The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-24
THE GALLONS TREE.
FAMOUS LIVE OAK OF CALIFORNIA
THAT is NO MORE.

The famous gallows tree Of San Der
nardino county, southern California, is nc
more There was not another tree in all
the world like 10. From its great branches
more than IL men had swung into eternity,
and In its shade some of the most thrilling
events i'm the history of the wrestling of
the golden state of California from Indian
half breeds and Mexican dominion have
been planned.
The tree was what is known in Cali
fornia as a live oak-in the land where
very few trees grow naturally, and where,
generation ago, one might travel for days
with OK or mule team across the burning
sandy wastes without once finding a tree
under which TO rest in the shade. Such a
specimen Of vegetation was a landmark
known far and wide and a natural resting
and meeting place.
The tree was undoubtedly 600 or 700
years old 1t stood in the valley of San
Bernardino-the only one of the kind for
miles around. Years ago, before the
Americans poured into the valleys of south
ern California, the tree had no counter
part for several hundred miles adjacent
When General John G. Fremont and his
troops, acting in conjunction with Com.
modore Stockton, seized the quaint old
Mexican pueblo of Los Angeles and raised
the stars and stripes there in June, 1913,
the first recorded executions took place at
the big oak tree In the brief fight that
took place and amid the fleeing of half the
terrified Mexican population from the pu-
eblo when the American cannonading be-
gan, a gang Of half breeds improved the
opportunity TO rob by visiting homes Cha
ciendas) on the outskirts of the town. At
one home where the rascals unexpectedly
found the owners at home, they shot and
stabbed the whole family TO death. A
few days later, when the fleeing populace
had recovered from its fright and returned
TO Los Angeles, the fearful murder was
known. A posse of Mexican riders-the
best in the world-was organized and
started out across the plains toward the
nearest neighboring people, San Bernar-
dino, nine miles away. The numbering
and thieving gang was trailed up to the
Cajou pass, and there caught. There were
seven in the gang. The posse dashed the
wretches to their horses and started back
to Los Angeles
On the way the pursuers with their cap
tives stopped to rest in the shade of the
oak. Two of the captives, who were loosed, |
so as TO let them feed themselves, made a
desperate attempt TO run away. They were
caught after a hard struggle, and in the |
anger mt their attempt TO elude Justice four |
OF the prisoners were hanged then and |
there.
But the most sensational and memo
bile execution that ever took place at the
oak tree gallows was on May 10, 1868. The
war Of the rebellion was on at that time.
and hundreds of rascals, all round bad
men, invaded southern California and
Arizona TO escape army duty. The war
made an extraordinary demand for cattle,
and for two years the Mexican cattle men I
were harassed day and night by gang of
cattle thieves, who would secretly drive
the cattle feeding in the valleys and can
yons miles from the ranch house TO the
foothills and then by stealth would urge
the beasts in small droves down through
san Bernardino county to Raining, where
rascally agents would buy the cattle and
get them out of the state at their leisure.
AT last, after months of watching and
some cowboy detective work, a gang of
nine cattle thieves was surrounded by
posse of four times that number of Next
AN and American cowboys at the mouth
Of Santa Anita canyon. There was ter
'ific short battle. Three of the COWBOYS
we're shot dead and several We're wounded
Four of the thieves were killed. The cow
boys were so maddened at the killing of
their companions and so incensed at the
memory OF the robberies that they had so
ong suffered that they abandoned all con-
liberation OF trial for the remaining cap
'ured thieves, and, having bound and lash
ID their captives, started forthwith down
hn oil fNv,t h. IL. |
he men were on horseback, and there was
10 way OF building temporary platform
or the execution under "a limb of the tree.
TO make the hanging as much of an in
lignity and as torturous as the cowboyss
ould conceive nooses were made from the
owhide lariats on the saddles of the cat
lemen.
The nooses were put about the neck of (
'ach of the five prisoners. Then the pris-
'ners were forcibly boosted up into the
ow oak tree, while the armed cowboys cir
led about the oak to keep close eve on
heir game. When the free ends of the
opes had been fastened about the limb of
he tree and the arms of the doomed thieves
lad been tied, the men were ordered TO
cap down. Two did leap, cursing their
aptors as they jumped into midair. The
ther three held back, but were pushed off
he limb on which they sat, going down
With jerk. One of the limbs bent so low
With its human weight that the boots of
ne of the strangling men just touched the
round, and horseman held the limb up !
{ arms length while the hanging man
lowly expired. The bodies were cut down
few days later and were buried beneath
7here they were hanged. The graves are
ointed out TO this day
In the fall of 1870, when San Bernardino
ad grown to village of 1000 people and
no pueblo of Los Angeles had become n
lace Of 5000 Americans and Mexicans. n
was killed and his wagon robbed
ne night by highway robbers. The people
San Bernardino were deeply stirred mt
nc deliberate assassination for money.
hen George Peters and Henry Walling
ere brought TO the new Jail there to await
'ial for the crime, the male part of the
Opulation could not wait for law TO take
s course where facts were so self evident
nd went down to the Jail one night In a
'owd. The jailer was cajoled into deliy-
ing the keys to the masked men, and the
70 murderers were soon hauled from their
Ills. Peters kicked and swore and knocked
70 men down as he was hustled from the
Ill, and In "a moment Of anger was shot