Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, August 21, 1873, Image 1
ee wis m. grist, proprietor, j it $]tbcj)cnbcnt Jamiln fhtosjtaptr: Jfor tjic ^promotion of fjjt ^political, Social, Agricultural attb Commercial Jntcrats of f|c i?outjj. |terms?$3.00 a year, in advance.
VOL. 19. YOEKVILLE, S. C., THURSDAY, AUGUST Si, 1873. 3STO. 34.
1 ' ?J -!-I T
?he jltfltg ?tike. I
THE RABBIT CREEK TRAGEDY, j
A STORY OF EARLY CALIFORNIA.
BY C. W. CROCKER.
The bustle among the inhabitants of La
Horte, the principal mining camp on Rabbit |
Creek, as observed through the silver grey atmosphere
which encircled the town on the
morning of the 19th of March, 1852, indicated ;
that something unusual was on the tapis.
Red shirted men, whose faces were covered
with shaggy beards, whose hair fell in tangled '
disorder over their shoulders, and who wore
their pantaloons stuffed into the top of their |
boots, who carried revolvers and huge bowie-1
knives in their belts, and constantly puffed j
volumes of smoke from their lips, were to be
seen going from one saloon to another, or
stopping for a moment on the only street of
which the town could boast, for the purpose i
of shaking hands with some old acquaintance
or exchanging a few words. The very atmosphere
seemed to impress even the most casuai ;
observer that something more thau the usual
dull routine of a mining camp life, was about!
to transpire.
Four long, weary mouths had dragged
themselves by since the snow came down upon
Rabbit Creek canyon and put au end to all
out-door operations of the miuers. For four
months the little town had been cut off from
all communication with its neighbors. The j
earth was buried deep beneath the white ;
shroud which had so silently fallen upon it. j
The creek was bound in fetters of ice, and the
piercing blast from the trumpet of the rude
Boreas, who sat amongst the crags high up I
the Sierras, had come down through the canyons
and gulches with a keenness that made
them cut like a razor, and kept everybody !
within doors. Four months had elapsed since
the mail had been received, and during all
that time the inhabitants of the camp had
eaten their food, made snow-shoes, and waited
patieutly for news from the outer world.
A slieht thaw, then followed by a severe
cold snap, occurring a few days before the
opening of my sketch, had formed a thick j
crust upon the snow. This crust being suffi- j
ciently strong to support the heaviest man, its !
advent was hailed with universal delight, because
it enabled the miners to go abroad, j
The reader may rest assured that after having j
been held in snowy fetters so long, the residents
were only too glad to visit the town,1
where they could spend a few hours in drink- j
ing saloons and stores, in talking over the
prospects of the coming season, or visiting the
gambling houses and indulge their passion for (
gaming?a passion that existed in the breast
of nearly every miner in California during ,
the five years following the advent of the i
mining population. The
gamblers, those who dealt in faro, monte J
and other games of chance, aud who followed ;
no other occupation, were delighted with the j
change. For weeks it had been "dog eat j
dog" with them, and now the prospect of
having a few outsiders to fleece, was a source j
of great gratification. In order to celebrate i
the event, they had clubbed together, raised a
purse of $1,000, and offered it as a prize to i
the person who could make the quickest time j
ou snow-shoes over a track to be designated :
by a committee. The contest was to be free !
to all who chose to engage in it; and it was !
to witness this race that so many of the hardy 1
sons of toil came into La Porte, and their ar-1
rival in the village had caused the bustle al- j
luded to in the opening paragraph.
La Porte, at the time of which we write,,
consisted of half a dozen saloons, where liquor
was sold and games of chance played, two or
three stores, where groceries, mining tools,
etc., were kept on hand, a couple of black- i
smith shops, a shoe shop and a hotel. It was i
as flourishing a camp as could be found in the j
mines; and the miuers on Rabbit Creek were
as industrious as any in California.
The miners as they came into the town on
the morning referred to, would drop into a
saloon, exchange a few words with the in-!
mates, take a drink or two and then go to ;
another saloon, where the proceedings would j
be repeated. Upon the counteuance of every
one could be observed a look which indicated ;
relief from confinement, a determination to
enjoy the day, and a sort of I-don't-care-for-!
anything appearance generally.
The attention of a group of persons stand- j
ing in front of the hotel was attracted to a
man who was descending the hill, at the foot
of which the town was built. He was a tall, i
raw-boned man of about thirty years of age,
although his stooped shoulders and swinging
gait gave him the appearance of being much j
smaller than he really was.
There was something iu the movement of
the man to attract attention ; and as he drew
nearer, and a better view of his features were ;
obtained, the broad, high forehead and pierc- !
ing, nut-brown eyes, indicated that he was a
mau equal to any emergency, and one who !
could, upon occasion, wield a powerful force
for good or evil amongst his acquaintances.
Gabe Husker?for such was the name of,
the person who had become the centre of attrflf>rinn?was
the owner of a valuable mine a
couple of miles above the town. It was gen- j
erally thought he had a large amount of gold 1
dust hidden away; and this belief being shared
by the gamblers, they had made numberless
efforts to induce him to play, but so far with- i
out success. In fact, Gabe had no love for
gaming, nor liking for those who managed j
games of chance. He regarded all gamblers
as thieves, and was no way bashful in speaking
his sentiments. The gamesters, however,
refused to be insulted by him, because they 1
hoped, ultimately, to be able to succeed in j
their designs, when they would be avenged ;
for all the iusults he had ever given them.
"Times are right peart on Rabbit Creek,
ain't they ?" asked Gabe, as he entered one of
the saloons, where a number of persons were
standing in front of a long counter, waiting
for drinks that were being prepared by the
bar-keeper.
"Hellow, Gabe, is that you ?" "I'm dern J
glad to see you?" "How's things out in the;
hill?" "Many of the boys coming down today
?" "By jingo! you look sorter blue round
the gills; come up and name your ruin," ex- J
claimed a number of voices, and as many J
hands were extended to welcome the new ar-1
rival.
Amongst those welcoming Gabe was Harry
Seymour, the owner of one of the most valuable
claims on the creek?a good-natured fellow,
whose worst enemy was his appetite;1
who never visited the town without getting 1
drunk, and when in that condition, and unfit
for anv business, visitinc the {rambling houses
aud loosing heavily. He had been one of the i
* first to arrive on the morning alluded to, and
had immediately commenced drinking.
