The Penn's Grove record., 1884-03-15

Their m~urderous Chief took refuge IN
the mountain Businesses, secreted and
protected by his people and aided by
renegade whites. Cotton, still not Of
age, determined to capture and bring
I him to justice. He set out in pursuit
accompanied only by two resolute
miners. For six weeks he followed the
willy murderer through wilderness and
mountain recess, from II lair TO an
other, every mile of the way beset
with peril, day and night, never reliu-
gushing the pursuit till the savage
fugitive was run down and taken to the
Shasta River. His captors tied him to
a horse and conducted him through
forests swaTming with alert and savage
Indians eager to deliver their Chief.
and with even more savage and desper-
ate white men, the friends of Chinook,
until finally the murderer was delivered
to the authorities of the settlement and
dealt with according to law. This was
recognized as no ordinary achievement
and Cotton was no sooner of legal q
than the electors of the county, By al
most unanimous vote, promoted him
from the position of Upper Sheriff to
that of Sheriff. The early Sheufts of
California were remarkable men-men
of proved courage. GOODNESS and deter
mination-they had to be to fill the office
or be chosen for it-and Cotton was a
representative Sheriff. He was a man
Of influence and power and wealth
poured in upon him. lie made a flying
visit to the East to marry thegirl of his
college day love, Miss Ellen NJ, White,
daughter of DIR. Chauncey White, Of
Chicago.
Shortly after COlton's return with his
bride a valuable water right was claimed
by a company and coveted by the midi
vidual miners of the camp. While it
was in litigation a miner, disreeardmg
the injunction Of the Court, cut the
cOmpany's ditch and helped himself to
the water. He was arrested and Jailed
for contempt of Court. Popular SYM
pathy was with him; the miners deter
mined upon his release. Fifteen hun
dred of them assembled, fully armed,
at the jail, and demanded the release Of
the prisoner. Cotton was at the mo-
ment attending a church fair which his
wife, with the few other women in
camp, was conducting to assist the only
religious society of the settlement.
Some one rushed to him with the news
of the uprising, and while the miners
were still clamoTing at the Jail door for
the release of the prisoner and threaten
to take him out if he were not set
free, Cotton came running hatiess tow
ards them, his long red hair-he always
wore it long, eve when Treasurer of
the Central Pacific Railgaad-strsaui1g
ho"l from his beardless countenance.
saeeYuGr his way tho 4ao stans
and, planting his back against the door,
confronted the angry throng of desper-
ate and armed miners, He commanded
them in the name of law, order and
authority to dispense peacefully. The
response was a clamorous demand for
the release of the prisoner. "Neyer, ?"
said the young officer, calmly; ''you
can only take him over my dead BODY
and he confronted them uniinchingly.
The mob, momentarily COMPOUNDED and
cowed by his heroic mein, recoiIed, but
soon returned, swearing that they
would have the prisoner. "GIye up
the prisonerl'' shouted hundreds Of
them. pressing forward t~hreateningly.
"Ill die first" responded the young
Sheriff. "Then die, you - fool, -
cried the foremost rloter, leyeling his
The Sheriff vas too quick for
him. His own weapon was out and
discharged in a twinkling, and the
leader of the mob was carried off dlsa-
bled. Instantly hundreds of weapons
were drawn, and a volley was fired at
the Sheriff from every angle of attack.
He stood undisniayed fronting the mob
and returning the fire, throwing down
one revolver as o as emptIed and
uIdNluS duOLltIs CIldhSC " Say AOL
a shot of all nuse nred struck him.
but several OF ms aSsailanUs were
wounded.
1t was an unheard of thing. A mob
of 1900 desperate, armed and mad
dened men beaten off and discounted
by one officer, and he yet a youth. Pas
sion was boiling in the hearts of the
rioters, and they soon returned raging
to the attack; but in the meantime the
conduct Of the Sheriff had inspired
with some of his spirit and raised
him up supporters. The Judge of the
county, the Clerk, and a few others
took their places with him at the jail
door, and when the mob returned the
battle was resumed IN more even
terms, and the defense was maintained
till the rioters were beaten off. Cotton
received two wounds, several of the
mob were killed and more wounded,
and the law was indicated and took its
course with the prisoner. The affair
a great stir all through the
mines, and the young Sheriff was the
hero of the day. Governor Bigler, IN
recognition of his services for law and
order, appointed him Brigadier General
of Militia of Northern California.