The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1886-03-04
LOST JOURNALS.
Recent Discovery OF Interesting Records
Left by a California Pioneer.

A curious relic of early DAYS was
brought to light in the neighborhood of
Martinez. George Bailey, the grandson
of Mr.. NJ. r. Barber, of that place,
CHANGED to be in a portion of his grand
fathers ranch, about two and half
miles from Martinez. between the Al
hambra and Walnut creek roads, high
up in the hills, where no one would be
likely to pass by unless 1t were some
hunter. Near the division line between
Mr.. BARRIERS land and DR., Strentzels
he came upon the curious phenomenon
of little group of ancicnt-looking books
lying at the foot of an oak tree. They
were moldy, weather stained, decaying at
the corners, yet still in fair preservation,
and had apparently been wrapped in a
stout sack, whose rottng remains
had fallen from them, and lay close by.
The fresh traces of digging showed that
some animal-doubtlcss a cOvote-had
very recently scratched them out from
under a covering of leaves and earth
that had hidden them no one knows how
long.
The books were four in number, One
was journal of the ninth session of the
California Assembly. Another was
report of the joint committee on the
conduct of the war. second session of
the thirtv-eighth Congress. The two
Others proved TO be lcdgcrS, entirely
filled with fine and still quite legible
handwriting, and were easily recogniz-
able as private journals. dating back TO
the beginning of the tiftiCS.s An account
was at last found of the owners pres
ence at meeting. wherein he quotes
the remarks of the chairman in intro
ducing Mr.. Montgomery. This
solved the mystery of the writer; for the
memories of one or two pioneers easily
identified c. f. Montgomery. pioneer
lawyer, of Sacramento, who has since
died in the East. The manner in which
these journals found their way to the
place where they were found is less easy
to trace and still remains Il mystery. So
far as they have been examined they do
not contain any remarkable record or
special new light upon the history of the
early fiftics; but the entries are often in
teresting illustrations Of the surround
ingS, occupations and thoughts of a
fairly intelligent professional man ia
Sacramento at that time.
"Horse and cattle stealing is the pr1n.
cipal crime of this country. The eN-
treme facility with which animals roam-
ing in large, unfcnced, natural pastures
may be caught and carried to markets
which continually demand large sup
plies, and the readiness with winch. al
ter disposing of them. the fclon may cS
cape and leave no clcw 10y which tn
trace him to his lurking-place or fastCn
suspicion upon him encourages hun
drcds to engage in the pursuit of live
lihood by this Illicit means. Law IS
daily selling and Furnishing numbers,
but this operates SO fecbly in many pOr-
tons of the country remote from the
seats of justice, that lynch law has been
summoned to repress the oflcnSe and
proved, as it should. valueleSS in put
ting an end to crime. The best and
surest, and the very readicst method of
checking it would be to give justices of
the peace, with a jury. jurisdiction of
the offense. Animals are now stolen in
this neighborhood. sent to Stockton or
some other distant point. and there sold
Procuring fresh supplies in that vicin
ity the thief hurries to this market, of
which he is frequent visitor, and
where mules are now urgently wanted
for companies starting to SCOTS river
and the Klamath, sells the drove he has
brought with him, and departs like a
shadow. His companions and COM
peers in this trade fill
every avenue and inform him of
every whisper that is in circulation CON
Corning him or the animals ne last dis
posed of, enabling him, if so many be
reclaimed as to create suspicion, to eS-
blows over and the charge becomes
stale and forgotten-th is. for month
or two-diSpatching his animals through
the hand of some truSty friend of we'll
whitewashed reputation into town for
sale, But the owner and purchaser both
departed, his fears are lost sight of in
new thefts. He may return with jing-
ling Spanish spurs and leather leggings,
and flourish about the horse markets as
boldly and honorably as before. The
establishment of this telegraph between
our principal towns, by starting light
ming against horse speed, and preparing
the police everywhere to salute and ar
rest the offender as he entered the town
would effectually stop the Wholesale
cattle-lifting, which now distinguishes
California above all other regions for
cattle stealing.
1.-The Legislature has just published
the population of the State 1t is much
less than | should have presumed, for at
least 100000 persons must have en-
tered and sojourned in California
since 1847, of whom it appears about
one in five now remains. the population
being 1887, three counties remain
ing unheard from. These three would
add nearly 5000 to the total, as we MAY
estimate the population of California
rs having been in November last 1885,
900. The population of Sacramento
County was barely 11,000 in round
numbers. As this census was taken
during the cholera, and many had fled
from the disease who have now re-
turned, the population of the county
may be fixed at 4,OOO-9,OOO of which
belong to the city, the balance to the
settlements in the vicinity, and upon
the skirts of the county. in the mining
districts. This population will doubt
less be doubled in two years through
out the State. y OrcrlGRd Monthly.