"Thank yer ; b'lieve I will wet my sofer-1
grass with a mite of Kaintuck wine. It's j
powerful good for a steady drink, a miserable 1
sight better nor sham pain and absace ; sticks
closer to yer ribs and don't leave no headache
behind. Then, again, it's a home production,
aud I allers allow that a man as don't patternise
home products ain't worth shucks. So,
barkeep, yer may jiss pass over yer corn
juice."
"Will you take bitters or sugar, sir?"
"Sugar or bitters in licker? Not by a
derned sight! When I drink licker I drink
it for itself, and not for bitters or other adjunctifications.
I sorter imagine that yer
don't reckon I'm from Pike county, Missoury,
or you wouldn't ask me if I drank sugar or
bitters in my licker! No sir-ree Bob ! I al- J
lers drinks my licker straight!" ! b
A bottle was placed before him. Pouring ' n
a glass nearly full, Gabe raised it in his hand, e
held it between the light and his eye, and af- fc
ter gazing at it affectionately for a few mo- I
ments said: . c
"Here's to we uns, may we all have heaps j
of luck and water when the winter breaks." 1
"We'll all drink to that!" exclaimed the v
miners, as they raised the glasses to their lips n
and poured the liquid fire down their throats. ; y
"As I remarked, when I first came in, times i ii
are right peart on Rabbit Creek, 'ain't they ?" j
"Yes, sorter, kind o' peart," responded one i o
of the group. "The fact is, times have been ; h
infernally dull for a long while, and 'twas
necessary for to do something to burst the si
shell. Things having got a boost, there is a
right smart chance of peartness going ou." 1
The speaker was the proprietor of a faro h
game, who, being anxious to cultivate Air. i n
Husker's acquaintance, sought to improve the p
occasion. He was a large-framed, bull-neck- j
ed, dark-eyed, scowling-countenanced fellow, \
known by the name of Chad wick, who, rumor ti
declared, had, since his advent into C'alifor-; n
nia, killed one or two men, and robbed a ; r
great many others; but, during his residence ' h
on Rabbit Creek, be had conducted himself c
in a manner to give ho offense. His features | ii
were marked with several deep scars, which A
gave evidence of his having participated in v
many a desperate combat, while the bowie-' o
knife and revolver in his belt indicated that ii
he was prepared for war at any moment. a
By eleven o'clock between three and four i t<
hundred miners had assembled in the town, ' P
and all were more or less under the influeuce j fi
of liquor. The gamblers after treating all | '
hands until they began to show symptoms of i a
inebriation, opened their little games and com-1 P
menced winning the money of those who were !
foolish enough to play. Around each table j
could be seen a crowd of hardy fellows betting j t<
their hard-earned dust and indulging in rude j h
jests and boisterous laughter. The harsh ; t
oath that would occasionally escape from the ! c!
lips of some of the players gave evidence that c!
luck could not prevail against scientific at- J e
tainments in the art of cheating, and that the j a
gamblers were making hay while the sun i
shone. j J
When the noon-day meal had been disposed d
of, the committee of arrangements set to work ! f<
to arrange the preliminaries for the snow-shoe '
race. Judges, time-keepers, referees, starters, ti
etc., were appointed, rules established, and ev- j ti
erything fixed iu consonance with the ideas o
of a majority of the committee. Then those | a
who were to take part in the contest were no- 1 si
tified to appear at the starting post. The
judges took their positious ; those who had a
been absorbed in gambling forsook the tables d
and sought places from whence a good view j fi
of the race could be had. 1(
When the hour for starting arrived, the !
signal was gitfeu and the contestants bounded j tl
oft' with the speed of lightning. At the last - a
moment a woman appeared upon the scene j si
and started with the others. She was evident-1 g
ly an expert in the use of the snow-shoes, and j o:
passed several of the contestants during the ! t(
first hundred yards. Those who were watch-, u
ing the race became fearfully excited, and j ?
whenever the woman could succed in passing | it
one of the racers, they would make the welkin ; b
ring with their shouts of joy and encourage- j h
meut. : o;
"Who is she?" was asked on all sides, but j h
no one answered the question. i ni
It is not my intention to give a description ' tl
of the snow-shoe race, nor to paint a picture , c<
of the exciting contest. I only allude to it If
for the purpose of giving the reader a clue to ji
what is yet to come. The race was soon over y
and was won by the mysterious female, who i
had been materially aided by the wind catch- j 01
ing in the skirts of her dress.
Perhaps her success may partially have j p
been caused by the gallantry of the other ( h
contestants, who thought it would be ungen- |
tletnanly to beat a woman. But of this we ! tl
cannot speak knowingly. j 01
There were but two or three females on '
Babbit Creek at the time of which we write, 'c
and consequently great curiosity prevailed to ei
learn which one had entered the lists and car- |
ried oft' the prize, and no sooner had the con- g
testants crossed the home mark than the crowd J "
rushed forward and surrounded them. ! s(
"Who is she?" cried a dozen voices, the si
owners of which were pushing with might and ; ir
main to get a glimpse of the lady's features, a
The victor threw back the bonnet and veil ' ei
that covered and concealed her features, and ; u
revealed the lace of a man bearded like a i
pard. ^ ; si
"Oh ! pshaw, 'taint no woman, after all!" ' a
exclaimed Hank Seymour, as he elbowed his j
way from the centre of the circle. | fc
"Then who in thunder is it?" asked one si
who was using his best efforts to get a sight of
the champion. d
"Well, I'm dauged ef that ar woman don't I
turn out to be Jim Wilkingham, who lives on r<
t'other side of the hill," said Gabe Husker, v
whose curiosity appeared to have been satis- G
fied. "Jim has been playing roots on the p
boys, and is a thousand dollars better off for sc
havin' dun so. But dog me ef I don't think n
the race ought to be run over again. I e<
i. 'n i i.?: uof T ft
WOUUIJ l tuinu uviiiy unv;>ik^u unit w * ( ?
was one of 'em." ! w
At this moment fierce, angry words were w
heard within the circle. Several persous ap- b
peared to be taking part iu the dispute, and
again the crowd pressed forward to see what j a:
was the matter. Suddenly the sharp report Sf
of a pistol rang out and the crowd which had h
formed the circle fled pell mell. Turning 1
quickly, lluskcr saw that a murder had been tf
committed. The winner of the purse was ly-1 si
ing motionless upou the snow, while the blood,
pouring in a stream from a hole in his bosom, h
was rapidly crimsoning the ground. The fi
bullet had passed through his heart, and ; tc
death had been instantaneous. A few feet j
distand stood Chadwick, coolly returning his g
revolver to its resting place in the scabbard s<
which hung over his hip.
