Remembering Nat Cecil

During my line of work I have uncovered some really tragic stories of murder, accidental deaths, suicides and unsolved mysteries. But despite the fact that most of the stories I cover veer towards unexpected or untimely deaths, I have always believed that everyone's story deserves to be remembered. Whether a life was cut short by a dramatic ending or one's life was as happy and trouble-free as possible every life is worth remembering, good or bad, tragic or epic. It is with that thought that I am pleased to give you a short but hopefully enduring account of a man named "Nat." No, he didn't make a huge dent in history, and no, he didn't build bridges, skyscrapers, solve crime or invent the automobile. But he did live his life to the fullest and he had one heck of a "western" life in California's historic past.

I had been contacted by a dear friend of mine, Jeadene Solberg who had been drawn to Nat's story for many years. I researched his life the best I could and created his Find-a-Grave memorial for him, but I felt that he needed more than that. As a gift to my friend Jeadene, this is my tribute to Nathaniel Cecil for everyone to remember him by.

Nathaniel Cecil was born somewhere between 1835-1838 in Missouri (despite what his grave marker states). When he passed away the townsfolk were never completely sure of his birth year, but by way of Census records that became available so many decades later, we can create a more accurate timeline of his life.

When Nat was born, he was born a slave. And being so, he was considered the property of  S.G. Cecil, who brought him with his family from Missouri. S.G. Cecil also lived in Ione with his wife and seven children on their own farm. Census records indicate that Nat had to have been freed by S.G. Cecil sometime after arriving in California in 1857, because by 1860, he is no longer living or working for Cecil. As you will read later on, his obituary mentions that Nat worked to pay for his freedom at the cost of $1,500.00, and how he did that was through his next employer, Mr. Martin. 

By the 1860 Census, Nat is listed as working for James P. Martin in Ione on Martin's farm.
Nat was not the only "laborer" listed working and living on Martin's farm, but he is the only African-American laborer listed. In total there were six men listed: James Surface, Vol Richter, William Richter, Isaac Bunton, William Swearegan and Nat Cecil. 

I believe that at some point Nat stopped working on Martin's farm and eventually was offered the job working for Smith & Martin in their lumber camps (as also mentioned in his obit, however I think the newspaper mixed up the order of employment). Perhaps James Martin was the "Martin" in Smith & Martin, or maybe a relative. The Amador County Directories listed an A.C. Martin working as a Lumber Merchant during the 1870s-1880s. 

By the 1870 Census, Nat is no longer in Ione, but now he is in Township 3.  According to Amador County Maps, Township 3 spanned from just west of Pine Grove and Volcano, to all the way east past Buckhorn, and as far north as Shakeridge areas. Here it appears that Nat was bunking with twelve other working men, possibly at a boarding house. Nat is listed as 28 years old at the time, and working as a "Teamster."  

His "boarding buddies" or possible co-workers were listed as:
Jules Ferret, 56 – France  (Lumberman)

Henrique Ferret, 58 – France  (Miner)

Henry Barton,21  –Ohio (Lumberman)

Nathan Wright, 36 – Illinois (Lumberman)

Henry Rose, 39 - New York (Sawman at Mill)

Benjamin Thomas, 17 - Indiana (Sawman at Mill)

Nathaniel Cecil, 28 – Missouri (Teamster)

Oliver Boggswell, 39 – Connecticut (Teamster)

John Lance, 24 - Indiana (Lumberman)

Alonzo Parker, 39- Ohio  (Lumberman)

Frank Allard, 50- Canada (Lumberman)

John McCurdy, 26 – Australia (Engineer)

By 1880, Nat is back in Ione (Township 2) working as a "hearder" for Frank Frates' farm.
He is one of thirteen laborers listed which included: 8 Caucasians, 4 Chinese, and 1 African American. Finally, the 1900 Census is the first time that 63 year old Nat is listed as the head of his own household, however he was living in the same dwelling as the Rice family (John, Martha and John,Jr.). Perhaps he was renting a room from them, or on their property, but the census marked that he was living in the same dwelling as the Rice's. The coolest part of this census is that Nat is listed as a "Vaquero." A vaquero was considered a cattle-driver or cowboy. 

On January 25, 1907, Nathaniel Cecil passed away. His friends buried him in a small grave at the Ione Public Cemetery. A man who was born a slave, traveled across the country, was given the opportunity to earn his freedom and worked in the days of California's old west, he certainly led an exciting and interesting life. A life worth remembering. 

