Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-05-23
From s'SociaI Stu!.cS'' in the X. Y. Supdav
World.
SAVED gYGM EFSpREg
ATRuE CALIFORNIA STORY.


! sonal experience and adventure re-
lating TO the lawless golden days OF
California before the retributiye and
purifying advent Of The famous Vigi-
lance Committee. one appearing lately
in the Nevada City Transcript, from
the pen # its principal actor, is not
the least remarkable as an illustration
OF the sinister anarchy of the phenom-
enal period, while il has 4 distinctive
interest of lis own as Il familiar study
of that not uncommon psychic in!:u-
ence wn:cL passes under the name of
supernatural prcScntlu",It.
IN 1851, the year witnessing the c.1I-
I minatlo1 OF brIGdIli. reign ut the Col
dcI G;tse and the mighty uprising Of
the outraged citizcnry 1T the dastar,liy
assassination ni editor Kin" by thc
outlaw Casey, tile writer CT the pres
cnt story III question WAS a prominent
! officer Of the customs in San Francis
co, and frequently held possession of
| government collections TO n large
amount. His Office was at the end of
a point Of land Oh tic Eay, where Bat
, terry and Jackson streets convcrgcd ::
for closer guardianship thereof he
! lodged IN primitive apartment Of the
same building: and to reach the place
] from the business portion of the city
! he was obliged to traverse Il long and
! narrow plank walk spanning the water
/ on piles from the foot Of SansoIle and
| Clay streets.
! With the city swarming escaped
+! cOnvictS from Australia, and desDerate
! characters of every nationality. murder
/ and robbery were of every day occur
| renee, and tie municipal authorities
i and police themselves ia notorious
league with the baDditti, was a peril
olls time for any respectable man
known to own or have the custody Of
treasure TO any amount. and the Gus
toms officer generally made il point
to walk home over his extcmporIzed
river road +, OH his (Iil,ne1: al the T.a-
fayette Restaurant III the city before
dark On tl.t occasion. however, to
which his story refers, when h;4 had
money ii Ills safe to the sum Of ha-
tween SO, ,000aud> >2o, 900, some friends
with whom I@ had dined ri. the IIaf:tv-
ette tempted him to 60 with tl.cn l., a
new theatre. which had lust been
opened opposite the plaza. on t.s- near
the site OF the later City Hall.
Before that, the places Of a,l!1se-
ment III the yet crude town were
chiefly gaming g-honses and even more
murderous dance-saioulls, an,l il was
such a treat to have something at least
nominalty more respectable for an
evening s diversion that he WIS tcnl;1ted
to forget his usual prudence rs to
early hours, and 60, with his safe keys
i'll his pockets TO the novel play t:.:lise.
Some wine II the table had pe,ila.,s
helped him TO foOl-haTdiicss. 1t anv
rate, 1t Was With no though. OF danger
that he entered the theatre, but
scarcely had he taken Il seat therein
with his friends when there suddenly
came upon him s0sh feeling Of fever
lsh uneaS iil:3&... s;;oh ali uncomfortable
inlpuis-: :" s:';se and fly from the
place, ,ha5 lie found il impossible to
sit still, or keep his thoughts con-
nected for conversation.
With every additional m"Hent this
linaccaUntab!c per.rr.}ati,,n increased.
though without defining Itself to him
as from a12E ,ti,Iinct cause, until, ut
LOST. At the rising ot The curtain he
could RESIST II 10 longer. Believing
himself uni : the influence Of some
nervous ~ ccreti,.l disorder. which
some stirnJtI:2nt might a!lay, he made Z
vague excuse t. hrs companions. and
sllmmGriiv hurried from th, crowded
h"use. Intending to take IL glass Of
wine ut the adjacent celebrated s'E3
Dorado s:t,oon add then return.
