The Placer herald., 1859-03-12

1AE L EOfLE %. "A CooO, OOoh-
ing the above title was brought up in the
Court of Sessions last Monday, caused by an
Indictment returned from the Grand Jury
against Mr.. Stafford and others, residents of
Yankee Jim's, for 1ogging several sluice-
robbipg Chinese thieves, some time back
How a matter of so triHing character
should have been the subject of an indict-
ment against some of the best citizens of
our county, we can only account for upon
the ground that petty malice prompted
some mischief-maker 10 bring the affair to
the notice of the Grand Jury and caused
that body to find an indictment for an "as-
sault and. battery" That an offence of that
extent was committed against the Cinnamon
is very true, but that that was the best and
most prompt manner of ridding the COM
munity Of the presence of the idle vagabonds
who received the punishment, the evidence
in the case and the general belief establishes
quite satisfactorily. q. t.at ~ r.a ,.
The particulars of the whipping transac
ton are these: The sluice boxes of some
miners were robbed near Yankee Jim's; the
tracks of those who were undoubtedly the
robbers, were traced from the claims through
the snow to and from cabin occupied by
three Cinnamon; the impress of an iron
boot or shoe heel was found upon the snow,
and also the impress of sock One Of the
Cinnamon occupying the cabin was found to
have an iron heel answering the description,
and sock, wet apparently from recent walk
ing in the snow was found upon the premises.
Some wet gravel, that was believed to be
that taken from the sluices, was found under
the floor Of the cabin. No gold dust was
found upon the Cinnamon. These facts were
not sufficiently strong to warrant the com
initial of the Cinnamon by the Justice, but
the train Of circumstances left no doubt that
they were the depredators. Furthermore,
these same Cinnamon had stolen sack of
rice from MIR. Saford's store some time be-
fore, and they were known as idle fellows
who had no visible occupation.
After it was found the sluice robbery
could not be proven against them, and they
released by the Constable, it was determined
by some of the citizens to fog them. In
pursuance of this idea, they were taken and
given from twelve to twenty strokes apiece
with raw hide, and their cues cut off; they
were then released, and of course left for
other parts-Yan ankee Jim's being thus easily
rid Of their presence This is the sum total |
of the enormous oiense committed by Mr. |
Stafford and others against three worthless
Cinnamon, who undoubtedly obtained their
living mainly by stealing. This is the only
groundwork for quite an amount of virtuous
Indignation expended by a few foolish per
sons, and has led to the circulation of a
number of unfounded reports. The ground
work was sufficient for the purposes of mali
cious persons, and getting before the Grand
Jury Of course they proved an assault and
battery without difficulty, and an indictment
necessarily followed.
As stated in the beginning of this article,
Mr.. Saftord's trial came up on Monday last
The indictment could have been quashed,
but he preferred the matter going to a jury,
who were so well satisfied of the business of
the punishment the Cinnamon had received,
although bound by their oaths to find
verdict of assault as proven, they recommen-
ded the Court to assess fine of one cent
That being smaller currency than is used in
California, the Court mulcted Mr. Stafford
to the extent of one dollar, and thus ended
a prosecution set on foot to crafty personal
spleen. We hope never to see as small a
prosecution brought into Court of Justice;
and further hope that the prompers of this
prosecution have senstiveness sufficient to
discover that they have placed themselves
in ridiculous and unenviable position.
SUDDEN DEArH.-On Tuesday evening a
Mr. Horace S. Bradley stopped at the Or
leans Hotel in this place, and engaged lod-
ging for the night. He took supper and
passed the evening in the bar-room in con-
versaton, and appeard in excellent health.
He retired about l l o'clock His non-appear-
ance next day was not noticed until in the
afternoon Chinaman employed in the house,
informed Mr. Gibson, the proprietor, that
man and doc in a room had torn the he'd