The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-07-12
SLIPPERY DICK,

bered by many of our older readers.
The excitement was Mt fever heat in
As. Mechanics dropped their tools
III the workshop, farmers LETT the
piow in the furrow, clerks left the
conntlng-room, and clergymcn de-
serted their focks. Adventurcrs of
all classes swarmed like bees upon
the deck of each departing vessel.
An equal conglomcration Of thieves.
gamblers and cut throats mingled
with preachers Of the gospel, doctors
OF medicine, learned professors.
cf}cminatc clerks, etc, MI bent upon
the same GRAND, never before or
since mingled upon IL ships deck. A
trip around the Horn was the poDu-
lar route at that time. and four to
six months were usually occupied in
rcaching the land Of gold.
Among the number who caught
the infection was Charles G., a clerk
in a large wholesale dry goods house
in Now York. He was but twenty
years Of age, had Il good situation.
was trusted by his employers, AMI
had fair prospect of advancement.
He WAS of m adventurous II ,ture,
and hated the slow and dry la5,
Of commercial life. The CLAN, our OF
advcntu and lichcs shadowed his
reason, and he gave up his situation.
and in spite of the cntrcutics of
parents and sisters, he babe them
farewell, and set sail for San Fran
cisco.
We will pass over two years of his
life. The bitter disappointment of
many aspirants for wealth VINO Lett
New I"rk,' with high hopes AMI cx.
pcctations, is well known now. Dis
ahtcr, disappointment. and poverty
were followed by reckless dissipa-
ton, crime and murder. Persons
dctcctc;l in the crime OF murder or
theft were tried by the Vigilance
Committee. and hung TO the nearest
tree. No testimony was written
down in II trial., but quit'l; and sharp
work WAS the "or,'rt of the court"
And yet it is safe to assert that the
innocent were us safe from punish
mcnt us III thG Stat)%, where trials
are prolonged by tedious ceremony
and llborrd summing mp. Tie testi
mony against IL miner to convict him
OF crime had to hc positive and
conclusive. He WAS p"lmittcd t.,
testify in his OWN behalf, and if he
faiici to satisfy his julScs Of his
innocence. his punishment WAS swift
and sure.
Charles G. had met with nothing
iut disappointment since reaching
the shol es Of California. Claim after
claim had been worked AMI aban-
d"neI, and his dream {" suulcn
wealtA h,d 'lca fr"lY his brain IN
the ti"if' OF disappointment came
dissipation and a reckless spirit, but
chine l." sco!l!cA.
San francisco. in The year 1880,
c"ntainc bu. II small population. 1t
WAS The resort for the lucky mine"
with his gold dust. and the home for
the gambler and desperate chnruc-
GERS i'll general, who always managed
10 strip the toi!crs Of the gulch of
llclf earnings.
One Of the most Motel gambling
hclls' at the time was Kept in S.
street, by Il gambler named
Dick r., notoriously known by the
cognomcn Of ''Sippcly Dick" He
was an expert gambler and II william
OF the first water One night i'm
December II table in his den VAS s,r.,
roundc by four men, and one Of the
our WIS Charles G. He had made
a lucky strike at the mines. and,
having learned card playing among
MS associates, had returned to San
Francisco to enjoy it. Midnight
mad passed, and they were evidently
playing for ''high stulles." The gold
dust lay hcnpcd high upon the table
Slippery Dick had lost heavily dur
.nG the night, and he had atnkcl his
last pie upon the tuln Of u single
hand. He had lost, and with
5'anchel cheeks and in fury Of
rage he accused Charles G.. of cheat
IMP at the game.
"Iou are liar.' WAS the firm and
quick response.
Slippery Dicks eyes glarcl and