The Placer herald., 1870-08-06
OUR SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.
SAN FRANCISCO, August 8, 1870.


ed desperate died with his boots on. Instead OF
IN ignoble feather-bed ending, surrounded by
weeping friends, as might have been his unfor-
tunate fate he went down in the broad glare Of
daylight, on San Francisco's principal street,
surrounded by crowd of curious gazers, and
lied with his boots on. Instead OF wasting away
through dreary months Of pain, being dosed with
vile medi ines and becoming mere shadow Of
his former self, he fell in the pride and vigor OF
manhood the Taste of cocktail still lingering on
his lips, and-died with his boots on So exit
James Dobson, rough gambler, desperate; and
if a wise Providence sees fit to thin out few
more of the blackleg fraternity by means Of the
assassin's bullet, the world will neither weep
nor mourn, nor feel much sorrow. Do thest
seem uncharitable words? Viewed IN the light
# that stupid old Latin maxim, "Of the dead
say nothing but good' they perhaps are; bu:
when that rule was applicable, the Roman clt!-
zen. walking peacefully along the street, was not
liable to be punctured by chance shot from
gamblers pistol. Times have changed since
then, and it is to be hoped that the admirers o
the dead rough will not insist on too close an ad
herence to the maxim, nor feel offended If his
.pitaph does not credit him with all the Christian
virtues For when man whose whole life has
been continued war on society whose hands
were innocent of honest labor, whose brain was
ever busy devising schemes to tempt and trap
the unwary, suddenly goes out like a quencheo
andle, to speak nothing but good OF the dead l.
almost an insult to the honest living, and to b,
silent is to waste the only use of such a career to
point proper moral.
THE ArFRAY
The first story Of 727 Market street is rented
to one Haddy rs dancing accademy. The
,round floor is occupied by the Coroner one
portion OF it being divided off for dead house
On Friday nights the dancing academy is leased
to prostitutes, who make merry with their lovers,
1uite unmindful of the ghostly things stretched
out below. Sometimes these balls are conducted
luite decoriously, at others they are carnivals OF
lrunken indecency. Last FRIDAY night, while
the rioters mirth was in full blast Dobson
lropped in, and being in quarrelsome mood, as
often his won't began to express his opn-
ions about everybody and everything in tn,
the trenchent and vigorous language customary
with men Of his profession. John Tyler, an
other gambler, demonstrates with him, where
upon Dobson drew his pistol, but with rare mag
nanimity RETAINED from breaking up the revelry
by murder and contented himself by inflicting
painless wound on the ceiling. 1t was, however
agreed between the two that they should shoot
sight-such proceeding being the only pos
sble salve for the offended dignity of Dobson.
At two o'clock next day they met on the street,
and Dobson instantly presented his pistol at the
breast of Tyler and asked him if he was heeled
Tyler, who appeared to look upon the mornin.
agreement as mere pleasantly, replied that h.
WAS not Whereupon Dobson told him to arm
limself, he meant shoot" The best men
are liable to a momentary weakness, and therei;
no doubt this sudden irresolution of Mr. Dobson
an irresoution about committing murder that
he was never before guilty of-cost him his life
cor if he had only shot then, instead Of watin,
IN hour to be shot at he would have exactl,
changed positions with John Tyler and nstcao
Jf now occupying the narrow confines of coffin
would have merely occupied the still narrow, bu,
much more comfortable confines of n celia tenn
porary inconvenience he could have well borne,
Intil acquitted by jury of his countrymen
Tyler resolved not to be again taken at IA disad-
'tntaBe, and having no immediate desire to be-
come cold, unpleasant corpse, wisely concluded.
nat the best way to avert that calamity would bt
to dispos9 OF his quandom friend, Jim Dobson
and SO he went to his room for revolver, an.
"heeled' himself as advised. Near the Krem III
saloon on Montgomery street is the entrance to
notorious gamoling house. Posting hmsel
behind the doorway, pistol in hand, Tyler KEEP.
sharp lookout for the approach OF his victim.
lie had not long to wait On Saturday aftel-
Aoons all the gamblers IN the city congregate OF
montgomery street to watch the procession q.
beauty, youth and fashion, come from the theat-
tical matnees. About clock Dobson saun :
cred up to one of these groups, exchanged few
words with his friends and then walked on past
where the intended murderer was conceat d.
ms was Iylers opportunity, and be seized
Two quick shots, each one intiicting n mort j..
wound, scream of horror from the passing
|. snrong of elegantly dressed women, q rush o
nen to the spot, rs the wounded gambler reeed,
,taggered and feel to the sidewalk, a somethin
;aretuily picked up and carried to neighborinp
lrug store, a crowd of curious people, pushing,
'noutlnS, struggling to catch GLIMPSE at tha.
'omethlng, whose life was fast ebbing away, o
ew disJolnted sentences. one of which showe,
hat the dying man, bad as he was, still hal IN
ltlectionate remembrance of far off mother
md then-the coroner's wagon blood-stal ed
;orpse, and the morgue. From the wild revelr
II the morning in the first story, to the col
calm OF the evening in the one below, and-I an.
lot the preacher to point the moral. And St
Inn Dobson died with his boots on, and witt
nm died one of the most desperate spirits tha'
California (protc as she has been in rufhanism
nas yet produced. For 20 years his name has
oeen )torous throughout the coast; for 20 yea {
he has been the impersonaton of all the faults
vices, AMI crimes of the professional gambler
or 20 years he has been famed for deeds of VIC.
ence and recklessness, and now that he is gone
The very best that can be said of him. the mos
charitable epitaph that can be written OF him, l.
he died with his boots on.
PRINTERS STRIKE.
AT 4 o'clock on Monday afternoon the printers
employed in the various newspaper Offices struck
for an increase of Is cents per 1000 ems. The
present rate is 60 cents, and they ask for rs
The Alta at first refused, and then acceded tc
the demand. The Chronicle complied at once
so did the Cal but the Bulletin steadily declined
to make any advance from present rates. There
upon the typos said that as the Cal and Bulleti,
were owned by the same proprietors, they would
not work for the former unless the latter came to
terms and so the Cal had to come out mex
morning with nothing in its columns but ar
apology and advertisements. The general opin.
ion is that the typos have acted in dishonora
BILE and suicidal manner. The Bule'n bad hard
work to get out its evening edition. Fitch Alec
Ra1lnm the Supprysor and n rpr,Ortnr vo oil