Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1886-11-04
No. II

-'-O'o
gnlshed society abroad. Buried along
with those who abhorred war and would
not fight on any account, he in his life
time wore sword in the armies of three
nations. Once in possession of land now
worth Il hundred million of dollars, he
lived the last sixteen years OF his life
dependent on all allowance from the
State of California. He made million
aire: and died pcnsioner.
He was always a wanderer. Born in
Baden in 1908, he graduated from the
Military College at Borne at the age of
twenty, and enlisted in the Swiss Guard
of the French army, the successors of
that famous band of mercenaries who
We're 50 faithfully butchered in the
marble halls Of Versailles some thirty
years before. After seven years service
he changed his col DIS and entered the
Swiss army, where he served tour years.
Then he put of his uniform and short
ly came to this country. In 1883, with
six companions be went across the
plains to Oregon and down the Coium-
bia River to Vancouver, whence he
sailed to the Sandwich Islands. There
he got an interest in a trading vessel,
with which Ire sailed to Silka and the
seal islands up towards Behring's
Straits. Turning southward after some
profitable trading he arrived In the bay
Of San Francisco July ?, 1889. The
appearance Of the country pleased him
and he decided to remain
lie made II settlement some distance
up the Sacramento River, built grlst.
mill, d tannery and fort, founded q
colony and called it, for the sake Of
having an Alpine murlnur in lis ear,
New Helvet,a. His restless en4rgy was
still unsatsfel He took cozamission
us captain III the Mexican service, and
afterwards served rs magistrate un.
der the same government. II book no
active part in the war Against this
country, and after the annexation he
was AIcade, Indian Commissioner and
IL member Of the California Cvnstitu-
tlona Convention.
In 1913 came the discovery that en-.
rched the world and IMPOVERISHED
hin. Marshall, a Iaborer digging out
a new race to Sutter mill, picked npa
curious lump of something yellow,
which Sntter at once recognized ;ls gold.
The mill-race was never finished. The
laborcr turned his pick to a nose am
bilious purpose and set ont to dig h IN
self Il fortune. The miller bough1 hum
self Il shovel and went forth to take toll
of the yellow sand. The sire I'M that
was to turn the mill wht ell becaGAe sud.
den y worth more than any g2ist that
it could And. The sequel is well known
The rushing tide of Argonants over
whelmed the little colony of New Hell
vetta and washed away Suttez imper-
feet title to bis land.
lie made Il brave fight ans long one.
lie laid claim to thirty-threo' square
leagues Of land, including that or which
the cities Of Sacramento and M"rysvillc
now stand. After long lel,sy the Com
missioner Of Public Lands, allowed the
claim and after more delay the Supreme
Court of the United States reversed the
decision Then Gen Suttcr carried his
claim before Congress, to so through
the tedious experience 81 most persons
who take claims there. lie was still
prosecuting it in 1871, wher, he hap
pened to come to Lititz to drink the
wholesome waters Of its sp2ing. The
quiet of the place and the peaceful life
of its people, appealed to the restless
old man, who w;l+ beginning to get tir-
ed of his long F,sttIe, anil he made h's
home there-"untsl get my claim
through he said
He was at Washing nytorrp stIll getting
his claim through, when ,&uth overlook
him in 1887 His Moravi&n neighhors
made ROOM tor him in q corner Of their
turying- ground altAonSh as he was not
IL member Of their congregation, he
could not be buried with the trombone.
When a MoraviAn dies, at Whatcvrr
hour Of the day or night, man mounts
the tower Of the quaint, squat church
and blows doleful signal on Il from
bone. The trolabone-piayer also
marches at the head Of the funeral Pro-
cession, playing solemn music.