Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-10-24
THE vIGILAN'rES.
sH !. Q. Y.

needs. From the spring oi Aooo
until long after the Wsshos ex-
citement the entire Pacific coast
north OF Lower California was
4 6lled with wild and adventurous
h Qpirits, all searching after gold.
Every mining camp OF any note
bad its roughs, eli well armed,
well drilled in the use of weapons,
and as reckless Of life as any ban
dit who ever cut a throat. These
dare devils were frequently en-
y ployed by mining companies to
drive of miners and hold mining
& property, in order to save the
trouble Of appealing to the courts
Z to adjust their difficulties.
The writer arrived in the wild
mining town Of Aurora, Nevada.
in the Spring Of 1862, when the
wide West" and "keal del
Monte mines were at war over
supposed valuable mining ground.
Each company. acting upon the
claim that might makes right.
imported from Washoe lot OF
the most vilIainous and reckless
roughs to be found In Nevada
After q number of fights between
the two factions, employed by the
Wide West owners on the one
side, and the Real del Monte on
the other, the adjustment Of the
disputed ground was fiually left
10 the courts, and the roughs. be-
Ing thrown out Of employment
in their legitimate business of
thioat-cutting. went to work at a
trade which, one OF them said,
would pay better-bighway rob-
berry. After robbing a mum Der Of
persons. four OF the worst villains
murdered and robbed in the pub
lilo streets OF Aurora, a kind-hear,-
ed old man by the name of john
son, who had fed them In his ho-
tel without receiving any pay.
The names Of the murderers
we're Masterson, Daily, Buckley,
and Three-fngered Jack. The
four assassins, after doing their
bloody work, left towu at once
and started for Mono Lake, all
we'll mounted and each heavily
armed. The sheriff, Mr.. Francis.
with about ten picked men. we'll
armed, started in hot pursuit.
The cut-ihroats were overtaken
the second day out, about twenty
miles south OF Mono Lake. Inyo
county, in the lava beds of that
volcanic country. They were
surrounded and captured without
shot being fired. Sheriff Fran
els, one Of the bravest aud coolest
men In Nevada, was asked the
next day. when he brought his
prisoners in town heavily ironsd !:
How did you do itf'
He answered in his quiet way:
1--WE had the drop on them
They knew We were thar; aud
when we covered EN- with ten
Sharp's riass. / said: Boys.
throw up yonr hands, and they
did it quick as lightning. When
/ was putting the handouts on
Three fingered Jack, be laughed,
and said: Francis, old IN an,
you did it quick"
The following day Vigilance
Committe OF about seven hundred
men was organized. we'll armed
and ready for work A large,
solid scaffold was hastily erected
on the side-hill above the Jail
where the murderers were con-
fined. Prompt , at twelve
o'clock, ON the fourth day after
the murder, q little band OF aoout
thirty picked men from the Vigi-
lantes, all armed with repeating
rifles, headed by Captain Palmer,
commander OF the Vigilante forces,
with a twelve FOUNDER loaded
with [grape and scraT IRON
marched down in front Of The
Jail.
Sheriff Francis, cool and de
iibsrate, with about half dozef
picked deputies, each armed will
Snarp's rife, stood in front o
the Jail door.
Captain Palmer, as he d ey NJ
his little force in trout, sal as b,
raised his hat:
"Sheriff Francis, / demant
from you four muderers whom
you bold as prisoners"
"By what authority do yol
claim these men2" asked Sherli
Francis.
Captain Palmer, 10 clear voic
which rang out loudly, answered
'In the lame of the vigilar
tes?"
"Then, by the authority 10 m
vested as sheriff Of this county,
refuse to give them up" quietl
but firmly answered Sheri
: Francis.
Captain Palmer deliberetel
drew bis watch from his pocke
and, looking steadily at the mil
ute-hsnd said:
Mr.. Sheriff. I will give you jo,
Ave minutes TO retire from th
front Of that Jail with your dep,
ties; II you stand there one sec
ond over the five minutes / wi
\ blow you, your deputies and III
1 front Of that Jail to destruction.
He held his watch steadily
one hand, and with the 9th,
lighted a fuse and held it ov,
the cannon. Fo- about four mi
utes it was still as death--not
man on either sidenoved. Palm
..er and Francis stood facing eat
other about ten feet apar ; the