' What have yer been a doing?" yelled w
Husker, as he jumped toward the murderer, e:
"Bin a givin' a dern skunk his deserts. No y
dead beat can ever git any of my money by si
such a fraud upon the community as this one.
I go for all such every time, you bet!" ei
"I guess we'll have to go fur you," said ci
Iiuskcr, as belaid his hand upon the shoulder o
of the murderer. k
"Don't you lay your hands on me, or by b
the holy St. Peter I'll put daylight through b
you," yelled the gambler, as he leaped back c
and made a motion to draw his weapon. ri
"That's played out and it won't ho remark- P
ably healthy for you to attempt to draw your d
weapons on old Gabc. He has fit too many h
(/, Im ofnanl nf ciii'ti <1 fntnmnillit :is
??II6&llUO IU i/V Uivut v? wt ?v wv. t?...
you. Kf you surrender yourself into custody, e
I'll see that you have a fair, squar trial; hut e
if you make a dern fool of yourself, you'll go ji
up the flume without judge or jury. j e
"I don't propose to have you interfere in my ji
affairs, and I guess I'll prepare you for a fu- t
neral," cried the gambler, as he drew his li
pistol and pointed it at Gabe.
Before the desperado had time to pull the t
trigger, bis arms were beaten down and he 1
was seized from behind by some of the miners, v
who soon overpowered and securely bound
him, hand and foot, and carried him into the s
tavern, around the door of which a number of n
, excited persons instantly collected. .Some pro- j ji
posed to satisfy the ends of justice by hang-' tl
ing the prisoner at once; but Gabe, who had j f
been intuitively accepted as a leader, declared , t
i that the fair name of Babbit Creekers should j)
i not be tarnished by nets of lawlessness.
The prisoner, notwithstanding that he was j li
tound hand and foot, and entirely at the I
aercy of his captors, was as cool and collect- b
d as if he was seated behind his gambling
able, shuffling cards for a lot of greenhorns. ; d
ie would sneeringly address those who were v
rying out for his life, and say : i n
"You dern fools are a wastin' of yer breths.
rer can't hang me. 'Taint in the cards. I t
asn't born to be hung. So 'taint no use to . r
lake a fuss about sich a little matter, and 1 t
ou'd be making money if you'd stop bother-1 f
a' me." j '<
"What makes you think there is no danger 1:
I I P.I 1. _ I
t our hanging you r asKea one or mose wuu
ad been stationed as guard over the prisoner. L
" 'Cause, when I was born'd the stars showed v
igns that I was to be drowned." I v
"May be the stars will fail." c
"They can't. They have shown in the a
oavens ever since the creation, and will re- g
lain there until the end of time ; so 'tis im-; n
ossible for them to fail." J f
"We'll see about it after a while."
The question of how the prisoner should be o
ried was a difficult one to settle. There was y
0 regularly instituted court nearer than Ma-1 n
ysville, and to send him there and await the !
iw's delays would cost too much money, oc- 1;
upy too much time, aud be certain to result I
1 the prisoner's escaping merited punishment. I
iftcr the subject had been thoroughly can-1 d
asscd in all its bearings, it was decided to ; v
rganize a court, and have the trial take place j "
nmediately. Gabe Husker was chosen judge, , t
nother miner sheriff, a jury was then selected j t
j try the prisoner, and sworn by the judge to f
erform their duties to the best of their abili- p
!es. A person who had witnessed the shoot- ii
lg volunteered to act as prosecuting attorney, b
nd a gambler who had been a friend of the
risoner was sent for to appear and conduct tl
lie defense. ti
In response to the summons the latter en- I
ired the room where the court was beiDg e
eld, and seated himself beside the prisoner, d
lis eyes no sooner rested on the faces of those i b
hosen jurors than he felt that the fate of his I
liont wna dppidpH find t.bnnph he labored I r
verso bard he would be unable to accomplish ' a
nything.
The preliminaries having been arranged,'?
udge Husker took a seat upon the table, and v
irected the sheriff'to declare the court open j c
jr business. | ti
"Oh ! yes, oh ! yes. All ye are hereby no-; v
fied that this court is now opened for the : q
rial of David Chadwick for the high crime j n
f murder. All assembled will take notice, i ti
nd goveru themselves accordingly," cried the il
licrifT. li
A few moments of confusion followed this
nnouneement, during which the crowd en- n
eavored to secure seats or favorable positions v
om which to observe the proceedings. Si;nce
having been secured, the judge said : s
"This 'ere honorable court is now open for t
le trial of a person accused of the murder of k
human being. I find myself in a peculiar c
tuation, and must own that I have some mis- I
ivings of my ability to discharge the duties d
f that position. But I'll try my level best
> be equal to the occasion. We are away t
p here in the mountains whar we haint got P
o Californy law, therefore I propose to put ti
to a vote whether we shall try the prisoner
y lynch law or Missoury law. 1 hold in my v
and a copy of the constitution and by-laws e
F theState of Missoury, which aregood enough c
iw for me, and ought to be good enough for a
ny one. It will look better abroad ef we try
ie prisoner by real law than by lynch law; f<
jusequcntly I'm in favor of usin' Missoury j Is
iw on this trial; but having been elected j r
idge by you, I shall be governed entirely by j si
our decision." ' w
"Your head is level, you bet, judge," cried p
no of the spectators. | c
"Now, all that is in fuvor of trying the j ?
risonerby Missoury law, say yes," continued j a
is honor. ' tl
A tremendous "yes" went up from the ' tl
iroats of the assembled multitude, the pris- i
tier voting in the affirmative, and saying : ! a
"I like Missoury law better than lynch law, j a
ause you see real law has a restrainin' influ- ti
ace onto the jurors." i "
"You have decided that this trial shall be j s<
overned by real law," continued the court. ; t<
I think it would be doin' the neat thing ef! si
)me one would heft up a prayer as a sort o' i
:arter. Ef any of you have had experience h
i that way, I hope you wou't be backward ' a
bout volunteerin'. Tom Itayburn, yer fath- k
r was an old prayer fighter ; can't you give ! a
s a heft?" jf<
"No, thank you, Judge; the old man conimed
all the prayer that was in our family, ' v
nd didn't leave any for his boys." | a
"Bill Gillam, you used to tend meetin' be- j 'I
>re you come to Californy, what do you 1 v
ly ?" ; f)
"Italy, Go be, yer honor, ef yer please, 11 s;
on't feel ekal to the work."
