Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1872-01-12
HOAX.

We copy the following from the
Carson Register Of this morning:
"On the 10th of December last the
Virginia Enterprise published what
purported to be 4 letter from one Geo.
Slawson, dated Bishop Creek, Decem-
Der 18th, giving details of q terrible
Henry rifle fight between the escaped
convict Charles Jones and n Francis
S. Armistcadt, ut the sheep ranch OF
Slawson, on the Upper San Joaquin
river, In which Jones received twelve
and Armisteadt nine fatal wounds
both being finally killed. We pub
liShed the Iettcr next day-as curiosity
In the Sylyanus Cobb, Jr. line Of liter
aturc, and rs showing how far Mark
Twain could be outdone in his massa-
ere of tho Hopkins family at Dutch
Nlck's-and at the same time on the
authority of n gentleman who left
Bishop Creek four days after the date
Of the letter, ~pronouncing 1t a hoax.
On Sunday last the Enterprise gave
confirmation of the statements Of Slaw-
son, based upon tho authority Of our
old friend j. j. Wheeler Of Columbus
District. We still doubted the extra
ordinary statement although MIR.
Wheeler is a thoroughly reliable gen.
tlemen,) for the reason that We were
convinced the local OF the Enterprise
had misunderstood MI. Wheeler. Co.
lumbus is a long way from Bishop
Creek, and probably the first account
Of the fight was received there through
the Enterprise or the Register. Such
exciting stories travel rapidly, always
pass for genuine where the circum-
stances are palpable, and never grow
less.
yesterday We were shown a pri-
vate letter from n Of the leading and
most reliable men of Bishop Creek, In
answer to inquiries about tho flight"
in which the writer says he believes
Slawson (the writer In the Enterprise
letter. is q myth, and In which no
states most positively that Armlsteadt
Ia at his home on Bishop Creek, sound
and we'll. and that no (Armlsteadt)
had not been two miles away from
home since the couvicts escaped from
the Nevada State Prison on the 18th
of September last. He further says
that it Is his impression that Jones Is
dead, but that his body will not be
found until the snow disappears. He
states also that the particulars are
known but to n fow; that those few
have the best of reason for believing
that either Burke or Cockerell killed
Jones by mashiug in his head with a
rock ; that they know these parties
had a difficulty, aud adds that Jones
was never seen after the Long Valley
fight, In which all three participated.
The letter OF which WE speak bears
date Bishop Creek. December 3lst, and
its statements may be relied upon.
What the object Of the Slawson letter
was is left to conjecture. Many sus-
pect it vas gotten up to facilitate the
escape of Jones, and we know OF at
least one active and k~een-scentcd de-
tectiyc of California whom 1t threw
OIL his guard. On tho authority Of Il
letter from Bishop Creek, December
3lst, we have no hesitation in pro-
nouncing the great Henry rifle fight
an unmitigated hoax"
In connection with tho above, We
will simply remark that last evening"
letter was received at Virginia, from
Armisteadt himself, claiming that ho
had never been killed at all, and didn't
want to be. IIe seemed to think that
nine big Henry rifle slugs sent through
his body at thirty PAGES distance, all
mortal wounds. was a little too much
for even his most enthusiastic diges-
ton, even though he was credited with
the honor of putting twelve OF the
same sort through his antagonist before
either of them concluded to pass In
their checks. We wait further devel-
opments In this Munchausen affair.