Volume 036-1 - January 1982 (8 pages)

Nevada City closed in protest when license fees were increased to $30 a quarter. Meetings were held to organize a company that would build and operate a steam laundry with white employees. In the meantime, dark shirts and chemises were the fashion. Encouraged by their former white clientele, the Chinese moved their businesses just outside the city limits and agreed to pick up and deliver. At mid-year a bill passed that allowed only Chinese officials and their servants into the US after August 4. Over 26,000 Chinese were hastily brought in before that date by corporations seeking cheap labor and others were smuggled into Washington Territory from Victoria. Crimes against Chinese by whites were not prosecuted with the same vigor as those where whites were the victims. But there were a few exceptions. George Cook was serving a sentence in the county jail for selling bogus gold bricks to Chinese at Truckee. In February William Smothers had knocked down a Chinese man then, while walking down Commercial Street, shot Wah Quong in the back. There was no provocation. Quong’s clothing protected him and the bullet only inflicted a flesh wound. Smothers continued his stroll toward the depot, turned back on Sacramento Street where he shot and killed Ah Wing. The murderer had been in jail before for stealing a trunk in Truckee. He had also been charged with a previous murder, but had provided an alibi that gave him his freedom. The Transcript editor recommended a “‘dose of hemp” for Smothers. MORE CRIME George W. Smith, a popular former sheriff, fatally shot Thaddeus W. Sigourney, an equally popular vice president of the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad and former county treasurer, in July of 1880. Smith was sentenced to 20 years in San Quentin. In January of 1882 the judgement was affirmed by the Supreme Court. Later Smith’s wife presented a petition with $00 signatures, asking for a pardon, but a judge refused. He explained that he had already pardoned two men from the county and it was up to his successor to pardon Smith. In October petitions were being circulated again, asking for Smith’s pardon. In January it was announced that all prisoners in the county jail were to perform daily labor on public works for eight hours with one hour rest and refreshment at noon. The ball and chain were to be used when necessary. The new year had barely begun when the safe at Beckman’s saloon was robbed of $800. The thief had hidden behind door screens that were leaning against the wall. While waiting for the saloon to close he had left a pool of tobacco juice. Antonio Gonzales ‘Commodore” Ladda, an elderly Portuguese, was found murdered in front of his cabin between Columbia Hill and Lake City around January 24. His body had been set on fire. Maurice “Sebastopol” Penilon was arrested. His mule had died and he had accused Ladda, of poisoning it. Penilon was seen hanging around Ladda’s with a borrowed shotgun and his bloodstained boots matched prints at the murder scene. In May he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. In February John Williams was charged with the murder of Indian Charlie at the Campoodie on December 19. Charlie’s dying statement accused Williams and it was corroborated by a squaw named Johanna. In May, Williams was found guilty. That same month Mrs. Gorrall’s home in Nevada City was robbed of $600 in coin, jewelry and legal documents, all taken from a trunk. Footpads accosted Fred Bost on Pine Street at gunpoint, searched him and took the only money he had, $1. In mid-February three masked men entered the cabins of shakemakers Leonard Whiting and Samuel Gibson on Red Dog Road near Marsh’s lumber yard. They took $20 from Whiting and $25 from Gibson. One of the robbers fell down a mine shaft and was rescued by his pals, but his hat was left behind. Wesley Nichols and James Bohannan were found guilty of the robberies and were sentenced to prison. That month Smothers murdered Ah Wing. On February 17 the Union editor said, “The criminal element at Nevada City has been very active in that burg for several weeks past,” in furnishing a calendar of crime. “They have cracked safes, stopped men in the streets at the point of a pistol and committed murder.” The following month sneak thieves were stealing floral arrangements from the Grass Valley Cemetery. The sexton left his pick and shovel in a grave and when he returned they were gone, along with several boards that were to be used for the funeral. A.D. Mason, a young lawyer, was shot by E.A. Roberts, son of the Honorable E.W. Roberts, in April. The two men had “hot words” in front of the Holbrooke Hotel. Roberts was drunk and shot Mason. He was arrested. Mason later recovered, but still had a bullet lodged near his spine. During the altercation Daniel’s Band, a group of religious singers, came upon the scene singing hymns, unaware of the tragedy. Also in April Charles Nichols, who was in Nevada City jail for drunk and disorderly conduct, dug out a portion of the 16-inch brick wall to which