After calling upon several others with like I ti
jsults, Gabe knelt down and offered up a fer- j n
ent but homely petition to the Throne of! b
Iraee for guidance during the trial. He ! a
rayed that the hearts of the jurors might be i 1<
)ftened toward the accused, so*that they i
light judge the prisoner rightly, fie plead-1 tl
i for courage to perform the disagreeable | n
uty that had been imposed on him, and closed 1 ii
ith an appeal for mercy for him whose hands 1 tl
ere yet warm with the blood of a fellow j
emg. t |
"I say, Judge, let's have something to drink si
fore we go any furder with this ere show," i h
lid the prisoner ; "that long prayer of your'n I h
as made me feel as dry as a tinder box." | fi
"Well, I don't keer ef I do take a little i w
irantaler juice, just to make things run \ o
nooth," replied the court. !p
The sheriff, without waiting for orders, ti
astened to fetch the liquors and some glasses | p
om the bar. His honor and the prisoner gi
>ok a drink together, the latter saying: n
"I drink to the success of your show ; now a
o ahead and get through with this dern non- tl
;nse. I want to get back to my game." o
The*sheriff was going to remove the bottle,
hen his honor stopped him, saying, "This b
re will probably be trying work, and I guess b
ou had better leave the licker; I may want, fi
line more of it." I a
The trial was then commenced aud conduct- o
d with perfect fairness, a number of witness- s
3 testifying to the shooting ; in fact, the pris- t
ner himself declared to the jury that he had 'J
illed the miner, and gave as a reason for a
aving done so, that he had fooled everybody ( v
y putting on women's clothing, exciting their | e
uriosity, and swindling those engaged in the I
ace. For his part he thought "any dern ; v
kunk as would humbug a whole mining camp b
csorvcd to have a bullet-hole bored through k
is diafram." b
After the testimony had been taken, the t
ase was summed up in short speeches by the t
ounsel and submitted to the jury. A whis- j t
icred consultation for a few moments follow- t
d, and then the verdict was announced. The : e
irisoucr had been found guilty of murder in , f
he first degree, and sentenced to be hanged a
?y the neck until he was dead. ! v
"I'll bet any man in the room, five to one, il
hat I am not hanged until I am dead," cool- li
y remarked the prisoner, when the verdict ii
i-as rendered. c
"I'll take you for a half-dozen ounces," re- c
ponded the foreman of the jury, who was I
lone other than our old friend Hank Sey- a
uour, "for it's the only time I ever hud a f
lead thing on you. And now, my dying
fiend, let me give you a little advice. Select
he spot you want to be buried in and engage t
-our undertaker." , e
"Thank you for your advice, but I guess it > f
lain't any use to take it, for I tell you that i
'11 be riding over these mountains when your j
tones are bleaching in the wind."
"Ef you do ride over these hills after tolay
it will be as a first-class ghost, for you |
vill be a dead man in less than an hour from
iow."
At this moment Gabe Husker approached
he prisoner and said: "I hope you'll 'scuse
ne for the part I've taken in this matter, and i
t'leeve that I've only done my dooty to my'
eller citizens. You have had a fair trial,!
cording to the by-laws of Missoury, and I 1
lope the decision is'agreeable to you."
"I hain't got nothing to say agin it; it's all !
leen conducted on the square; nary Jack j
pas turned from the bottom. I am satisfied ;
pith everything so far. But you'll be doing
oe a favor if you'll hurry up matters a little
,nd pet throuph with it. I am anxious to ,
O o
;et back to ray game. I'm Josin' a heap of!
uoney through the dern foolishness of you 1
ellars."
"You had better be puttin' your cards in :
rder for a game in the other world, 'cause
ou'll soon be a lay out fur the devil," re- 1
narked a by-stander.
"Maybe you havesoraethin' to bet that ray 1
amp goes out to-day?"
"Yes, I have."
"Look here here, Dave, you are making a
lern fool of yourself," exclaimed the gambler, j
?ho had acted as the prisoner's counsel.
You are a bettin' agin yerself. The fust |
hing you know you'll have so many bets out!
hat. these fellers will lift you outen the world
ur to win their bets. My advice to you is to
irepare to shuffle. 'Taint no use lookin' at
ate with your eyes shut. These fellers mean
usiuess, and have got it in fur you."
"You are mistaken in the knowledge of
be game of human natur. Thar ain't goin'
o be no hangin' so far as I am consarned.
)og on it, liaiut I told yer that a fortune-tellr
read it in the stars that I was born to be
rowned? and if I am to be drowned I can't
e hanged!"
"I'm afeered the fortune-teller had lost the '
un of the cards when he told you that. Thar I
in't no chance for your neck now."
The sheriff, accompanied by several men i
fflo had been erecting a gallows under a tree ;
rkinli rrrow noor hv nnw entered and took
F1.1V.1 ?*?/?. -J) .
harge of the prisoner, whom they conducted ;
o the scene where the last act of the drama j
i&s to be enacted. The preliminaries were 1
uickly made, the rope placed around the i
eck of the doomed man, and when every-!
hing was in readiness, the prisoner was asked ;
f he had anything to say before he was '
lunched into eternity.
"This 'ere joke has gone far enough, and as j
ay feet are getting cold, I wish you would i
idnd it up. I'm tired of being fooled with."
The sheriff now addressed the prisoner, j
aying: "You have been tried according to j
he laws of the State of Missoury; you have i
ieen found guilty, and the time for the exeution
of the sentence of the court has arrived.
, therefore, must prooceed to perform my
looty."
"I say; hold on. I appeal this 'ere case to
he Supreme Court of Missoury," said the j
irisoner, "and you can't carry out the senence
until after the appeal has been decided."
