Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-09-13
MARI nhon, the Knshae.

fornia. So intense has been the excitement
not only in that State, but also on this side
of the Mountains, that all other matters Of |
public interest, either in the war news Of tn
East or our local election, are comparativel.
dull news to the particulars concerning thu
dead of the WAsHoE. We Gull the follow
ing items from the letter Of the Reporter o
the Sacramento Union, of yesterday, wht
visited the wreck in company with the Coro
ner's jury on Saturday last:
The Coroner's jury, which had preceded
us on the Yosemite, were in session wher
we arrived. A boat carried US over to th'
wreck, and cautiously feeling our way through
that wreck Of matter" to the latter END
the main saloon, where the jury had assem-
bled, passing on the road that horrible mole
Immediately behind the smoke stack, from
whence death had sent his shaft with such
an unerring aim.
| It was a curious and a solemn place fol
such an assemblage, and all present felt the
impressiyeness Of the scene. They were
taking the evidence Of the engineer, the
"lantern dimly burning" The wreck creak'
ed and shook, while the winds howled on the
outside and whistled and sung through the
ruins, and making such awful noises that
one could imagine that it was the bodies OIL
those in the wreck appealing TO us to hoer'
ate them from their unearthly tomb, while
the waves of the muddy Sacramento beat
| heavily against the boat, as though trying to
answer their calls and obey their request. =,
The inquest adjourned at midnight until
next morning, all going on board OF the VI
salia except FigH, Wingate and Daniel );
Thomas Of the jury, who slept IN the iadies
saloon Of the main cabin. We obtained from
the officers of the Washoe description oil
those who were buried ashore, as near as
they could give them. They are as follows
One woman, rather above the medium size,
| full face, brown hair, aged about thirty-hve
years, had plain gold ring on the left hand
but no marks on il; had on her night clothes
The next was boy about ten or eleven years
of age, who was found with the woman had
on shirt and drawers. Next, boy thought
to be brother of the above, about four years
old; had on a calico night gOwn-spotted
stuff. The above are thought to be the fami,
| " of Frank Hanson. Next, man full
dressed; bright cloth coat, dark pantaloons,
dark vest, black crayat, coarse boots-about
No. gs-had on belt and wore a truss on
the left side; wore white shirt and white
certificates to the name of John Steill, from
Ell Dorado county had whiskers and nous
tache, gold ring on right hand; had on his
person the sum OF $3.50 in gold, and 81 45 in
silver; pipe and leather bag, pocket knife,
ETC., and a silver watch, No. 1861 note
dated New Orleans, 1856, signed Jas. Steill,
and Endorsed " satisfied ;" q receipt dated
March, 1864, Placerville, for the sum Of u
for future assessments, signed Chas. Robes
some mining stocks in Atlantic G. and 5. NJ
Co., certificate No. 81, and a military poll-taS
receipt, Sacramento county, December, 1858
to John Steill. The aforementioned money
was delivered to the Coroner.
The next was a tall, spare man; had no.
thing on but wEite shirt and under shirt
| thought the hair was auburn had whiskers
and moustache-sandy and thin; had three
false upper front teeth set in gold; about fve
feet ten or eleven inches in height, and had a
plain gold ring on his hand.
The next was a man about five feet eight
and half inches in height, weight about l6U
pounds had nothing on but white under.
shirt; twenty-five or thirty years of age; round
featured; whiskerS on chin think he had no
moustache; the body was very badly dishS'
ured.
The next was a body recognized by friend
as that of George w. Nickerson, OF Ala
media. The body was sent to his relatives. =,
He also informed US that the body Of Frank
Dustin, the one armed newsboy, had been
found about seven miles below the wreck
This news greatly relieved his brother, who
went down to hnd his body. 1t was brought
up on the Fisalia.
Saturday morning work commenced by
arousing every one about B o'clock, as It was
low tide at 7, and the wreckers had to do theiI
work while the tide was down, or not at all
In few minutes President Swift and B. r.
Croker, D. Hardy and Alonzo Bidwell, Of
the Towards; were at the Washoe, followed
shortly by the volunteer wreckers, hard.
working, gallant set Of men. Their names
were Chief Burke, Len. Harris, George F,
Bucknan, Franklin White, officers Rice aAd
Mar.z, Martin Rowan, Charles Staniels, H
P. Duffy, Steve Butler, 7. Cole, Captain
| White and J. Luce. Several persons who
we're looking for friends and relatives did
good service, as also the members of the jury
Coroner Reeves, and John Miller, Public
Administrator. They were well prepared
with boat hooks, pixies, dragging irons, etc.
The boat in daylight is sickening sight
women's and girls dresses, bonnets and
skirts, under and over clothing Of every kind
and description; mems and boys the same,
with no marks upon them whereby they could
be identified, were scattered-torn, tatteret
and bloody-all over the boat.
The trail of the wounded could be seen by
the marks of their bloody hands in cabin
| stateroom and on the guards of the boat, and
many of their footprints could be seen by
| large pieces Of the skin, black and burnt
which had peeled off their bodies in their
flight to the toothpick OF the boat.
The boat had not changed her position
since she first ran ashore. The clerks room
was but little disturbed, the desk was unin-
iured, and the pigeon holes had their papers
and books in, and the safe had not fallen
through the floor. The heat must have been
great, as some boot tops in the staterooms
were completely charred, and apples were
half roasted.
But here comes cry from the hatch, and
down we 90. The wreckers have found q
body, in terrible state of decomposition, at
the sight of which men turn sick and tears
fill their eyes. 1t was a woman in a COM
plete state of nudity. 1t is supposed to be
that of Mrs. Van Landingham. She had on
the third finger OF the left hand silver ring,
with gold buckle set; on the third finger Of
the right hand gold ring, double-heart set,
initials S. L. T., two letters on one heart and
one on the otner; ON the neck chain anu
Jet cross. Her hair was black; ears were
pierced for rings, but none were in them
hight, 5 feet or inches. The body was
much swollen, but the face appeared to be
round and small.
This was the only body found by the wreck
ers, although they were satisfied there were
more in the wreck. But we will soon be sat.
isfed on that point, as one of the divers
arrived on Saturday and informed us that the
tug with all the necessary apparatus would
be up the same evening. About ten o'clock
in the morning friend arrived for the pur-
pose of taking up: the body Of George Nicker-
son, to send it to Alameda. -. ...
Captain Littleton was going down with the
boat to bring up the body Of Frank Dustin,
and kindly volunteered to take that Of Nick
erson to Rio Vista.
Wrecker Benjamin Martz tished up out Of
the main hatch the skin Of what was thought
to be the hand of woman, the thumb and
three of the finger-nails being attached to it.
It looked like purple glove. Mate Morrison
said many such were around the morning
after the explosion. 1t was preserved by
President Swift.
The bodies Of those who had been found on
fhe xvreck were hnried ahnnt one hundred feet