The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-04-06
Justice Untempered With Mercy.


The sudden influx of people into Cali
foInia and their distribution throughou
that wide sweep Of territory conpassed
Within the placer mines called into
rcquisition an army OF supply trains,
frcixhtei with provisions AMI mining
tools for the srStcnance and use OF the
cold-srckers. The mines in the foot
hills were accessible 10 freight wagons,
while 10 the flats, gulches and canons IN
the far Off mountain tastness pack
trains toilcd up the sinuous trails, lead
ing from perpetual summer below to
eternal SHOWS above. Even yet there
seems to ring in our ears the familiar
"hcpah, mulah :" OF the muietccrs as
they urged their patient and heavily
laden animals along tortuous activities
In lS5l-J2 hIrysvillc was the great
,IiStribuiv, point from whcnc" radiated
the supplies Tor that vast mining region
embraced between the luba and the
Feather rivers. Tho wholesale establish
ments Of that embryo cii Y did not have
storage capacity fxr a tltho o. the sup
plies arriving by boat and the conSc-
qucncc WAS that hundreds OF tons OF the
more substantial articles of mcrchn-
disc was corded up out OF doors with at
best hut canvass coverings TO protect II
from the weather. Tho Babel of cDufu-
sion around these supplies during the
DAYTIME, incident TO loading freight
WAGONS and pack-trainS reminded one
OF the scenes described by travellers as
attending the arrival or departure OF
tloss monster merchant caravans at
Alexandria. Under cover OF this cOnfu
sion II was possible for tons OF freight to
bc spirited away without the owner
suspccting the larceny.
But to nay narrative:
In the early spring Of 1882 there were
q number af Us miuin" at the lower end
Of Long Bar, on the Nuba on what was
then known rs Island Bar. Our little
colony of bachelors lived in n row OF can
vaSs shantics, each mess doing It's own
cooking As it was a half mile to the
nearest provision store, and Is delivery
wagons was not tn n in vogue, the pack
ing home OF our supplies WAS no incOn-
siderable task Under these circum-
stances 1t was not strange that we should
welcome the arrival in camp OF a wagon
laden With a general assortment of pro-
visions It's proprietor checrilv inquired
whether we were in need OF any pro-
visions and announced his intention Of
visiting our camp once or twice a week
with supplies.
Here was opposition and upon being
made acquainted with his prices We
found them 50 far below the prices we
had been paving that we at once threw
of the Calling yoke OF monopoly and
voted that provision pcddlcr public
benciaCtOr.
Tanner, for that was his name, for
months regularly brought supplies to
our doors and at prices which made the
local mcr. .hantS curse the day he first
cast 4 shadow on that bar. But hc need
ed not 10 care either for their curses or
blessings as he experienced no difficulty
in selling load after load OF ms prUyls'
ions to the miners Aside from the con-
} !.
to our doors, We experienced other bcne-
fits and advantages, Tor upon taking his
! departure Tanner never failed to say,
! "Wcll boys, what can ! 10 for amy OF YOU
at NiarySville 2' And however trivial the
] matter entrusted to him, he would attend
/ to it TO the letter, and refuse any compen-
! sation for his trouble.
We had come to look for the return
! OF genial obliging Tanner with almost
/ the certainty OF the rising Of the sun.
/ But at last he failed us The sun rose and
set on the day OF his appointed coming,
| and at night the question in our little
! camp was "What can be the matter
| with Tanner ,"
The next day we heard all about what
was the matter with Tanner He had
been arrested in Marysville upon a
charge Of stealing provisions and other
miners supplies by the wagon load
there was a Statute which sanctioned the
nhiCting OF the death penalty for grand
larceny, if the trial jury so elected in its
verdict. That the law would be enforced
in It's full rigor in Tanners ease, seemed
to Us hardly probable. But the jury
that tried him thought differently, ano
rendered a verdict closing with the omin
Gus words: Guilty of grand larceny
punishable with cath"
The doomed mans css.5rnev Tough
bravely for .ne ME OF his client. Th
I case was appealed from the Court Of Ses
sions TO the District Court, and ron
theme to the Supreme Court BY these
proceedings the prisoner only gained re
spite al about two months.
On bright sunny July morn the con
demncd man opened his eyes TO behol,
the light Of his last earthly dav. Tn
slauting rays OF that days sun, sinking {,
rest behind the western mountains, kisse,
new raised mound, marked by a boar,
upon which was inscribed, George Tan
ner.'
Since the event narrated, over thirt
years have been added TO recor lei time
and OF the present generation, there ma
be those who viii question that the dCatI
penalty was ever inflicted in CIlliornis
by Judicial decree, for the crime Of lal
ccny. II there are any such, We, in yindi
cation OF the accuracy OF our narrativ,
refer them 10 The People vs. Tanner
second volume OF California Suprem,
Court Reports. - -. SAN CAsSIDAY.