Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-11-08

after the Washos excitsmsnt. the en-
tire Pacific coast north Of flower Cali
fornia was filed with wild and ad-
vsnturous spirits. ell searching after
gold Every mining camp of any note.
had its rOughs. all well armed. well
drilled in the use Of weapons. and a.
reckless Of life as any bandit who
ever cut throat. Thsse daze-devils
wers.frequontly employed by mining
compaaiss 70 drive of miners and
hold mining property. ID order to
save the trouble Of appealing TO the
courts 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 "Real del Monte" mines
were at war over supposed valuable
mining ground. Each company, act
ing upon the claim thst might makes
right, imported from Washoe lot of
the most villainous and reckless
roughs to be found in Nevada, After
a number of fights between the two
factions employed by the Wide West
owners on one side, and the Real del
Monte on the other, the adjustment
Of the disputed ground was finally
left to the courts. and the roughs. be-
ing thrown out Of employment in their
legitimate business of throat-cutting,
went to work at trade which, one
Of them said, would pay better
highway robbery. After robbing a
number of persons, four Of the worst
villains murdered and robbed, in the
public streets of Aurora, a kind heart
ed old man by the name of johnson,
who had fed them in his hotel with
out receiving any pay. The names OF
the murderers were Masterson, Daily,
Bnrkley and Three-fngered Jack. The
four assassins, after doing their bloody
work, left town at once, and starte
for Mono Lake all we'll mounted and
each heavily armed. The Sheriff, Mr..
Francis. with about ten picked men,
well armed, in hot pursuit. The cut
throats 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 SUI
rounded and captured without a shot
being fred. Sheriff Francis, one Of
the bravest and coolest men in Neva-
da, wss asked the next day, when he
brought his prisoners in town, heavi-
ly ironed:
"HOw did you dc it?''
He answered in his quiet way:
ave had the drop on them. They
knew we were thar; and when we
covered EN- with ten Sharp's rifles, /
said: Boys, throw up your hands,
and they did 1t quick as lightning.
When | was putting the handouts on
Three-6ngered Jack, he laughed and
said: Francis. old man, you did it
mighty quick"
The following day a vigilance COM
mittee Of about seven hundred men
was organized, well armed and ready
for work. A large, solid scaffold was
hastily erected on the sidehill above
the Jail where the murderers were
confined. Promptly at twelve o'clock,
on the fourth day after the murder, u
little band Of about thirty picked
men, headed by Captain Palmer, CON-
mander of the vigilants forces, with a
twelve-pounder loaded with grape
and scrap iron. marched down in front
Of the Jail.
Sheriff Francis, cool aud deliberate,
with about half dozen picked depu-
ties. each armed with a Sharp's rifle,
stood in front of the Jail door.
Captain Palmer. as he drew up his
little force in front, said. as he raised
his hat:
"Sheriif Francis. ! demand from
you four murdsrers, whom you hold
as prisoners"
by what authority do you claim
these men?" asked Sheriff Francis.
Captain Palmer. in a clear voice
which rang out loudly. answered:
an the name Of the vigiIantes.
Then by the authority in me vest
ed. as sheriff Of the county, I rsfnse to
give them up. quietly but firmly an
swered sheriff Francis.
Captain Palmer deliberately drew
his watch from his pocket. and look
ing steadily at the minute hand, said :
"Mr. Sheriff. I win give yOu Just
FIVE minutes to retire from the front
Of that jail with your deputies ifyou
stand there oro sa~on1 ova~ Al. g..