The hydraulic press., 1861-05-18


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"Reminiscences of Early days I'm the
region of Fosters Bar, Yuba County,
California.
In closing my "reminiscences of the Stew
art and Berdue matter, promised to give to
the readers of the PRESs, at some future tine,
the history of one of the most diabolcal and
outrageous murders ever committed in this
State. Having some leisure time TO devote
to this subject, and in pursuance of my prom
ise, herewith furnish you with full and
Succinct statement of
THE MURDER OF JOHN DAscHER,
who came to his death early in the year 1851,
by the hands of De Witt Clinton Shattuck.
Dascher was German or Swede by birth,
and was known as quiet. inoEensive man.
Shattuck was native of the State of Mich-
gan. He was gentlemanly in his manners,
well educated, and, to all appearances, one
of the most amiable men | ever knew. But
to my story:
In the fall of the year 1880, John Dascher,
De Witt c. Shattuck and Henry H. II. Adri-
ance, or Adrants, emigrated from Calaveras
county and located themselves in canon Il
short distance below WinSlow's Bar on the
Yuba River, at which place they continued
the business of mining, until the month OF
May, 1851. They had long been mining to-
gether in Cs.laveras countv, and had formed
a mutual attachment for each other-so
much so that the acW of one was the wiN of
all. $3.50
In May 1851, Adriance was dispatched to
Fosters Bar for the purpose of prospecting,
and if possible of securing ii mining claim It
that place for the company, the mines at
Fosters Bar ut that time being in very good
repute Adriance agreed to undertake the
task assigned him. promising to return the
same evening and make report. lie came
to Fosters twhere the writer of this remi-
niscence met him for the first time) on Sun
day, and received from me due information
as TO the value of the mining claims there,
and also of such claims AS were uaoccupied.
1 furnished him with pan, shovel and pick to
prospect the ground, which he did, and
which proved satisfactory. In the evening
of the same day he returned to his camp.
\ few days afterwards he returned to Fos-
ters in company with Shattuck They com
menced working the claims located by Adri-
ance, and continued to work thereon for
about one month, when they again took their
departure for their old location below Wins
lows.
saw these men every day whilst at Fos-
ter's Bar-had numerous business transac-
ticns with them, and had formed very fa-
vorable opinion of them part: :cularly 90
wards Shattuck. saw no more of these
men or either Of them aftai they left Fosters
until one day, the ID of July, 1851, having
some business in the Court Of Sessions OF
Marysvil,e, was surprised on looking at a
Jury which was about being empaneled, to
see Adriance among the number. The jury
was duly Observation-Disclosures having been
chosen one-after which the court took re-
cess till 2 o'clock, P. NJ.
Adriance followed me ont Of the Court
House, asked me to detain a moment till ev-
erybody had gone out of hearing-sai9 he
had something particular to tell me that
his life was in danger, and that he knew not
how soon he would be launched into eter-
nity. That he was watched; his life threat t.
ened, and that he was almost distracted. He
acted more like mad or crazy man than a
sane one, and verify believed him TO be in
sane. quieted his fears and apprehensions
by assuring him that no one should injure
him, that l would protect h.m, ETC., and
asked him to unburthen his mind to me. He
rcplied, not for worlds would | do it here,
everybody is looking at u.s. it is death TO
merto see me talking to you now | shouldn't
wonder if get killed before half an hour.
Finding that could get nothing from him.
made an appointment with him to meet me
in half an hour at my room in the old U. 5.
Hotel, and parted company with him.
At the time appointed he was closeted
with me in my room. where he gave me IN
detail the facts connected with the murder
of Dascher, and which will give hereafter
in his own language, as sworn to by him be-
fore the Justice of the Peace at Fosters Bar,
on the examination of Shattuck, charged
with the crime of murder.
He told me that he had not slept wink
Mt night for more than two weeks. that he
was irving to run away from his own
thoughts, that his life was one continued
torment to him; that for nearly month he
had been trying to escape from Shattuck,
but that the latter, night and day, watched
him like hawk Said that two days pre-
'vious to meeting me at Marysvile, he had
:prevailed on Shattuck to permit him to 20
prospecting that instead of doing SO, be
struck out across the country to Bidweils S
Bar with the intention of going to Shasta,
and from thence to Oregon, so as to get COM
pletely out of the way of Shattuck, who he
believed would kill him at sight.
He said that at Bidwell' Bar his conscience
smote him. that he could not eat, drink or
sleep. and that he suffered such mental an
puish that he was induced to unburthen his
mind to a lawyer at that place Pat. Harris,
I think1, who advised him to return to Ma
rysvlle and relate the matter to the author
tiles of that county. His words, his conduct.
every thing that be said and did, convinced
me of one of two things, viz:
1st Thathe was crazy; or,
Cd. That if there was a murder commit
ted, he was the guilty party.
/ determined to probe the matter to the
bottom, however, and if the crime had been