Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-09-06
THE MINERS REVENGE.

!, Ths.sketch which | intend to give
A yon, now, dear reader, is a true one
| The main features Of which will be
recognized as more than a mere coin
age Of the brain, by thousands o
persons now residing within days
Journey Of the spot upon which 1 am
sitting. OF the death OF Fredench
Roe at the hands of The populace o
Sacramento, in the spring of 1851
the. reasons Of it. and the circum'
Fstancss attending it, the reader Is
istill remindful; for it was one OF the
most determined outbursts OF pop
hular indignation and vengence which
lany single individual had, by bis
crimes, brought down upon himself
since California had become an Amer
!Eiean possession; nor has it scarcely
been equaIed since.
The first time ever saw Roe was
in the Fall Of 1850. | was travelling
through Bidwell's Bar, a village of
considerable note on Feather River,
when I noticed large crowd OF per-
sons collected at the upper end OF the
town, assembled for the purpose OF
administering fifty lashes to an IN
diyiduaI in whose possession had been
found a couple of gold coins had been
identified as belonging to another per
| son. In addition to that punishment
the popular verdict was that bis head
should be shaved and two hours given
hin, to take his final leave OF that
Isaction of the country. The man
ives a perfect stranger to the village,
having taken up his residence at that
place bat few days previous; and
| from the fact that bis accuser was q
gambler, and that it was at the lie
stigation Of that peculiar class that
he was being punished, aroused a
suspicion in my mind of the justice OF
the sentence, which was much
strengthened by the honest and open
bearing of the man, and the earnest
candor with which he ayowed bus In
nocence.
His name was Walsworth, and, from
| the different statements, / soon be-
come convinced that tha matter stood
thus: that morning Walsworth was
standing in gambling house watch
ing game OF monte, when Roe, who
was engaged in betting against 1t
with no success, managed to take from
1.-The table, while in the act Of cutting
the cards, two Bolivian ounce pieces
upon which had been scratched, for
some reason, a peculiar mark. These
| he handed to Walsworth, telling him
| to bet them for him, merely to change
his luck. Knowing but little about
the game, he at first refused, but upon
being pressed, took the coins aad
threw one Of them on the table.
The piece was rcognized by the deal
Ter, who inquire of Wslsworth how he
came by it. The victim informed
him that it had been given him to try
his luck with, and pointed to Roe,
Iwho was standing at the other side
5of the room, as the man from whom
The had obtained them. Roe was called
dor, but seeing how matters were,
ldenied that he had given it to the
imam, or that be had ever seen him
lbefore. -
/ Wslsworth was instantly searched
Hand the other piece vas found in bis
ipoket; which be, Of course, accounted
'ifor in the same manner as the first
lbut which Roe again denied. CIR
Icunstances we're against 1Valsworth
IEfor it was certainly considered a sin
galar transaction for a man to trus'
his money in the hands of stranger
and, as Roe was well known On tht
bar, and the other vas not the wore
lof the former was taken in preference
and the latter, after a hasty trial, WA.
sentenced to the punishment which
he was receiving on my arrival. oW
ling to the number of persons sun
rounding him, was not enabled Il
lget a sight of him until he had re
Iceived his sentenced in full, and wa
Ion his way down the river, after ma
king an unsuccessful search through
the town for Roe. BE left an ope'
mote for him, however, which was rea'
lby myself and several others, Prev
Ious to its reaching its destination t.
(which read, as near as ! can recoAec
thus: - .,.
Mr.. RoB-S:r, Through your vilial
Inv j have suffered hunliliatlng dls
lgrace ca dishonor which will rende
lmy life one Of misery to Its iates