Volcano weekly ledger. (Volcano, Amador County, Cal.) 1855-1857, 1856-07-26
Funny Case.

Mr.. David Banks of the firm of Banks,
Gould & Co, law book publishers in New
York, is the owner of some valuable property
in Bleeker street, near Wooster. For q
long time he resided in one of the elegant
brown stone front houses owned by himself,
but for some reason or another he concluded
to move out of it and let the premises. The
house. after some negotiation, was leased to
Mr.. Davis, very respectable looking Quaker
at $4,000 year. The furniture of the
house was sold to Davis on credit. Davis,
before he obtained the lease, was obliged to
find two sureties-Mr. Patton, of the Pacific
Hotel, and Mr.. Bates, the milk dealer who
furnished the almshouse with milk, and in
one Of whose cans frog was found some
time ago. After a time Davis failed, and in
failing, sold the furniture he had bought and
threw up the lease. Mr.. Banks applied to
the suretes, for his rent Bates tried to per-
suade Banks to let him 60 but he was mex
orable. He was willing to give Banks $500
| if be would relieve him of all responsibility
but Banks declined the Offer Bates got
mad, and told Banks to his teeth he would
turn his house into bawdy house. Bates
did not follow out his threat to the letter, for
he knew enough to steer clear of the criminal
law. Bnt he followed course that was an
noying enough to Banks. He hired num-
Der of colored women and had the house con-
verted into ngger dance house Here the
eclat of fashion of our clored people enjoy
themselves to the best of their ability. But
it is only the pink of niggerdom that frequent
this house in Blocker street, as it costs a
tri6e to spend night at the balls that come
off there. We have no license law now, and
Bates has established a refreshment saloon to
suit the wants Of customers The liquor is
sold at shilling glass, and Havanas at ten
cents apiece.
The entrance fee to see these colored balls
is twenty-five cents per head. The balls are
given three nights week, Sundays the ne
groes have prayer meetings, and in the eve
ming our colored citizen soldiery hold military
reviews. The colored band that discourses
music at these balls is heard far and near,
and is pronounced to be equal to Dodworth's.
Bates is practical man, and is always on
hand to see to the money department. He
is said to realize an income Of a thousand
year after expenses. The rent is never paid
until Banks summons Bates before court,
when he appears just as warrant of eject
glad to give up the contract, but bates won't
throw it up unless he gets bonus Of a thous-
and dollars Banks has tried to get the house
indicted, but the neighbors won't complain Of
it as disorderly house; they rather enjoy
the fun, and many of them pay their twenty
five cents to see high life among the colored
gentry When Bates heard that Banks was
trying to get the house, he said he would not
give it up until every brick stunk of a niger.
During the past week Bates employed negro
minstrels to defy the public with music from
the balcony 1t seems the sign over the en-
trance, "Colored Peoples Hail." is not con-
spicuous enough Bates has also issued a
circular stating the character of the house,
and inviting colored persons to put up there.
The house contains beds to accommodate eighty
persons. 1t is not, strictly speaking, a nuis-
ance, but the idea of colored house next
door to the auristocratc mansions in Blocker
street is more than human nature in that
neighborhood can bear The houses on both
sides Of "Colored Peoples Hall7 are to let
and property has fallen considerable in value
--Erchange paper.