This change in the aspect of affairs some- j
diat staggered the crowd, and delayed the i
xecution a short while. Judge Husker was i
ailed upon to give his views upon the case, j
nd did so, as follows:
"The prisoner wus tried by Missoury law, :
juud guilty and sentenced to death by the !
iw; and thar cannot be a doubt about his ;
iglit to appeal to the Supreme Court of Mis- j
oury. So fur so good. But courts are al- j
ays in the habit of goin' on until the Su-1
reme Court issues its mandamus stayin' per- j
edins. Therefore the sentence of this court j
ill ho rnrrif>rl nnt nnlps.4 nrnnerlv flt&Yed bv 1
mandamus. Ef the perceedins ain't reg'lar !
Iiey can be reviewed when the case reaches j
be higher court."
The decision of his honor was received with i
shout. The prisouer said : "All right, go j
head." The sheriff gave the signal and the '
rap was sprung. The rope broke, letting the
lurderer drop into the snow beneath the j
mffold. lie struggled to his feet, returned !
o the scaffold, and looking over the crowd,;
aid :
"Thar! didn't I teli yer that I couldn't be
ung? I claim my bets. Now, gentlemen,!
s this show is over, I thank you for your :
ind attendance, and all of you as has got;
ny money and wants a lay out at faro, just!
illow me and I'll give you a lively game." j.
He turned to leave the scaffold, when he j
ras met by the sheriff, who held in his hand j
much stronger rope than the one first used, j
'his was soon knotted about the neck of the 1
ictim, who looked at the rope and then at the !
ices surrounding him, but failed to see any :
yrapathy for him.
"See here, gentlemen," said he, "this 'ere 1
hing has become serious, and before you '
lake another pull give me time to change my
ets. I'll copper the fortune-teller this time,
nd play him to lose, 'cause I b'lieve you felirs
can call the turn."
He stopped speaking, waved his hand to
be sheriff, as a signal to proceed, and in a j*
lomeut more the unfortunate man was standig
iu the presence of Him who "judgeth all
bings."
Cold Feet.?Much discomfort aud no '
mall amount of sickness are attributed to ;
abitual colduess of the feet. There are few |
ygienic precepts more important than the ,
rst clause of that which says, "Keep the feet
rarm and the head cool," The large supply '
f blood-vessels to the brain, and the remote
osition of the feetfrom the centre of circulaion,
show why the head is so liable to be op-1
ressed with accumulated blood, and the feet i
o chilled by its deprivation. Habitual cold-.
ess of the feet means congestion of the brain j
nd other internal organs, thus unbalancing
lie whole circulation, and injuring qvery organ
f the body.
To prevent cold feet have your shoes or I
oots of thick, firm leather, water-proof, and
e sure that they are not tight.' A very tight-1
ittiiig boot or shoe radiates the heat as fast'
s the circulation can provide it. If the boot!
r shoe is large enough to admit of a good ,
upply of air around the foot, the tempera-1
ure will be much more easily maintained.1
?ight stockings and tight garters are also ;
ruong the common causes of cold feet. But 1
idien the feet are cold at bed time, in spite of I
xercise, artificial heat should be resorted to.1
sTo oue should retire to bed with cold feet
irithout some provision to warm them. A hot |
>rick, wrapped in several folds of cloth, will (
;ccp warm nearly all night, as will bottles of
tot water or bags of sand. These are better
ban heated flannel, because they are more re-1
cntive of heat. But if you are obliged to go
? Krt.l iimiU ^.rtLl fnat tint draw iltam iin tn
U UCU mill J\sW) V4X/ MWW V.IM.I VIIVU4 vw
be body ; extend yourself at full length, and
xercise the lower extremities by rubbing the
eet together and pressing them alternately '
gainst the footboard, as though you were!
miking. In due time they will become warm,
f you have blood enough to do it. To cure j
labitual cold feet, hold them for five minutes
n water as warm as can be borne without disomfort,
and then dip them in moderately j
ool water for half a minute and wipe dry. i
t is useful, also, to follow the foot-bath with j
. brisk walk or active friction. This should j
ie repeated each evening at bed time.
teaT Siam is an ungallant country. There,
he first wife may be divorced, and after that
very wife may be sold for cash, or traded for, i
or a yellow dog.
Ipswllatwintsi fUadiwj. |
ABOUT SUGAR.
Do you wish to know all about the sugar
which you eat every day?how it is made in |
61th, shoveled over in dirt, and how it is 6- >
nally purihed till it is white and immaculate ?
New York has thirty-five out of the fifty j
sugar rehneries in the United States, the other 1
reHneries being in Boston, Philadelphia, Bal-1
timoreand St. Louis. The largest refinery in j
the world is that of Constance Sey, in Paris.1
Sey rehnes 5000 barrels per day. The next,
largest is that of Havemeyer & Elder, of New |
York. They re6ne 3000 barrels per day. |
How does the sucrar come here?
~ O # |
Lust year the 548,769 tons of sugar slnppcd
to this country came mostly from Cuba,
Porto Rico,' Brazil, Manilla, Jamaica, San
Domingo and Barbadoes. It came in hogs- i
heads weighing 1600 pounds, boxes weighing j
450 pounds and bags weighing 150 pounds.
A large part of it came in a black, dirty, j
"raw" state, and some called "centrifugal" :
had the water whirled out of it in centrifugal |
machines before it left Cuba. So sugar is !
quoted as "raw" and "centrifugal." Raw su- j
gar is worth about eight cents and centrifugal
nine cents per pound. Cuban sugar is the
best sugar, but it all has to be cleaned be:
fore it is fit for use, and then the raw sugar
wholesales for about three cents per pound ,
more. From dirty eight cent sugar they;
make white lump sugar worth 11$, light yellow
worth 10$, dark yellow worth 9$, and j
syrup worth 4.
How do they do this?
This is what I saw for the Graphic, yesterday,
in the largest sugar refinery in the United
States:
First, the sugar in filthy black bags, hogsheads
covered with mud, and boxes, smeared
over with bilge water and filth, was landed at |
the Williamsburg docks, where are those im- j
mense sugar houses. Then stevedores carried ;
it back to a big copper vat filled with hot wa- j
ter, broke open the boxes, cut open the bags, j
and knocked in the heads of the hogsheads j
and let it all?dirt, mud, sticks, niggers' shoes,!
old hats, pipes, bones, undissolved newspap-;
pere and sleeveless shirts?yes, let it all slide j
into the vat together.
