The weekly Butte record., 1866-11-17
LOCAL NEWS.


recently purchased the ranch formerly located and
,,ned by the renowned hunter and trapper, jim
B-gxoar.h in Plumas county, asserts positively
that the house is haunted. 1t is known with Ger
faint; that jim Beckworth has not yet "shufiec on
tb;s mortal coil and it cannot therefore be his
spirit that returns his former haunts. to disturb
the slumbers of his successor on the ranch. Aleck
takes the matter very philosophically. however,
and is not materially disturbed by the manifestations
of his invisible, but noisy and unweleome guests.
Hearing man walk heavily across the upper floor
one night. he seized light and followed the in
truder The upper story is all one room, but his
thorough search revealed nothing. Again, hear
ing the heavy steps and creaking planks,
he PUSHES up stairs in the dark His eyes pierce
the darkness in vain; and his fierce rush and grasp
after the sound Of retreating footsteps, comes in
contact with the wall, leaving him battered nose
and shocking bad hat The noise, well-defned
and distinct, is there, if made by living human
being but how to account for it. is the question.
II be sets steel trap, it is sprung bat catches
nothing Huge "dead-falls'' set at the windows,
only add to the "noise and confusion" crushing
nothing in the fall, and the heavy regular football
Is heard above the din as if walking listless and
unconcerned through the room. What is it Who
Is it? How is it? Shall we accept the commonly
received opinion in such cases, that murder has
been committed in the house, and that the victim
vet walks in the dead hour of night invisible alike
In the murky darkness of night, or in the lurid
glare of burning kerosene-or mutton tallow? If
we accept of Beckwourth's autobiography written
by Judge. formerly of Quincy, while half
barrel of brandy was in process of consumption,
pact Tpdia eli vera nd
horse stealer from tribes that he did not connect
himself with by marriage, as well as from some
among whom he did marry. But Indian ghosts are
supposed to wear moccasins, and not twenty pound
miners boots, such as disturb the midnight SUM
bers OF fri end Aleck. There's no 'tufted foot
fali' about the demonstrations Ii is not, then the
numerous Indians that Beckwourth despatched to
their happy hunting grounds. 1t is somebody else.
But whoy Who committed the murder How
When? We remember an item years ago. when
the Echo published in Downieville, about
butcher of that place. who, leaving his partner to
run the shop had taken IS 600 in coin and started
for Beckwourth's Valley to buy beef cattle. He
never returned and the cattle came not to his sor
rowing partner. 1t was generally believed that he
had joined the Mormons, returned to the Atlantic
States and started brewery under assumed
name. 1t is now, however, rumored around among
the residents of the valley that the honest German
went direct to Beckwourth's ranch for the purpose
of procuring stock. Here he engaged in the then
common amusement of gambling, and won all the
money on the ranch. The following morning, runs
the rumor, Beckwourth and the butcher left the
ranch for the head of the valley, where Beckyourth
is said to have kept his huge droves of beef cattle
ris is said hat 70
turned, but the butcher returned not with him, and
has never won any money from the ranch since. 1t
may be that the unfortunate butcher is trying to
play even now. If so, Beckwourth will greatly
oblige our friend Aleck by coming back an settling
up fairly with his Downievie customer. Asst now
stands, our friend Alecs is ready to exclaim with
Hamlet:
The time is out of jont;-0 cursed sprite
That ever was born TO set it right "
MuD WAGONS bright and fresh as paint and up
holstery can make them, have taken the place of
coaches on the Oregon line. They seoot around
town like buggies, and glide away their trips.
The recent rains have rendered the roads heavy
and muddy, and stages have been unable to make
connection with the ears. The consequence is that
passengers by this line are obliged to lie in
Oroville and again in Marysyille. We should sup
pose that such detention this line decidedly
favorable to the steamships running between san
Francisco and Portland. proper connection at
Marysville would dispense with twenty tours of this
detention. There is none in Oroville except that
occasioned by the stages being behind time
CoSTR,TEMPs.-In accordance with previous
nouncement of the Courdnt il is understood that,
the Chico School House bell rung on the night
of the 18th for the purpose of arousng the sleeping
denizens of that rustic little hamlet to witness the
falling stars. 1t is further understood that some
of them misunderstood the meaning of the alarm,
and thought their stage had arrived from Idaho
with passenger Others thought ii was quinine
time, whilst others thought ii an alarm of fire, and
thanked the stars that had given them opportu-
nifty to get up and take extra nip prior TO
their morning nap. 1t was "nipping air. that the
School bell played.
CArASrRoPHE.-Going home the other evening
sitter protracted and tedious session of the very
learned able and diCnife,i Board of Education for