hinges of the door were attached, but was discovered. When his 10-day sentence was over he was to be tried for jail break. C. Beckman was in the news again in April as one of several Nevada City saloonkeepers being held for violation of the Sunday Law. The jury turnedina verdict of not guilty and 18 other cases based on violation of the Sunday Law were dismissed, as public sentiment was obviously against enforcement. The League of Freedom of Nevada City had enough money left after defending Beckman to declare a dividend of $2.50 to each member. In July Jack McCarty, accused of robbing the safe in Beckman’s saloon; William Smothers, the murderer of Ah Wing, and George Cook, the bogus gold brick man, dug out the stones from the wall next to the kitchen window in the rear of the jail and escaped on July 20. They had not been locked in their cells. The trio had used the bars from a bedstead to pry at the stones. When last seen the escapees were running over the foot-bridge near the Catholic Church. Sheriff Tompkins published a description of the men. Less than a week later seven tramps, accused of committing depradations while camped near Shebley’s Ranch (present Greenhorn area of Rollins Lake) were lodged in the jail. They immediately started tearing up the jail floor and threatening to escape. They were to be shipped out of the county. : Early the next month the supervisors instructed the county clerk to advertise for bids for lining the kitchen of the jail with sheet iron. McCarty was arrested in Plymouth around the first of August. Smothers had been with him, but escaped. One month later McCarty was ‘sentenced to three years in state prison. Cook was captured in Lake County and returned to jail. In October, the two desperados who killed Moore’s Flat banker William Cummings in a stage holdup in 1879, were captured. They were John C. Patterson, alias Kehoe and Charles Dorsey, alias Dawson, both ex-San Quentin convicts. Patterson, who claimed his real name was John C.P. Collins, was recognized in a Missouri jail by his photo. Dorsey had taken the name of Thorne and was engaged in the lumber and saloon business in Union City, Indiana. Both were brought to Nevada aed in late October and lodged in the jail. Cook, the recaptured escapee, was placed in an apartment over the jail so he wouldn’t scheme with Patterson and Dorsey to escape. The deputy left the keys in the lock when he went to dinner and Cook, using a handy coat hanger to get them, again escaped. In December a sharpened iron bar was found concealed in Patterson’s cell.

Nevada City closed in protest when license fees were increased to $30 a quarter. Meetings were held to organize a company that would build and operate a steam laundry with white employees. In the meantime, dark shirts and chemises were the fashion. Encouraged by their former white clientele, the Chinese moved their businesses just outside the city limits and agreed to pick up and deliver. At mid-year a bill passed that allowed only Chinese officials and their servants into the US after August 4. Over 26,000 Chinese were hastily brought in before that date by corporations seeking cheap labor and others were smuggled into Washington Territory from Victoria. Crimes against Chinese by whites were not prosecuted with the same vigor as those where whites were the victims. But there were a few exceptions. George Cook was serving a sentence in the county jail for selling bogus gold bricks to Chinese at Truckee. In February William Smothers had knocked down a Chinese man then, while walking down Commercial Street, shot Wah Quong in the back. There was no provocation. Quong’s clothing protected him and the bullet only inflicted a flesh wound. Smothers continued his stroll toward the depot, turned back on Sacramento Street where he shot and killed Ah Wing. The murderer had been in jail before for stealing a trunk in Truckee. He had also been charged with a previous murder, but had provided an alibi that gave him his freedom. The Transcript editor recommended a “‘dose of hemp” for Smothers. MORE CRIME George W. Smith, a popular former sheriff, fatally shot Thaddeus W. Sigourney, an equally popular vice president of the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad and former county treasurer, in July of 1880. Smith was sentenced to 20 years in San Quentin. In January of 1882 the judgement was affirmed by the Supreme Court. Later Smith’s wife presented a petition with $00 signatures, asking for a pardon, but a judge refused. He explained that he had already pardoned two men from the county and it was up to his successor to pardon Smith. In October petitions were being circulated again, asking for Smith’s pardon. In January it was announced that all prisoners in the county jail were to perform daily labor on public works for eight hours with one hour rest and refreshment at noon. The ball and chain were to be used when necessary. The new year had barely begun when the safe at Beckman’s saloon was robbed of $800. The thief had hidden behind door screens that were leaning against the