The record-union., 1891-01-18
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
Some of the Graves that Line Win
don's Trail in Ell Dorado.
The JEFF. Wilson and Jack Guinean
Duel Over in YoIo-Major Beau
mont's Pacific Republic.

considerable interest. The following ap-
peared recently from the pen of n.
Whittemore: years ago, when we first
went to the gold mines, we built our
cabin near a trail on the bank of a river
that runs to the west Where that cabin
once stood, and the country for miles
about is now rocky wilderness. The
jolly gold diggers of those old days sang
'We VIII All Go Home in the Spring
time of Year Not Far Away And this
they evidently did; at least they have
vanished from the old scenes of action.
Where have they all gone? Who can
tell? The winds of the mountain sing a
mournful dirge over the resting place of
many of them; their relatives may not
know what has been their fate"
Recalling his experiences along
many incidents connected Herewith, the
writer says: $50, you see there We're
many interesting things scattered along
this trail. Jack Windon had been
sailor-had been to many lands. His
former life was one of adventure and ro-
nance. He had been on many long voy-
ages over the wide ocean; but for some
years had lived here on a high hill, over
looking deep canyon. Wild mountains
and solitude were about him; n life of ad
venture stretched away in the past. /
was at his cabin several times, and have
heard him tell of the wonderlands he had
seen. But his journeys are all ended
now, for some years ago he sailed away
from Hte's ocean forever.
Near this trail are several lonely
graves. One is that of a Mrs. Brandon,
whose remains We're buried there thirty
or more years ago. One of her small
children, girl, planted two trees, one at
hA bon ftnlan t1,ot. NJ tl.a Foot Nft Il,
grave. They are now some sixty or
eighty feet in hight. The mild winds of
a sunny land sing through their ever
green boughs. Just beyond this place are
two other graves-one that of an old man
who was found dead in his cabin. The
grass has long waved over his resting
place and his cabin is gone, the rough
stone chimney alone standing, monu-
ment over his burial place.
Some thlrty-tiVe or more years ago
we had a mining claim not far from this
place-two other young men and myself.
Our camp was by mountain stream at
the foot of a large rock. The rock and
stream are there still, but the two young
men have passed away. One sleeps in Il
green valley in the Golden State, the
other rests east of the Sierras, in the
silver land
Beautiful is the land by the Pacific sea,
Many one has been to it's golden shore,
My journey there i'll youth long will remem-
hered be,
And we may go back to return no moreu
.......An amusing incident occurred at
the race-course in Yolo County, near
Washington, on the 14th of January. 1t
seems that jeff Wilson Qately deceased)
and Jack Guinean (also well known here)
had been drinking quite freely and got
into quarrel. 1t was arranged by their
friends that they should go over into Yolo
and settle the matter by fighting duel,
!, ln1l;
son selected Matt Beach of this city as his
second, and Guinean chose an honest
blacksmith of Washington to act in that
capacity for him. The news of the COM
ing hostile meeting soon spread about the
city, and a large crowd gathered at the
Yolo Park course to witness the duel.
The principals and their seconds shortly
afterward appeared on the ground, the
latter carrying a couple Of shotguns. the
weapons agreed upon for the battle Will
son and Guinean were placed fifty yards
apart and the guns put into their hands.
1t had been arranged that each should be
entitled to two ShotS-one from each bar
rein case neither fell at the first fire.
Everything being in readiness, the word
was given, and each man, with fire in
his eye and determination stamped on his
features" blazed away. Neither of them
fell, and it did not appear that anyone
was injured, either Then the duelists
no blood was spilled. By this time the
crowd had :'caught on'' to the joke-the
guns were loaded only with powder.
This turn of affairs produced so much
merriment that Wilson and Guinean both
forgot their quarrel, and at the suggestion
of their seconds shook hands, took drinks
from the same bottle, and left the scene
pledging eternal mutual friendship.
.........On the 10th of January, 1861, the
Republican citizens of Sacramento gave
complimentary dinner at the st. George
Hotel to the Republican members of the
Legislature then in session. Leland
Stanford presided, and the first toast he
offered was: ''rrhe Republican party
the great Union party of the country"
j. Mem. Shafter responded. Wilson
Flint responded to toast by Mr.. Fargo:
"Our Generous Hosts of Sacramento"
Charles Crocker offered the toast: "Abra-
ham Lineoln-South Carolina will find
in him second Jackson" There were
some men of brains at that gathering of
Republican Legislators = L. G. Phelps,
Shafter, e. B. Crocker, F. f. Fargo,
Wilson Flint, B. w. Hathaway, Judge
Campbell, I. B. Marshall, Cornelius Cole,
Charles Crocker and others who have
since become distinguished in State and
national affairs. Edgerton Conness,
Robert G. Clark and others. Douglas
Democrats, who afterward became Re-
publicans. were members of the Legisla-
IAre Lllen IN session, Dllt their politics eX-
cluded them from the dinner.
......... Major Duncan Beaumont, now of
this city, but at that time County Sur
veyor of San Joaquin, achieved consider
able notoriety by running up Bear
flag on a schooner ut Stockton, indicating
that the time had come because South
Carolina had decided to leave the Union)
to declare for Pacific Republic. Beau
mont's flag first caused general ridicule.
but after a few hours the Union men ali
over the town ran up their star -spangled
banners. An attempt was made to raise
the bear flag on land, but it was not per-
mitted. And the Pacific Republic did
not materialize.
.....There was great excitement at
San Quentin Prison on the afternoon of
January l6, 1861. Some thirty conyicts
attacked the guards and made desper-
ate fight for liberty. They caught
Lieutenant Governor Chellis, and held
him in front as a shield against the bull
lets of the officers, and came near sue
ceeding in making their escape. Six
prisoners Were killed, several wounded,
and few got away. Two of the guards
were wounded.
......... During the trial of the case of
WetZlar VS.. Hovey, in the District Court,
sensation was caused one day by jurors
II. S. Beals and Charles Duret informing
the court that attempts had been made
to brlbe them in favor of the defendant.
Neither juror knew the man who made
the offer to him. Duret said he was of
fered $50 if a favorable verdict should be
brought in. Judge McI<une instructed
the court officers to use every effort to de-
tect and arrest the would-be briber.
........Jesse Slaughter, the weil-known
colored whitewasher and landlord-on-an-
extensive scale. was the victim of a rob
berry one Sunday evening thirty years
ago. He was then living on L street be-
tween Fourth and Fifth, and a thief. en-