Bnt even III the street tI.o same
feeling vet Jcsot him. IL kind of
pun;c..ing dream lie fastened on to-
ward the wat0r, passing thH brilliantly
iieLto,, ,,iio noisy III Dorado without
power Ia enter, and finding himself
down Montgomery street aul ont near
III" plank walk leading 10 his o!Iice he
fore hc had become conscious OF .;:.y
definite action for his fuotstepS.-
Having come tins FAR III such a :l2:!l-
ner. he concluded to 90 on, and SO
proceeded along tia water to his room
next his ',faicc, II which, throwing him
sell 11l.,.N :. iDitnGr, with :: ciCaah oyer
hiln IT,, soon fell asleep.
No other incident n,.,s1,rYntl u1.tii
morning, when oi2c ~ his l.uicfliror>>
i'll the i>ui!dis4@s aWoke h::', =, ak ii lie
i moi heaTse tsitTltsierS IN tf1, h:,ll
during 1le night. H. w:tS toll there
Iad been noises as II several men
n0yi4G uttT ti:c iC:1r ,c his office: and
when hH ANA MS informant ti,c"e,lpon
searched tn1 corridors fDr ti'l,.,.,. thev
fn1n,! several fs,ot.naril@. 81 nvercuat.
= sllIrs:@hOt. and :. c}Ill,- gIT!!:,is taxable
evidences that something. wicked had
that Va colHr daring the lark h0urs.
Bcgttlh!E-s * perceive now hat his
l1vsts:i,,siss pf;'"IoHit;uu II the theatre
bad ii,e:-..', III" ctis;.s;ta riiirar went out
ot Chc '.tsi:,:iag to tit. platform, or
si::iGs. s.g4 the wisic:'. AID there wall
that rrui.,in",t Ia bc si1own Scarcely
hal IL arpeare,I WHEN Il. ,ssss hailed
i;y al atiriGhtt,l i,,,ssttnail. Who called
~, ;,tt,'ntIa:s - p i.1Etih!.. sight The
f.'in"ita...f ~ ,:'e story may lie given
~ ,,t -. et:,riy iii his own words
The ;i'lr I,' SAYS, '.was c,.J:.;.a.. III.
alil tilr".:, moving with ~, t,:,ation #
tlIt: waves, MS Il nl,-.s wfa had bee II
murdered a;s,t G;tro"i, into the water.
His t,e.' :,sst >trc.l il tiie muddy hol-
tom 50 Rat he had not t,r;itc,l AWAY,
s1d aS II" t,lc came III ise :i.l>L risen
'sith 1t sad WAS n4w upright.
Drawing :l.' i>o'ly ashore W. found
t..c skull iar", with a cii.! - ;,iii1.
and the p:',.ilefs t!.ri..,i inside out,
showing cobc,;.-iyety tho ob. oct uf the
mUrI"r. liz w;,s. .,t M s,iz-' i,siG dressed
i'll :, i,!'t. ~r'G w!tls II naval cap, ti.c
same n | i:n, wore tiic day before. and
waE found II be tho MATE Of the bark
Florida. .sl;cl lay Just bclov oar
Ofli {. / fn,t sorry for the .:d4oG fellow,
for l ll"c<. u: r;y :ieast i.e had fallen a
victim il ll.7t.s!.o 9or Ine.
Dn meeting companions - dinner I
relatet the circumstances, with which
thGy were much affected. They told
N" that soon after ! laft the theatre
several persons mad iuqUlret, t,r lac.
and alnung others the inspector of chs
. toms and an assistant captain pf police,
who all seemed very anxious about ny
whereabouts. Some months passed.
when tiie vi2iialts got hold o2 sereraI
Of the chiefs of the bands and sent
them the short road over Jordan and
xlleu others; any many. fearing on ac-
count OF their misleods, took them
selves away.
The assistant captain Of police came
- me at midnight, begging and crying
for me to save hiIn-.so place him on
some outgoing ve<.,ol---tOr the sake as
his ii..,soorlt fatniFy at nome I listened