The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-21
DAVID C0LTON'S ROMANCE.
now HE EARNED 4 FORTUNE AND THE
HAND or HER HE LOTED.
The History OF n California Miliionnire-A
Militia Gencrnlship Won by Fearless lie.
votion to Duty-A Mob Cowed by One Man.

pHnics. David DOuty Cotton died ut six minutes
alter 10 last evening. David Coltons name is
identified with the city. He was tho son Of
Isaac W. Cotton and Abigail Douty Of Monson.
Me-. and was born at that hamlet on July II.
1891. About the time he was flvo years old his
family moved to GalesburG. III. This place then
consisted OF only half dozen cabins. Tho re-
gion was then an almost unbroken wilderness.
and swarmed with hostile Indians. Schools
were scarce and poor Mt best. of course teach
INK merely the rudiments OF an ordinary COM
mon school education: but the boys parents
were Now Englnndcrs and consequently de-
voted to education and David was kept pretty
closely in the schools-such ms they were.
Finally. an academy was established at Gales
burg. and David was at once enrolled as
student. 1t was called Knox College. and is
still in existence. But the boy was too restless
Tor n steady pupil.
He soon tired OF the restraint OF the school
room and the humdrum course OF maps elocu-
ton and figures. and leaving the academy
went 10 the neighboring village OF Berlin.
whore he taught country school. He was only
II years old. and many Of his pupils were still
older The old story was repeated Tho un-
ruly boys agreed to throw the new teacher out
" the window the first day. as they had served
every one of his predecessors The feat was
attempted and a fierce fight ensured. lasting hall
nm NnNf. lNNifS. NtSkS. anu iPnPNtS WtIt
broken. the stove was overturned. and windows
were smashed. Armed with heuvy fcrule. the
hoy-teachcr laid about him Justify, and after
atlirtv minutes battle was mnstcr ~ the field.
alter having broken half doz"n heads and
lnid ~ many r'bels low. The Berlin school.
after that was n model.
Ahou, this timo h. l,came attached 10 Ellen
NJ. Waite. daughter OF pr. Chaunrcy WHIT.
| physician ana o!d r,silent on t'nicago: ~
lrctcd. Wishing n richer man than Cotton for
| his daughter. Ellen however, rcciprocnted
| the young mans attachment. and the pair were
! hetrothed. Cotton seemed To- think he could
/ rniu the necessary fortune in California. whrrc
| the Lnid fever had luSt broken out. ana asked
! the Doctor It h" would consent TO tue maTiaG".
providing he did well in California. The Doctor
agrcrd. although II Is said that he give his con-
seut in the hope that Cotton would inll victim
! 10 bullet y q lever in the gold regions.
This was in 1880. and IN july, of that year
| Cotton arrived IN Sacramento. after mon oto-
nous Journey across the plains He immcdi-
aicly went to work mining at $40 per day, tut
soon alter his arrival WAS seized with typhoid
| foyer pf n malignant type. For six long weeks
| hr tossed iu the deirium II the fever under
| tree without oven a tent g shelter MIN. His
! iron constitution withstpod 'hc fever. however.
! and when ne became conNhlrscent came 70 san
| Francisco. rs all invalid miners were wont 10
do. Although pennies on MS arrival he man
aged To- raise sufficient money Tor stceragn
! passage 10 Portland IN "A schooner, and arrived
ihcrr In the winter Of 1880. JIG taught school
/ 10 Portland somO months. and tried 70 practice
| law. hut did not succeed.
lnthe Spring ten. doc Lane afterward Uhtcd
States Senator from Oregon arrived in Port
| land from tho Stskiyuu Mountains bring ne
news Of a rich gold discovery at Shasta Butte
! He orennzed q party, and Cotton Joined II. and
| the "Npcdition started nj once FOR the Siskiyou
! country. Will" mining on tho hanks 81 the
| k.img,i River the camp had battle with In
| dams. which well nigh proved the death Of
Cotton. The chief Of all the hnnds o. the kla-
math Indians called chinook CHIEF by the
whites. ono day cnticed two miners. named
! Convers" and Haynes. from Illinois, across
| tho river. under the presence that he
would show them a rich deposit 81 gold The
| unsus pociing miners crossed the river md
were murdered by the savagcs. day or 40 after
across tho river saw the rhi 81 drctnd ont in the
miners clothes. and found they had been mas
| sacred. The savages attempted 10 capture Coll
ton and his fellow miner. but they IS nped. or
and drove tho Kamaths away after, battle in
which many Indians were killed. Chinook
vowed veaeeance With two other daring lei.
lows h. penetrated into tho wilderness. cap
back 70 the settlements Chinook chief was
| hanged. with no moro ceremony than was usu-
ally accorded TO d'spcrado"s in early days.
