Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-10
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
TWO STAGE ROBBERS KILLED BY SAC
RAMENTo OFFICERS.
Fate of the Big Tree at Eighth and J
streets-The Hall-Bently Fight
at Folsom-Etc.

y
ago between BILLY" Mulligsn, formerly of
Sacramento. and French Count, and
which came near resulting in duel. That
is, the parties repaired to the place selected
for the duel, but the Count showed the
white feather. The real cause of the diff
Guilty, as explained by friend of Mr..
Muligan in this city, was this: Mulligan
and the Count had been friends, and
formed part of group that had gathered
at fashi enable hotel in New York city
one evening. The Frenchman, who had
imbibed considerable wine, made an insult
ing remark concerning American ladies in
general, and it was allowed to pass by all
present except the gallant Sacramen.an.
Mulligan, although small of stature, was
noted for his bravery and gallantry. No
man was big enough to make
him tamely submit to an insult
offered either to himself friend,
or even a defenseless stranger. John L.
Sullivan himself could not have imposed
an indignity upon him without having to
fight. When the Frenchman made the in
sulting remark referred to, Mr.. Mulligan
quietly drew the kid glove from his right
hand, walked up to the traducer of Ameri-
can women, and in the presence of large
number of gentlemen slapped him on the
mouth with it. This, of course, meant q
duel, and the preliminaries were duly ar
ranged, but the Count was not made of the
same stuff that Mulligan was, and backed
down at the last moment. Billy Mulligan
doubtless had some faults, as most men
have. He was an active politician, and
trained with class of men who in more
recent years have been known as "stal-
warts" or machine men-those who put
up conventions and manipulate primary
elections. But he was gentlemanly in his
intercourse with his fellow-men, an ex-
quisite in the matter of dress. and as brave
a little man as ever walked. Those who
knew him best have only good words to
say of Billy Mulligan.
r...There are many farmers and vine
yardists who claim the quail destroys their
crops. So also thought an Illinois farmer
thirty years ago, but he had a grain of
sense in his hard old head, and quietly con-
cluded to watch the quail and study their
habits. He observed a small covey COM
menciDg at one side of the field, taking
about five rows, following them regularly
through the field, scratching and picking
about every cornhill till they came to the
other side of the field, then taking another
five rows on their return, and thus continu-
ing until he thought he had lost corn
enough. So he got his gun and fired into
the covey, killing one. Then he examined
the ground. On all the ground they had
been over he found but one stalk of corn
disturbed; that was scratched nearly out of
the ground, but the kernel was still fast to
the stock. Then he examined the quail,
fv,i 20 l. hr1k0 ot1f
twenty-one striped vine-bugs, and one
hundred chintz- bugs that still retained
their individuality, mass apparently con-
sisting of hundreds of chintz-bugs, but not
one kernel of corn This little episode is
respectfully dedicated to some of our intel
hgent farmers to-day, who-if they see
covey of quails in garden or vineyard
declare that the birds are destroying their
truck. The truth is, the quails feed on
bugs, and not on fruit.
THE UNION of October 8th contained
the following obituary notice of the "Big
Tree" at the corner of Eighth and streets,
one of the oldest city landmarks: 1.-The
big tree which had stood erect on the
northeast corner of Eighth and streets for
many years-beyond the recollection of
the oldest resident of the city-fell about
4 o'clock yesterday of its owD accord,
having rotted through, Rev. ]. A. Ben
ton, in California Pilgrim says that bad
whisky killed it, whereas it was killed in
1852 by brine from butter-casks. The old
pioneer fell southerlv across street, nearly
blockading the passage way, and struck
between two passing teams, either of which
it would have crushed had it struck it.
The tree was one of the handsomest in the
city up to 1852, when some of its branches
were cut off, and in the great fire of that
year it suffered further loss. Many of our
Oldest residents, when they gaze on the
old corner, will perhaps be reminded of
the lapse of time by the absence of the old
familiar landmark"
1.-THE stage from Todd's Valley for
Sacramento was stopped on the 6th OF
November By four masked robbers. The
stage contained but one passenger, M. J.
Fulton, two Sacramento policemen Daniel
G. Gay and G. P. 0'Nei), and consider
able quantity of bullion. The officers bad
got wind of the proposed robbery and went
out TO accompany the stage for the purpose
of protecting it, When the robbers de-
manded the treasure-box the officers
opened fire upon them and killed two,
Mexican and an American, wounding
third. Some twenty shots were exchanged.
...Apropos of the pending bond suits
against Sacramento city, thirty years ago,
Mr.. Lamar, of Georgia, had sued this city
on these old bonds, and the UNION, re-
ferring thereto said: The suits instituted
in the United States Court against the city
of Sacramento upon some of her old bonds,
that the holder doesn't like to fund.- will
bring up some novel points for adjudica-
ton. The bonds were issued under the
old charter, and that instrument contained
a provision which exempted all the prop
erty of the city from sale under execution.
If Mr. Lamar obtains a judgment We do
not exactly see how he is going to collect 1t
by legal process. He would do better to
fund and quietly pocket his six per cent.
interest"
......There was some local excitement
caused on the Sth of November by the sud-
den disappearance of James S. Jameson,
Clerk of the County Court, who proved to
be heavily in debt to many Sacramento
citizens. He left letter for Frank Den
ner, partner of h. Wachhorst, in which he
made several requests concerning the dis
position of his effects, and said he was
going East. He abandoned young wife,
and was thought to have been defaulter
in large sum to the county.
Milton S. Hall and George Bently
had desperate fight at Folsom. Hall had
previously had trouble with o. @. Lewis,
the village lawyer, and was in an ugly
mood, when he visited Bently & Camps
bowling alley. He had a cobblestone
wrapped in a handkerchief, and told
Bently he intended to use it on Lewis if
the latter should assault him. Then
Bently and Hall got into row, and Bently
stabbed the latter severely.
...... The San Joaquin Republican was
calling attention to the great wine-produc-
ing possibilities in store for California, and
prophecied that in fifty years she would
have as great wine commerce as France.
The argument was also advanced that pure
California wine would be the means of re-
deeming the country from intemperance by
providing "a national temperance drink"
to supersede the rank alcoholic decoctions
sold as liquor.
DIR. Hardness spirited horse caused
a lively commotion ON K street, near Third,
one day by dashing with buggy attach
menu into a crowd of vehicles that had
gathered in front of the Sacramento Mar
ket, including swill wagon. There was a
general smashup and stampede, the cargo
of swill cutting a very prominent figure in
the affair.
Confidence Engine Company, No. l,
elected these officers: Foreman, w. b.
Hunt; First Assistant, A. j. Rhoads; Sec
ond Assistant. G. W. Langville; Recording
Secretary, John F. Crawford; Financial
Secretary lanes lansing. Treasurer, James