The Washington times., 1902-08-25
GAINED RESIDENCE
BY A TERM In JAIL
Californian Stayed SO Long
Could Not Be Ousted.
DUE TO COUNTY SEAT WAR
That Left Him in Undisputed Posses
sion Until Reform Wave Struck the
Town and Jail Was Needed-Courts
Sustained His Presumption.

Il see in the newspapers" remarked
an elderly gentleman On a Pennsylvania
Aven'ie street car the other day. that
a civil war veteran who tunneled his
way out Of Libby prison is reduced to
the somewhat vulgar and unromantic
extremity of appealing to the courts
to get out of one of New York city's
I tails.
That reminds me-" he continued to
his companion after a reminiscent pause,
''of man l knew ont West--a prisoner
! in a California jail. He had things
down finer than any man I ever knew
or heard of aud had obvilted all such
disagreeable possibilities as having to
beg to get out of prison. He owned
his own jas!
Il won't mention his name for he may
have relatives here in the East who
would object TO any unnecessary pub
licity, hut | will state that he lived in
the little village of Coloma. Cal. the
place where gold was discovered in 49,
Naturally. when the exodus from the
A<H7t 'thN iA-lp ouubtu oldtC-
hood. Coloma became the county seat
of the county in which it was located.
In the course of events Jail was erect
eda small brick structure which moro
than answered its purpose.
ITO tell the truth. they didn't have
much use for jails in California in
those days. No one there could take
time to be a petty offender, and-well.
the others never got into jail-not il
they caught them. at least
1t Seemed Like Home.
My friend. though, was the one no.
table exception. He did get into Jail.
I've forgotten what his offense was. 1t
couldn't have been very serious. though,
or else they hadn't got next to the whole
thing. AT any rate, he got into jail. and.
having got there, he concluded Il was
wise to stay. The sheriff didn't mind,
either. for it gave him chance 20 put
in some old broken down miner as a
jailer.
Even when my friend had served his
term, he wasn't discharged. He said
he'd become accustomed to the place.
and that it seemed more like home than
anything else out there. So, possibly
out of sense of humor-which was
rampant out there In those days-or be-
cause there wasn't any great conpeti-
tion for lodgings in the Jail. he was al
lowed to stay.
In the course Of time Coloma began
to lose prestige. No less than three
other towns in Eldorado county were OF
7 ha crniOi0n that ha -h
be with them. Consequently a general
political fight followed for the posses
son Of the county seat. A big election
was Eeid in that section of tine coun-
try. Speeches were made, boufircs
lighted. and general celebration en-
sued In the voting contest, Hantown
won the prize notwithstanding that m,
friend had voted for Colonia III ever,
precinct in the county. and killed two
horses in the operation
Donated Him a Residence.
In spite of what he may have thought
he change in the county seat would
result in, it didn't affect him in the
east. He continued to inhabit the
county JAIL although his jailer went TO
he rival town. He was perfectly hap
oy There was no one about the place
% molest him. and he bore the distinc-
ion of living in about the best struc-
ure in the town.
He seemed in a fair way to end his
lays untroubled by his fellowmen, when
Ill at once a reform administration got
lold OF the cornty's affairs The an
was spread broadcast that
aw and order would be preserved and
hat jails would take the place of pro-
niscuous lynchings. One of the admin
stration's first acts was to swoop down
Ipon my friend and order him to va
ate the Jail.
What did he do' He refused: and,
he went to law and the
ourts sustained him. 1t seemed he had
,een in undlsturbed possession OF the
so long that there was no
'usting him. and II he's alive he 10
doubtless there yet"