The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-02-13
Early California-Incident from the
Experience of the Pioneers.


In the early days of WeaverviJle,
Trinity County, and in other mining
districts of the State, when each man
constituted himself his-own banker, and
deposited or buried his gold in some
safe y place, two men were working
together on whom fortune had smiled
little more propitiously than usual.
They buried their money, and each knew
the spot where the other had placed his
dust. One of them, having obtained as
much of the precious ore as he thought
would answer his purpose, gathered
together his "pile," and started for the
Atlantic States.
After he left the other thought he
would examine his deposited treasure,
and see if it was all right. He accord
ingly repaired to the spot where he i'm
agined he had it buried, and, lol it was
gone-he could not find it. The concIu-
sion he arrived at was that his partner,
who had just left, had taken his dust
also. So off he started after his supposed
villainous partner, overlook him in the
"valley," and accused him of the
theft, which he, of course, absolutely
denied.
Fortunately for the homeward bound
there were no sheriffs or other limbs of
the law in those early days in Trinity
County, and particularly in the diggings
about Weaverville, and if the loser had
no direct proof that his partner had
taken the money he could get no assist
ance to bring him back, and was accord
ingly obliged to let him go. The loser
returned to Weaverville, giving up all
hopes of ever recovering his lost treasure,
and went to work again, and ere long
had made another raise and started for
the States.
Some months afterward another per-
son who had dust buried in the immedi-
ate vicinity of where this mans dust was
supposed to have been stolen from, in
searching for his ewn, dug up the lost
money, amounting to about one thou
sand seven hundred dollars. It appeared
the man had forgotten the exact spot
where he had buried his dust, and had
dug in searching within one foot of it.
1t was a fortunate thing for the sus-
pected man that he had gotten without
the limits of Weaverville before the sup
posed loss was discovered; for had he
been suspected and arrested there, sus-
picion would have been so strong against
him he would very likely have been
initiated into the arts and mysteries of
the law as administered by the court of
Judge Lynch.
A poor man had Just crossed the plains
with single yoke of oxen, which he
sold for one hundred dollars in dust to
some persons who left the place soon af-
ter the purchase. About the same time
purse containing just one hundred
dollars was stolen, and good deal of
interest was manifested by the people
near by to discover the thief. The un-
fortunate teamster took out his purse in
the trading post to pay for some article,
when a man Immediately came for
ward and accused him of the rob
berry.
He was, of course, forthwith arrested /;
the amount in the purse corresponded
exactly with the amount lost; the quail
ity of the gold was the same; it was
known that the teamster had Just ar
rived from the plains and had no time
to dig that amount from the mines. The
man to whom he had sold the cattle was
gone. He had no proof of how he came
by the money. Circumstances were all
against MIN. A jury was accordingly
impaneled on the spot, trial had the
jury found him guilty, and sentenced
him to receive thirty lashes on the bare
back, which were forthwith administered
the unfortunate man all the time pro
testing his innocence.
After he was whipped he procured 9
pistol, walked deliberately up to the
man who first accused him, placed tht
pistol to his head and said he believed
him the guilty man, and if he did no
then and there confess he had stolen tn,
money he would blow his brains out
The man could not stand the power O
} injured innocence. He became fright
: ened, acknowledged himself the guilt,
party, and drew the identical lost none,
out of his pocket. The enraged crow
instantly seized upon him, bore him t
the nearest tree and hanged him. /
} subscription was Immediately started
and about one thousand eight hundre
7 dollars was raised on the spot for tn
unfortunate teamster, who started forth
with for his home in the East, not di.
pleased with his trip across the plains
9 as the boys" used to say in the " fa
f of '49 and-spring of 80"
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