The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-03-08
BEAUTY LYNCHED.
A Tragedy Of the Early Days Of
California Recalled.
JuAnlTA.s DEADLY VENGEANCE.
poekv uountaiu News

Rocky Mountain News
AT Downeyville. Cal. on July S. 1851. Was
enacted the most awful tragedy that has
ever stained the annals of California In
one OF the adobe houses there dwelt young
woman named Juanita. of the mixed Span
ish and Mexican race, and Of remarkable
beauty. As some American miners were
walking past her house late on the night OF
July 4. 1851, full Of patriotism and some
thing else . good deal stronger, one OF
their number. named Canaan, stumbled
against the light. r1dely constructed door.
and fell half inside the dwelling. As he
was helped 70 bis feet by his friends with
the words:
Hush come out, there's woman liv-
ing in that house." be picked up hand
kerchief or some such trifice from the floor.
His comrades got it away from him with
some difficulty and threw it back into the
house.
The next morning Canaan, sober now.
persuaded one of his companions OF the
night before to accompany him to Juanita's
house that he might apologize for the
slight disturbance he hac created there.
The woman's Spanish companion met
them at the door, appeared angry and
conversation was wholly in Spanish, of
which Cannan's friend was ignorant, he
could not tell what passed. Then the
woman herself came to the door. and
seemed even more angry than her male
companion.
Canaan. as it seemed to his friend. tried
to pacify them, and spoke in . conciliatcry
tone, but his words, whatever they were.
only increased the woman's anger, and be-
fore either of the Americans had the slight
est conception of her purpose she drew .
knife. rushed at Canaan, and plunged it
into his heart He fell dead a. her feet.
The citizens at once assembled. elected .
judge and jury, and proceeded to try the
woman and her male companion forthwith.
A imam named Thayer protested sgainst this
summary and illegal administration of
justice. but he was quickly silenced by the
crowd, who menaced him with death il he
did not keep quiet. and shouted themselves
hoarse with such cries as Hang the
Greaser deviisp "Give them a trialr'
mo, no: hang them now" "Give them q
trial first and then hang them."
This last compromise suggestion was ac-
cepted, and the trial began. The story OF
the previous nights trifling affair was
quickly told. Cannan's friends at ated
that there was no intention to insult or
annoy the weman, and that the occur
renee was wholly due to drunken mishap
and an insecure door. 1t was evident
that the woman's companion had no share
in the murder, and the man was, therefore,
permitted to 60 free. The woman's sole
defense was that Cannan's breaking into
her house at night and using insulting
language to her on the following morning
even if it were not she had been beside her.
self with rage at the time so as to be
wholly irresponsible.
The case was closed, and the jury. with
out wasting any time in elaboration,
promptly found the woman guilty of muir
der in the first degree, and sentenced her
to death. The sentence was carried out
that same afternoon. Juapita never lost
her composure or her cheerfulness. Sur
rounded by her friends, and chatting gayly
with them. she walked with firm. elastic
step to her death. Without q tear or
tremor she mounted the ladder to an i'm
provised scaffold. Her beautiful black hair
was neatly braided, and she was tastefulIy
and richly dressed.
Juanita made short speech, saying she
did not regret what she had done. as she
had merely inflicted well-deserved punish
ment upon man who had grossly insulted
her, and that if her life were to be spared
she would again act in precisely the same
way under the same provocation. With her
own hands she passed the moose over her
head and arranged the rope. Then, with q
graceful wave of her unbound hands and q
cheerful, "Adios, Senores." she sprang of
into ofavpfty