Obituary for Nathaniel Cecil --  ( death: January 25, 1907)

"Passing of a Colored Landmark"-- 

"On Friday last Nat. Cecil, the old colored man who had been such a familiar figure about lone, passed away at the Obermeyer home in the Grant. That had been his home for many years. The funeral took place at the lone cemetery Sunday afternoon, being conducted by Rev. F. P. Flegal. The obsequies were attended by a large assemblage, as old Nat was well liked by everybody who knew him. The remains were laid at rest in lone cemetery. Nathaniel Cecil was- born in Missouri and was about 70' years old. He was born a slave and was the property of S. J. Cecil, who- brought him to this state in 1857. Nat went to work for Smith & Martin in their lumber camps and with the first $1500 he earned, bought his freedom from his master. He then went to work tor J. P. Martin, riding after cattle, and later worked for the Rio Seco Grant. He had been riding continuously for 35 years and was an expert stockman. He has never married and left no kinfolks."—Amador Ledger, Feb 1, 1907


REST IN PEACE, NAT! --

Nathaniel Cecil's Grave, Ione Public Cemetery

(Copyright 2017-- J'aime Rubio,  www.jaimerubiowriter.com)


Photos: Ione Cemetery- by J'aime Rubio (copyright)
Nat Cecil's Obituary - Amador Ledger (2/1/1907)
Nat Cecil's grave- by Jeadene Solberg (copyright)

History of the Argonaut and Kennedy Mines - Amador County

While traveling down historic highway 49 through Jackson you cannot miss the rusty remnants of the old Kennedy mine off in the distance. It is also impossible to ignore the towering shell of what is left of the Argonaut mine on the side of the hill as you drive down into Jackson as well.  Both mines share some pretty interesting and also tragic history. Here is just some of the history I have dug up over the years about these two amazing historic landmarks in Amador County. Enjoy!

ARGONAUT MINE

Discovery

The Argonaut Mine, which was originally known as the Pioneer Mine, was discovered around 1850, by James Hager and William Tudor, who according to the 1860 Census show were freed slaves living among the Chinese in Township 1, Amador County.  At some point around 1857, the property was acquired by George Stasal, Frank Hoffman, Peter Laubersima, William Slaughter, Charles Weller, Otto Walter and Louis Mentzlen to form the Pioneer Mining Company. It would later become The Argonaut Mining Company in 1893.

Infamous Robbery

December 1^st, 1921--- According to the Sacramento Union newspaper, at approximately 1:30 a.m. the Argonaut Mining Company was robbed after bandits overpowered the two night watchmen, James Podesto and Reese Williams, blew the company safe and escaped with nearly $100,000 ($50,000 of which was in gold). The robbers wore red bandana hankerchiefs over their faces and carried pistols and shot guns.

“The mill safe then was wheeled to the convenient point and the bandits leisurely drilled a hole in the door, filled it with nitro-glycerin and blew it open. After removing all the gold inside they escaped in a waiting automobile…..Upon investigation it was found that the bandits had cut the telephone lines leading directly into the mill….The wheel tracks of a large car were plainly visible in the road to Ione, 12 miles distant. Rain began falling early, however, and when the posse reached that point it was forced to turn back.  Sheriff Lucot stated the robbery evidently had been planned by someone familiar with the methods employed by the company.”

It was believed that it was an inside job, and involved possibly eight men who worked at or were familiar with the mine. Two men were eventually arrested and at least one of men, Hiram Baker, was acquitted of the crime.  At that point Argonaut Consolidated Mining Company was owned by John T. Smith of New York, who was President, along with co-owners  E. A. Stent of S.F. and John Raggio of Stockton.

Mine Disaster

On August 27, 1922, the worst mine disaster in California history took place, when a toxic mix of gas and fumes caused a fatal fire 4,650 feet deep, trapping the miners below. There had been rumors that the fire could have been started by arson, from a rival employee at the Kennedy Mine, but there has never been any proof to substantiate the claim.  The fire lasted for 2 days, and rescue efforts lasted for weeks. All but one of the miner’s bodies were recovered and they were buried at the Jackson Cemetery. The 47^th miner was not found until over a year later, when the mine shaft was being flushed out, the remains were accidentally discovered. It was the body of the man who wrote the message on the wall “3 o’clock, gas getting strong, Fessel.” The man was Edward William Fessel, and he was finally buried next to the other fallen miners. The fatalities of this disaster were Amador County residents, of Italian, Serbian and Spanish ancestry.

