The record-union., 1891-07-18
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
An Early Day Scene in the Village of
CoIoma.
Jim Mace's Victory Over the Giant
Hurst-Governor Downey Has
Street Fight-NIinor Notes.


viii bring back to many an old miner
recouections of similar ones in which he
participated:
The principal street of Coloma was alive
with crowds of moving men, passing and
repassing, laughing, talking, and all ap-
pearing in the best of humor. Negroes
from the Southern States staggering in
The expansive feeling of runaway free
dom; mulattoeS from Jamaica trudging
arm-in-arm with Kanakas from Hawaii;
Peruvians and Chileans claiming affinity
with the swarthier Mexicans French
men, Germans and Italians fraternlZlng
with one another and with the cockney
fresh from the purlleus of st. GILES; an
Trishman with the dewdrop still in his
eye, tracing relationship with the ragged
australian; Yankees from the Penobscot
chatting and bargaining with the genial
Oregonians; a few Celestials scattered
here and there, their pigtails and conical
hats recalling the strange pictures that
took my boyish fancy while studying the
geography of the East; last of all, few
indians, the only indigenous creatures
among all these eXotics.
1t was a scene that no other country
could ever initiate. Antipodes Of color,
race, religion, language, government,
condition, size, capability, strength and
morals were there, within that small vii
lage in the mountains Of California. all
impressed with but one purpose, impelled
with but one desire.
group Of half a dozen Indians es-
pecially attracted my attention. They
were struttiug about in all the glory Of
newly acquired habiliments; but with
this distinction-that one suit Of clothes
was sufficient to dress the whole crowd.
The largest and best-looking Indian had
appropriated the hat and boots, and with
out other apparel walked about as
proudly as any city clerk. Another was
n m M of ma 10 A
third spOrted nothing but white shirt
with rutiled bosom. \ fourth Haunted
blue sWallow-tailed coat beSpangled with
immense brass buttons. a fifth was
decked with fiashy vest; while the
sixth had nothing but a red bandana,
which was carefully wrapped around his
neck. Thus what would scarcely serve
one white man just as effectually accom-
modated six Indians.
The street was one continuous din
Thlmble-riggers, French monte Dealers
Or strlng-game tricksters We're shouting
aloud at every corner. six ounces,
gentlemen; no one can tell where the lit
tie joker Is ~ or, "Bet on the lack; the
jacks the winning card Three ounces
10 man can turn up the Jack ~ or Here's
the place to get your money back The
VerIJable string game! Here il goes
Three, six, twelve ounces no one can put
his finger in the loop!" But rising above
all this ceaseless clamor was the shrill
voice of a down-east auctiOneer, VINO
perched on large box in front OF very
small canvas booth, was disposing Of the
various articles in the shebang behind
MIN, ''all at bargain"
.........!t is now thirty years since jim
Mace, the English pugilist, won noto-
riety by nearly humping the life out of
Hurst, the giant pugilist and wrestler
Hurst stood six feet three inches III hight
ana weighed 224 pounds, while Mace
was only five feet seven inches and
his weight but ~ pounds.
The London Times, in its account OF
the fight, said that III looking at Hurst
as he stripped for the fray, his massive
proportions and the evidences Of tremen-
d0Es strength, as the theWS and sinewS
crept and rolled with every movement,
people felt kind of fascinating terror,
which changed 10 sickening apprehension
Tor the fate of the pigmy who had dared
such Colossus TO combat.
Everybody thought that Mace would
surely be killed, although he was known
10 be the most scientific pugilist in Eng
land, and no doubt he would have been
killed if ever the giant Hurst had hit
him. They fought twelve rounds, with
bare knuckles, and the Times report
says 1t was a sickening sight. After a
little 'hddling' Mace found that his op-
ponent could not hit him, and then he
commenced his work.
-
perfect jelly, and his gore covered the
ring, his adversary and the seconds. So
great was HurStS strength and en-
durance, however, that he blindly stag
gered from his corner at each round in an
endCavOr TO get hold of Mace or to hit
him. Bat he never once touched him.
The punishment he received from the lit
lie man was spoken of as horrible and
sicbening beyond description"
Mace Is still III the business, and only a
few months ago had the temerity to meet
Charley Mitchell, the champion boxer of
England, who has twice met John L.
Sullivan and stood him off each time
Mace never stipulated at what weight his
opponents should fight. Although almost
IN the lightweight class, he barred no
man. and FOR more than twenty years
met and defeated the biggest and best
men in the ring.
Nowadays men fight only in their
.claSs,' and some Of them haggle over q
half-pound extra weight. But there are
not many Maces in the ring, although
there are lots OF big bcefy giants like
Hurst who call themselves prize-fighters.
The San Andreas Iudepeadeat,
published by George Armour and O. NJ.
Ciayes, with Samuel Seabough as editor,
was removed to Stockton in July, 1861,
where the paper is still published as a
daily. The Independent had great in
iuence in its section in those days, its
editorials on the war and the political
situation being widely read.
Some years afterward Armour sold out
his interest in the paper to 0. NJ. ClayeS,
WHO became State Printer In 1865 Clayes
sold out to A. c. BeritzhofT, \. +. White
and II. NJ. Clays, and removed to San
francisco, having purchased an interest
IN the IH0. Seabough went with him as
editor Of the latter paper. Three years
latter Clayes repurchaSed the I1depc1d-
Ci't, and Seabough came 10 Sacramento as
editor of the UNION.
When the UNION was merged with the
RECORD Seabough returned TO San Fran
cisco and did editorial work for several of
The leading dailies and married there.
lie died about seven years ago. The IN
dependent has had several different own
ors since 1865. Armour remained in Chi
cago Beritzhoff died a few years since,
ana ClaycS is now a composltor on the
san francisco Post.
........ Professor Charles Winter of this
city was thirty years ago recognized as
the leading resident pianist of the State.
lie Is Stlll here, where he has ever since
pursued his profession as 4 teacher of the
piano, and although for some years suf-
Jerer from rheumatism, he has even now
few equals as an Instructor.
" hen asked the other evening how the
warm summer weather was treating him,
the pioneer Professor Che is a genuine
Jorty -mnerl declared he felt like young
coli and seriously contemplated opening
a dancing school. The crowding years
have not yet frosted the pioneers brown
locks, nor soured his old-time genial ma
ture The Professor is "stiiI in it,,
and bids fair to outlast many of the
youthful "bloods."