Year: 1878

/ WhAi CANE VT


"A rough sketch by one who was there
/ Iknew Joaquin Miller in the mines
of Siskiyou county, almost q quarter of
q century ago He is older now and
more Of a poet. The world knows him
better. and, perhaps, thinks more of
him than it did when, q smooth faced
young fellow, he presided a. chief cook
of Joe Thompson's mining camp, on
| Cherry Creek, ten miles west of Yreka.
Joaquin had come along one day, with
bis roll Of blankets on his back, and
seeing Joe mailing sluice-boxes in front
of his cabin, inquired il be knew OF
anyone who wanted TO hire Q man.
Yes. want a cook


Miller had recently thrown mp situ-
alton as herder of q band of horses in
Shasta Valley, and during the two DAYS
spent in Yreka bis few ounces of gold
dust had disappeared. He had left town
that morning without his breakfast,
and without the money to buy even q
loaf of bread. His walk Of ten miles
over the mountain had sharpened his
appetite. and Impressed him with the
notion that dinner was q good thing to
have.


He told Joe that he knew something
about cooking; and would work for him
If they could agree upon the wages. II
was soon settled upon the basis of three
dollars per day, aud Joaquin was in-
stalled as cook in Joe Thomp son g
camp.


There were seven men in the camp,
including Joe. Things went along
smoothly enough. The miners were
not fastidious as TO what they ate. or
| how it was cooked. and as joaquin tried
hard to please, he soon became Q gener.
al favorite with the party. The claim
was new, Its richness unknown. and
much work had to be done before the
pay dirt could be reached. At the end
OF the first month Joe found himself
without the ounces necessary to pay
the wages of his hired men, and it was
agreed that pay day be STAYED of
another four weeks. Before this period
of time had elapsed the claim had com.
menced paying. and the miners received
a greater portione eof their wages Jos.
quin had not been paid anything. and
at the end Of the second month he mild.
ly intimated 10 Joe that few dollars
would be very acceptable, but Joe
neither paid then nor indicated when
he would pay After several unsuccess-
ful efforts to obtain his wages, or a
portion Of them. Joaquin hit upon q
plan to pay himself. Thompson had a
span Of horses and an old wagon, used
in hauling drift timber to the mines
One day. while Joe aud his men were
at work i'm the claim, Miller hitched up
the team, and. driving it down to the
town of Deadwood, sold it TO the high
est bidder for cash With the money
he returned to the cabin. told Joe what
he had done, and after deducting the
amount of his wages. handed him the
remainder of the team. Joe was aston
ished, and as soon as he could recover
the use of his tongue. he poured forth
n stream of invectiyes the reverse OF
complimentary upon Joaquin, and not
at all tit to print in the columns Of the
Era. To his threats of having Joaquin
arrested, the latter made no reply. He,
however. rolled up his blankets. and
shouldering his rifle started down the
creek. Joe followed. and at the Post,
a mile and half below. sworc out q
warrant for the arrest of Mil er-charg-
ing him with having disposed Of proper
ty not his own. The warrant was placed
in the. hands of Constable Bradley,
with instructions TO arrest the party
therein named, at once.


In the mean time joaquin had gone
To stock ranch some two miles be-
low the Post, where he had couple
of horses, receiving which he started
down the creek, with his rife on his
shoulder, leading the animals by the
lariats. The trail wound around the
mountain side, one hundred feet or 90
above the level Of the creek. The
pathway on either side was hedged
with a moderately dense growth of
brushwood. except where it crossed the
rocky ridges where no soil was appar.
ent, and in these places the brush
growth was SO slight a. to enable one
to see from the creek bottom anything
transpiring in the immediate vicinity.
| Several hundred miners were at
work in the bed of the creek, and as
he passed along Joaquin told some of
them bow be had obtained his money
from Thompson. and remarked that he
would not be surprised if an attempt
was made to arrest him. His course
WAS generally commended, and he was
advised by his friends to decline all in-
vitations To 60 back to the Post. In
less than tive minutes after Joaquin
had taken the hillside trail, and before
he had proceeded two hundred yards
on his way. Constable Bradley could be
seen coming down the creek at . good,
fair broaoo speed. Reaching the point
At which the trail took the mountain
side, he sprang from his horse and
started after Miller on foot. aud in lit.
tie time over took him and commanded
him to surrender, to which command
Miller paid no heed beyond throwing .
backward glance ever his shoulder aad
moving onward. Again Bradley order
cd him to surrender. and as he did so.
be drew and cooked his revolver By
this time Miller had reached O rocky
ridge in full view Of the miners below,
who. anticipating that somebody
would be hurt, we're closely watching
every movement Of the two men on the
trail. Miller faced the officer. and
dropping the rife into the hollow of
his arm, said:


| Bradley, stopl ! don't want to hurt
you. Don't follow me any farther; !
have done nothing wrong. l simply
forced the payment of money due me.
| will not be arrested. and if you 81