia, and behind them the carriage containing the president of the day, orator, reader of the declaration, and reader of the poems. After them came the people generally, marching two and two. The procession was quite a long one, and probably would have contained many more but for the extreme heat of the day. The procession moved around the town in the order previously arranged by the committee, and entered the court-house grounds by the gate on Jackson street. The repre- sentatives of state were greeted on their arrival at the platform by " Hail Columbia," finely rendered by the Quincy choir. The spacious arbor was by this time completely filled, some seven or eight hundred persons having gathered to listen to the exercises. President G. W. Meylert opened the exercises by a very appropriate and patriotic introductory speech of five minutes' duration, closing by introducing the reader of the declaration, Mr. D. L. Haun. Mr. Haun rendered the grand old note of defiance in a forcible and effective manner. He was followed by the National air, "Star Spangled Banner," by representatives of states. Miss Jennie Wheeler, who had been appointed to read the poem written for the occasion by Hon. C. C. Goodwin of Virginia City, Nevada, was next introduced. The poem is certainly a splendid effort, highly spoken of by every one who was fortunate enough to listen to it. Miss Wheeler's reading was praiseworthy in the extreme. She seemed to have the "Spirit of '76" in full measure, and we are safe in hazarding the assertion that in no place in the state was the poem of the day rendered in better style. The poem was unusually interesting from the fact that the talented author was long a resident of Plumas county; and hosts of his old-time friends recalled pleasant memories as they listened to the beautiful and patriotic measures. At the conclusion another stirring piece of music by the band, and Miss Wheeler again took her place to read a beautiful little poem, contributed to the celebration by a miner poet in one of our neigh-
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