Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1895-05-14
CAREER or WARREN.
FATHER OF JOSIE MANSFIELD A Pio-
NeER IN CALIFORNIA.

How He KILLED Rival Editor In stockton.
Got Into Jail For Lifeand was rsrdonod.
A Steamboat Adventure with 81 100000
ns the Central Figure.
josie Mansfield. whose say career In
Gotham "a generation ago is woll rcnam-
bered, had a father whose carcor was
also remarkable mixture Of tho ho-
roio and tragic. Said California forty
miner tho other day in q reminiscent
moods Mansfield Warren came from
Now Orleans to San Francisco ia the
early Gfties. He camo after gold, like
the rest Of as, but, as ko was a small,
siokly, oonsumptive looking fellow, no
did not pan ont we'll as q digger in the
mines. So he went 20 editing q weekly
newspaper ct Stockton. No sooner had
ho started up than tho other editor went
for him-in his paper.
In those days personal journalism
was tho thing, aud in California. the ed
itors spoke right ont, calling each other
all kinds Of names not used in society.
Warren replied, but In a gentlamanly
way. Whilo this newspaper war was
going on ono Of the merchants attacked
Warren for so.no alleged slight, and
Warren being small and physically
weak got tho worst of tho one sided
fight. Ho was so badly used mp that be
stated, as coon 90 ho got out CT bed, that
be would kill tho next man who attack
cd him. Accordingly. 80 purchased
long bowie knife. Is 60 happened that
tho editor CT tho rival sheet again
abused him, and before Warren's paper
came out be was attacked on the streets
by his opponent. lIo knocked Warren
down, jumped on him and was beating
him rnmcrcifully. Warren succeeded
IN unshaathing lis lowio knife, when
he stabbed the aggressor to the heart.
"On the trial twas proved that War
ren had threatened to kill the next man
whom he might fight; also that be had
bought tho bowio knife Immediately
after making tho threat. The defense
argued that Warron did not have tho
rival editor in mind at these times, and
Furthermore that he acted in self de-
Tense, which was tho truth. However,
he was found guilty and sentenced to he
hanged. Tho governor oommutod tho
sentence TO life imprisonment, and ia q
year or two Warren was pardonod
''The family removed to San Francis
CO. and here josie began to assist in the
elevation Of the stage
As soon as she became prospe-cCs
she left tho family in their old age and
poverty and fitted eastward to become
notorious as tho oaGze Of the murder Of
Jim Fisk.
Il lost track Of Warren until 1869. /
met bin in Now Orleans. He showed
mo the first ISSUE Of The True Jefforso-
nian, q rodhot Democratic paper that 10
had just started at Carrollton. q suburb
Of New Orleans. lie spoke very littio
Of California and Californians, and
what he did say was rather uncompli-
mentary, ard I do not ccnsure him fer
It. Ho died q few years afteTward about
tho time OF the tragedy OF which his
wayward daughter was tho central fig
ure. lie visited his daughter in Kew
York during the height Of her career
and was very coldly received, ! am told
At any rate, he lived poor and died as
poor as be had lived.
II may mention an instance in his
career which will show that ho was not
q coward. Itwas the custom Of tho min
ers to ship their gold dust by steamer
from Sacramento TO San Francisco
About 81, 600, 0G0 was made in one ship
ment, guarded by Warren and bali
dozen assistants. About 90 ronghs om-
barl,ed on the steamer under tho guiso
of oattlemen and ranohmel en- rcato 70
Frisco on business. The treasure room
was amidships on tho lower deck Tho
steamers il those days carried small
cannon at the bow. which was dis
charged on landing, SO as TO notify tho
settlers. 1t also frightened tho savage
Indians, who soon came to regard tho
floating houses with fear and supersti-
tion. Warren suspected o move on the
part Of tho rcugka and fixed the gun On
pivot, so that it would command tho
stern of the boat and tho approach to
the treasure room. He heavily loaded
the gun and then threw in handful Of
nails for scattering shot. The attack, ho
was informed, was 10 be made &C sun
down, just as the boat was rounding
the Pirates cove, about 30 miles above
San Francisco. Warren and his men as
sembled ia the bow and soon noticed q
number Of mon forming On tho stern Of
the boat and others joining them from
tho cabin above by coming down The back
stairway. The cannon was Immediately
reversed, and Warren and his men drew
their revolvers. Go up stairs, on I'll
turn her loose and NOW you down like
whealp shouted Warren as he stood
ready to let 'or go
THE roughs, seeing that they were
outaanked, reooiled in disorder, and
some ran up stairs Juat at that mo-
ment the boat ran on a sand bar and
was koeled over, nearly upsat,ing hor
Tho roUghs wero panic stricken, doubt
less thinking this was part Of tho pro-
grammo, and some Of them jumped
overheard The cannon also went over
board. Ia q fow hours, fortunately, an
other boat camo along and hauled us Off
tho bar, and we arrived safely at San
Francisco with our $1,000, 600 IN gold
dust Noi those who jumped overheard
did not get back. Wewouid not let any
body board us 60 that stage Of the pro-
oeedings especially as wa knew who
they wero. Ihoy may hayo sWum ashore,
though, concluded tho forty-niner In
a rather doubling tono as 20 tho ulli-
mate safety Of tho rougha -Philadel-