Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-24
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
OLD JOHN BROWN ON TRIAL FOR HIS
HARPER's FERRY RAID.
A Yirginian Who Didn't Believe in
Thanksgiving-Wh Lincoln
Town Got Its Start.

character of Brown. For instance, when
the prosecution offered to introduce evil
dence as to the identity of the prisoner, the
old man spoke up and said he would Iden-
tify himself and save all that trouble. He
was ready, ne said, to face the music. Sew
eraI witnesses who had been called for the
defense failed to appear, and an effort had
been made to show that he was insane,
when Brown slowly arose from the couch
wherein ne had been reclining, because of
his wounds. He was evidently excited and
suffering great pain, but he kept his feet
and addressed the Court as follows: Per
sons who claim to be friends of mine, have
caused il to be said that am insane, in the
hope of saving me from punishment.
look upon it as a miserable artiice, and
view it with contempt more than other
wise. Insane persons, so far as my expert
ence goes, have but little ability to Judge of
their own sanity; and if l were insane, of
course I would think | knew more than
all the rest of the world. But l do
not think so. | am perfectly uncon-
scious Of insanity, and l reject, so far
as l am capable, any attempt to interfere
in my behalf on that score" Speaking of
the failure of witnesses to appear, he said
" May it please the Court, l discover-not-
withstanding all the assurances 1 have had
that nothing like a fair trial is to be
given me. l gave in the names of these
witnesses, but they have not been subpe-
naed. 1 ask, therefore, that the proceedings
go over until tomorrow, for have counsel
upon whom l feel l cannot rely, and am
in hopes that counsel may arrive tonight
from the North who will see that necessary
witnesses for the defense are summoned.
l have nobody to do an errand for me, as
ali my money was taken from me when l
was knocked down and stabbed, and
have not dime left. l have no way of
sending word to witnesses, and ask at
least until tomorrow to have chance to
do something. If not, l am ready for any
thing that may come up" The old man
lay down, drew his blanket over him and
sank into tranquil slumber. His counsel
(appoinlsd by the Court, was John Minor
Bolts, the Virginia fre-eater, and he at
once resigned from the case, which was
then continued till the following day.
......There was a small-sized riot on the
10Th Of November at the Franklin hay
yard on ] street, between Eleventh and
Twelfth, in this city. The property was
claimed by Mr.. and Mrs. Seymour, pro-
prietors of the Ben Franklin House, and
they leased it to one Charles Patterson.
Another party who claimed to own part
of the properly, had Patterson enjoined
from paying rent to the Seymours. Patter
sons lease expired on the 10th, and the
Pattersons let the premises to two other
parties. Being determined to place the
latter in possession, they 5arricaded the en-
~ III nj
then appeared on the scene, and q lively
but bloodIess war ensued. The Attorney
General and several policemen were on the
ground. The Seymours were arrested for
malicious mischief, as were also William
Caldwell and Charles Patterson, J. B. Ross
and another person for disturbing the
peace.
"A correspondent of the SUNDAY
UNION writes: Being very much interested
in the Thirty eaIs-Ago' column of your
Sunday issue, and having read of several
deaths of the residents in 1859. l am re-
minded that in that year ION October 10th)
John Rivett, much respected merchant
and pioneer of this city, died in England of
consumption. He was in Sacramento in
August, in 1S49, and soon after opened
paint and oil store on K street, near Sec
ond, which he continued to carry on till his
the firm Of Rivett & Co., afterward Fuller
& Heather, and still later Whittier Fuller
81 Co. MIR. Rivett returned to England in
1858.
In the theatrical world these person
ages were being talked of: Julia Dean
Hayne was playing in st. Louis and draw
ing large audiences, and was followed by
James E. Murdoch Laura Keene was
playing "a Wife's Secret" in New York.
...... Barney Williams and wife were doing
well ct Niblo's...... Edwin Forrest was TAX
ing rest from his labors......Mrs. John
Wood was playing at John Owens theater
in New Orleans......W. Z. Sheridan was
under engagement at Pixies Opera House,
Cincinnati Sothern was then playing
his Lord Dundreary," and had sued Laura
Keene for breach of contract.
IA well-known Secramentan was
going ABOARD the San Francisco boat
loaded down with luggage, as if he were to
be away some time, when he was met by
friend who asked him why he didn't stay
to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Why"
said the departing citizen, I'm Virglnian,
and we uns don't believe in Thanksgiv-
ing" Why is that-because you have
nothing to give thanks for?" mo, 1t
isn't that, it's because land the speaker
drew himself up haughtlly) it's an institu-
ton not recognized by the Constitution OF
the United States, and is net incorporated
in the resolutions of '9S !"
1.-THE town of Lincoln, Placer county,
had just been laid out, and the first sale OF
lots took place in Sacran ento on November
23d. L. E. Eyre was the auctioneer;;
Among the Sacramentans who purchased
lots were Jerome C. Davis, E. D. Shirland,
J. r. Watson, George I. Bromley, M.
Hubbard, George W. Chesley, f. 7. john
son, A. P, Catlin, c. Chandler, 7. Foley,
G. Cheney, E. NJ. Hall, D. W. Earl. J.
Norris, Stockton & Cooyer, Paschal Cog
gins D. Conrad, Horace Kilham and
others. Some purchased many lots, the
price of which ranged all the way from $50
to $3.50
49,. The Suffer Rifles elected as officers:
z. L. Eyre, Captain; Charles ]. Torbert,
First Lieutenant; d. Morgan, Second Lieu
tenant; John c. Keegsn, Orderly Sergeant
John E. Doyle, Second Sergeant; Thomas
Roberts, Third Sergeant; Robert Hamil-
ton, Fourth Sergeant; - Murphy, Quar-
termsster Sergeant; Michael O'Meara,
First Corporal; W. A. Cameron, Second
Corporal: l. Irwin, Third Corporal; j. Mar
shall, Fourth Corporal; s. j. Cassini, Re
cording Secretary; D. Yoscham, Financial
Secretary; Robert Hamilton, Treasurer.
W. A. Bartlett, of San Francisco,
having stated that be pulled the press for
the first printed sheet ever Issued in that
CITY, and wrote the first editorial ever
printed there" Samuel Brannan came out
with a strong denial. He said he printed
the first paper, the Star, on the 9th day OF
January, 1917, and did all the work him.
self, with the aid of John Eager. The old
press afterward went to Sacramento and
The Placer Times was printed on it. After
going through a heavy fire, it found its
way to the foundry at Plymouth, Amador
county.
"A good story vas being told of
PROM nent Sacramentan who had gone
East on a visit after an absence OF nine
years. Among the thousand and one
things be was asked was as to the quality
of the water out here. We'll, there" he
replied, II thought probably someone
mieht ask me about that, SO Just before
left l took q drink of it. The water was
fairly good"
-. Henry Shipley, formerly editor OF the
Oregon Weekly Times, committed suicide IN
this city on the 18th of November. 1So9.
He was a graduate of Amherst college,
Massachusetts, and was q druggist before
he entered journalism. For some time ne
was reporter on the State journal, puo-
lished by 8. B. Redding & Co. in this city.
ION the night of November 18th the
old prison brig was sunk at the foot OF
street, and lively time was had in trans
ferring the thirty-three prisoners. The