Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-14
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
DESPERATE FIGHT WITH OUTLAWS
IN PLACER COUNTY.
An Episode of the Slave Era-Leland
Stanford on the Stump-A Fourth
of July Celebration.

respectively as "Rattlesnake Dick" ant
"Rattlesnake Jim" These worthless wer,
recognized while passing along the roat
leading from Sacramento to Auburn, anC
about seven miles from the latter place
Word was sent to Auburn, and Deputy
Sheriffs George w. Martin, George John
ston ard w. NJ. Crutcher started in pursuit
They overhauled the men on the Illinois
town road, about mile from Auburn, ant
Martin sang out to Dick that he was afte
him. The parties were all mounted, ant
an indiscriminate firing ensued. Martin
fell dead at the first fire from Jim's pistol
Johnston had one hand shot all to pieces
and Crutcher was wounded in the RICH
hand. The outlaws made their escape
But as the Iowa Hill stage was comips
down the next morning Dicks body wa,
found lying near the road by the Junction
House. He was shot through the body apC
head, and his clothing was saturated with
blood. The supposition was that, findine
himself MORALLY wounded. he finished the
Job by shooting himself through the head
Constable (since Sheriff. Boggs, of Auburn
and posse at once set out after the Other
desperate.
THE Eastern press was filled with
sensational accounts of an affair that had
Just occurred a. Pomeroy, Ohio, and which
illustrated one of the saddest features OF
the slave system. A Virginia planter, who
boosted OF his blue blood, had beautiful
daughter whom he was educating at a SEM
mary in Pomeroy. She was both his
daughter and his slave. As the former. he
paid her bills, but as the latter he never re-
Inquished his right of proprietorship.
The girl was well aware of her dual rela-
tlons 10 her father, and was afraid to re-
turn to her home, learning that he was send
ing some of his slaves South to be sold.
among them her mother He sent money
and urged her to come, but she refused,
Then her father presented himself at the
Ohio seminary, accompanied by a savage
looking ViTginian, both heavily armed.
and undertook to force the girl away. The
alarm was given and the people of the
town became greatly excited and rushed 10
the girls rescue. The father produced an
alleged deed of emancipation in the girls
favor, but II was found to be worthless.
10 make matters worse, a free negro
showed up-the real husband of the girls
mother. He bad bought himself free and
had also partially paid for the freedom of
his vile, now sent South to be sold to a
new owner His wrath knew no bounds
and-stimulated by the then recent decis-
ION In the Sickles-Key case-he claimed
the right 10 take the life of his wife's be-
trayer. A most exciting scene ensued, but
the naughty Virginia slave-master got
down on his knees and begged so hard for
life-supplemented by the appeals of his
daughter-that he was allowed to go. After
his return 10 Virginia he sent the girl this
own daughter) a deed of emancipation.
But, under the workings of the slave code,
her mother remained the chatteI of her
new purchaser. There was war couple
OF years later, and slavery was blotted out.
lin his opening speech of the cam
palgn at San Francisco, on the 8th of July,
1859, Leland Stanford, Republican NOM
inee for Governor, said, concerning the Pa
citic Railroad There is the great railroad
question. That question is of great i'm
por.ance to the people of California. The
bad is calculated to strengthen the bonds
of this Union, to give employment to the
surplus labor OF the country, and to give
Z ones to the homeless and lands to the
landless. That is the great questionable
great national question which the Re-
publican party, more than any other, advo-
Gates to-day. The Republicans have no
great local or sectional interests to control
them they acknowledge the influence of no
means that are not national in their char
acter. On the other hand, their opponents
the Democratic party of the South-is
controlled by great interest in which
millions OF dollars are involved, an inter-
est which is opposed to the building up of
this railroad. say the Democratic party
is controlled by the slave interest. You
know what II has done for Us in the past,
and you know what scheme ii is organizing
for the future. Slavery, the
slave power, dollars and cents invested in
negroes, require the extension of slave ter
ritory, and the acquisition of Cuba is even
talked of. The acquisition of Cuba is in
consistent with the construction of the Pa
cidc Railroad"
....0n the 18th of July was commenced
the trial of OF Philip Smith for the murder
of Thomas ]. Rice at Michigan Bar some
months before The case was prosecuted
by K. F. Morrison, District Attorney latter
ward of the Supreme Bench), assisted by
Frank Hereford recently Congressman
from West Virginia district), and W. S.
Long. The prisoner was represented by
Colonel Z. d. Baker and n. Greene Curtis.
The jury selected was composed of Jasper
Mcdonald, ]. I. Jennings, J. f. Kloppen-
burg. J. W. Knaggs, a. McHesser, Thomas
W. Palmer, George Watkins, John w.
Greenlaw, Thomas ]. Snyder, L. H. Thomp-
son, w. Nj. Harron and E. Culver.
......0n the Fourth of July. 1859, the
patriotic citizens of Downieville erected a
giant flagstaff on the summit of the Sierra
Buttes and flung the stars and stripes to
the breeze from the Hottest flagstaff on the
Pacific coast fifteen thousand feet above
Sacramento City. The Declaration OF In
dependence ana poem were read. national
songs sung ana the day generally honored.
...There was the same talk in those
days as at present of the possible evacua-
ton of Rome by the Pope, on account of
the war raging at that time. The Pontiff
was reported, however, as being perfectly
calm and tranquil. H said to some visitors
one day " neither in Rome or in exile,
whether free or in prison, l am still the
same; and the yicissitudes OF war have no
alarms for me-.
......On the Slh of July the residence of
John Rooney at Brighton was destroyed by
fire. with its contents. Mrs. Rooney and
the children only were at home at the time.
and she placed the latter in safety and then
did her best to subdue the flames, but with
out success. Neighbors offered to erect a
new residence for Mr.. Rooney, but he de-
clined profIered aid, and was not long in
overcoming his loss.
......On the 9th of July David c. Brod-
erick addressed a large mass meeting at
Placerville, ct which James j. Green acted
as Secretary. Ii was one OF the longest and
most sensational speeches that Broderick
ever made on the stump, for he reviewed
his whole course in Congress, and severely
scourged the Administration Democracy.
1.-THE Sixth-street Methodist Church
in this city was dedicated on the 10th OF
July, 1859 The service was conducted and
the sermon preached by Bishop Pesrce, as
sisted by Rev. o. p. Fitzgerald and the
pastor, Rev Mr. Evans. About 81 ,00G was
collected toward the debt of the church.
1.-THE report of the Harbormaster fol
June. 1859, gives some idea of the CONNER
cial traffic By the river in those days Ar
rivals 81 schooners ~ sloops and steam
ers besides the daily passenger boats); re-
ceipts from all sources, 81. 4S2.
THE Grand Jury impaneled for the
Court of Sessions consisted of: w. w. La
than, A. J. Cope, II. S. Besls, Z. G. Gilbert
A. C. Sweetser, G. w. Wallace. w. H
Denice, David Maddox, George C. Haswell
VIM McDougal, Charles Croker, j. N
Wise. C. w. Newman, David Woods, Geo
W. Hopkins and Daniel Wellington.
....The soldiers under Captain Under
wood at Hooper valley, Humboldt county
wanted to celebrate the Fourth of July il
great style. so they made wooden cannon
with which TO fire salutes. At the first dis
charge the thing burst into splinters anC
John Hopkin was instantly killed.
Ahraharn X ppfer of Rriubt0n NJ IL.