The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-07-19
CALIFORNIA SKETCHES.
SLIPPERY DICK.

AS, caused by the discovery of gold in
California, will be remembered by
many of our old readers. The excite.
ment was at fever heat in As. Me-
chanlcs dropped their tools in the work.
shops, farmers left the plow in furrow,
clerks lef the counting room, and clergy
men left their focks. Adventures of
all classes swarmed like bees the deck
Of each departing vessel. An eqaal
conglomeration of themselves, gamblers
and cut-thrOats mingled with preach
ers OF the gospel, doctors Of medicine,
learned professors, effeminate clerks,
etc, all bent upon the same errand.
never before or since mingled upon a
ships deck. A trip around the Horn
was the popular route at that time. and
from four TO six months were usually
occupied in reaching the land of gold.
Among the number who caught the
infatuation was Charles c., clerk in
large wholesale dry-goods house in
New York. lie was but twenty years
of age, had good situation. was trust
ed by his employers, and had q fair
prospect Of advancement. He was of
an adventurous nature. and hated the
slow and dry details of commercial life.
The glamour of adventure and richness
shadowed his reason, and he gave up
his situation, and in spite of the ell.
treaties of parents and sisters be bade
them farewell aud set sail for San
Francisco.
We will pass over two years of his
l;fa Tho h,ttnr nf
many aspirants who left New York
with the high hopes and expectations,
is we'll known now. Disaster, disap-
pointment, and poverty were followed
by reckless dssapltion, crime and mur-
der. Persons detected in the crime of
murder or theft were tried by Vigilance
Committee aad hung to the nearest
tree. No testimony was written down
in trial, but quick and sharp work
was the "order of the court And yet
it is safe to assert that the innocent
were as safe from punishment as in the
States where trials were prolonged by
tedious ceremony and labored summing
up. The testimony against miner
to convict him of crime had to be pos
tive and conclusive He was permit
ted to testify in his own behalf, and if
he failed to satisfy his judges of his
innocence his punishment was swift
and sure.
Charles c., bad met with nothing
but disappointment since reaching the
shores of California Claim after
claim had been worked and aban-
doned. and his dream of sudden
wealth had fled from his brain. In the
train of disappointment came dIssipa
tion and reckless spirit. but crime he
scorned.
San Francisco. in the year 1890, con
tanned but small population. 1t was
the resort for the lucky miner with bis
gold dust. and the home for the gam
bier and desperate characters in general,
who always managed to strip the toilers
of the gulch of their earnings.
One of the most noted gambling
hells of that time was in s. street,
kept by gambler named Dick p.
notoriously known by the cognomen of
slippery Dick He WAS an expert
gambler and villain of the first water.
One night in December table in his
den was surrounded by four men. and
one of the four was Charles G. He had
made lucky strike at the mines, and
having learned card playing among his
associates, had returned tn San Fran
cleo to enjoy it. Midnight had passed,
and they were evidently playing for
high stakes The gold dust lay
heaped high upon the table. Slippery
Dick had lost heavily during the
night, and he had staked his last pile
upon the turn of single hand. He
lost, and with blanehed cheek and IN
fury of rage he accused Charles c. of
cheating at the game.
You are liar was the firm and
quick response.
Slippery Dicks eyes glared and
burned with rage. His losses, coupled
with the indignity offered him. were
too great to be borne. He drew bis
pistol. cooked it. and was ready to fire
at the breast of his antagonist.
Quick as thought Charles c. drew
his knife from his belt. and striking the
arm of the gambler. cast it aside, and
plunged the knife to the hilt in his
bosom. He reeled and fell a corps up
on the table. The lights were ex-
tinguished in the melee and Charles
escaped in the darkness.
Tho news of the murder of Slippery
Dick spread with the morning sun, and
the gamblers of San Francisco were
frantic with rage His death was de-
clared to be murder of the most
cowsrdly nature.
His companions in the game had fed.
and the knife which executed the work
bore the name of the murderer, for
whom a mob of desperate men were
hunting.
Charles c. was found, and a rope
fastened to his neck, and with yells the
infuriated mob cried out
Hang him to the nearest lamp post
Fright had paralyzed the tongue of
the poor fellow, and rendered him
speechless.
Nearing tree. the rope was thrown
over one of its branches, and he was
asked what he had to say before being
swung up.' He uttered not word in
reply, for he seemed tougusless and
speechless.
Swing him. came from a hundred
throats; and the mob pulled at the
rome. and the poor fellows feet had al
most left the ground.
Hold " cried a voice. Hold :
And q man, with one plunge, parted
the crowd. and. with . spring, grasped
the rope with one hand. while sheath
Il