The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-08-06
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were long and serious. for every resi-
dent of the district could see that this
incipient riot was fast brewing bad
blood between the parents. In short
time nearly every person in the town
ship had espoused the cause OF one or
the other Of the dissatisfied parents
AS there was no appeal from the de-
cision Of the board the parents were
obliged to pocket their injured pride
and one Of them removed his child from
the school but not until severe threats
had been made on either side.
The father who had taken his boy out
OF school soon determined upon a new
way to get even with the teacher The
annual election for new Board Of
Trustees was soon to take place and
he declared solemuiy that 90 member
Of the old board should e7.er he re-
elected and as the trustees have the
privilege OF appointing The tsacher TINS
threat meant that he vas t2-eonsutute
himself as the political bass in this
small affair. and. if successful, he Ger
tainly intended having the offensive
teacher ousted from his position. The
other faction was just as determined
that the old board should he reelected
and that the teacher he retained.
1t soon became evident through the
length and breadth Of the valley that
there might soon be serious trouble
over this small affair. people too easily
convinced themselves that il was no
small affair after all, that the honor OF
each family was az stake.
From this period on 70 the bloody
conclusion dreadful threats were freely
exchanged between the two families
and il is said by people who are old
residents Of the district that the FFoSL5
registered solemn VOW that the
Coates family must either Tetlre from
=
upon themselves to annihiIate every
male being who bore the name OF
Coates. This condition Of affairs re
NAMED unchanged up to the day Of
election.
a few days previous to the election
Wesley Coates met MT. Duncan,
brother-in-law Of the Frosts, and they
had quite a talk about their family
quarrel. each claiming the other TO De
wrong In his respective opinion. Warm
words were the result Of this CONVEX
satiOn, and, had ii not been for trlenQs
OF both parties who happened 10 De
present. there would in all prObab ility
have been q serious fight then ana
there. And possibly 1t would nave
been much better for all concerned II
these well-intentioned friends had held
their peace and left these two fre-eat-
ers to their fate. It might have meant
the saving Of many lives. for although
there in those days, still the peter
class Of citizens-meaning, OF course.
the moro peaceabIy inCEned-Were on
the lookout for the coming trouble ana
together with the officers or the IA"
intended to arrest and cOnfne the hrst
man who attempted Warhke move
ment So, even though one or ooth
Of these men had been killed on the
spot it is more than likely the feud
would have ended there. However the
men were fnallv separated and went
their several ways, each VOWlnS Venge-
ance. That night there was C0nsld-
cradle talk Of organizing something
like a peace society, not for the pur-
pose Of self protection, for there was
not a man IN the valley who was not
capable Of taking care Of himself IN
any kind Of q fight, guns preferred.
Mr. Budd gives d good description Of
the shooting as it actually occurred.
He was on the spot, and being news
paper man probably took a greater In
terest in the affair than many Of the
witnesses who happened to be present
at the time. Mr.. Budd says he was
there in the interests Of his paper, not
to report the tragedy but looking out
for the business end Of his paper. Il
had gone UP the valley" he said, ito
see about money that was due me from
some Of the business men Up there. 1t
was a hot, uncomfortable day and we
were all seated on the porch of the no.
tel trying to keep cool. OF course, we
were on the lookout, and anxious for
anything to relieve the dull monotony
of the situation. We had exhausted
every amusement we could think Of.
and were waiting patiently for any
thing that might turn up It was too
warm to play cards any longer, so we
concluded to sit under the shade Of the
overhanging awning and calmly await
tho cool of the evening. We had been
there but a short time when we noticed
cloud of dust down the road which
~,eant that somebody was coming to
town. This was relief, for in those
davs news from the outer world was
scarce, and every stranger was at least
10 70 tell us something we had not
beard before. We little thought, any
Of us. that we were about to witness
0ne Of the most speedy fights that ever
took place in this or any othsr country.