What! all this dirt?
Yes, and more too. They placed the filthy 1
old hogsheads, soiled bags and dirt boxes into j
a steam vat, steamed and washed off the dirt j
aud sugar, and theu put that in too. Then a
greasy chap stirred it up occasionally, expec- j
torating tobacco juice here and there, and j
scraping his Williamsburg mud into the fu-1
turefrosting of our wedding cake.
What next?
Well, the hogshead-staves, after the sugar 1
and dirt are worked off, aresent back to Cuba,
and 400 hogsheads of sugar per day are
pumped, in a liquid form, into the fifth story,
to be cleaned and purified.
What! can they take out filthy cigar stubs,
dead rats, negro babies, bilge water and everything?
Yes;-in five hours they draw from this
witches' chowder, syrup as pure and as colorless
and odorless as ice-water, and as clean,
too. All dirt, salts, smells and every material
obstacle or gaseous odor or oxyd is separated,
and transparent liquid sugar runs out
as water trickles from a crystal spring.
How do they do it?
First, the dirty liquid is pumped into one
thousand gallon caldrons, with a steam pipe
in the bottom. Then, blue litmus paper (pa- j
per soaked in blue cabbage juice) is dipped i
into it to see if it is sour. If it is sour, the j
hlue paper is changed to red. Then they
throw it in a pail of lime. This kills the acid,
or the acid leaves the sugar to attack the
lime, when, like the Kilkenny cats, they are
both eaten up. If you pour acid in soft soap, j
the alkali (another form of lime) will leave j
the grease to feed upon the acid.
What next?
Then the half-naked men who work over j
the hot caldrons nour five gallons of warm j
bullock's blood, fresh from the slaughter-1
houses, into each 1000 gallons of melted sugar, j
The white of eggs would be better, but eggs I
cost too much, while blood, which is almost
as full of albumen, only costs eleven cents
per gallon. This blood "settles" the sugar aan
egg settles your coffee?that is, the albumen
seizes hold of every particle of dirt and
holds it. Then, when they raise the temperature
to ISO degrees, the blood, lime, dirt,
sticks, etc., float to the surface, while the
syrup, yellow and quite transparent, is drawn i
off through strainers at tho bottom, leaving !
the scum on top. The scum and dirt are
rinsed with clean water, the sweet part saved !
to wet up a fresh lot of sugar, and the dirt I
carted off as a fertilizer. They take a ton of j
rich manure out of the sugar every day.
How is the syrup strained ?
Through bags?long cloth bags, having four
or five thicknesses of cloth in them. They i
catch all the heavy, little stones, sand, etc., I
and the syrup leaves them transparent, only j
slightly tinged with yellow. These bags take |
out about four per cent, of dirt?real black, j
mucky dirt?the same as you see in the street, j
The syrup is now ninety-three per cent, pure i
sugar, whereas it was but eighty per cent, five j
hours ago. There remains seven per cent, of j
coloring, foreign salts and gases yet to be re
moved.
How are these salts and gases to be re-;
moved ?
This is done by filtering the yellow syrup";
through bone black or animal charcoal (bones j
burnt black and ground up). Large iron ;
tankB, looking like upright steam boilers, are
filled with 30,000 pounds of bone black each.
Through this the syrup is made to trickle.
As it comes out at the bottom it is as pure
and transparent as rock crystal. A goblet of I
it looks like pure water.
"Is it perfectly pure now ?" I asked the ,
chemist.
"Yes, as near as possible. It is ninety-nine i
and a half per cent, pure sugar. You might!
pour five gallons of kerosene and a small-pox !
patient cut into sausage meat into, the first!
tank,and I tell you, Perkins, that I wouldn't i
have the slightest objection to drinking the
syrup five hours afterward. It is perfectly j
l 1 ))
ciean anu pure.
How is this white, transparent syrup made j
into sugar ?
This is simply done by takiug the water j
out of it. This is accomplished by boiling it
in an open vacuum. It would boil like water j
in the open air and volatilize at 212 degrees j
Fahrenheit, but remove the air pressure and !
it will boil at 150 Fahrenheit; 150 degrees!
never burns it, and the sugar is white. After !
boiling the syrup down to thick paste it is j
drawn off' in pots, shaped like the old-fash- j
ioned sugar-loaf. These pots hold five gallons 1
and are open at the large end. The small end j
has a hole in it through which the water runs 1
out, leaving the sugar to crystalize in a hard, j
white cake, such as used to besold in the market.
But now-a-days the pure white sugar
loaves are sawed up into regular shaped cubic j
pieces of sugar. The soiled sugar loaves, or j
those with yellow streaks in them, arecrushed
into lumps, and the saw-dust and leavings are [
r..nrlo intn rrrnrmlntprl nnfl nillVfirizPfl SllPar.
luuuv ,ul,v b'""" X ?a j
Where does this yellow sugar come from ? '
The syrup which ruus out while the white
sugar is crystalizing?the residue is treated in ;
the same manner as the original Cuban sugar, |
when an inferior sugar and an inferior syrup
result. The syrup grows more impure each i
time, until finally it canuot be crystalized. Iti
is sour and salty. This impure or brown I
sugar is shoveled into a centrifugal or revolv-1
ing machine, which revolves two thousand '
times per minute. This throws out the water !
through a strainer, leaving the sugar quite
light and mealy.
"Which is the cheapest to use?brown su- J
gar or white?" I asked the chemist.
"Why, white, sir. Brown sugar Is simply |
pure sugar with dirt and water in it. The ,
cheapest sugar to buy is white, granulated
sugar. It is simply 991 per cent, pure sugar, j
while brown sugar is only about 70 percent, i
sugar, 20 percent, water, and 10 per ceut. dirt
...I . n i ( . _ no I
and salts, wmte renneu son sugar is oo per i
cent, sugar. I know some old women,
brought up on brown sugar, still stick to j
brown sugar, and call it sweeter than white |
sugar, but^they simply dupe themselves. If j
you want brown sugar, you can take a pound j
of white sugar, pour in some water, a handful ;
of sewer dirt, lime or salt, and you'll have |
two ponnds of it."
"How many kinds of crude sugar arc
there ?"