It was surveying work done years prior by Kennedy Mining Engineer, Walter Ephraim Downs that directed the rescuers to dig through to the Argonaut mine shaft in an attempt to rescue the trapped miners in 1922.  Although the effort was futile, his work gained national attention for giving the rescuers a fighting chance to reach the Argonaut shafts.  On another note,  Mr. Downs was the son of Robert Carleton Downs’ the superintendent of the Union Mine (later Lincoln Mine) in Sutter Creek and owner of the Hanford & Down’s stores which were located in Sutter Creek, Jackson and Volcano.  Walter Ephraim Downs’ brother, Fred, was the one who tragically drowned in the Preston Reservoir in Ione, in 1902.

Wife of Argonaut Mine Disaster Victim Attempts Suicide

Allegedly the widow of miner Charles Fitzgerald, attempted to take her own life on September 18, 1922, when she swallowed poison.  Amador County Physician, Edwin Eugene Endicott came to her aid and successfully saved her life. Interestingly though, it wasn't his wife that attempted suicide, but instead it was his mistress who did so after learning that her beloved had perished in the disaster. Learn more about the details of this story in Episode 3 of my Season 2 podcast on the subject.

Sac Union, 9/19/1922

Deaths At the Argonaut Mine


Besides the 47 miners who were tragically killed in the Argonaut in the Summer of 1922, there have been many others who met their demise at this infamous mine.  To date, I have found the stories of Raphael Giannini, Frank Goss, Claude Smith, Guiseppi Isarti and John Mitchell who all died in the mine at different times over the years of operation. I can guarantee you there are more that I haven't found, yet.....

CHARLES FRANK GOSS

Amador Dispatch, 5/20/1904

GUISSEPI ISARTI

Amador Dispatch, 6/16/1916

JOHN MITCHELL

Amador Dispatch, 3/1/1918

CLAUDE SMITH

Another Tragic Death – “The ill-fated Argonaut Mine, scene in 1922 of the disaster in which 47 men were killed, today claimed the life of another. Claude Smith, 22, was instantly killed when a dynamite cap he had set blew up prematurely because of a defective fuse. A companion, Harvey Jones, was badly injured.” – Healdsburg Tribune, March 17, 1930.

To learn more about that tragic death at the Argonaut Mine, Please click here to read:

"Claude Smith's Tragic Death at the Argonaut Mine."

RAPHAEL GIANNINI  

Amador Dispatch, 5/19/1932

KENNEDY MINE

According to Amador County history, the Kennedy Mine started in January of 1860, when Andrew Kennedy filed a mining claim along with four other men who were associated with the Oneida mine, to the north. Kennedy had dug a prospecting shaft approximately 100 feet deep, using a bucket attached to a winch. Within a year or so, Kennedy sold his interest in the mine for $5,000, due to the fact it wasn’t doing very well.  By 1869, the mine was sold to eleven businessman from Jackson in the amount of one dollar. The men formed the Kennedy Mining Company. 

“So named from its discoverer was developed by John Fullen, James Fleming and James Bergon, working the rock at the Oneida Mine. In 1871, it was taken by a joint-stock company, the Richlings being large owners. The mine has hardly been a success, and in 1880 it was closed down. The vein is close to the foot-wall and has pitched rapidly to the east, following a pitch of nearly forty-five degrees, which is considered very flat. It is believed that it will eventually join a vein about six hundred feet to the east, called the “volunteer.” The lode does not follow the rift of the slate and consequently is not a true fissure vein.” – Page 149 “History of Amador County” by Jesse Mason

July 1872- In a record 9 days, the Kennedy Mine made nine thousand dollars (equivalent to about $170,000 today). The mine made over $300,000 between 1870 and 1878.

“September 18, 1874 – Boarding House at the Kennedy Mine was destroyed by fire.” –History of Amador County, 1881.

The mine was sold in 1886, for $97,500 to bay area investors, and the company changed its name to “Kennedy Mining and Milling Company.” The mine operated until 1942, when all mines were closed by the U.S. Government to support the war effort. At that time, the Kennedy Mine was listed as the deepest gold mine in all of North America, with a vertical distance measured at 5,912 feet, and 50 miles of underground excavations. In 1961, Sybil Arata purchased the property to live out her retirement. She resided in the Manager’s Residence “Bunkhouse” for the rest of her life.  Her final wishes for her property were to keep the area open for wildlife to roam, and for the mine to be preserved for historical posterity.

