Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-01-26

less and travel stained waving in bis hand
flask of gold dust as he shouted, Gold, Gold,
Gold from American river Again Sam
Brannan was a "frstn-the first to bring to San
Francisco authentic news of the gold discovery.
There was a rush to the dggings, Sans Nor
mons following MS lead again. as II he had been
the Pied Piper says one chroncler Within
few days only seven men out of three hundred
were left In the town. BY June 900 miners
were at work the sawmll now called
Coloma BY July 4,OO0 were there
The earliest arrivals were of the better class
and Suffer had no trouble with them They
patronized his stores and purchased all Of their
supplies from him. But when the gold lure drew
to California an influx OF men from all corners
OF the EARTH there came more bad men than
good who corrupted his Indians with their dead
" firewater and Influenced his hitherto faithful
employees to desert him.. sqnatters settled on
his lands and ieered at his efforts to disodge
Them His vineyards trampled to the
ground; his livestock stolen his stores looted
and the improvements which he had made ap-
pronrIated for the use OF the maddened gold
seekers a
The titles to his lands received under the
grants from the Mexican government were not
respected and Suffer appealed In vain to the
American authorities. He brought suit against
100000 In prosecuting his claims. From being
the greatest man In that country he found HIM
self becoming the most hated because OF the lltl-
cation In which he was involved and eventually
the hatred resulted In the destruction of his
home the Hermitage to which he had retired
before the onrnsh of the argonauts. After sew
eral years OF litigation In which he was repeat
eddy defeated Suffer- the former king" found
himself ruined man. The state of California
granted him a pension of $3.50 a month but
after receiving 1t for IA years he voluntarily re-
linqushed that bounty.
In 1872 he sent his two daughters to Bethle-
hem, Pa, to enter a Moravian school and later
transferred them to another school In Lititz.
There he made his home and spent his declining
years In numerous visits to Washington and In
futile attempts to secure justice from the fed
era government, which he claimed had allowed
him to be robbed during the gold rush He died
In Washington eon June II. 1885, and he died |
In poverty.
AS for Marshall. he received the same treafl' |
ment from the gold seekers that had been Sut.
ters portion California gave him pension OF
$1,000 year then withdrew II because the lep |
fslatnre believed the money was spent In drink |
to which he had become addicted IN August.
1885, five years after Suffers death, lonely. |
embitered. poverty-strIcken old man died In |
ramshackle hut In the dying town of Coloma II /
was James w. Marshall 1.-THE man who discoy-
cred gold In California
AS for Sam Brannan he enjoyed nerfod Of
glory and Of prosperity for time. then the
curse Of gold overlook him.
With the incoming flood tides OF advenfnrers
md settlers. Suffers fort expanded into Sacra
mento city and San Francisco became metrop
oils OF many races--the most cosmopolItan md |
the most awless city In the world Between tho
two cities as his bases of operations Rrannan
grew rich and prosperous. There was no specIes
OF Industry beyond his exploitation. RE WINS
gambler and banker, merchant and hotel owner
importer and exporter gold digger and real es
tate specuialor, shlpoWner and perhaps(a bit of
smuBg'er. everything was grist for Sans mill
The great commercial house Of Osborn 4 pron.
man, Specializing IN oriental merchandise. be.
came one OF San Francscos biggest institutions
And Sam Brannan ruled the cItv like ,nan
DARN. lie spent money like prince entertained
avlshly, drank deeply. played for high stakas
and became the most spectacular figure In a do
lirious city OF magic and madness
Ihs lasteo TOT while. then came the turn |
In MS fortunes Misfortunes began to rain down
upon MN ana ne sought solace In drink The
usual thing happened Friends deserted him
Business men whose enterprises he had financed
out OF his own pocket looked askance 1T him
or passed him by without recognition His vito
divorced him and took his children from him
After that there were more ups and downs.
during which he< reformed. quit drinking nv
force Of his WIFI power and eventually lived RI
the age OF seventy before death claimed him IN
leS9-not ID such poverty as had been the lot
o. oul'ei anu Marsnall but far from being the
mandarin who had once ruled the mad had
city OF san francisco In the Golden Daya of ,4o
Naww