Weekly Trinity journal., 1871-10-28
AsPISwALL, L. S. c., |
September 8, 1871. T


Mr. JAMES WHEELER Yreka, Cal DEAR SIR ::
The mysterious disappearance in March, 1859, of
Samuel ?. Fair, Sheriff OF Siskiyou county new
er having been satisfactorily accounted for,
am now warranted in making the facts known.
Mr.. W. S. R. Taylor, of Yreka, and myself
formerly telegraph operator at Yreka) on April
10, 1862 in Aspinwall, met and were introduced
to g Colonel James W. Williams whom we i'm
mediately recognized as the long missing Sheriff
of Siskyou county, Samuel P. Fair, so little
changed as to render his identity unmistakable.
Many lengthy conversations ensued from which
am enabled to give the following synopsis of
his career-being authorized to do so only in
event of his death, which occurred at llo, Peru,
in the early part of April last.
Mr.. Fair stated that when he left San Fran
cisco his cash possessions consisted of only ST.
500 and jewelry worth a similar amount. Va
rous troubles threatened him in Sskiyou coun-
ty, interminable law suits, private difficulties,
ETC., his health was falling, and he suddenly
solved TO quit the country. Took passage under
the name of j. S. Williams in Missionary
ship, visited many Islands Of the Pacific, ana
after eleven months landed at the island of Ota-
heie or Tahiti one of the Society" group
In a short time sailed again for Santiago Chile,
where he was seen and recognized by John S.
Dudley and John NJ Runkie, formerly Clerk and
Duputy Clerk of SiskiyOu county. lie soon
afterwards went to Peru, and about four az
years was engaged in surveying and constructing
railroads then he fell sick and was unable to
do business for two years more, until 1863
when he came with party of miners to Aspin-
wall proceeded TO an old Spanish mine the
Atlantic coast, about eighty miles distant, in the
State of Veraguas worked ii year unsuccess
fully returned to Peru obtained employment
on the Arequipa railroad, and died, as before
stated, at llo, seaport 60 miles south OF Isay,
having been for years known in South and Cen
tral America only by the name off. w. Williams.
In conversation with Mr. Fair / alluded to the
newspaper rumors that he was supposed to have
been implicated in the murder of the merchant
Rose. He manifested considerable astonishment;
said he never heard of such rumors, and ex-
planned that he had never been able to obtain
California newspapers of the first year after
leaving the State, aud exclaimed emphaticaly
" | am as innocent of that, or any other murder
as of the crucfxion of Christ My mistake was
in not having courage to return TO Yreka, and
settle my affairs properly"
He also informed me that as soon as he could
do so respectfully, in monetary point Of view
he would 90 to Yreka and challenge investiga-
tion expressing at the same time bis belief that
there were more than enough accounts the
Sherif's books at the time than required to liq-
uidate every legal claim against him.
The foregoing is an account of Sam. Fairs
career, as he communicated il to mysel: AS well
as Mr.. Taylor, who is ready to corroborate this
statement. You will perceive that all those re-
ports about S. p. f. being seen in New York,
London, Germany, ETC., were false; and trust
he still has friends in California who will be
gratiied to find justice done to his memory even
in this simple manner.
If further information is desired, I will willingly
answer all interrogations in my power, and you
are at liberty to use this letter in any manner
you think proper. Respectfully, etc.
CYRUS A. THOMAS.
OF the Panama Railroad, Aspinwall.