The herald., 1893-06-18
MuRlErTAs REVOLVER.
A Weapon which Has Caused Many Z
Death.

Weapon which Has Caused Many a
Death.
There is now in this city, says the
Stockton Mail, weapon which, if it
could give articulate utterances, might
tell tales of love and war, of outlawry
and blood, which would surpass the
widest imaginings of Rider Haggsrd.
The gun itself is, nothing more than
an old-fashioned muzzle-loading Colts
revolver. 1t ia covered in spots with
rust and clay, hardened almost into
stone. The bullets are still visible in it's
chambers, and the caps are In place
upon the nipples, but the lock is 80
rusted that nothing can draw back the
hammer nor cause the charges to ex-
plode. In fact, it looks as though it
had been buried for years. So, indeed,
it has, and but for scarce visible in
scription and because OF the circum-
stances of its resurrection it would be
hardly worthy of notice.
Up in Salt Spring valley, in Calaveras
county, is gulch known as Bear cafion,
and in this gulch is solitary tree be-
meath which Joaquin Murietta. the
famous bandit of the sos, made his
headquarters.
1t was here the gun was found. Often
before now had the ground in the vicin-
ity been dug over by searchers for hid
den treasure, but without result. Re-
Gently, however, two men resumed the
search, and by them the weapon was
discovered. 1t was in small cache
formed of fiat stones. One side had
fallen in, and the soil washed by the
winter rains had filled the opening.
Beside the gun was found a sheath for a
knife and q primitive belt of sole
leather. A few old Mexican coins of
nominal value were also secured.
Trapper Smith. well-known charsc-
ter of Calaveras county, secured the
weapon and sent it to Mesers. Campbell
and Newman OF this city. The inscrip-
tion spoken of is faint 81 M" or ~
NJ" scarcely visible through the rust,
and from this, as we'll as from the place
where it wss found, comes the supposi-
tion that the weapon was once the prop
erty of the bandit.
Joaquin Murietta was once promi-
nent figure along the San Joaquin in
early days. For a few years be main
tanned reign ofHterror over the valley
and it was only after he had been shot
by Harry Love and his head had been
taken from his body and exhibited
throughout the length and breadth of
the valley that anything like confidence
WAS restored.
Like Sontag and Evans. Murietta was
hunted by many men. Like the Visalia
outlaws, he sent many of his purauers
TO tihe grave.
Early in the fifties he was arrested on
a minor charge. He asserted his inno-
cence but Was tried and convicted by
q jury composed of Americans. He paid
the penalty--a light one-but an undy-
ing enmity to the Americans was born
in bis Mexican heart. 1t was case of
give dog q bad name and hang him,
for Murietta, incurring a bad reputation,
though innocent, as was afterwards
proved, swore he would deserve 1t and
took to the hills. A band of savage
men gathered about him, and during his
short career outrages were numerous.
One OF his victims was Thomas Bell, a
courageous officer and crack shot, who
had the misfortune to be captured and
hanged by the bandit.
Murietta was finally killed by a posse
of three who surprised him on the upper
San Joaquin. Three-Fingered Jack, a
notorious desperate belonging to the
band, was killed at the same time.
Murietts's head and the hand from
which the Lesser desperado received his
sobriquet were severed from their
bodies and brought to Stockton in a
gunny-sack. After being exhibited
throughout the country they were taken
to San Francisco. where they are now
to be seen, preserved in alcohol, in a
museum.