The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1873-04-18
A HORRIBLE MYSTERY.
THE PLACER TRAGEDY-MURDER
OF "vINA" COATES.

from the Daily Record of March 3lst,l
II has remaiued tor California tt
add to the chapter Of horrors with
which this fair spring has beer
ushered in, the most appalling trag.
edy of all, to give TO the public eye
the fringe and edge of a mystery
which seems too close knit to be
unraveed, too deeply buried to be
dragged from its bloody hiding
place. Holy writ declares "There
is nothing covered that shall not
be revealed; and hid that shall not
be known" Yet here is the recital
of a blood-curd ing horror SO en-
wrapped in gloom that, at this
hours search, skill, theory and dis
covery have but deepened the black
ness of the murderous silence.
During several weeks past, dis
patches from various points in
Placer county have mentioned the
disappearance Of a Miss Coates,
the search for her by her father,
and his singular death. On Friday
the body Of the unfortunate girl
was found, and in a few hours a
representative of the Record was
ON the ground gathering facts, and
to-day we lay before our readers
every material obtainable detail Of
"the most arch deed Of
PITEOUS MASSACRE
That ever yet this land was guilty
oI."
The Coates family consisted of
{. NJ Coates, the father, aged
about so years; his wife, now de-
ceased; George, son, aged about
II; Mary, a daughter, aged 81;
lllvins, a daughter, aged lOa years;
and an infant son of four or five.
Coates came from the southwest
to California, nearly ten years ago,
and settled at Virginia Town, in
Placer county.
About four years ago he moved
up to Badger Rayine, about one
and a half miles southeast from
Gold Hill, and about two and a
half miles west OF Penryn Station,
upon the Central Pacific Railroad.
About five years ago Mrs. Coates
died. About two years ago Coates
received new of the death Of q rela-
tive, by which there fell to him a
small property. He went East and
secured about halt of it; the re-
mainder, cashed, he received on the
day he met his death, as described
below.
Coates gained his livelihood by
tending stock and working in pot
hole claims, making but little money
thereby. lie however managed to
buy, latterly, a very neat cottage,
where his elder daughter kept house
for him. Here he 'lwelt, surround
ed by his children, and, SO far as
the world knew, the past few years
at least in
COMPARATIVE HAPPINESS.
Coates was a feeble man, and at
times subject to fits, III which he
would fall prone upon the earth.
He knew he was not long for this
world, and often spoke Of his fragile
health. We would gladly let the
curtain of the past remain undrawn;
willingly we will not speak i'll of
the dead, but that tnll light may
he thrown upon the dark tragedy
here untolded, and every possible
avenue for truth be searched, is
necessary to 90 back a few years,
when we find it admitted that while
Coates loved his children, he was a
Harsh man. Pity did not often till
his breast to outbreakiug, aud wh'l4
not absolutely cruel, he was deemed
somewhat caIlous to the appeals Of
mercy. In 1864 Coates was brought
before Justice Moore, Of Newcastle,
Tor cruelty to All orphan child lie
aud his wife had taken 70 board.
Through testimony whichthe Justice
tells uS he was compelled to oreceiye,
but motally ,lisbelieyed, Coates
procured bis acqdttal. The child
was a mere infant, and this couple