The Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1852-1872, 1853-05-28
Letter from Briggsville.

BRIGGSNILLE, May "a, 1913.
MEssRs. EDITORS In last weeks issue OF
your paper, in the editorial article headed " The
Chinese you do gpeat injustice 10 the miners
| iii this vicinity. AS you Were not an eye wit
ness to the demonstrations here against the Chi
nese, but relied upon what others represented
| opine you will promptly repair tie wrong you
have done, by publishing true statement OF the
case.
1t is true. the Chinese complained of the In
dams stealing from their camps, and the people
of Horsetown instructed them To watch their
tents, and arrest, if possible, the thieves, and
bring them to Horsetown for trial and punish
ment. They accordingly put man guard
but unfortunately his eagerness to arrest a rogue
far surpassed his prudence. He succeeded in
arrestng Indian, who proved TO be Serope
| the chief. Several miners witnessed the arrest
and they state positively Seropie at least
sixty yards from The Chinese tents when arrest
ed. investigated the affair, found ihcChinese
had acted too hasty, and the Indian whom they
had confined was promptly released. After
lieying the Indian advised the Chinese to be
more prudent in tuture-stated it was their III
teresi to cultivate the friendship of The Indians
instead OF exciting their hostility, &c. &c.
did not, however, succeed in satisfying the Chi
| nese They went TO Horsetown, reported they
had arrested Indian in the act of stealing from
a tent, and that had intertered and released
him. This false report of the Chinese incensed
the good. aw.abiding and honest merchants OF
Horsetown. and they Immediately sent a COM
mitiee OF twelve or fourteen to this place to
capture and punish said Indian upon the false
testimony of the Chinese. This proce, ding OF
The Horsetown merchants very Justly excited
the miners. with whom Seropie is very popular
and will add. deservcdly So and they Interior
ed and released Serople from the Horsetown
Committee. These proceedings led To the dis
cussion of the Chinese working the mines. ana
resulted Ill ting determination OF the min, is IT,
expcll them from this section of the mining re-
gion. If there has been amy Injustice DONE OF
| any wrong committed, the Chinese hemselve.
and the HorsetoNw merchants, are the pariie:
to blame.
When you intimate in yonr article that the
miners in the vicinity of Briggsvie have
tramped npon few weak persons for endea-
voring to protect their property from rogues,
you only echo the feeling and sentiment thai
pervades The minds of the Horsctown merchants
and not the opinion, feeling and sentiments OF
any honest miner or gentleman i'll this region.
The miners intcrposed TO protect the weak ans
down trodden Indians, and not to uphold ana
protect rogues, as has been graiulIo,tsly as
serted.
The statement that the Cinnamon would
have been handled very roughly but for III,
prompt interf, renee of the Sheriff. is also al
establishment. The Sheriff was not present
and consequently did not witness the proce, d.
| ings. | was present at the meeting of the
miners in the morning. and witnessed every
| thing that was done. No one advocated rough
rude or harsh measures, and ergo none was
committed. After the miners had noiifed>the
Chinese TO leave in manner not to be misun-
derstood, the Sheriff came to this place and had
"nle conversation with them OH The subject, an.
heard him express wish that the Chimes,
would be permitted to remain in The Comfy.
J. A. RUFF.