Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1910-01-14
RANCHERIA WASSA-
GRE RECALLED
True Story of This Great
Tragedy

not more than rs years of age, APP
preached Joe Gilbert of Drytown and
said, 81 am the friend of the Americans
and | have something to tell you of vital
Importance to you and your countrymen.
All ask is your sacred promise as a
friend, as | know you are, to keep my
secret. II my name is known in this
connection in any manner with this
matter my life would pay the forfeit"
Gilbert, who talked the Spanish
language very well, assured the boy that
his name should not be used and be
faithfully protected.
Then, 'said the boy prepare to
protect yourself and your people, for
overheard some Mexcans talking last
night and tomorrow night they intend
to murder and rob the people of this
| town. "
With an assurance to the boy not to
use his name in any manner in divulg-
ing of the secret of numbering and sack
ing of the town, which would certainly
leave much blood in its trail, Gilbert
with an ado left the faithful young
Mexican to go and confer with his
fellow townsmen. Among the most
prominent of them was man by the
name of Bella half blood Cherokee
who then was the proprietor of the hotel
now owned and run by Florence Clan
mini. Gilbert knew Bell to be fearless
mana gun-hghter as we now denomi
nate them-ready to face any crisis in
any way or any manner. Bell had more
than once tracked Mexican cut-throats
to their lair and brough them up to face
the law. They were afraid OF him.
Bell listened to the recital of Gilbert
telling of the contemplated racking,
numbering and robbing of the people of
Drytown. The keen, piercing hawk
eyes of the Cherokee flashed fire at
Glbert's recital.
"Intend to murder and rob the people
of this place, do they? If they do
there will be many a dead Mexican to
tell the tale, for III crack more than one
Mexican skull with my revolver, and
there is more than one man here besides
me that will do the same. "
AS he finished he whirled on his heel,
followed by Gilbert. The two sought
hastily the men they knew could befaith.
fully relied on for pluck and determine
ton, and the town was soon armed to
the teeth for the coming combat
AT that time the street leading at
right angles from the main.street stretch
ing out toward Jackson, and heading
toward where Plymouth now stands, was
almost solidly blocked with Mexican
houses. Among the most prominent
therein was a dance house thronged by
Mexican senoritas-the very hell hole
of the place in general. 1t was 8
o'clock and the pale moon in its first
quarter was dropping stolidly behind the
dense fringes of the trees on the hill in
the west Twenty well armed men had
gathered at the dance house, for it was
here the faithful young Mexican had
told Gilbert thev would be first seen. A
few took drink at the bar to ward off
suspicion that their appearance was any
thing else than social. AS they sat
waiting on the long benches on the out
side with keen expectancy, shadows
played in effigy before their bewldered
senses. Each shadow seemed to rise in
phantasm in mockery of murder, but
still no Mexicans came. Suddenly the
clatter OF horses hoofs struck audibly
upon the ear Nearer and clearer came
the tread of the horses. AS the horse
man approached the iingling of the great
spurs of which all MeXicanS took pride,
told that the horsemen were only few
yards away. Instinctively each man
drew his hand close to his revolver that
hung in the holster at his side. A
moment more and Is we'll armed Mexi-
cans, with their bread sombreros hiding
their swarthy faces from the glinting
moonlight halted before the door Not
word was spoken by either party, bur
the keen treacherous eyes of the
murderous throng took in the situation.
Instantly almost the leader of the gang
gave the reins on his horse a twich,
sank the rowels of his spurs into his
TANKS and rode off toward the great
white Catholic church that stood on the
hillside little east of south of this
place, and on a direct line of Lower
Rancheria. In unison each horseman
followed his leader-a renegade white
man by the name of Porter A stalwart