Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-21

- q = l l slender, beardless
- ~ and light haired, a
- ~ III III runt of human
OK ~ among the tens of
thousands of big-framed, powerful, adj
venturous spirits drawn to California
from all parts of the world by the lure
of gold. He was born In Nashville. Tenn.
was a graduate of the University Of
Nashville, and had practised law and
medicine before becoming a journalist.
He was we'll versed in international law
and had travelled widely. He spoke
French, German, italian and Spanish al
most as fuently rs he did English. lie
was only thirty years old, and considered
himself man of destiny. A year before.
at the head of party of forty-seVen
men, he had captured the Mexican town
of La Paz and elected himself president
of Lower California, and gravely parceled
out the portfolios of navy, army, state
and treasury among his companions.
Then he had invaded the neighboring
province of Sonora. and, creating paper
republic of his own and consolidating
Sonora and Lower California under the
name OF the Republic of Sonora, pro-
claimed himself president. He planned a
conquest of Mexico. 1t was the widest
and most fantastic of crazy projects, and
Lne invaders nau not IldICnSu lar lIllO
the rugged, inhospitable country before
they were ragged, barefoot and half
starved. They had no supplies. and had
to I've on the country. For while they
were able to overcome such opposition as
the Indians and the Mexican troops under
Col. Meendrez offered, but disease and
desertion thinned the ranks of the fill
busters and they were forced to retreat.
They were harried all along the line, but
finally thirty-four of the invaders, gaunt
a nd al ,,oEaI reached american r.
ritory and surrendered to Maj. Mckinstry
Of the United States Army in charge of
San Diego.
Such rashness and daring appealed to
The imagination of the Forty miners, and
when Walker reached San Francisco he
received a joyous reception. AS for the
leader himself he looked upon the Sonora
expedition merely as an incident, IN In
PRODUCTION or a preparation for the great
scheme he had in mind-the conquest of
Mexico and Central America and the ex
tension Of slavery throughout those lands.
He considered himself a nineteenth GEN.
fury Cortez, and although he may have
chafed because he had to return to the
editorial desk he made no sign. He took
himself very seriously and was taken very
seriously by every one else. No wonder
he received recognition. There was no
question as to his courage. He never
weighed more than 1870 pounds. but big
men covered before him when he was In
anger. He never was known to raise his
voice, but what terrified those who
aroused his passion was the fact that his
e, es termed green. He was pune tii1us
In matters Of etiquette and form, but was
simple and transformations in dress. Al
Tough he lived in a community q lavish
spending, hard drinking. high playing and
among riotous-minded people, he never
drank never gambled and never Was
known to utter a profane word. Surely
an odd character for California in the
early fifties.
While the President of Sonora" gave
his attention to the news Of the mining
camps and occasionally fought duel
with an offended argonaut, the owner Of
the paIer, Byron Cole, was on hts way
back from New York to San Francisco.
The principal route at that time vas by
sea from New York to San Juan Gel
.Sorte (Greytown), Nicaragua, then by
the San Juan river to. Lake Nicaragua
and by land from Virgin bay to San Juan
del Sur, where the steamers from San
Francisco discharged and took on cargo
and messengers. The Atlantic side of this
traffic was controlled by corporation
called the Transit Company, Of which