The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-10-04
A CALIFORNIA TRAGEDY.
Thrcc Persons Killed by Chinumen-Drivinp
the Chinese from the Town and Demol-
ishing their Buildings.

Ihrcc Persons Killed by Chinamen-Drivinp
the Chinese from the Town and Demol-
ishinR their Buildings.
A San Francisco dispatch says: Some
persons passing near Sargent's Ranch,
about two miles from Rocklin, Placer
county, heard several pistol shots, and,
as they approached the house, saw two
men, who scaled the fence and ran away.
On entering the house, the body of a
Mrs. OIer, who, with her husband and
Sargent, occupied the premises, was
found on the floor. She had been shot
twice, and her head split open with an
ak. An alarm was given, and q party of
constables and citizens began search
About fifty yards from the house the
body of Mr Oder was found. He had
received three pistol shots. The party
then followed the trail of the men who
were seen to Jump the fence. Their
tracks showed that they wore Chinese
shoes. After crossing ravine, three
quarters of mile from the house, in a
clump of willows, they found Sargent
bleeding from wounds in the head and
body. He was conscious, and stated
that two Cinnamon had called at the
house shortly after noon and desired to
purchase certain mining claim from
him. He accompanied them to the
claim, and whilereturning they shot him
five times in the body and head, and left
him for dead. He said the assassns were
from Penrhyn, neighboring village,
one of them being a cook at Grants
boarding-house, near the Penrhyn quar-
ries. He had received S120 from an
other Chinaman few days before for a
mining claim, which sum was in trunk
at the house, and presumed that the OBJ
iect of the murderers was to obtain the
money. The party followed the tracks
of the murderers to Chinese cabin near
at hand, where they captured three
Cinnamon, one of whom was in bed, but
perspiring freely, as though be had
been running. Several o. her Cinnamon
living near by were arrested, and one of
them, who was much frightened, volun-
teered the information that All Sam and
All Jim had murdered Sargent, but
would say no more. One of the prison
ers had $l20 in his possession. 1t was
found that the trunk in which Sargent
deposited the money had been cut open
and robbed. Sargent died in the
morning.
Hundreds of citizens viewed the dead
bodies. The excitement was intense
during the night, and had the evidence
against the prisoners been deemed con.
elusive they would doubtless have beer
lynched ut once. The cook at Grants
boarding house could not be found
though the country and the town fol
miles around was secured in the pur
suit. A meeting Of citizens was held al
Rocklin, and all the Chinese notified tc
leave the place by six o'clock P. NJ. Be
fore four o'clock the last squad of China
men, burdened by their baggage, flee
out of the town, including those EN-
ployed by the railroad company, the
prisoners being the only ones remaining
excited crowd. At six P. NJ. the citizens
marched to the Chinese quarter and de
molished all the buildings, twenty-fv,
i'll number, including store, the ownel
of which had removed his stock of goods
A fire broke out during the work o
demolition from stove left in one o
the houses, but the flames were extin
guished by the railroad employees. A
the inquest ON the bodies of the murder
ed persons facts were developed whicl
led the sheriff to believe that four of til,
Cinnamon in custody were implicated il
the murders, and he ordered their re
moval to the county jail at Auburn.
crowd collected when the officers will
their prisoners boarded the train, an(
the mutterings of the throng broke on
into exclamations such as "Have then
out :" Hang them!" A rush WAS thel
made for the doors of the car, and tn,
sheriff and his deputies were seize(
upon, and but for fair show of pistols
by the officers and conductor of the trail
the purpose of the mob would have beer
accomplished. The crowd was finall,
forced back, and the train moved out o
the station, followed by the yells of tht
throng. The moderation displayed BY
the citizens, with the exception of th'
above incident, was partly due to th'
fact that throughout the day, and b,
common consent, all the saloon-keeper
closed their places otherwise serious
consequences would undoubtedly have
ensued. The coroner's jury found tina
the murder of Sargent was committed b.
All Sam, All Jim, and another China
man unknown, Sargent having mention
ed a third assailant subsequent to hi
first statement. The jury failed to in
dict the murderers of Oder and his wife
and the other prisoners We're iberate,
for want of evidence against them. Sar
gent was an old aud respected resident
Oler was a Bavarian. His wife ha
relatives in Trenton, n j.