The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-14

lessly looking about inc. my eyes were ar
rested by the sight of an individual that
sent thrill of excitement through my
whole system. 1t was the very man whose
supposed bones L had helped to bury in
the Shasta foothills. | stood spellbound
for time, but finally went out into the
open air convinced that could not be mis-
taken. 1t was the Shasta horsethief and
not his ghost.
/ fell in with Captain Tim Maxey, then
the City Marshal of Sacramento, and told
the whole story.
Come to my Office" said Captain Tim:
Then we examined his books and found
that $1,000 reward had been offered for the
arrest of either of these robbers.
Met let US 60 back to the FL Dorado, said
l WAS little excited; but we got back to
the gambling-house in short order. |
pointed out my men to MaXey. He looked
at him ixedly for a long time and then
said, slowly:
He's no thief. Ii he were, and has
gone through what you describe | would
not arrest him if the reward was five
times as much as it is Say nothing
more about this business"
looked at Maxey in amazement Think
OF police officer letting 5000 slip through
mPnti
However. L followed his advice. and said
nothing more about the affair, excepting to
the man himself some time afterward.
II happened one day that l was about TO
BOARD the boat at Sacramento leaving for
San francisco. when K. Skee2s, proprietor
of the Ell Dorado gambling-rooms, in
tIodueed me to Mr.. -, who was also on
MS way to the bay. l knew him at once,
though time had made changes. We nat
uraily Tell into conversation and got quite
cnummy. l knew him TO be an educated
gentleman and genial, whOle-souled fell
w. IA tive tha n
terlstlcs of many of our professional gam
piers in those days. After talking with
MN ior some hours and when l thought L
could safely do so ] asked him in a casual
way II he had ever been in Shasta.
can never forget the look of horror 10
the mans eyes as he fixed them on my
lace. After giaring at me for some time
ne answered in low tone:
Yes; what do you know?"
Selng moved by his trepidation candidly
t9iI MIN all had seen and knew.
MS chin Tell upon his chest, and after |
mad finished he responded in voice as
holIgw as II 1t came from the grave:
es. alb. yes; what you say is all true.
| am the man;" and then added quickly,
mad nothing to do with stealing that
Dand oil stock. though. | accidentally fell
IN with the fellow who did steal them, and
being broke and desperate was easily per-
suaded 10 help him get them into the noun
talns, where we were to divide the pro-
ceeds 81 the sale. By the time we got to
Shasta, however, / had repen ted, and de-
termined TO abandon him. This was the
cause OF The row in which | was SHOT"
lie paused for moment, as if overcome
by the recollection of the scene, and then
resumed:
Il knew by the conversation of the doc
tor and OF all around me that | was ex-
perted TO die at any time: but l felt per.
suaded L was not going to give up the
ghost, In fact | had but little pain, and
never lost consciousness during all of that
awful thirty-six hours. My only fear was
that my strength would fail me and my
escape be thus prevented"
Didn't you lose heart when the Sheriff
arrested you?"
Not at all. When | knew that the
oherlH was asleep and that | must 90
then or never, l left with his shirt, coat,
revolver aud money, about $50, all of
winch took as matter of self. preserva-
ton. and sprang to the ground and struck
out across the hills for-I knew OF where.
When morning broke / found myself in
the midst oil a little tribe of poor, miser-
able Digger Indians. Thoroughly ex-
nausted, fell prone 10 the earth, and for
the first time lost cons ciousness. On com
ing TO myself found the Diggers had
removed me TO little hut half under
ground, whsre l lay | don't know for how
long; but it must have been many weeks.
Ihey DID all they could for me, nv money
ehaoibR tneip 10 OBTAIN food and other
necessaries from the neighbOring village
OF MiddetOwn. AT last | was well and
gradually made my way to Sacramento.
where having learned something of the
business when a youth in the Mexican
war, / went to dealing in furs. Now, how
ever. have quit ii, and am determined to
get into some legitimate business or
starve."
SO we parted. Ten years afterward
continued the Senator. l met this man in
one OF the most flouriShing interior cities,
occupying high public position, and held
in great public estimation. Two years ago
he died, rich, respected and hon ored by
the whole community
So goes the world. commented the Soma
Tor. as he scratched a match 10 relight his
cigar that had gone out during his talk
e. II. b.