Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-11-21
"PIRACg ON THE HIGH SEAS,
A Ludicrous San joaquin Law Case in
1870.

a Ludicrous San joaquin Law Case in
1850.
Stockton Nail
In the early days of California freighting
by team was so high that owners of foreign
vessels found 1t profitable to do q coasting
trade, although by doing so they forfeited
their ships to the United States Govern
ment The boats selected for this purpose
were worthless old tubs. Several of them
came up the San Joaquin river to Stockton
and were abandoned here after their Cap
tains had sold their sails and rigging to
miners. The hulks of three or four of
these boats now lie in the bottom of Nor
mon and Stockton channels and McClouds
lake. One of the old tubs lay in the chan
mel in 1850, at a point where the Stockton
and Copperopolis depot now stands. Judge
Reynolds - the famous self-constituted
Court of those days-used it as a Court
room. While the st. Charles Hotel was
being built in the winter of 1850. on the
present site of Masonic Temple, a foreign
vessel, at great risk of going TO pieces,
rounded the Horn and engaged in the
coasting trade. came from San Francisco
and tied up in the channel in front of the
hotel at the spot now called Webers
acknowledgement" John Doak, owner
of the hotel, ordered the vessel away, but
the crew defed him.
Bright and early on the following day
twenty-five men boarded the craft They
were armed with clubs for immediate use
and with pistols for emergency The crew
fled in terror to the cabin and locked them
selves in. Then the gang proceeded to or
ganize into a ships company. Captain,
boatswain, mate, cook, sailmaker, carpenter
and all the big and little aristocrats of
regular crew were elected. Preparations
being complete, the captain gave orders to
weigh anchor. Thereupon the carpenter
cut away the hawser, and the mate duly
reported that the anchor was apeak, sir
Loosened from her mOoring the old tub
drifted down the channel, while the novel
crew went through various nautical move
ments, and were roundly damned by Off
GERS, in regular style. Her voyage was
watched with hilarious interest from the
banks, for the news of the piracy had
spread rapidly and gin-shops were emptied
of crowds of gamblers. All this time the
doors of the cabin were guarded to prevent
exit, sturdy men pacing in front of them
with bludgeons to crack the skull of the
first foreigner who showed his head.
After drifting several hours the hulk
grounded on the south bank of the chan
mel, and the piratical crew abandoned her
ana hastefled 20 town to gin mp They had !
to cross an unbridged slough on their re- |
turn. Two logs, bound together with cross
pieces answered as a ferry boat. The first |
man who attempted crossing fell in. The
second was tipped over by the first in at
tempting to land, and in like manner the
entire twenty five were in turn ducked
Reaching town, the pirates made tour
of the saloons, and, throughout the after
noon celebrated their adventure with
whisky at dollar q drink.
But while their spree was at its hight,
the foreign crew marched to Judge Rey-
nolds' Court room, and appealed TO the
majesty of the law. Judge Reynolds sent
for DIR. Roberts, his right hand bower, and
the best and only lawyer in town. Then
the Judge issued warrants for the arrest of
the twenty-five on Il charge of piracy on
the high seas" The warrants were given
into the hands of his bailiff to serve-his
.ailiff, one of the famOusly infamous
- Hounds" They were served early the
following morning.
Heavy raindrops battered on the dingy
window of the Courtroom. Up-ended
boxes and badly whitfield chairs old chews
of tobacco and scraps of paper, chunks of
mud soft and chunks of mud dried, lay
scattered over the floor of Judge Reynolds
den. On the table lay a pile of dirty and
torn law books. In one corner of the
cherries cabin q glowing wood fire flashed
and cracked and sent ont its showers of
sparks as gusts of wind came down the
stovepipe and there. in all his stern glory,
with heels cooked on the stove roof and
comforting pipe in his mouth, sat Judge
Reynolds.
The door opened.
Judge Reynolds dripping bailiff entered,
accompanied by section of sheeting rain
and whistling storm.
where's the prisoners ?" demanded the
ungrammatical Judge, hauling his hoofs
from the stove roof.
Dunno ledge" replied the bailiH,
briefly.
''Humph They defy this Court, hey?"
''Yes'r."
"HumphW
They said you were an old scallawag
and ought to be kicked clean into"
WhatP' yellel his Honor, jumping
from the chair. Bring EN- in, sir; bring
'em in! I'll fix EN- =
Can't Jedge-too many of en-"
Well, I'll fix EN- anyhow Oh. Just
wait till get at EN- on this easel So I'm
an old scallawag, hey? I'm"
The door opened again and Dr. Roberts
came in and peeled off his blanket over
coat. On learning the situation of affairs,
DR.. Roberts agreed that the Court must
take vengeance on the twenty-five in the
case at hand.
The foreigners were sworn. They testi-
fled as to the facts of the piracy. DR. Rob
erts briefly argued. Judge Reynolds rem
u find EN- guilty Of piracy on the high
seas, and assess the damages at 10000
Then he proceeded to get out attach
ments, and instructed the bailiff to get the
Hounds together.
On the following morning another case
was in progress before Judge Reynolds.
The room was crowded. Five men entered
and elbowed their way through the jam
One of the five advanced on REYNOLDS and
no
his near ear, accompanying the demonstra-
ton with the words:
You dirty old scoundrel Skip town
within an hour, or we will hang YOU r.
My GodP' .groaned the Judge, don't,
gentlemen
" Get down from that bench p
Don't for heavens sake, gentlemen
Come, no words p
6 II was all a mistake, gentlemen take
il back -
HIR you skip?"
The Judge skipped through the window
and made such good time up the street
that his coat-tails Jagged behind. DR..
Roberts, who was known TO be a fighting
man, took matters more coollv. -Four
pistols encircled his head but he slammed
his books on the table, on pretense of pill
ing them up, and remarked that if anv-
body wanted to meet him single-handed he
was ready 10 fight, but he wouldn't shoot
with crowd. He was marched safely out.
the crowd having fled precipitately at the
first demonstration, and again instructed not
to be found in town after the expiration of
an hour
Judge Reynolds and lawyer Roberts de-
parted within twenty minutes, and have
never since that day been seen i'll Stockton.
When the State Government was organ
lied John Doak took the judgment to the
Supreme Court and had it reversed. 1t cost
him 81 1000
Shortly after the fight of Judge Reynolds
Mr.. Doak met him at Sonora
Hello, Doak p said Reynolds, come
and drink. BY George, Doak, that judy
ment was Wrong | told Rnharfs we haA