wall. While waiting for the saloon to close he had left a pool of tobacco juice. Antonio Gonzales ‘Commodore” Ladda, an elderly Portuguese, was found murdered in front of his cabin between Columbia Hill and Lake City around January 24. His body had been set on fire. Maurice “Sebastopol” Penilon was arrested. His mule had died and he had accused Ladda, of poisoning it. Penilon was seen hanging around Ladda’s with a borrowed shotgun and his bloodstained boots matched prints at the murder scene. In May he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. In February John Williams was charged with the murder of Indian Charlie at the Campoodie on December 19. Charlie’s dying statement accused Williams and it was corroborated by a squaw named Johanna. In May, Williams was found guilty. That same month Mrs. Gorrall’s home in Nevada City was robbed of $600 in coin, jewelry and legal documents, all taken from a trunk. Footpads accosted Fred Bost on Pine Street at gunpoint, searched him and took the only money he had, $1. In mid-February three masked men entered the cabins of shakemakers Leonard Whiting and Samuel Gibson on Red Dog Road near Marsh’s lumber yard. They took $20 from Whiting and $25 from Gibson. One of the robbers fell down a mine shaft and was rescued by his pals, but his hat was left behind. Wesley Nichols and James Bohannan

were found guilty of the robberies and were sentenced to prison. That month Smothers murdered Ah Wing. On February 17 the Union editor said, “The criminal element at Nevada City has been very active in that burg for several weeks past,” in furnishing a calendar of crime. “They have cracked safes, stopped men in the streets at the point of a pistol and committed murder.” The following month sneak thieves were stealing floral arrangements from the Grass Valley Cemetery. The sexton left his pick and shovel in a grave and when he returned they were gone, along with several boards that were to be used for the funeral. A.D. Mason, a young lawyer, was shot by E.A. Roberts, son of the Honorable E.W. Roberts, in April. The two men had “hot words” in front of the Holbrooke Hotel. Roberts was drunk and shot Mason. He was arrested. Mason later recovered, but still had a bullet lodged near his spine. During the altercation Daniel’s Band, a group of religious singers, came upon the scene singing hymns, unaware of the tragedy. Also in April Charles Nichols, who was in Nevada City jail for drunk and disorderly conduct, dug out a portion of the 16-inch brick wall to which hinges of the door were attached, but was discovered. When his 10-day sentence was over he was to be tried for jail break. C. Beckman was in the news again in April as one of several Nevada City saloonkeepers being held for violation of the Sunday Law. The jury turnedina verdict of not guilty and 18 other cases based on violation of the Sunday Law were dismissed, as public sentiment was obviously against enforcement. The League of Freedom of Nevada City had enough money left after defending Beckman to declare a dividend of $2.50 to each member. In July Jack McCarty, accused of robbing the safe in Beckman’s saloon; William Smothers, the murderer of Ah Wing, and George Cook, the bogus gold brick man, dug out the stones from the wall next to the kitchen window in the rear of the jail and escaped on July 20. They had not been locked in their cells. The trio had used the bars from a bedstead to pry at the stones. When last seen the escapees were running over the foot-bridge near the Catholic Church. Sheriff Tompkins published a description of the men. Less than a week later seven tramps, accused of committing depradations while camped near Shebley’s Ranch (present Greenhorn area of Rollins Lake) were lodged in the jail. They immediately started tearing up the jail floor and threatening to escape. They were to be shipped out of the county. : Early the next month the supervisors instructed the county clerk to advertise for bids for lining the kitchen of the jail with sheet iron. McCarty was arrested in Plymouth around the first of August. Smothers had been with him, but escaped. One month later McCarty was ‘sentenced to three years in state prison. Cook was captured in Lake County and returned to jail. In October, the two desperados who killed Moore’s Flat banker William Cummings in a stage holdup in 1879, were captured. They were John C. Patterson, alias Kehoe and Charles Dorsey, alias Dawson, both ex-San Quentin convicts. Patterson, who claimed his real name was John C.P. Collins, was recognized in a Missouri jail by his photo. Dorsey had taken the name of Thorne and was engaged in the lumber and saloon business in Union City, Indiana. Both were brought to Nevada aed in late October and lodged in the jail. Cook, the recaptured escapee, was placed in an apartment over the jail so he wouldn’t scheme with Patterson and Dorsey to escape. The deputy left the keys in the lock when he went to dinner and Cook, using a handy coat hanger to get them, again escaped. In December a sharpened iron bar was found concealed in Patterson’s cell.