The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-24
William Mitchell, the Only
Negro in the Township,
Rebels.
MANY YEARS OF PERSECUTION.
Tales OF Poisoned Cattle, Rowing
Neighbors and Courts and
Law Suits.

Gonna, the little town just across Inc line
between San Francisco and San Mateo
counties. Arrayed upon one side are
nearly all the citizens of Colma Township,
and upon the other is William Mitchell,
the only colored resident OF the section,
and his family of seven.
Mitchell lives about mile out Of the
town of Colma He keeps hogranch
upon the slope of steep hill, and his en-
tire farm consists of ten acres, SIX OF which
he owns. He has been in the vicinity for
seventeen years. Since sixteen years ago,
he says, he has been prosecuted by the
people living near him, and his reputation
has been going from bad to worse at a
much faster rate than he could keep up
with, even were he so inclined. In the
town, people are warned not to go near
his place if they care for immunity from
bird shot, and his Clearly whltewashed
buildings, perched upon the the sidehlil,
are designated as shanties, Ihey DO say,
however, that he keeps good chickens and
pigs, and that he pays his bills.
Mitchell claims he can get no justice
from the law and courts OF san Mateo
County nor from his neighbors. He has
been before the courts himself often enough
to become well acquainted with them. He
intends to stay on his hillside, however,
despite the efforts which he says are being
made to get him off, and in order that he
may not suffer in secret he has prepared a
statement of grievances, which he intends
to send to his people all oyer the country:
The document is peculiar one. 1t tells
tale of persecution which, II even the
half be true, gives justification enough for
all the acts his neighbors charge against
him. According to his statement the first
trouble he got into was with twenty-slx
men. who wanted to mob him because of
some legal difficulties he had become in
volved in with one Of his neighbors.
The case against him was dismissed
it was charge of distur bing the peace-and
regularly every few months after he
would be served with other warrants for
the same charge and from the same per-
son. Then he commenced suit against the
Judge to have MIN prohibited from issuing
useless warrants against him, and the
only satisfaction he obtained was bill for
$50 costs.
Then he tells how his horses were pois-
oned, seventeen head of them, as we'll as
dren were abused and insulted to such an
extent that he says, he had to take them
from school. He thrashed one of the boys
of the neighborhood for abusing one of his
children and warrant promptly fol-
lowed. He pleaded guilty and was fined
the sum of S..
Later on, he says, some of his neighbors
shot two more of his dogs, and polluted
his spring, and when he went to complain
the father of the boys assaulted him. He
had a warrant sworn out for the mans
arrest, and the case came up in the San
Francisco Police Court. In the meantime
warrants charging him with disturbing
the peace were obtained in San Mateo
County until he could not prosecute his
case in the San Francisco Police Court,
and the man went free.
He tells, too, of neighbor coming into
his grainfield and beating it down, and
how he ordered the intruder off, and re-
ceived only insults until he thrashed the
trespasser.
Another warrant followed and fine of
$50 came after. Then his statement re-
cites course of fence-breaking, impound-
ing of cattle and general i'll treatment, and
winds up with an announcement that he
will stay on his place in spite of all.
Mitchell is now awaiting trial for drawing
a gun on one of his neighbors and threat
ening to shoot him. Mitchell simply
denies that he ever did such thing.
Singularly enough, MitchelPs nearest
neighbor, Joseph Epson, a. hog-rancher
like himself, has nothing but good to say
Epsons wife was sick he says no one
could have been kinder to him than
Mitchell and his family. They tended the
sick woman, while the boys helped drive
back the hogs that would get out of their
pens, MIXED the cows, fed the stock, and
were always on hand to do whatever had
been left undone.
when I came here first" said Epson,
II settled, as you can see on the best piece
OF land Mitchell had. was told l would
have trouble with him, as he would make
an ugly neighbor. Since I have lived
here we have never had bit of trouble.
My hogs and cows get on his place now
and then, but he drives them back without
word. I never heard of him threatening
to shoot any one, and think if they let
the man alone he would be all right. l
have never done any favors for him and
have never paid him for what he has done
for me. l have never had better neigh
bor."
Another of Mitchells neighbors, named
Browns, with whom he got into trouble
because Browns shot his pigeons, was
heard to say that if he had let Mitchell
alone there would have been no difficulty.
Personally Mitchell is a tall, intelligent
looking negro. He talks well, and if he
bears any malice toward his nele hbors no
look nor word shows it. In the statement
of his grievances he makes charges and
mentions names without hesitation, yet it
is temperate document.