The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-11-14
A Ser,ian Tragedy in California.

The recent arrlgnment tor murder. in
san Francisco. of a Slovenian cmigrnt
named Ross. gives the journals of that
city occasion To recall the beginning of the
dark and curious story of the present cul-
prit's crime i'm what was known two years
ago as the tragedy of Cherokee Flat. At
the last named place. which is situated IN
Butte county, Cal, and still retains part
of it, original Indian population, gem
tleman owning large ranch had as
guest in his family, in the spring of 1871.
young lady named Mechanics, from
another part of the State. Amongst his
agricultural laborers was Servian, about
thirty-iive years Of age, known as George
Sharksovick, who had previously worked
for the father of Miss McDaniels, and lost
his situation for having prcsumptuously
shown too much admiration for his young
mistress. The ranchman's household
knew nothing, however, of the past histo-.
ry of the man in question and. as their
guest. from motives of pride and delicacy.
concealed her feeling of surprise and am
noyance at recognizing him on the place,
nothing was thought of said recognition.
Shark>oyick. who was swarthy. Keen
eyed. vigilant barbarian, with all the snake
like subtlety of his race, soon perceived
that the girl had confided nothing 10 her
friends of his earlier character, and de-
tected therein an opportunity 10 renew his
prosecutions. lntercepting her by stealth
whenever she lefl the house alone. he al
tcrnately pleaded with her to become his
wife. and intiInatcd fearful revenge if She
refused. He told her that in the Austrian
section Of Dalmatia. i'm which he was born.
it was the custom for the young man who
loved Il woman 10 abduct her forcibly.
III She would not become his voluntarily.
and kill her rather than She should
be the prize of another. Swearing by
his blood and his tribe. he vowed that
the affrighted girl must either agree
to accept him for husband orprepare for
death within twenty-four hours. There
was to be a party that night on a neigh
boring ranch he would be- there i'm dis
guise TO hear her final answer and act ac-
conlingly. Now, at last. the better reason
of Miss McDaniels vindicated itself sutl-
GENTLY to cause her to take "A young lady
of her hosts family partly into her conf
dence. TO the extent az least of an intima-
ton that something in the manner of Aus
trian George alarmed her.
She Went TO the party with the family on
the evening Of May 30. and by remaining
closely with them avoided whatever
heme her pursuer had devised for an i'll
teryiew. On leaving the ballroom TO re-
/ turn home, she and the young lady above
mentioned Were separated for moment
from their companions, and in that mo-
ment the barbarian lover fulfilled his aw-
full threat. At the very side of her horri-
fled friend she was struck down and in
stantly stabbed to death by ''Austrim
George" who boldly proclaimed his name
to the swftly-gathering throng of pleas
ure-makers. and only fled when the ap-
palled spectators sought 10 seize him. Be
fore morning the news Of the atrocious
crime had spread far and wide. and by
early dawn an armed band of determined
ranchmcn and Indian runners had left the
house To which the body of the slain girl
had been carried. on the trail of the exc
Grated assassin. Ii was believed by those
who knew the character of the man they
were tracking that he had retircdto a cabin
which he was known TO possess in "A wild
part OF Boomers Hill. at the north fork
of Feather River. there to make "A dcspe-
rate fight for his life and die as became a
barbarian. To this cabin fastened the
avengers accordingly, and i'm that neigh
borhOod the Servian was overtaken. com
baied and killed like dog. As one of
the pursuers fired the fatal shot at him he
was in the act of Staying himself with his
own revolver. and expired with a shout Of
triumph for his crime and defiance for his
cxecutioners. The latter. in their eNaspc-
ration mt the wretch. fired his cabin. and,
casting his body into the flames, destroyed
the last vestigc of Of the assassin and his
den. Such was the tragedy of Cherokee
Flat. az il was called dark and revolving
to tell. and not to be too briefly recalled.
save rs a singular study of the harbarism
IL l. possible to impOrt into civilization and
the occasion of a later tragedy scarcely less
remarkable.