Amador ledger., 1908-01-17
FROM OUR
CORRESPONDENTS
AUKUM.

for the Ledger treating upon the
early history of California, | will say
it may go into the grotesque or may
leap cat-like into the charms of
human tragedies IF which California
in its pioneer stage was SO prolific.
10 the Native Sons and Daughters,
who claim this state as their birth
place, the translation of wilderness
into the birth of human progress,
dotted all over with great cities,
towns, hamlets and farm dwellings
cannot in its fullest extent be now
realized.
In l84S the discovery of gold at
Suffers mill attracted men and
women from every point of the COM
pass. They varied in their natures
as much as in their nationalities
The wild and woody west,'' was at
that time IN it's tragic development
The Mexican with his Joaquin Muretta
and Three Fingered Jack, we're not
the only ones whose hands we're
immersed in human blood, for there
we're many crimes committed and
laid at their door in order to hide
the hidden hand of monstr osIty that
we're their own. The writer of this,
to use a modern phrase, is no "spring
chicken" having crossed the plans
with an OK team in 1849. For over
four years we lived in Butte county,
when we came to this one and with
exception of few short intervals
have resided here ever since. In my
boyhood days the relation of crime
of horror of which there we're so
many, burst panoramic like upon my
youthful senses and left a lasting
impression never to be etfaced.
Many times l have sat around the
chimney fire and listened to blood
crudling recitals until my blood al
most froze in my veins. They were
blood chilling, realistic recitals of
facts that happened right here in this
state, where now grow the orange,
the vine and the ripening grain,
where you, my youthful friends, have
grown into womanhood and manhood
Under your feet, tiguratively speak
ing, may be the blood of some of
your ancestors. Many man has dis
appeared mysteriously leaving no
trace behind. The sleuths that we're
on their trail overlook them in the
fastness of shadow, and left naught
but their sad remains as tell tale
behind. Many dropped out of sight
as completely as a stone cast into a
raging ocean. My dealings in their
recitals will not dwell on tragedies
alone, but will be as changeable as
the drifting colors of Kaleidoscope
showing scene here, another there.
Some will be from personal know
ledge and some from what 1 have
read at their occurrence, and others
still of what l have been told and is
taken from the storehouse of mem
DRY of years long since gone.
Suicides are so plentiful now days
that one can hardly pick up a paper
without seeing some announcement
of some woman or man that have
taken their own life. The world in
its charity ascribes their acts to tenn
poTary alteration Of mind in absence
of stated facts that some leave by
note or letter 1t is a noted fact that
when a man takes his own life
he is almost invariably considered
insane. | don't happen to lee of that
class of philosophers, if am per-
mitted to denominate them as such,
tor very seldom is the suicide insane.
They labor it is true under adverse
feelings that are almost always real
and produce desire to get rid of
their misfoItunes. Life is not so
sweet or dear that man or woman
can be forced to live simply to work
and eat, and live without some in
centive to make life worth the living.
Whenever that incentive vanishes,
the victim looks the facts squarely in
the face, and says in substance
"What have l to live for, I'll take
my own life" There are motives
behind their actions and they act
accol dingly.
In 1856 young man, who was an
employee of Sacramento bank, be-
came a defaulter to a considerable
amount. His speculations we're dis
covered by the bank officials, and he
got word clandestinely from associates
that he was to be arrested and prose