Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-06-23
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
JIM C0FFROTH AND JOE M'KIBBEN as
FIGHTERS AND DUELIsTs.
The Anti-Lecompton Convention-"BilI "
and "Al." Dudley-Lola Montez'
First Night in Sacramento.

The Anti-Lecompton State Convention
assembled in the Congregational Church
IN this city on June Is, 1859. 1t was
called to order by B. B. Redding, and II.
Fltzsimmons of Placer was elected Chair
Ferguson of Sacramento, C. H. Bryan of
1uba, Humphrey Griffith of Yolo, Charles
Kent of Nevada and c. belong of Yuba
were prominent members. Among others
who took active parts in the proceedings
was James O'Sullivan Ia delegate from Tu-
olumne county,, who recently died at the
Sacramento Hospital. George w. Whit
lock was Sergeant-at-Arms of the Conyen-
ton. The ticket nominated was : For
Governor, John Curry of Solano; Lieu
tenant-Governor, John CONFESS of Ell Do
RADIO; Treasurer, D. R. Ashley of Monterey;
Controller, George Pearce of Sonoma; Con-
gress (Northern DISTRICT, j. C. McKibben
of Sierra; Southern District, s. A. Booker
of San Joaquin; Surveyor General, James
s. Long of Butte; Superintendent of Public
instruction, A. H. Myers of Alameda; Su-
preme Judge, R. T. Sprague of Shasta;
Clerk of the Supreme Court, Joseph Powell
of Sacramento; Attorney General, E. K.
Steele OF Siskiyou; State Printer, John
O'Meara.
......On the day following the adjourn
ment OF the anti-Lecompton Convention.
J, q. Mckibben was dining at a Second
street restaurant when James w. Coffroth
entered. The latter was feeling sore over
his defeat for the Congressional nomina-
ton, and he severely criticised the dele
gates, declaring that they wore Broderick
collars, branded with a big letter B !"
Mchibben told him he must not talk that
way about his friends, and Coffroth re-
peating his language, McKibben knocked
him down. Cotfroth promptly challenged
Mcklbben to a duel, and the challenge was
accepted. 1t had been agreed that the duel
should take place at Nye's ranch. on the
Marysvllle road, about twenty miles from
Sacramento, IN Suffer county. McKibben
and his seconds were on the ground
promptly, and also Humphrey Griffith,
Richard Irwin and other friends of Coffroth,
The latter not showing up, the party left
the grounds in different directions, McKib-
ben remaining at the house of friend
near by. Cottroth meantime had been ar
rested as ne was leaving the city, which
accounted for his failure to put in an an
pearance. When arrested he was in com.
pany with E. ]. Sanders in buggy, on his
way to Nye's ranch. He was bound over
to keep the peace.
.....Pohtlcs was becoming very warm
about that time. On the day following the
Cotfroth MCKibben fiasco b. C. Whiting
met Colonel r. n. Snowden at Fourth and
streets and the latter at once commenced
TRADE of sbuse of Broderick. Whiting
resented it, and they came to blows
Snowden drew the first blood by a whack
on Writings nose and the latter went at
MS adversary with cane. Snowden took
1t away from him and would doubtless
have injured Whiting seriously had not
ohcer McGIory arrested them both
......E 4. u. Waite and 7. B. Mcfarland
(the latter now on the Supreme bench)
were among the more prominent movers in
an attempt in Nevada county to organize
State Peoples party.
IA. P. Dudley of Calaveras was in
dorsed by the Lecnmption Convention of
that county for Governor. His brother w.
Ia. dudley now prominent Stockton law
YER then belonged to the other wing of the
democracy, and in later years became. with
the grea, mass of the followers of Douglas,
a Republican, while "Al" staid with the
Democrats. Often they followed one an
other on stumping tours through the min
ing towns, and the tongue lashings they
INDUCED IN were source of great amuse-
ment TO their hearers Many of the read
ers of the UNION will recall the story that
each would tell on the other about the
drunken man they encountered by the
roadside while en- route to 8 Joint Repub-
hcan and Democratic gathering. Pulling
up their horse this was AIS" story they
undertook TO arouse the sleeping topper,
and hnally succeeded, so far as his condi-
ton would permit. 'Tll go dollar, Bill. >
said Al, that he's Republican" "Done!'
said the other, for I'm dead sure he's a
Democrat Say, what's your politics ?''
Queried Al, holding up the fellows head
The latter half opened his eyes, while his
chin rested on his stomach, and rather in
coherently answered: Yer shee, Chic)
boss, know l (hic) hev all (hic) Their symp.
toms Nv Dem (hic) -ocrisy, but (hic) I'm a
he-l hlcl publican" This story would be
told with variations wherever they went.
:.....Ssn Francisco thought it was some
thing TO boast of that an omnibus ran out
Folsom street to the Mission Dolores twelve
times day, leaving the Plaza Washing.
ton and hearny streets) every half hour
Also, that stage left the Plaza every day
for San jose, and that line of buses LEFT
every hour, by Mission street. for the west.
ern subarbs. Now elegant cable and horse,
cars run every half-minute on scores o.
streets. and even to the ocean beach.
......Mlss Davenport was drawing grea
houses in New York in Charlotte Cor
day. Wallack, who had then been on the
stage for forty years, was al the hight o.
his popularity in the Empire City. The
Gougenheim Sisters, who later visited Cali
fornia, had taken Laura Keene's theatel
for the summer of 1859. Sothern haC
gone to Halifax; Frank Drew was plavins
IN Chicago; Pauncefort was at New Bed
ford Mrs Harry Sinclair, also well. known
to Calto7nlans, was starring in Memphis
Billy Florence and wife were in st. Louis
playing " a Night with the Ballet :" Barry
Sullivan was at Philadelphia Bouccicaul
was preparing TO build new theater il
New York city at Fourteenth street anC
Fourth avenue; Matilda Heron was in Du
buque, Ia and Steve Massett g. Jeeme.
Pipes, OF Pipesville' W so well known t
Sscramentans, was telling stories and sing
ing songs in New Orleans. The gay ole
curly-headed Bohemian is now in Eu
rope, eating good dinners and amusing the
guests, as of yore. There are still few
families in Sacramento whose latch-strinsl
ever hang out for Steve Massett, and he i.
liable TO drop in upon them anv day
Massett Host his best hold" however
when the Booth State Administration
closed down. Romualdo Pacheco's hom,
al Odu quentin was maven OF res
to the sweet singer, musician and elocu
zionist; and when he had entertained anC
delighted the guests there for few weeks
he would drop in upon Governor Newton
Booth, at the latter's elegant and estheti
home on Front street. Next mis- " grip
would be deposited in the hallway of Sec
rotary OF State Drury Malone's residenc,
(the present home OF the Birdsalls) a
Ninth and H streets, who always had
group of pleasant guests to be entertained
Massett's accomplishments are many ant
varied. He can write a song or set work
to music without a moments notice, ant
then sing aud play them himself and b.
is splendid elocutionist, His favorite rec
itaton is " The Vagabond," or Roger ant
l." If the writer is not in error, Masselt i
the author of the words and music of on
OF Parepa Rosa's sweetest ballads" How
sweet the hour when daylight dies, AM
sunset melts along the silent sea, etc.
1.-The Eastern papers were publishing
extracts from book just issued by on
Mlska Hauser, in which he described tn
first appearance of Lola Montez before tn
footiights in Sacramento. He stated tina
as soon as Lola began to dance the audienc
began to howl, and the more she persiste,
the more uproar the men made She sud
denly stopped, came to the footlights, ant
with flashing eye and excited gestur