Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-08-23

rank 10 the practice Of that branch Of the
law. During this portion OF his life | was in.
innate with him, and from a friendly letter
dated at the hotel az Placcryie, aud writ.
ten to Gil in a leisure hour, gather the main
incidents narrated in the following chapter
He was sent for from far and near. and bis
fees were enormous but he had the reputa-
tion Of clearing his clients. He could sway
juries by the torrent Of his eloquenrc. Ia
the prime of life, he had attained the high
est distinction. Already had his name been
spoken Of in come 'tion with the highest Of
fees in the gift Of the people. Men looked
up to him crowds hocked to hear him hon
ors poured thick upon him. But one day
/ he disappeared out from among the
/ presence Of men as though the earth had
swallowed him-went out like a fame that is
extuguished--and from that hour to this no
man has known what became Of him. Those
who follow this history TO It's end will be the
first to lift the veil of the seemingly i'm
penetrable mystery that has surrounded his
| fate.
H.
! ln May, 1882 cold.blooded murder was
D INNuAihAAA'h hAA'i circumstances VI EAtAN dAiN-
city in Placer County and Sranard, known
by the sobriquet Of Spanish Joe, to whom
suspicion attached. had been arrested for the
crime. The circumstances attending the muir
der will be remembered by many as we recall
the principal incidents, the crime having caus-
ed widespread comment aud interest at the
time. The man so loully assassinated had re-
sided for a short time in the ncighborhood Of
| Plaeervile-or, as 1t was then known, Hang
towu-and although peculiar in his habits,
was peaceabIe, orderly citizen. living alone
in a cabin about a mile from the town. Lv-
ing by himself, as was the custom with many
in those aurilerous days, he had never been
known by any other name than that of Balti-
more Dave, he having spoken Of the City Of
Monuments as his native place Dave was
in the habit of coming to town only once in
the week, to sell his dust and buy his little
supplies during other times working his
claim, which yielded lair wages He had lit
tic to say, made few acquaintance, and was
generally liked for possessing the virtue Of
minding his own business. His cabiu stood
, 10 ravine some distance from the Srail, and
in an unfrequented part of the gulch. Dave
/ was missed from his usual work for a week or
30, but it excited no remark, as in those days
it was no unusual thing for man to pack up
and be off TO other places without any notice.
t But on one Saturday afternoon a white-faced
D miner rushed into town and proclaimed the
news that he had called at the cabin to Dor.
{ row pan, and had found the body Of Dave
$ lying partly under his bunk, having evidently
been dead some time. There were no inquest,
/, in those days, but crowd of miners and 9th.
= ers repaired to the spot, and upon investiga-
y ton discovered that the poor fellow had been
a shot as he sat upon the edge of his bunk
i smoking his pipe A thorough search demon.
a strated the fact that the assassin had fired
i three shots through the window, every one oi
n which had penetrated his body; but the most
a horrible feature OF the matter was the strong
r probability that the man had lain there, help.
$ less, dying, and alone for days-no one could
l. tell how long The reaction against lawless
!, ness had Just set in at the time throughout
5. the State aud after giving decent burial Il
q, the remains OF the unfortunate man, the OH
D, GERS of the law commenced vigorous searcl
n into the mystery surrounding the crime, |
IS was found that the Spaniard spoken Of had
e on the night of the 3i of May, borrowed
,e from the monte saloon a pistol, which he re
Of turned the next day; and the balls foun,
p. embedded in the woodwork Of the cabin, cor
i. responded with its bore. 1t was also asceI
er tanned, that on that night he had been see
Sc going out of town, in the direction of Dave
q. claim. A shoemaker also recollected his hay
T. ing brought a pair of boots to him for re
,e pairs shortly after that time, which wer
IN thickly ncrusted with the peculiar red ella
Of of that negbborhood The evidence agains
| him being thought sufficient, he was arreste
c. and lodged in Jail from which place he dis
- patched a note to Robert Fairway, San Frat
ce cisco.
til In due time Fairway received the ette
~ and the bar Of Placer were somewhat surpri
his ed to recaive the announcement that this Spa
sk ish Gambler was TO be defended by the able
is criminal lawyer on the coast 1t was not
Oh rious that Spanish Joe had no money sa,
pit what little he could win at cards; and wi
he Fairway should enter upon his case was ma
no ter of much speculationa aud discussion Hoy
to ever, he came The clerk Of the Car,
C House greeted him with an obsequious bow
nd he registered his name the landlord in pc
I'm SOL, showed him to the best room in the hot
he Judges and lawyers greeted him cordial
ID, But he scarcely seemed himself His usu
~ genial manners were overcast with look
eir sadness, and his face was paler than usu,
to Hastily excusing himself, he requested tn
CD his horse-a valuable animal, which he hi
th ridden over from Auburn should be tax
ne good care OF, aud, in company with the She
ed if, started for the Jail TO see his client VIII
IN, the two were left alone, the Spaniard was [
to first to break the silence
"Fairway,' "you ouvg said that y
wn would grant any request of mine. You mt
-ed save my life"
he a Yes, Jose Alvido," be replied | /
he member, and am here"
ed, A long conversation ensued between {
Of men, in the course of which Alyido free
ir. admitted his guilt Said he
sy " When you left me, homeless paup
a in San Dioso, did not complain what y
led had, you won fairly. murmured not.
had left me my health and strength, and |
ON knowledge of cards. Upon the latter reli
DOL to retrieve my fortunes You were wiser tn
VS. / but no matter. Delphina" as
vas mentioned her name, an almost demonia'
the light glittered in his eye" Delphina so
led found out that was ruined. She taunt
IL me with it; and when spoke Of my
the tentions for the future, she brazenly told
err that she had long anticipated this end a
to reused me to fury by her talk. In my ra
ne, | struck her, aud she left me. One we
d after, she was the acknowledged mistress
an American gambler, and Aaunted her sill
las at me from the rooms over the faro-ban
by The man who bought her was the man
ny killed | left then and came into the min
eli where have dragged out an existence
ng rough gambling. knew Of your prospe
ny ty, but never troubled you. | had almt
eli got over all thoughts of what had be
yer until one Saturday night this man Dave HI
or yer came into the saloon where | was sittir
IN did not recognize him. He has his OF
O. tongue to thauk for that. lie never was
an man to talk much; but this night he had go
al etter from home, and it loosened his tongr
Is, lie went on to tell the boys what good mot
ed or he had, and how he had been the bla,