San Andreas independent., 1856-10-25
startling" but not Probable.

OuC not RTODd6le.
onaer TINS caption the Alta gets up
special pleading, to prove something that
facts do not substantiate. The commissions
o' tnat paper may be all correct, but the
imphcatlon of others, on the most flimsv
pretenses, to make out case of personal
Violcatlon OF somebody else, is blamable. TO o.
say the least,-not even sparing the dead.
In speaking of the discovery of human.
remains, as published in the Stockton Ar
gus, the Alta says:
-" 90 not give much credence to this
report, however, because we know of our
own knowledge, that there is no mining
shaft upon, nor within several miles Of the
place occupied by Coebrook,'
This Is mistake, we are credibly in
formed, as mining shafts are numerous in.
that vicinity. The Alto continues
"The San Joaquin Republican in.
speaking OF the same discovery, saws the
bones were found while digging out a weu:
and that there were parts of no less than
twenty-seven different skeletons. Tbey
were at first thought to be the remains Of
Indians, but closer examination proved
them to be those of white men; and it was
supposed that Capt. Colebrook, brother to
the one above mentioned, and who had oc-
cupied this ranch for nearly eight years,
had been in some way concerned in pla-
cling them there. But there exists the
same objection to this version of the affair,
viz: there is no well, or at least was not. 3
short time ago, upon the place; the wa
ter having been supplied by springs near
the house, thus superseding the necessity
of digging any well.
Hence, the bones found, if any, must
have been in some place different from
those described; and if they were those of
human beings, they were, without doubt,
the remains of Indians as they are fire.
quently met with, especially in the vicinity
of springs; for near such spots the aborig
ines were in the habit of locating their
rancherias; and near these their dead
were often deposited, their remains being
disposed of sometimes by burning, some
times by burial
This, we think, will prove to be the
proper solution of the mystery, if any such
quantity Of human bones have been found,
as is above mentioned. Or even if they
should turn out TO be those of white men,
it does not follow that either Captain Cole
brook or his brother had any agency in
causing them to be placed there.
During the early history of the country
that is, the gold-digging history, there's
were great many desperate characters in,
the neighborhood of Captain Colebrook's.
Texas Jack and Johnny Maxim had their
headquarters at Golfers, afterwards known
as the Antelope Ranch, one of the most
notorious dens of thieves in all that region
of country. This place was near Cole
brooks; and it was well known that
deadly hostility existed between him and
these outlaws. Capt. Colcbrook often
headed attacks upon these desperadocs,
and assisted on more than one occasion, in
hanging some Of their number; and. al
though man of quick temper and reek--
less courage, he was never considered
dangerous or dishonorable man by the in
habitants in that section of country. What
he did, was generally done above board.
and in open daylight. 1t is possible that
he might have been engaged in some con-
fict with these men, in which some of
their number were killed and disposed Of
without much regard to the rights of sep
ulture. We feel confident it would onlt
be in some such manner that Captain Csls-
brook could have had an agency, if apS hc
had, in causing these bones to be placed
where they purport to have been discoy-
cred. So far as we know, after lsx:nc near
him for five years, he never was known to
have killed man outright, pGn by taking
any undue advantage In the difficulty
with Chileno, at the Cafaveras, he did
not kill the man, as the papers leave the
public to infer.
The same remarks, In regard to gcner-
al character, will apply, though PERM
with less force, to his brother; for ws
know less of him, hs having come more
recently into the neighborhood. We pre-
sumo, however, from the accounts, given.
in the papers, thas he deserved the fate
that overlook him. at Angels. Yet, We be-.
lieve there is little in the lives of either Of
these men TO justify the -extravagant sun.
position of wholesale murder, indulpc,li 5x
our up-river codmpoTaries. In fact the
absurdity Of the hypothesis upon which,
they are founded becomes apparent when,
1t is remembered tha. there are not, aud,
never have beens any mining shafts en-
Coiebrook's Ranch; and also, that well
from which water could be taken for daily
use, would shths least probable Rlaae
ID the world whesea man would be Easly !.
to deposit human remains.
So far as Bob CollSer is CONCERNED be Is
Tar from being such a man as the 4Ahs