The Sierra citizen. [volume] (Downieville, Calif.) 1854-185?, 1854-12-09
Public Meeting.


Woodcock, deceased, and of the citizens Of
Downieville generally, held on Sunday,
Dec. 8, 1854, in the Court Room, Cray
croft & Co.'S building, Major Downie was
called to the chair, and R. II. Taylor was
appointed Secretary.
The Chairman stated the object of the
meeting to be for the purpose Of expires
sing thanks to Mrs. Charles Shoemaker,
for receiving the poor sufferer at her dwell
ing house, without request, and upon her
voluntary offer, as soon as she heard Of his
deplorable condition.
On motion, the Chair appointed Com
mittee, consisting of Messrs. Samuel Stat
ley, James Kane and Amaziah Smith, Jr.,
to report resolutions of thanks to Mrs.
Shoemaker, and of indignation at the refu-
sal of those Hotel-keepers to whom the
friends Of. Mr.. Woodcock vainly applied
to receive him into their houses.
On motion, the meeting adjourned until
o'clock p NJ, to await the report of the
Committee.
The meeting re-assembled at 6 o'clock
P. M, Major Downie in the chair.
The Committee made the following re-
port:
The undersigned, a committee appointed
at meeting of the citizens of Downieville,
to report resolutions of thanks to Mrs.
Charles Shoemaker, for her kindness in
receiving at her house the late Matthew
Woodcock, a miner, who died on Satur-
day evening, December 2, 1854, from the
effect Of wounds occasioned by the fall of
a large boulder, while he was at work in
his claim opposite Logan Bar, and also Of
expressing the Indignation Of the citizens
in regard to the conduct of those proprie-
tors Of public houses in Downieville who
refused him admittance, when lying at the
point of death, would respectfully report
the following resolutions, and recommend
their adoption:
Resolved, That the sudden and heart
rending calamity through which Matthew
Woodcock lost his life, while yet in the
vigor of manhood and bloom of health,
should enlist the tenderest sympathies of
all who bear the form of humanity.
i Resolved, That while we tender our
heartfelt coincidence to the relatives and
friends of the deceased, in their sudden
bereavement, we are again forcibly re-
minded of the uncertain tenure of human
life, and the swift approach of US all to
that country ''from whose bourne no tray
eler returns"
| Resolved, That to Mrs. Charles Shoe
maker, who, in her kindness of heart, Of
fered her house as an asylum and resting
place for the poor wounded sufferer, and
under whose roof he breathed his last, we,
in common with the community at large,
owe debt Of thanks which words cannot
repay; and that her disinterested and gen.
tie care of him, while he fingered upon the
verge of I" the dark valley of the shadow
of death" will call down blessings upon
her head from the hearts of all who can
feel for the woes Of our common nature.
RESOLVED, That the conduct of those
| proprietors of hotels in Downieville, who
refused admittance to Matthew Woodcock
in his agony and distress, demands our
deepest condemnation; that it was I'M
worthy of them as members of the human
family, who are taught that whatsoever
ye would that men should do unto you, do
ye even so unto them" And we believe
and hope, for the sake of our race, that
their heartless conduct is without paral-
| lei.
Resolved, That we tender our thanks to
Messrs. Craycoft & Co., for the use of a
room in their building, for the purpose of
preparing the corpse for burial.
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of this
meeting be requested to furnish COPY of
the above resolutions, for publication in
the Sierra Citizen.
All Of which is respectfully submitted.
SAM'L STAILY,
| JAMES KANE,
| AMAZIAH SMITH, JR.
On motion, the report was accepted,
and unanimously adopted.
On motion, it was ordered that a copy
Of the Sierra Citizen, containing these pro-
ceedings, be forwarded to the relatives of
the deceased.
On motion, the Secretary was instruct
ed to forward copy of the proceedings
of the meeting, to Mrs. Charles Shoe
maker.
Mr.. Kane stated that he had seen the
proprietors of the Citizen, who had said
they would publish the proceedings of the
meeting without charge, whereupon, a
motion Of thanks to the proprietors was
made and carried.
On motion, the thanks of the meeting
were rendered to the proprietors of Cray
croft's house, for its use by this meeting.
The meeting then adjourned.
MAI. DOWNIE, Chairman.
r. 81. TAYLOR, Secretary.