Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-03-29
o u~pREssI0N

certain wrong Impression, founded
upon misstatements, relative to the re-
cent burlesqus State Prison "war,"
and cheerfully do 50, In substantiation
OF our expressed ideas Of the affair at
the time. Some OF our contemporaries
published the absurd statement that,
after Lieutenant Governor Denver had
been ordered and refused to surrender.
he caused all the irons to DO knocked
off tho prisoners, In order that they
might assist in defending possession Of
the prison. On the contrary, when
the first demand was made by one Of
the Prison Commissioners for posses
sion, which was refused, all the pris-
oners, who were at their usual daily
avocations, were Immediately ordered
into their cells and kept locked In all
the next day, Mr.. Denver thinking it
prudent to DO prepared against any
possible trouble from that source In
case Of difficulty arising from his re.
fusal. This was done at four O'Clock
In the afternoon. At seven O'Clock
next morning Governor Bradley and
tho other State Prison COM
missioners, together with r. G.
Hyman, the newly appointed War
den, came to the outer gate, desiring
admission. Captain insolvency, ofthe
guard interviewed them, and ascertain
Ing their objects, replied that he could
not admit them without authority
from the Warden, Mr.. Denver. They
demanded Immediate admission, and
Capt. McSweeney reporting to Mr.. Den-
ver, who was yet In bed, the Warden
replied that he would come down and
see them as o a. he could dress
himself. This, however, would not
do; the party Of dignitaries felt that
they could walt for nothing. but were
determined to have their presence and
authority peremptorily and suddenly
respected or show this recalcitrant
Warden the terrible effects thereof at
the muzzles and bayonets Of the State
breech-loadsrs in the resolute hands OF
the State troops, therefore when Mr..
Denver gos his breeches on and came
down to the gate, the Gubernatorlal
party had left In high dudgeon and
were on their way back to Carson.
That very afternoon news came to
the prison that the Governor had order
ed out the troops at Virginia and Gold
Hill, and that they were coming down
to besiege and capture the prison at all
hazards. The prisoners still remained
locked into their cells, and there they
were kept till the usual time Of turn
ing out next morning, when, no army
OF invasion appearing, they were let
out to breakfast and to their usual
daily avocations. They had not been
out long, however, when they
were ordered back into conflne-
ment again, ID the morning train
from Virginia was seen coming
in with the troops earned and
equipped as the law directs" and n
battery Of one field piece to batter
down the prison walls and shell out
the obstinate Denver, IL necessary.
The rest OF this fuss and feathers bur-
lesque, this tempest in a teapot, Is we'll
known to the public, and has become
a ridiculous matter of history. Scarcely
less ridiculous and whimsical reads
Denyer's formal note Of surrender to
"superior military force" The mill
tary gloriously conquered possession
Of tho fortress, the terrible Denver
was summarily elected and the new
Warden put In his place, the Governor
let the fierce troops 60 back home with
their big cannon, order relgned. in
Washoe and all was quiet on the
Carson. rr
Now, rs We have said before, the
idea Of saying that Denver had the
irons knocked of the prisoners. aud
all hands armed and ready to defend
him in possession, was too suprcmely
absurd altogether; for the fret thing
those fellows would have done, they
would have made 1t particularly hot and
lively for Denver and his little guard,
rs they did a few months ago, when
they contrived to get loose and obtain
possession Of the arms They would
have killed Denver for a starter, By
way of getting ever on him for past
favors, aud then, after slaughtsring
the guard and pillaging the prison,
they would have hastily left for
"whers the woodbine twineth, earring
little for who got possession Of the
prison. as long Al they were out Of 1t.
We do not defend Mr.. Denver's
action altogether In this matter;
he seemed disposed to be q little
contrary and obstinate, or evidently
acted under sound legal advice.
Being elected by the people TO the Of
flee of Lieutenant Governor, with the
understanding that the State Prison
wardenship was part Of that office,
and not having been lmpeached or off,
cially charged with wrong doing. per-
haps he did not wish to be put out Of
the wardenship without officially ex-
pressed cause, or at any rate rather
chose to 60 through the form Of resist
ance, as a saving point Of advantage
In case of any future action he may
choose to take In the matter. II he
acted foolishly. the Commissioners and
Governor certainly showed q degree Of
arrogant haste on their part. and make
a ridiculous expensive fuss which
could have been avoided. Whether
the authorities mentioned have all
been under wrong impressions as to
their powers and duties In the preml.
ses, may possibly BE- decided BY and