This feat made Cotton great iavorite among
the miners Of the Siskiyou country. They swore
that they would establish Siskiyon County -
and make Cotton the Sheriff 81 1t. The county
was accordingly created. and Cotton WIS elected
Sheriff. After the election, however, 1t was dis
being 2l years Old. The miners were deeply
chngrined hut there was no heip for the mat
ter and 50 II WINS COMPROMISED hythe election
| Of Charles Mrpcrmott IA Shcr II and the ap-
pointment OF Cotton as Under sheriff At tho
expiration ~ his term OF office McDermott re-
| tired ana Cotton ifnmrdiatriy succeeded MIN.
Shortly after his accession to the shrievai,y
Mr.. Cotton returned to Galesburg IN quest Of his
hetroihed. His fame ma preceded him me
David married Ellen and carried her back 70
California in triumph.
Fos o.. oiaopm N,aB DIG.
Cotton held the Office Of Sheriff 81 Siskiyou
County four years and this during the widest
period OF border He upon the Pacific At one
time. in the year $50. while riding in the noun
iains. he learned from a friendly Indian that
| the family Of a mountaiurer named johnson
WAS 20 bee agiacN"d and murdered. He at once
rode toward tn settlement in quest 81 aid but
guarded by Indians, expressly 10 prevent rs,
sis'anee reaching the family. lie dashed
through the gorge. however. taking their fire as
! he passed: one ball going through his hat
with an inch Of his head qnd another for
ward the horn OF his saddle In two hours hi
WAS back among them AT the head ottwrnty- fiv,
| mounted settlers and in time 10 save the JOhn
Ths miners we're restless fellows. Amona
other peculiarties. they could never be couten
10 await the action OF the regular courts for th'
punishment o., crime. II criminal WIS lodge,
in jail, ii would often occur that. the first sun
day after his arrest, the collected crowd q
minerB would open tho doors mold lynch court
ani either rcleasc or hang him, rs they believed
70 be just and in accordance with rude frontier
law. 4 rnse q his KIM @eurred while Solior
mit'ed homicide inn brawl over cards. Tn,
poor fellow WIS unknown and ircnd!css. and
hr,ilcs could not speak word Of English
The crowd collected. ~ usual. and his desiruc
ton WAS resolved upon. Thry proceeded 10 thu
lr.l in q body, and demanded mat the doors b'
opened. the command WIS speedily complct
with-indrrI. we believe ut that time the SOY
cre!sn authority %! q mob In such matters hat
never IN California been questioned. TIT
Ircn 'hman was taken out ana hanged.
Cotton, tAe Under Sheriff was absent NJ SHI
IgHnrsro m the time and banned only upoI
his return whni had happened, H"touk stronl
ground against Judge Lynch. ara then nuC
thcr" promised the orderly portion Of tho com
munty, for such there wore and who hud sprI
most reluctantly til" lUte execution. TINT shoull
ko be olrrtod sheriff the iai doors should not b.
. oponod except by lawful authority. He sooI
ai'crwArd had m opportunity OF showing how
T.. sin rerely the pledge was made, 4 often com
Iuny had commenced operations nrnr lrcka
and was selling water 10 the miners. There wa
u dispute in sDmr WAY about the right followed
hv injun .iions and restraining orders. Tn
mlners-und 1t happened they were the sdn
! crowd who hanged the Frenchman- wcrn mr.
rUvud against the Fal"r company. Tho dlicl
WIS cut. and u miner imprisoned FOR contrmp
Of court in cutting It, contrary 10 restraining
order. The miners felt that their authority wn
superior 10 that of the courts. Their friend wa
t incnrrerhlod, and must he released. They la,
, aiwnyR ncen in the habit ~ hroakin. into I'M
lail ~ execute popular justice. and now the.
would do the same % relieve their friend
> They assembled in the evening. two hundre,
in number. and marched ~ 10 the jail. Tho
demanded that the doors DO opened. The lhi
keeper referred them to tie sheriff, and askc,
. for time. II MAS granted, no one dreaming o
1 resistance The sheriff was sent for. He came
lu to thu SurlriSo 0i all, declined 10 surrpnde