Year: 1871

cation. Yours, ETC., W. H R.


THE MANUSCRIPT.


The Auburn Messenger of lst of November
1870, contained the following paragraph


A few days since we called public attention
to the singular conduct of James G. wilkins,
Justice of the Peace tor the Cape Horn" Dis
trict, in this county, in discharging without
trial man named Parker, who was, as we still
think, seriously implicated in the mysterious
death of an old man named Summerfield, who,
our readers will probably remember, met so
tragical an end on the line of the Central Pacific
Railroad in the month of October last. We
have now to record another bold outrage on
public justice, in connection with the same
affair. The Grand Jury of Placer county has
just adjourned, without finding any bill against
the person named above. Not only did they re-
fuse to find true bill or to make any present
ment, but they went one step further towards
the exoneration of the offender; they specially
ignored the indictment which our District Attor-
ney deemed it his duty to present. The main
facts in relation to the arrest and subsequent
discharge of Parker may be summed up in few
words


1t appears that, about the last of October, one
Gregory Summerfed, an old man nearly seventy
years of age, in company with Parker took pas
sage for Chicago, via the Pacific Railroad, and
about the middle of the afternoon reached the
neighborhood of Cape Horn, in this county.
Nothing OF any special Importance seems to have
attracted the attention of any of the passengers
toward these persons until few moments before
passing the dangerous curve in the track over


looking the North Fork of the American river,
at the place called Cape Horn. AS our readers
are aware, the road at this point skirts a preci-
pce with rocky perpendicular sides, extending
to the bed of the stream, nearly 100 feet be-
low. Before passing the curve Parker was heard
to comment upon the sublmity of the scenery
they were approaching, and finally requested the
old man to leave the car and stand upon the
open platform, in order to obtain better view
of the tremendous chasm and the mountains Just
beyond. The two men left the car and a mo-
ment afterwards a cry of horror was heard by
all the passengers, and the old man was observed
to fall at least 900 feet upon the crags below.
The train stopped for few moments, but,
fearful of a collision if any considerable length
of time should be lost in an unavailing search
for the mangled remains, it soon moved on
again, and proceeded swiftly as possible to
the next station. There the miscreant Parker
was arrested, and conveyed to the office of the
nearest Justice of the Peace for examination.
We understand that he refused to give any de-
tailed account of the transaction, saying only
that " the deceased either fell or thrown off
from the moving train"


The examination was postponed until the arri-
val of Parker's counsel, O'Conne & Fitzpatrick,
of Grass Valley, and after they reached Cape
Horn not single word could be extracted from
the prisoner 1t is said that the nquisition was
a mere farce there being no witnesses present
except one lady passenger, who, with commend
able spirit, volunteered to lay over one dav, to
give in her testimony We also learn that, after
the trial, the Justice, together with the prisoner
and his counsel, were closeed in secret session
for more than two hours at the expiration of
ina tba T,J, q.
charged the prisoner


Now, we have no desire to do injustice tow
ards any of the parties to this singular transac-
tion, much less to arm public sentiment against
an innocent man. But we do affirm that there u.s.
there must be, some profound mystery at the bot
tom of this affair, and we shall do our utmost to
fathom the secret.


Yes, there is a secret and mystery connected
with the disappearance of Summerfeld, and the
sole object of this communication is to clear it
up, and place myself right in the public estima-
tion. But in order to do so, it becomes essential
ly necessary to relate all the circumstances con-
nected with my first and subsequent acquain-
tance with SummerfeId. To do this intelligiby,
shall have to go back twenty-five years.


1t is well known amongst my intimate friends
that resided in the late Republic of Texas for
many years antecedent to my immigration to
this State During the year l847, whilst but a
boy, and residing on the sea beach some three or
four miles from the city of Galveston, Judge
Wheeler-at that time Chief Justice of the Su-
preme Court of Texas--paid us a visit, and
brought with him gentleman, whom he had
known several years previously on the Sabine
river, in the eastern part of that State. This
gentleman was introduced to us by the name of
Summerfeld. AT that time he was past the
prime of lite, slightly gray, and inclined to cor
pulency. He was of medium hight and walked
proudly erect as though conscious of superior
mental attainments. His face was one of those
which, once seen can never be forgotten. The
forehead was broad, high and protuberant. 1t
was, besides, deeply craven with wrinkles, and
altogether was the most intellectual had ever
seen. 1t bore some resemblance to that of Sir
Isaac Newton, but still more TO Humboldt or
Webster. The eyes were large, deep set and
lustrous, with a light that seemed kindled in
their own depths. In color they were gray, and
whilst in conversation absolutely blazed with
intellect. His mouth was large, but cut with all
the precision Of the sculptor's chiseling. He
was rather pale but, when excited, his complex
ion lit up with sudden rush of ruddy flashes,
that added something like beauty to its half-sad
and halfsardonic expression. A word and a
glance told me at once, this is most extraordi-
nary man.


Judge Wheeler knew but little of the antece-
dents of Summerfeld. He was of Northern
birth, but of what State it is impossible to say
definitely. Early in life, he removed to tue
frontier Of Arkansas, and pursued for some years
the avocation of village sehoolmaster. II was
The suggestion of Judge Wheeler that induced
him to read law. In six months time he had
mastered Story's Equity, and gained an import
ant suit, based upon one Of its most reeondite