"Three?cane sugar, fruit sugar and milk j
sugar. Cane sugar is found in sugar cane, |
Indian corn stalks, sorghum, beets, melons,;
sweet potatoes, cocoanuts, chestnuts, palmj
trees, birch trees and sugar maple. Cane sugar
is three times as sweet as milk or fruit j
sugar. Syrup contains a good deal of fruit j
sugar, generated by fermentation, etc. Therefore
syrpp is not so sweet as pure sugar dis- j
solved in water. Beet sugar smells badly, t
and sorghum has too much acidity. They j
both contain salt, to remove which is very expensive.
They are things of the past, when
sugar cane can be had reasonable and in sufficient
quantities. In Europe brown sugar is
not used; white is considered cheaper aud
better.?Eli Perkins, in Daily Graphic.
IVORY.
As ivory euters so largely into the com- j'
merce of the dav. either in the crude state in ; 1
which it is wrested from the huge elephants j
of Africa and of India, or in articles of lux- '
ury and use, we have been at some pains to J
investigate the sources of its supply, the demand
for it, and the purposes to which it is 1
mostly applied.
To-day the amount of ivory consumed in
the workshops of Europe, America and India
is immense, and yet, great as it is, the continent
of Africa furnishes seven-eighths of all .
that is worked up into ornaments, toys and ,,
crucifixes in France; heathen gods, boxes and
fans in India and China; billiard balls, boxes,
miniature plates, chessmen, mathematical
rules, keys for piano-fortes, organs and raelo- j
deons, fans, combs, folders, dominoes, and a j
thousand and one other things, in England, i
Germany and the United States.
Portugal was the England of the 16th century
in more respects than one. For two centuries,
Portugal held, in the East and on the
African coast, the power and influence now in
the hands of England. Lisbon at that time
was the head of the ivory'market; now London
is the mart where ivory dealers most do
congregate. It sometimes occurs that the Salem
and other American merchants engaged
in ftin A frirnn trade. shin their tnsks for teeth
in commercial parlance) to London after they
have brought them from the Zanzibar and
Mozambique coast to the United States. In
the world's great metropolis there occurs at
regular intervals one of those sales which furnish
the manufacturers with their stock of
elephants' teeth.
While we associate ivory and India together,
but very little of the former comes from
the latter. It is estimated that to supply ivory
to the British market, for the last few
years, it has required about 1,000,000 pouuds
annually ; of this quantity, Ceylon?the great
elephant park of India?furnishes only 5000
to 6000 pounds. The ivory which is put down
in the printed reports of sales as "Bombay,"
in nine cases out of ten, is shipped by Mahommedan
merchants from the East coast of
Africa, to the large Northwestern commercial
emporium of Bombay. We do not mean,
however, to assert that no elephants' tusks ,
A oio fnV nnnootAno 11tr tlmro will Kf>
V>UIUC 11 U LU XMA UV/VMWUVUMIi ? vajv&V ?? ? ww
small lots from Ceylon and Sumatra. There
is also a large ivory trade between Zanzibar
and China, via Bombay. A great deal of
ivory, we may state, by the way, now reaches
the united States directly from Africa.
The immense demand for elephants' teeth
has pflate years increased the supply from all
parts of Africa. At the end of the last century,
the annual'average importation into '
England was only 192,500 lbs.; in 1827 it j
reached 364,784 lbs., or 6080 tusks, which <
would require the death of at least 3040 male <
elephants. It is probable that the slaughter <
is much greater, for the teeth of the female el- i
ephant are very small, and Burchell tells us, i
in his African travels, that he met with some <
elephant-hunters who had shot twelve huge j
fellows, which, however, altogether produced i
no more than two hundred pounds of ivofy. i
To produce 1,000,000 lbs. of ivory, the present j
aunual English import, we should require (estimating
each tusk at 60 lbs.) the life of 8333
male elephants. It is said that 4000 tuskers
suffer death every year to supply the United
States with combs, kniferhamlles, billiardballs,
etc.
A tusk weighing 70 lbs. and upwards is considered
by dealers as first-class. Cuvier formed
a table of the most raraarkable tusks of which
any account has been given. The largest on
record was one which was sold at Amsterdam,
weighing three hundred and fifty pounds.
The most costly tusks, or portions of the
tusks, are those which are used for billiard
balls. What are termed "cut points" of just
the right size for billiard-balls, from 2? to 21
inches in diameter, brought the highest price
(?53) per cut of any ivory offered in the London
market at the late sales. Billiard-ball
making has af late become a very important
item of manufacture in this country.
The teeth from the West coast, with the exception
of "Gaboon," are less elastic, and less
capable of bleaching, than those that come
from other portions of Africa. The West
coast tusks are ranch used for knife-handles.
Since the French have possessed Algeria,
France receives a considerable portion of ivory
from Central Africa by the large caravans
that travel from Timbuctoo northward.
Ivory is also furnished by the walruss or !
sea-horse, and commands a price equal to the {
best elephant ivory. It is, however, too hard I
and non-elastic for many purposes, and has ;
the disadvantage of being too small to cut up j
profitably.
It would be interesting to trace this trade j,
to its origin in Africa, to follow it in all its ,
ramifications, to see how many thousands of:
the human race make their gain from the 1
giant quadrupeds; but this would require the '1
space of a volume rather than the column of 1
a weekly journal. |!
Tjie Art of Making Money.?One great';
cause of the poverty of the present day is the ! <
failure of many people to appreciate small ;
things. They say if they cannot have large \
sums, they will not have anything. They do '
not realize how a daily addition, be it ever so (!
small, will mate a large sum. If the young 1 <
men and women of to-day will only begin, j <
and begin now, to save a little from their: i
earnings, and invest it in some savings bank, <
and weekly or monthly add to their mite, :
they will wear a happy smile of content and , 1
independence when they reach middle life.: i
Not only the pile itself will increase, but the ; ]
ability and desire to increase it will soon grow, j j
Let the clerk and tradesman, laborer and ar-!
tisan, make now and at once a beginning. I
Store up some of your force and vigor for fu- j 1
ture contingency. Let parents teach their .?
children to begin early to save. Begin at the I
foundation head to control the stream of ex- '
travagance, and then the work will be easy to i
choose between poverty auu nuues. ajci, uu>
youth go on in the way of extravagance for
fifteen years to come, as they have for fifty
years past, and we shall have a nation of beggars
with a moneyed aristocracy. Let a generation
of such as save in small sums be
reared, and we shall be free from want Do
not be ambitious for extravagant fortunes,
but seek that which it is the duty of every
man to obtain?independence and a comfortable
home. Wealth in sufficient abundance
is within the reach of all. It can be had by
ouly one process?saving.