An interesting tidbit -- In 1904, an escaped ward, Dan Gillette, from the Preston School of Industry made his way up to the Kennedy Mine property and tried to fit in with the employees there at the new boarding house. He managed to get himself a free meal and hide out for a while, and just as he was going to head down into the mine along with the other miners, Constable Kelly from Ione, who was hot on his trail, arrested him.

Deaths at the Kennedy Mine

Obviously this is not a list of every man who died at the Kennedy Mine, but here is a list of the few stories I have been able to dig out of the archived newspapers of the time period. So far I have found a total of 41 deaths, and counting. Obviously, I am saving some of the stories to publish at a later time, and on other blogs but here are just a few of the deaths I have uncovered during my research:

On March 15, 1902, miner David De Ricci made a misstep, falling backward down into the east shaft 2,600 feet. “In his descent, his arms, legs, the back portion of his head and every vestige of clothes were torn from his body.”—

May 26, 1902 -- "A miner named Francisco Giovanoni [SIC] lost his life at the Kennedy Mine shortly after midnight on the night of May 26. The fatality was purely accidental. It occurred at the 2300 foot level of the north shaft. There were from fifteen to twenty men around there at the time. A plank 18 inches wide was in position for the men to walk to and from the shaft, and below this was a chasm thirty feet deep, made by the excavation of ore. Deceased was in the act of carrying the lunch bucket to the station when he was seen to make the fatal step off the planking, and fell to the bottom of the chute.”—Amador Ledger, May 30, 1902.

June 12, 1902 - 30 year old Walter Williams was instantly killed when about 200 feet from the top of the shaft, his body came in contact with a shaft timber. He was caught on it and dragged out of the skip. His head and body were crushed between the skip and timbers. His companions C. Parker and B. Allison could not explain how the accident happened because the shaft was so dark. Williams had only worked at the mine three weeks and was new to the area. No one knew where he came from and he had no family to contact. All that was known was that he was a member of the Knights of the Pythias and was living with Henry Osborne at Kennedy Flat.

March 6, 1905 – Edward Hallam was killed at the Kennedy Mine today. He was descending a shaft from the 2400 foot level when a skip came down in another compartment. It is believed he got scared and let go his hold. He fell, breaking his neck.” – Los Angeles Herald, March 7, 1905

December 7, 1909, Italian immigrant Luigi Reviera was crushed to death by several tons of rock falling on him while working at the 3,150 level of the mine with Fred Hicks. Engaged in placing a butt cap in the hanging wall above the tunnel timbers, the rocks gave way and a huge slab came down on him, killing him instantly.

February 27, 1911- James Baldwin was crushed to death while working at the 3400 level of the mine.  Baldwin and his co-workers were told to be careful working in the area that had been blasted earlier. While cleaning out the loose dirt a large mass of rock fell from above, crushing him.  Baldwin’s helper claimed he could hear Baldwin hollering that he was stuck, but given the massive amount of rock and dirt that covered him, the coroner felt death was almost instantaneous.

November 17, 1913 – Miners, Maksim Rupar and Jako Acimovich died from a premature explosion while in the mine shaft. 

On December 20, 1915, the timber boss William Harvey and A. Targo both met their death when they fell down the main shaft of the mine, a total of 3,900 feet.  According to the newspaper accounts, Harvey had been working in compartment 37 since 8 o’clock in the morning. As he was descending a ladder at the entrance of the shaft he became dizzy and slipped, falling. As his body was going down the shaft, just below was A. Targo, who was standing on the edge of the shaft. Harvey’s body smacked Targo’s knocking him off the edge and down the shaft with Harvey. Both died and their bodies were “badly mangled.”

June 12, 1916 - Mike Vijovich also died after falling 300 feet down a shaft. After straightening a mine can that had fallen on its side, he lost his footing and slipped.

February 13, 1932 - Peter Garcia, Liberato Mendes & Sam Martinez  perished after a terrible explosion at the Kennedy Mine. After setting up over 40 holes with dynamite  with too short of fuses for each, not allowing themselves ample time to light the fuses and leave the area to safety, the three men went on to light each fuse one by one, and by the time they lit the last fuse, the first one went off setting off a domino effect of explosions and ultimately killing them. The three were buried by the explosion with Garcia and Martinez dying immediately. Mendes was rescued but later died of his injuries.

