The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-02-09
THREE MINERS ATTACKED BY
RORBERS

|
PLAcERvILLE, Dec. "a, l854.-The Noun.
tain Democrat, Extra, says We received ths
following startling intelligence last night af
ter our paper had been worked off. Rocky
Canon, the place of the tragedy, is deep and
almost inaccessible canon, about forty miles
North of this place, near Todd's Valley, and
uninlabted. ..E
Rocky CANON, Wednesday, Dec. 2o---No
officer having been within u convenient dis
tance to attend n case OF emergency that has
just happened near our isolated camp here.
the undersigned constituted themselves n
Coroner's Jury and held an inquest over the
deceased bodies OF twelve men that were
killed within n mile of our camp on the 10th
| inst. full account of which we deem il our
duty to publish. Three of the undersigned
were eye-wtnesses of the whole scene,
though too far off to give aid in any way On
yesterday, 10th inst, three men, who after
wards proved to be Mr.. JAS c. Mcdonald,
| Of Alabama, now deceased. DR.. Bolivar A.
Sparks, of Mississippi, and Capt jonathan r.
Davis, OF South Calojina, were travelling on
foot on n trail within mile of our camp, to
prospect vein of gold bearing quartz, son
twenty or thirty miles North of this place.
As they were passing the base of noun
tain, three of the undersigned, being out ona
hunting expedition on its side, saw u party Of
men who were concealed in the bushes near
the trail spring up and commence firing at
them. Mr.. Mcdonald fell dead. fIe was shot
before he was aware of his danger He and
his party had nothing but their revolvcrs.-
Bolivar Sparks shot twice ut the banditti,
and then fell severely wounded. in tho
meantime Capt. Davis, who was the first to
commence shooting in defence Of himself and
party, in IN instant after the first yolley OF
the robbers, being still under, kept up an in.
cessant lire upon them with his revolver,
every ball forcing its victim to bite the dust,
until all the loads of both parties seemed 10
havo boen discharged. The surviving rob.
bers made charge upon Capt. Davis with
bowie.knlves, and one with short sword or
sabre. Capt. Davis stood hs ground firmly
until they rushed up abreast OF him within
about four steps. lie then made spring
upon them with large bowie. knife, md gave
three Of them wounds that proved fatal.--
Having wounded the other one very slightly,
and disarmed him by warding off a blow, ns
this last man expressed in tone Of gratitude
before his death, Capt d. went to work at
once tearing up his own shirt and binding all
the wounds OF the living, of both his friends
and enemies. On examination Of the persons
OF the deceased of those that had commenced
the attack on Capt ID. and party, we discov.
cred papers, carefully concealed in their
pockets, purporting 10 lie a copy Of laws and
by laws by which they were governed.
The last of this band has just died. His
wound he thought, himself, but slight, and
seemed in fair way of recovery until within
the last hour, but corroborated all the evi.
dences proven by the papers in his pocket.
Signed by w. c. THOMPSON,
and Is others
Another letter, dated
Rocky CANON, Dec. 90, 1854.
To VIM. Henderson, Esq, .Placerrille:
Quite an exciting scene happened Yesterday
within mile of our tent. While two Of my
partners and myself were hunting over the
hills, we heard the report of guns below Us,
and saw two small parties shooting ut each
other Being satisfied that they were all
strangers, We hesitated for moment before
we ventured to 90 down feeling of duty,
however, prompted us to hasten down 10
them. On approaching we saw two persons
fall in the fight; (these persons were Of lit
tic party Of three whom we had observed
about half an hour previous quietly following
the traiD and the remaining one Of the party
"a man somewhat above the medium height,
whom We could readily distinguish by his
white bat from all the rest,) fighting brayely
for his life.
Approaching still nearer, we were surprised
at the sight Of eleven men lying stretched on
the ground, seven of them dead, belonging,
ms they afterwards proved, to n party rob6ers,)
and only one of the party of three 80 sud
denly fred upon from the bushes by the rob.
bers. Three Of the wounded robbers having
died last night we had ten Of them TO bury.
One survives, who will probably recover; he
is, now however, marked for life, having lost
his nose, in toto, and the fore-fnger Of his
right hand. The surviving one, who seems
to be but little hurt, says that their band was
oftwo Americans, five Sydney men,
and four Mcxcans, and had just commenced
operations, having killed six Cinnamon three
lays ago, and three Americans on the dhy
before yesterday. Although we counted
wenty.tght bullet holes through Captain
Davis hat and clothes (seventcea through his
,at and eleven through his coat and shirt,)
le received but two very slight flesh wounds.
Yours truly, JOHN WEBSTER.
To VIM. Henderson, Esq, County Surveyor,
Placerpile.