The Van Buren press., 1870-04-12
q. A. l.. in The Chicago T1aae
Paul Beales.
A Story of the Early Days Of California.

Paul Beales.
A Story of the Early Days Of California.
"Comc out to our coast, boy, said a
big child of San Francisco. the other
day " and Well give you something to
write about"
For instance =
"Wc'll tell you the story Of Paul
Bcalcs."
"Who was Paul Beales p
Paul Beales was a bank cashier ut or
near Williamsport. Pennsylvania, along
about the year 40. In those days there
we're no express companies, and once a
month, or once q quarter, Paul Bcales,
like all the hank cashiers of interior Penn
sylvania, had to go to Philadelphia to
adjust his balances with the bank which
corrcspended with his own. Paul start
ed one day from Williamsport with $780,
900, which he was to take in person 10
the Farmers and Mechanics and he ar
rived in Philadelphia next day noon. He
was temperate, virtuous, respected mar
ried man, popular with everybody, and
well-to-do. df2 qssN ~
But on this occasion Paul Beales was
possessed with the devil Of postpone
ment. and being tired of travel he did
not 60 promptly to bank, but lounged
about the hotel till evening. Then he
felt the other demon recklessness, that
never came before, come to him and sug
gest that he make night of it. In q
few minutes he was in a agambling saloon,
and had shortened his account some
thousands of dollars.
The next morning tho bank received
three-fourths Of tho money from Will
iamsport, by an anonymous hand, and
Paul Beales was missing, They search
ed for him, high and low, in vain. 1t
was believed he had been murdered, and
his widow put on mourning, while all his
community grieved for him.
About that time there arrived IN Cali
fornia one Daniel Clarkson, a fnc-look
ing affable man, with little money but big
will, and he plunged ut once into mining
and business. He was honest and popu
lar, and every man, woman and child
soon learned to love him. He was mar.
ried after some years to a fine Pacific wo
man, one who was adcad shot with the
pistol and had all the virtues that bloom
beyond the Sierra Ncvadas, and in course
of time we had nominated Daniel Clark
son for Anunyamenta or mayor ofthc
City of San Francisco. m f t9t
While he was waiting ono day on
Montgomery street, man from Penn.
sylvania stepped up to him suddenly and
putting out his hand said t4P9' ~
paul, how do you do" H
fright well, thank you sir" cxclaim
cd Daniel Clarkson; "but' pause
-" you have mistaken me for some ono
else"
Excuse me-" said the man, "but
was sure had found Paul Bcales ofWill.
iamsport, Pennsylvania.
Daniel Ciarkson continued on down
the street, and pretty soon he came to a
daguerreotype saloon, before the door
of which, conspicuous in show case,
hung portrait Of himself the most pop.
ular man in san Francisco bearded and
grown older, and with that look fphil
ossphic thought which wide experience
gives, he made the promptrcsolvc TO buy
a picture of Daniel Clarkson and send il
to the mayor OF Williansport, to inquire
il he rcsembled in any manner the miss
ing Paul Bcalcs. This, perhaps, was the
madness which lets out murder but, con
Gdent and clf-possesscd, the fugitive
cashier did it Tho mayor and his friends
mused over the picture, and saw resem-
blancc, but at last conclu ted to abide by
the dicsion Of the widow Of Paul Bcales
She had been waiting all those years
hopeful that the dccps OF time would
give up their secret some day and when
she saw the picture of Daniel Clarksor
she recognized her husband, and fell
fainting to the floor
At that day a wretch subsisted in Cali
fornia who earned his ignominious bread
BY blackmailng tho citizens in the col
umns Of vile print. He began by call
ing Daniel Clarkson q bank-robber and q
thief, and said he was fine figure for al
Anunyamenta. lie filed his paper with
the name of Paul Beaes, and the Who'll,
city looked up astonished to sec its most
respectable merchant maligncd in this
way If Clarkson had killed the black
mailer he would have been justified on
every side Not so. lie protested thai
he had always been Daniel Carkson, and
that he never heard OF Paul l,calcs, and
so solemnly did he aver this that not ons
Of his friends wavercd in his support
But the printing wretch grew more cir.
cumstantial with every issue, aud at last
the friends ofthc merchant said; ~
"Clarkson, you must go back to Will
iamsport and show yourself, You must
face this thing We believe yeu, and will
sec you through"
He said with all chccrfulncss that he
would take the first steamer, and so he
did, accompanied by many supporters,
and chcored rs the ship left her dock By
great crowd. lie left behind him in
San Francisco two hundred thousand
gold dollars worth Of property. ~
AS the ships company was crossing
the Isthmus Of Panama on mules, Daniel
| Clarkson was missing somewhere on the
way, and for three years he disappeared
anew AT last they found him working
in u candle factory in Cincinnati dressed
| like a laborer. and poor and desperate.
The California boys put him on his feet,
They said:
"Clarkson, there 10 only one way to
| do this thing Begin ut the beginning,