You can find some of the men mentioned above in the Jackson City Cemetery, St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cemetery or the Catholic Cemetery in Jackson.

You can read about more deaths at the Kennedy Mine here!

J’aime Rubio, Copyright 2017 – (www.jaimerubiowriter.com)

Some of my sources

History of Amador County, - Jesse Mason, 1881.

History of Amador County, - Federation of Amador County Women’s Clubs, April 1927

Los Angeles Herald, March 16, 1902

Amador Ledger, May 30, 1902

Amador Ledger, June 13, 1902

Los Angeles Herald, March 7, 1905

Amador Ledger, December 10, 1909

Amador Ledger, March 3, 1911

Sacramento Union, May 2, 1914

Press Democrat, December 21, 1915

Sacramento Union, June 14, 1916

Sacramento Union, September 19, 1922

Sacramento Union, December 2, 1921

Los Angeles Herald, December 7, 1921

Sacramento Union, December 9, 1921

Sacramento Union, April 20, 1922

Sacramento Union, May 13, 1922

Sacramento Union, August 29, 1922

Sacramento Union, September 19, 1922

Healdsburg Tribune, March 17, 1930

Amador Ledger, April 22, 1904

Amador Ledger, April 29, 1904

The Rancheria Massacre- Part 2, Amador County

PART 2.

THE ROUND-UP

As previously mentioned in PART 1 of this story, (if you haven’t read that part yet, I suggest you click here - Rancheria Massacre (Part1). 

By 9 a.m. the next morning there were at least five hundred people present, swarming the town.  Madly enraged and hell bent for justice, they demanded that ALL the Mexicans in the town be strung up and hung. The basic “lynch mob” had set in out of fear and anger. They saw what one group of bandits had done to the townspeople of Rancheria and they were demanding justice.

Judge Curtis made his way to the crowd to “oversee” the proceedings that were about to take place. There were quite a few people in the crowd who wanted the accused to be treated fairly. Even Judge Curtis stated “Let us proceed cautiously; let us be just, let us hang no innocent men.”  Sadly, that would not be the case.

Approximately 35 Mexican men were corralled into a circle with ropes, with the intention of hanging them all. However, some citizens yelled out that the men needed a fair trial. A man by the name of James Johnson (some accounts name him as Robinson)** stepped forward and pointed out one of the men being corralled nearby as being an accessory to the crime.  Johnson, a miner who lived in a cabin nearby, claimed he saw through the crack of his cabin door, the local town drunk known as “Port Wine” (or Puerto Vino) shooting his gun in the street, shouting “Viva Mexico.”

The townspeople thought James was full of it, as many knew Port Wine to be a harmless drunk who would hurt no one. Even Port Wine’s wife begged and pleaded to the crowd along with her husband, hoping that logical thinking or reasoning could prevail here.  Sadly, the majority of the crowd took Johnson’s word for it, and strung Port Wine up until he died. Two other men named Jose and Trancolino were also hanged, based on the testimony of James Johnson by claiming that through the crack of his cabin door he also saw the other two men aiding the Bandits.

A well known citizen of Drytown, William Clark tried to appeal to the crowd, asking for sympathy. Requesting for them to imagine if they were the ones in a foreign land and were being accused of crimes they did not commit. He just didn’t feel that it was right to attack all the people for what a few people had done. The crowd then ganged up on Clark, even considering hanging him after a lady by the name of Mrs. Ketchum stated that Clark was “too friendly” with the foreigners.

Next, a man known as Borquitas was called in to speak with the Mexican people who were being held in the corral. Immediately, upon his translating what the people were telling him, he tried to explain the innocence of these individuals, that’s when more of the town folk started suspecting Borquitas as being a suspect as well. Another man by the name of Sutherland stepped forward and explained that Borquitas was there to help and was not a criminal. Being that the crowd was getting upset again, Sutherland gave Borquitas the “green light” to leave before the crowd got worse again.

It was mentioned that a man by the name of Roberts, then decided to take the law into his own hands and attempted to pull out a gun on Borquitas. Unfortunately, he pulled the trigger prematurely as he was pulling it out and accidentally shot himself in the chest, dying instantly. There were also accounts stating that he was neither mad nor drunk and was actually walking home when the gun went off. There really is no way to know the truth about this instance, except for the fact it left one man mysteriously dead.

