Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-02-22
From tie Los Augclos, Cal, Republican,
"REMINISCENCES OF A RANGER,
on,
Early Times in Southern California.

In May 1903 we had very illustriou'
accession to our gringo element IN the per.
son Of General O. i. Hinton, formerly oI
Ohio and one Of the great Western orator.
Of the early times The General was nc.
compnnicl 10y his wife, most luciously
| beautiful angel Of about eighteen or twoniy
summers that seemed to have gently passed
over her form; the General was rough and
/ grizzlcd with the storms Of over half q
/ century of rugged Western winters, and
/ registered at the Star Hotel ns Samuel y.
Gordon aud lady Of Portland, Or he at once
| gave out he was an Oregon lawyer Of In
crativo practice, and hpd only sought our
genial cline on account Of the fair flower
which accompanied him being too delicate
to withstand tho chill fogs and Sibo-
rian blasts Of Oregon. In brief space of
time the General became proprietor OF the
"Star," in which lie placed the "Roynl
Bengal Tiger" by name Abdul Grim Mul-
lab, ns steward, and hung out his shinple
as one OF our pioneer attorneys, md was
The first 10 file in our court divorce suit.
Everything seemed to flourish with the
distinguished gcntlcman for time The
4th VI July rolled around in tile usual
way, and Samuel was the orator Of the
day. IL 80 happened that we had one
Dave Rhinehardt here, who had IN the
prosperous days nj the eminent gentleman,
rendered service IN the capacity oil coach.
man, hostler or something of the sort, md
il still further happened that Samuel H.
had, most unfortunately for himself failed
TO pny Dave Tor the same service, and il
still more unfortunately happened that the
Oregon lawyer was gfeni offender against
the Government, and fugitive from JUS
tice, and Dave knew all about it, So one
morning while Samuel was trying our first
divorce suit, that OF Mqcnm Va. Malcom.
the frail defendant being one Of our fair
California Spanish ladies who was proven
To have played false to her marriage vow
aud to her noble gringo master The ele-
giant John II. Hughes was on the stand as
witness and had just sworn to his person
nj knowledge Of the defendants delinuupn-
cy, when n Deputy L. S. Marshal laid
heavy hand on the great fugitive and read
to him his warrant of arrest. Talk about
sci cl-posscssiOn, but / assure the reader, on
the honor uf II veracious story-teller that
that lawyer showed no manner Of trepida-
ton, nncasiness or discontinue, but polite
ly requested the astonishcd official TO ex-
cuse him until he discharged his duty TO
his client, quietly resumed his case, which
was argued and submitted, and then he,
with polite apology to the officer for
having kept him waiting, placed himself
at his disposition, was taken to the adobe
on the hill, was tenderly chained nnd
stnked out on that old historical pine log,
and then the inquiry went like wildfre,
who was he? What has he done? And
the arrest caused quite n stir among us
gentle angela. 1t required about two dnvs
to learn all about the slrnnge old man and
his previous history, his crimes against the
Government, his arrest, escape and fight,
and his final capture in the manner and
plnce above described.
General o. b. Hinton was distinguished
Ohio politician, n great mail contractor,
and owner Of many stage lines in the
Western States, was a United States mail
agent, and had successfully robbed the
mails without being suspected, for a suc-
cession OF years, was at last suspected, de-
coyed and cntrapped was arrested md
thrown in Jail. His sons were men of
means. The jailor was supposed to have
been bribed, and the distinguished captive
escaped, got on board a New Orleans
steamer, from which he transhipped to
Havana steamer and in safety walked the
soil OF the faithful Isle. He was followed
to New Orleans, and a steamer was charter
ed and pursued him to the harbor of Ha-
vann, but the greaa mail robber was safe
for the time being under the flag of Spain.
This occurred, believe, in 1S49 or 1850.
The fact Of him being so vigorously pur-
sued gave him bad notoriety in Cuba,
and he was placed under surveillance. The
Government secretly offered $4,000 for his
arrest and delivery he fed from Cuba and
f,nI IN Co, al
he met recognized him. Whittier to flee he
smoke-stacks emitting volumes of black
smoke, and as soon as he could rid himself
OF his old acquaintance he walked Oh
board without inquiring the destination of
the craft, which turned out to be to Port
land, Oregon, where he arrived and re-
manned, went into business, prospered
married the fair creature who accompa-
MED him, and continued in Portland until
again recognized took the steamer for
San Francisco; and the steamer for Los
Angeles being the first to leave, he came
here ns above stated. General Richardson
the United States Marshal. came here i'm
person for the eminent thief, appointed
squad Of special deputies, Of whom the
pious writer was one, to convey him safely
on board the steamer to San Pedro. The
Marshal safely arrived in San Fran.
cisco with his charge, and two days there
after he, the mail robber, was on his way
to the Sandwich Islands, having escaped
the meshes of the law by writ Of Habeas
Corpus. That was the last ever known of
our iIlustrious quondam Fourth of July
orator and hotel proprietor. His fair
young wife eleped with n gambler and
went to San Diego.
II transpired that Dave Rhimehardt in
terviewed the great fugitive, and promised
II he would pay his past Indebtedness his
secret would be kept, and, if not mistaken,
believe he paid Dave, who afterwards
gave Information TO our cOnvivial United
States District Attorney. This incident
has only been related TO show what great
loss we sustained when the General was
taken away from u.s. Generals were Gen
erals in those days, and we deeply felt the
great loss We sustained on this occasion.
What eminence the General might have
attained among the Angels is hard
to say. 1t is quite certain, however,
TINT had he remained and taken up with
the noble trade Of Office seeking he might
have attained eminent local distinction.
Land nrabberH