Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-21
A E1eHwAYMAN ON TRIAL.
His Career and the Crime for which He
Was Convicted.

HIS career anu the Urine 1Or WHICH he
Was Convicted
NEVADA CITY, May 18th.
Peter Dalton is a man quite well known
to the police of this State. His first grand
achievement was the stealing of horse in
Fresno county, for which he was convicted,
sent to San Quentin and served out his
time. His next operation was on the New
castle tade, Placer county. He put up at
hotel in Newcastle, Placer county, with
three transfers who had Just returned
from a trip over the mountains, and who
in the course of the evening carelessly
boosted of the amounts of money they
had with them. Accordingly he met them
next morning on the grade about mile
and half below Newcastle and relieved
each of the three of what money he had.
He was caught, tried and sentenced to
serve twenty years in the State Prison.
He was arrested for that crime in the city
of Marysville by three officers. While
seated at gambling table one of them
approached and placing his hand upon his
shoulder said, Well, Pete, we want YOU"
Well" answered he, 81 s'pose 1 might
as well give up" at the same instant rising
and drawing his revolver. The officer
grabbed the revolver, luckily getting his
thumb on the nippleand the hammer coming
down upon it as Dalton pulled the trigger
The revolver was taken outside and fired,
swapping all right. He was then secured
He served thirteen years and zine months
in the State Prison, and was then released
by habeas corpus, through some legal tech
nicality. His last exploit was in Nevada
county, and it is the particulars of this
crime which propose to record. On the
morning of June 3, 1878, he stopped
farmer named Louis Horton, on the road
near Smartsville, Yuba county, about
five miles below Rough and Ready. The evil
dence tends to show that he left Marysville
on the evening of the day prior to the rob-
berry. Where he spent the night is not
known. On the morning of June 81 he
stopped Horton and demanded his money
Horton told him he had no money worth
talking about-only a few dollars-but lie
took what be had and his watch, followed
him down the hill short distance, and then
dismounted to sinch his saddle. While doing
so Horton saw two neighbors coming on
horseback cattle man named NJ. NJ Lock,
and boy of 10 named Campbell. He called
out to them to Hurry up" They came or
at once and he explained the situation, tell
ing Lock to arrest him. Lock called out to
Campbell to ''Tell the Sheriff to hurry up"
although he knew there was no Sheriff within
twenty miles, The robber then mounted
and rode toward them, saying, Get out
of the way, Cd d-n you, or | will
shoot you" He then rode rapidly off
in the direction of Grass Valley, up the
road. Lock and Campbell followed as fast
as they could, got gun and pistol from
neighbor on the road, and loaded the gun
with buckshot. The boy Campbell had
the pistol, Lock the gun. Lock told the
boy that if the robber offered to show fight
or was likely to get away, to commence
shooting at once, and not wait for orders.
They rode rapidly through the town of
Rough and Ready, the robber about mile
| ahead, and although the pursuers were de-
tanned by some teams, yet they managed to
come up with him about three miles from
Grass Valley, where he was actually en-
gagged in robbing another man. He had
dismounted, and was in the act OF receiy-
ing the coin from the hands of the teamster
w. lCiNCl NhNh l<tOh lbtC up DtbNcCu
him and his horse. The robber took in the
situation, jumped the fence, and started
on the run for the brush, the boy
Campbell sending four shots at him with
out hitting. Lock snapped his gun several
times, but it would not go off He, too,
! jumped the fence and started after the rob-
Der, but thinking it was not wise to chase
desperate with gun which would not
go off, he gave it up and the fellow escaped.
The horse and accoutrements were taken
to Grass Valley. On the trial he was
identified by Horton, his son, man named
VIM. Powell, who saw him ride by, and
NJ. NJ. Lock. The jury were out fifteen
minutes, aud found verdict of guilty.
He will be sentenced Wednesday, the
Goth. He will be tried again tomorrow
for the attempt to rob Pierce. He was
arrested in Stockton Horton having recog-
nized his photography by Sheriff Cunning
ham, and brought to Nevada county about
seven months ago, where he has been since
confined in Jail. w.