The herald., 1894-01-01

was wholly unlike that which character
ICES the giving Of his daily assignments.
"a special at an hours notice." dis
gustedly calculated the court reporter,
who was grinding" out copy at an sd-
Joining desk.
That's what l say" ehimed in the
horse reporter, who has been in the
bueiress for 40 years.
But 1t all did not help the matter any,
and | began to grind"
had tired OF the exciting police de-
tail; the reporting OF murders, suicides,
accidents, fires, robbsries, and concluded
that something jus. as truthful but of
different nature would have to fill the
bill.
was sitting in the police station the
ether night with the police reporter Of
. contemporary and the officers who are
on night duty. Tbs conversation drifted
from one thing to another. Just before
2 o'clock in the morning when my duty
at the station ends. and when l become
the eleepiest mortal on earth, an old
pioneer dropped in and told the follow
ing, which ie true story:
In 1854, when Los Angeles was but
little better than q Mexican town, Jas
per Harrell, owner OF the Nadeau hotel
and other valuable property in this city,
determined that he would give up min
ing and 60 into the cattle business in
the Four Greeks country, iiG%T iG W : 3 e 'Ti1lare
valley. He had mined for years in Mar
iposa and Tuolumne counties. He had
accumulated about $l400 to put into the
business.
La Ciudad de la Reina de Los Angeles
was the center of the cattle market in
those days, and Hsrrsll started for this
city. accompanied by vaquero whom
he had employed to help drive the cat
tie he proposed purchasing back of
Tulare, and after they had fattened,
drive them to the mines.
The road at that time was through
the present county Of Kern. which was
then without a single inhabitant !;
thence through the Canada de Los
Uras in which the government post Ft.
Tejon was situated thence to Eliza
beth lake, through San Frcncisquite
csfion and the San Fernando valley to
this city.
Los Angeles wac at that time the rem
devious of the worst characters that
ever went unhung. Criminals from
Sonora and Lower California who had
been driven from their former haunts
took refuge here. Niger alley was then
in the height of its glory. and murder OF
very common occurrence.
Such being the case, Hsrreil decided
to hide his money, which he did, ashort
distance from the northern boundary of
the present city limits. When unnoticed
by the vaouero he placed the treasure at
the root of sycamore tree on the banks
of the Los Angeles river. After he had
come into town and purchased enough
cattle to absorb The amount, he returned
to get the buried money.
He found the hole but no money. His
suspi cions were at once aroused, and he
concluded that the vaquero had stolen
it. He hunted up the vaquero, who de-
MED most emphatically that he took it
and that he knew anything about it. A
threat to hang the vsquero to the near
est tree caused that individual to make
himself scarce, and he disappeared en-
tirely.
There was nothing left for Hsrrell to
do but to return to the north, which he
did. Before going, he informed some
acquaintance OF the supposed robbery
and requested sharp lookout for the
vaquero, who was expected to return to
town to "blow in" the money.
A year elapsed. The cattleman had
accumulated more money ind again
started for Los Angeles. On his trip
be was accompanied by friend whom
he entertained en- route by his specula-
tions regarding his lost wealth and his
eus pieions as to it's loss.
Tie friend had become tired of Har-
rell's continued talk on this one subject
and finally told him, in jocular man
ner. that but little reliance could be
placed in the story, and that he believed
no money had been lost in the manner
described.
Harrell became very much incen sed
Rt the declaration OF his companion.
Tney were nearing the town, when he
grew angry that HE friend did not fully
believe the story. Pointing to syca-
more tree, he said in an excited man
ner:
''rhere is tho place now come on and
! will show you where / buried it,"
They galloped rapidly toward the tree.
and had not gone lar when, with yell,
Harrell jumped from his bronco.
Picking up some object, he shouted
with delight tina. le had found his sack
with all his money in it,
1t was fact. There beside the trail
in the mustard the bag had lain for
nearly year, untouched and unnoticed
by anyone. Then it was that the mys-
terry was explained.
The canvas bag containing the gold
had been tied with buckskin string,
which prowling coyote had scented.
and scratch hing the earth away, dragged
it until he chewed Off tine string and
then left it until the rightiul owner
found it.
The money was shortly a!terward in
vested in cattle which Here driven north
as originally intended. Inc sale of the
stock laid the foundation of fortune.
for the gentleman is now reckoned q
millionaire. He owns thousands OF scres
of land in Tulsfe county. besides large
amount OF city property in Nisalia
-