THE FATE OF THEODOSIA BURR.
A correspondent writing to the New York
Oraphic concerning the noble-minded Theodosia
Alston, the daughter of Aaron Burr says:
She was, indeed, the good angel of that misguided
man, and to James Parton we owe our
knowledge of her sweet and lovely character.
There is a mystery connected with her disappearance,
and, as you say, "the vessel never
reached its destination; was never heard from
after leaving Charleston harbor." With your
permission, I will tell you what I know of the
matter. What I am about to relate may be
traditionary in a degree, but still may possess
a peculiar interest to the reader. It was understood
at the time that the cause of Theodosia's
coming North to. her father was because
of the differences between herself and husband
regarding Burr. Theodosia defended her
father's actions, while Governor Alston denounced
them. This was the cause of a separation.
Theodosia embarked in a vessel for
New York, in the care of a Mr. Gray, a wealthy
South Carolinian. She took two of her
children with her, also a large quantity of
family plate. Tidings of her departure reached
New York, and her arrival was anxiously
looked for by the lonely old man. But, alas !
she never came. The bereaved father gave
her up as dead ; whether the vessel foundered
at sea, or what happened they never knew.
At this time myj?reat grandfather, Philip
Freneau, visited JtJurr. as lie enierea me
office Burr met him, and grasping his hands,
said, "Mr. Freneau, I know what you came
for; I have received no tidings; I am desolate"
As he spoke the tears gushed from his eyes,
and he cried like a child. Freneau tried to
reassure him, but to no effect; the conviction
that she was lost-to him could not be shaken.
Touched by the grief of the wretched father,
Freneau afterwards sent him a poem entitled
"Theodosia in the Morning Star," which was
published in one of the early editions of his
poems. Deprived of the only being who loved
him, friendless and alone, the old man gradually
sank, until death ended his grief. Now
comes the mysterious part of the sad story. I
cannot vouch for the truth of it, as I have
been unable to procure anything of a documentary
nature bearing upon the subject
Many years ago a notorious pirate named
Gibbs was captured, brought to this port, and
condemned to be hung and gibetted. On his
condemnation he made a confession, and
amodg other crimes confessed to having captured
the vessel which contained Theodosia
Alston. He said that he received information
that a vesel intended leaving Charleston,
having on board plate of great value. He
resolved to lay in wait for her; he did so, and
captured the vessel, with all on board. In the
struggle for the possession of the ship many or
the crew and officers were killed. Gibbs resolved
to put the survivors to death, as the
safest way of disposing of them. Mrs. Alston
begged for the lives of herself and children ;
she offered him all the wealth she possessed,
and promised to secure him from harm. She
knelt to him and entreated him in the most
beseeching tones, but the pirate was inexorable.
He said that if he saved them he must
save the rest, and that he could not do. He
now forced them to "walk the plank." The
turn of the two little boys came, and as they
disappeared in the sea the mother firmly and
proudly stepped off the board to follow them.
Whether this is the true story of the fate of
Theodosia, I do not know. If there is a copy
of Gibbs'Confession in existence, this incident
would very likely be mentioned. If true, it
was well that Burr was spared the additional
pain of learning the mode of his daughter's
Jeath. I give it for it is worth.
Respectfully yours,
C. TOWNSEND HARRIS.
How California Fields are Plowed.
The fields are plowed with what are called
?ang plows, which are simply four, six or
jight plow shares, fastened to a stout frame
of wood. On the lighter soil eight horses
draw a seven gang plow, and one such team
is counted on to put in six hundred and forty
acres of wheat in the sowing season ; or from
sight to ten acres per day. Captain Gray,
Dear Merced, has put in this season four thousand
acres with five such teaps?his own land
and his own teams. A seed sower is fastened
in front of the plow. It scatters the seed, the
plow covers it, aud the work is done. The
plow has no handles, and the plowman is, in
fact, only a driver; he guides the team?the
plows do their own work, and a smart boy, if
his legs are equal to the walk, is as good a
plowman as anybody?for the team turns the
?j i ii.j
corners, ana me piuw is nut imuuieu at on.
It is a striking sight to see eight horse teams
following each other over a vast plain, cutting
"lands" a mile long, and when all have
passed, leave a track forty feet wide of plowed
ground. On the heavier soil, the process is
somewhat different. An eight horse team
moves a four gang plow, and gets over about
six acres per day. The seed is then sown by
a machine which scatters it forty feet, and
sows from seventy-five to one hundred acres
in a day, and the ground is then harrowed and
cross harrowed.
When the farmer in this valley has done
his winter sowing, he turns his teams and men
into other grounds, which he is to summer
fallow. This he can do from the first of
March to the middle of May; and by it he secures
a remunerative crop for the following
year, even if the seasan is dry. This discovery
is of inestimable importance to the farmers
on the drier parts of- these great plains.
Experience has now demonstrated conclusively,
that, if they plow their lands in the spring,
let it lie until the winter rains come on, then
sow their wheat and harrow it in, they are
sure of a crop; and the summer will have
killed every weed beside.
? ?
Depend on Your Own Efforts.?Fight
your own battles. Hoe your own row, Ask
no favors of any one, and you will succeed a
thousand times better than those who are
always beseeching some one's patronage. No
one will ever help you as you can help yourself,
because no one will be so heartily interested
in your affairs. The first step will not
be such a long one, perhaps; but, carving
your own way up the mountain, you make
each one lead to another; and stand hrm in
that while you chop out still another. Men
who have made their fortunes are not those
who had five thousand dollars given thera to
start with, but started fair with a well-earned
dollar or two. Men who have by their own
exertions acquired fame have not been thrust
into popularity by puffs, begged or paid for,
nr given in friendly spirit. They have outstretched
their hands and touched the public
heart. Men who win love do their own wooiug,
and I never knew a man to fail so signally
as one who had induced his affectionate
grandmamma to speak a good word for him.
Whether you work for fame, for love, for
money, or for anything else, work with your
hands, heart aud brain. Say "I will!" and
some day you will conquer. Never let any
man have it to say, "I have dragged you up."
loo many friends hurt a man more than noue
at all.?Grace Greenmod.