The record-union., 1893-08-02

Petit Of SacramentoI
/ In the tall of 1850, when [ was engaged
in mining upon Spanish Bar, on the
Middle Fork of the American River, in
III Dorado County, a rumor one day
reached our camp that over on the North
Fork sack containing 1000 in gold
dust was a few nights before stolen from
! a miners tent, and that a young man
named HamiIton-whom l knew at his
home in Wisconsin. where he was well
connected-was suspected of being the
guilty party.
The report was Of more than usual in
terest from the fact that in those days in
the mines the penalty was hanging for
stealing. Taken altogether the report
caused me a deal of anxiety. But l did
not long remain in suspense, for a few
days thereafter a friend of mine named
Hunt, who was lawyer, called on me.
He said he was mining over on the North
Fork Of the American River, and came
over to take look at our mines, of which
he had heard so much.
In answer to my INQUIRY he said
he knew Hamilton. The latter had been
stopping at a public house on the Au-
| burn road which lead TO the mines above.
! Hamilton was in the habit of visiting
| their camp on the river, and sometimes
played game of poker with the boys.
ON the morning the dust was missing it
was learned that Hamilton also had gone,
and suspicion at once rested upon him,
miners meeting was called and
committee appointed to go to San Fran
cisco, where they thought they would be
the most likely TO find the one wanted, as
he would probably endeavOr to leave the
State hV a StnafnnT Whan thaSa
reached the city Hamilton was one of the
| first men they met. They at once ar
rested him, and the stolen dust was found
upon him.
They Immediately started on their re-
turn, and reached camp with their pris-
oner on the second day, shortly before
night. The miners were again called to-
gether, and jury impaneled, with Judge
Lynch on the bench, and the trial was at
once proceeded with.
Judge Hunt volunteered his services to
defend the prisoner, but Notwithstanding
his best efforts Hamilton was convicted
ana sentenced to be hanged that night.
Il earnestly protested" " said Mr.. Hunt.
"and begged of them to spare the mans
lie, Tor few hours, at least, so that he
might write home to his aged parents and
/ be given little time in which 10 prepare
for his terrible fate. [ at length succeeded
IN having the execution postponed until
sunrise the next morning.
Tho question then arose as to who
1 would guard the condemned man during
the night. After a long discussion | sue
| ceeded in having the prisoner placed in
my charge for sate-keepIng until morn
"Along about o'clock in the night
when every body was sound asleep and the
camp mad become still,' continued the
attorney, Il brought my prisoner his
coat, hat and boots and said to him: DO
you put these things on and leave camp
as last as you can get away, and don't
! liye.'"
And turning to the writer he said:
Don't, for your life, mention this to any
one. If those miners over on the North
Fork should learn Of it l would swing
from the same limb upon which Hamil-
ton was to have been hanged"
/ believe Hamilton took Mr.. Hunt at
his word, for when L returned to the
States two years later his family had
heard no tidings of him.
THE PRoVERBIAL MEANEsr MAN.
There were two deaths on the bar while
l remained there, one of which resulted
from the effects of poison oak. The other
case was that of a young man who died
OF fever. We made a box for him out OF
some rough boards, which were cut with
a whp-Saw, which we We're fortunate
enough to find in camp. We dug his
grave III little nat on the side of high
mountain that overlooked our camp.
W hen we came to place the remains in
the rude coffin we were a good deal sur
prised to find that the two silver half
dollars which we had placed upon the
dead mans eyes We're missing. The
proverblal meanest man on earth, who, it
Is said, steals the coppers off dead mems
eyes, evidently dwelt among US, or had
paid our camp flying visit.
We one day came near having a dread
/ ful accident on the bar. miner went
up the side OF a steep mountain, Just
above our camp, after firewood, with
which to cook his dinner. Accidentally,
1 or otherwise, he started j large rock roll
I ing down the mountain side, which came
/ with such velocity that it soon left the
ground and came wbirliug through the
arr like a huge cannon ball, and went
/ tearing through a large tent that stood on
the bar, cutting it com npletely in two and
/ just missing the heads OF twelve or fifteen
men who were sitting at a table eating
their MONDAY meal. 1 listened to
THE FIRST STUMP SPEECH
/ While mining on the bar that ever
heard California. \ Mr.. Hall one night.
just as we were knocking of work.
climbed out of his mining hole, and.
mounting to the top of big rock. pro-
ceeued TO make US tiye-minute speech.
/ lie told us the next day would be cleo
! ton day for State and county officers;
that polls were TO be opened on the bar.
/ and be desired that we should ali cast our
+ ballots; that every man was a voter who
4 was citizen OF the nited States and Of
T the age OF p years, and who had lived in
+ California fifteen minutes.
Hall afterward represented in mart Fl
( Dorado County in the Legislature, and
think few years ago contributed a num-
+ Der OF very Interesting articles to the