The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-04-18
STORIES OF THE FRONTIER.

The following incidents are given from the
life of the late David D. Cotton, who figured
in the recent Huntingdon Cotton correspond
ence. Cotton left Maine for California in
1851, a beardless boy, and settled in Sisklyou,
the northwest county of the state In 1897
a Klamath chief, Chinook, decoyed two
miners, Haines and Converse, from Illinois,
into his rancherie, and there treacherously
murdered them. The Klamaths were war
like tribe, having nothing in common with
the Pah Utes of California and Nevada-the
lowest grade of Indians in existence. Their
murderous chief took refuge in the mountain
Businesses, secreted and protected by his peo-
pie and aided by renegade whites Cotton,
still not of age, determined to capture and
bring 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 one lair to another, every mile OF the
way beset with peril, day and night, never
relinquishing the pursuit till the savage
fugitive was run down and taken to the Shas-
ia River. His captors tied him to a horse
and conducted him through forests swarming
with alert and savage Indians eager to deliver
their chief, and with even more savage and
desperate 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 age than the electors of
the county, by almost unanimous vote, pro-
noted him from the position of under sheriff
to that of sheriff. The early sheriffs of Cal
ifornia were remarkable men-men of proved
courage, GOODNESS and eterminatlon-they
had to be to fill the Office or be chosen for 1t
and Cotton was a representative sheriff.
He was a man of influence and power, and
wealth poured in upon him. He made fly
ing visit to the east to marry the girl of his
college love- Miss Ellen M. White, daughter
of DIR. Chauncey White, of Chicago.
Shortly after sColton's return with his bride
"a valuable water right was claimed by a com.
pany and coveted by the individual miners of
the camp. While it was in litigation a
miner, disregarding 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
patty was with him; the miners determined
upon his release. Fifteen hundred of them
assembled, fully armed, at the Jail, and de-
manded the release of the prisoner. Cotton
was at the moment attending church fair
which his wife, with the few other women in
camp was conducting to assist the only reli-
gious society of the settlement. Someone
rushed to him with the news of the uprising,
and while the miners were still clamoring at
the Jail door for the release of the prisoner
and threatening to take him out if he were
not set free, Cotton came running hatless
towards them, his long red hair-he always
wore it long, even when treasurer of the
Central Pacific railroad streaming back from
his beardless countenance. Cleaving his way
through the mob by sheer impetus he rushed
up the steps, and, planting his back against
the door, confronted the angry throng of
desperate and armed miners. He command
ed them in the name of law, order and au-
thority to dispense peacefully. The response
was clamorous demand for the release of
the prisoner "Never," said the young
officer, calmly; "you can only take him
over my dead body; )" and he confronted
them unfnchingly. The mob, momentarily
COMPOUNDED and cowed by his heroic mein,
recoiled, but soon returned, swearing that
they would have the prisoner "Giye up the
prisoner !" shouted hundreds of them press
ing forward threateningly. fI'll die first"
responded the young sheriff. Then die,
you - fool" cried the foremost rioter, lev
cling his pistol. The sheriff was too quick
for him. His own weapon was out and dis
charged in twinkling, and the leader of the
mob was carried off disabled. Instantly hun
dreds of weapons were drawn, and a volley
was fired at the sheriff from every angle of
attack He stood undismayed fronting the
mob and returning the fire, throwing down
one revolver as soon as emptied and drawing
another Strange to say, not shot of all
those fired struck him, but several of his as
sailants were wounded.
1t was an unheard of thing. mob of
fifteen hundred desperate, armed and mad
dened men beaten off and discounted by
l. -1AN h DAn1r rNrtxx