Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-08-01
A BOYS DEFENSE.


The scene was in Sacramento street,
twenty-five years ago, and San Francis
co was in her infancy.
Quite crowd had gathered on the
street, and the center of attraction was
big fellow, who stood with newspaper
in hand, raving and cursing.
"What's the matter, Wolf? asked
new conner, who was evidently famil-
lar with the irate man.
Matter " returned Wolf, for that
was his name, "matter enough, an
rough enough it'll be for some folks.
Them young whelps that print this pa
per has.gsne an published somethin'
'bout me. o, I'll fix 'eml They'd bet
ter never ha' been born They'd better
go an kill themselves after ten minutes ;
it'll be an easier death fur 'em.''
Wolf was noted desperate, who, it
was said, had killed more than twenty
men, and but few knew him who did
not fear him. He was at that time chief
of gang of loafers and gamblers that
were nearly always to be found loung-
ing in the vicinity alluded to, and dis
turbing the peace of the whole neigh
borhood daily with riotous conduct. If
there was any law in those days it was
seldom executed against such charac
lSES, anu III bI0 lu11 COnSClOuSnSSS GudG
they we've feared they did pretty much
as they pleased.
The newspaper which had given dead
1ysofense to Wolf was little weekly
journal, and its off ce was in the second
story of building on the same street
with the hotel have mentioned, and
only afew rods distant. 1t was pub
ished by two young men-or, 1 might
say, boys, for they were only eighteen
and twenty years old, respectively
named Darrell and Haynes. The paper
and its youthful proprietors were already
well known in the city of San Francisco.
The article which had excited the
wrath of the ruffian Wolf was a bold
der unciation of himself and his crowd,
and it particularly mentioned him by
name, characterizing him as a, +" bluster-
ing bully.n 1t was the work of young
Darrell, a fearless boy hailing from the
Western States. Before leaving his
home in the Mississippi valley, he had
acquired a fair education, so that he
could at least edit newspaper in those
early days and he possessed, besides,
that courage and daring which may be
natural in the first place, and which are
more thoroughly developed by exposure
todanger and hardships. Young Haynes
was quite different kind of person
III pOlnb VI OSl1S Vi jill
ally timorous nature.
To return to the scene on Sacramento
street. Working himself up into his
very worst nnood-and his best was bad
enough-Wolf tore the paper to atoms
and started for the publication Office
He was followed by curious rabble,
most of whom were. elated with the
prospect of murder, though there were
some present who would have remon
strated with the evil-hearted man, hao
they dared.
'.Just you watch" said Wolf, as he
reached the door, eff ye want to see
Their bloody carcasses tumble out o. the
window. 1t won't be long; 1 dom
spend much time ON such fellows"
1t was the intention of the cruel
of these boyish journalists and throw
their bodies out of the window, for thu
qualification of the crowd, and the
further exaltation of his already fearfu
name. So the mob on the street await
ed the issue with feverish expectation
as Wolf, hourishing his knife and revolv
er, entered the rude frame buildin;
and rushed up stairs.
All unconscious of their danger, tn
two young editors were busily pursuin
their usual work in their primitive OF
fee. If they had heard the noise with
out, they paid no attention to it, sup
posing it was merely street row sucl
as they were accustomed to hearing ever
day. Darrell was sitting at rude taa:
writing, and Haynes was at the counte
arranging some papers for the mail.
They heard a clatter of heavy boot
on the stairs, but supposed 1t was som
rough miner coming to subscribe for th
paper, or, perhaps, to see lawyer VIII
occupied a couple of rooms on the sam
floor; for the building was only tw
story one, and the second floor was o.