Amador ledger., 1908-02-14
A LANcHA pLANA TRAGEDY.
An Incident Of Early Days.
From our Aukum Correspondent.

Feb. ll..-ln midwinter of 1850, a
man weighing something near 13O
pounds, agile and active as cat,
entered a dance house in the town of
Lancha Plana. Rain had been sweep
ing over the little town with violent
gusts of wind all day long. The IN
habitants of this place stayed closely
within doors, held there by the
terrific storm that was raging without.
Inside was motley crowd, cosmo-
politan in character, ranging all the
way from college graduates to what
would be called nowadays as cut
throat thugs. Some we're standing
idly looking on, some di linking, others
tnll of liquor and bursting out into
bacchanalian chants, and at intervals
between glasses, the natural con-
comitants of the effects of the liquor
they we're drinking. AS the subject
of our sketch entered, fight had
commenced between two women
inhabitants of the red light regions
of the town. One was French
woman compactly built. adroit in her
actions, with coal piercing black eyes,
that could almost burn into your very
soul. The other was different type,
being petite blonde, slender in build
and determined in action. She was
of German extraction, and as gritty
as tiger. The two were engaged in
deadly encounter. The bystanders
watched the fight with perfect noncha-
lance. A few greasers lounged lazily
upon the floor, leaning back against
the wall of the building, putting
leisurely at cigarettes, and Watching
the fight with all the Indifference
they would have done in bull fight
in the city of Mexico. The French
woman had firm hold on her slender
antagonists hair, and was trying to
twist her neck from her shoulders.
The wiry little woman was fighting
with the fierceness of lion to free
herself, but despite her efforts she
was gradually being forced to the
floor. At this juncture the subject
of this sketch threw his overcoat
dripping with rain into the corner of
the building, and turning said:
Gentlemen, it is a shame to let
those women fight like dogs" AS
he said this he rushed up to the com
batants and forcibly tore the hold of
the French woman's hands from the
hair of the other, aiand opening out
his arms forced s..them apart. The
little woman was frantic with rage
and tried to get around the man in
order to futher force the fight. The
man kept forcing her back with his
hands. All of a sudden Ethe French
woman took a pint bottle that lay
upon the floor, and struck the man a
forcible blow upon the head, falling
him like butcher would an OK. The
bystanders now lnterfered forcing
the women apart. The man staggered
to his feet, and walked away with un-
even tread, and washed the blood out
of his matted hair. lie then walked
back and without uttering "A word of
complaint seated himself upon a
long bench that extended lengthwise
along the side of the building. The
blood oozed through his brown
curls, turning crimson. The French
woman with that imperious hauteur
of conqueror, approached the man
reached out her long slender hand,
white as alabaster, and lifted gently
the matted curls stained with blood,
as she did so she said coquettishly-
"Young man, you are handsome.
You ought not to have meddled with
us. In another moment would have
wrenched her head from her should
ers.'' ~ supposed you had human
feeling" he said, looking her sharp
Iy in the face. 81 have," she re-
Piled" but notion such as she is.'
That is nothing to me, he replied.
81 never saw either of you before to-
night; parted you for detest to see
dogs fight savagely." ''Do you call
me a dog?" she uttered with hiss.
Snatching the bottle from the floor,
and drawing it back in threatening
attitude, "I'll hit you again."
The man sprang to his feet like
Cat, and laying his hand upon the
waistband OF his pants, said as his
flashing steel grey eyes emitted the
fire of hell, 81 might have been
wrong before, am not now, hit me
40 no., doro ,r;th Ebot ho1tIo ooI