**Side Note:  The man known as James Johnson (some accounts name him as James Robinson), whose sole testimony implicated the 3 men who were hanged for allegedly being accessories to the bandits, had ulterior motives as we later find out. In fact, Johnson had a strong interest in Port Wine’s claim. Upon the death of Port Wine, Johnson took over Port Wine’s claim as his own. Interesting isn’t it? Unfortunately, Johnson was lazy and didn’t want to work on the claim so he sold it for $200 and spent the money in less than a week.

On The Trail Of The Bandits

Earlier in the morning the Sheriff came down to the scene of the murders, to view the mutilated bodies. He was so overcome with disgust of what these bandits had done to law abiding citizens of his County, that now only justice was on his mind. And he intended to make sure justice was what he got! Speaking very little as he stepped along the ground, witnessing the gory aftermath of a murderous rampage, Sheriff Phoenix yelled out , “Let’s Go!” as he mounted his horse and motioned for his posse to follow him.

CLICK HERE TO: READ PART 3 OF  THE RANCHERIA MASSACRE

(Copyright- J'aime Rubio, Dreaming Casually Publications 2013)

The Rancheria Massacre- Amador County, CA (Part 1)

THE RANCHERIA MASSACRE- PART 1

History has proven that many times innocent people were killed for crimes they did not commit. In the story you are about to read, you will hear of innocent people being killed, a hero dying  in the name of justice and a criminal getting what he deserves.  When researching this story, I found that some authors have blamed Joaquin Murieta for this massacre in Rancheria, Amador County.  This is completely false. Anyone who claims this, is not speaking of true historical accuracy, and merely speaking out of fantasy.  Yes, the culprits were Mexican banditos, but not of Murieta’s gang.  I hope this article sets the record straight for the final time and sheds light on the truth once and for all.

 BEFORE THE MURDERS

It was August 5^th of 1855, and the weather was hot.   A group of bandits decided to make camp near a spot known as “Hacalitas,” not far from the Q Ranch in Amador County.  The next day, August 6th, the group of Mexican men left their camp and moved towards Drytown.  While traveling onward they decided to rob a Chinese camp, leaving one of the Chinese men bound.  While leaving the camp, they passed a group of Americans without causing a scene.  Later they set up camp just outside of Rancheria (just southeast of Drytown). 

A local tax collector by the name of George Durham was traveling the same route and discovered that each Chinese camp he would go through, had been robbed.  Each time he spoke to the victims they described the same men, The Mexican vaquero type and about 12 in all.  

When travelling through Rancheria, he visited Eugene Francis’ store and spoke to him about these robbers who he believed may have robbed another store in Tuolumne County. He warned Francis that these men may come back and rob him as well.  After bidding Francis adieu, Durham travelled onward to Drytown where he actually passed these bandits on the road.

As he was passing them, they were on the side of the road bickering. Two of the men were about to have an all out brawl when a tall, thin Mexican man broke the fight up. It was obvious he was their leader.  Durham continued onward towards Drytown and realized that two of the men from the group of Mexicans were tailing him.  After a distance of being followed, it seemed as if the two men let off and went back towards Rancheria.

Once Durham reached Drytown, he went to pay a visit to Constable Cross and asked him to help in collecting taxes from the Chinese men at Milton’s Ranch. By the time Durham and Cross made it back to Drytown the sun had already set.  Finally, they went to Mizener’s Store.

(photo: shooterforums.com)

While everyone was at the store, Judge Curtis came in talking about a Spanish lady who had come into his office that day to warn him that the town was going to be robbed by bandits.  She told the Judge where they were and that the town was full of criminals.  Judge Curtis, Durham and Cross decided then to confront these men back at their camp. When they weren't there they decided to go to Chile Flat, the "mexican" section of the town to see if they could find them at one of the homes that they had been told the suspects were hiding. When they approached the home, a Mexican lady came to the door and said that no one was there, all the while she very carefully lifted the curtain up to the doorway just enough to show the Sheriff dark shadowy figures of men in the back of the house attempting to escape.

Immediately, the Sheriff and his men went after the suspects, pistols in hand.

As they approached them, the Mexicans drew their weapons.  In an instant,  both parties had pulled their guns out and began shooting back and forth in the dark.  Eventually, the Mexicans withdrew their weapons and fled into the night. It appeared as if they were headed back to Rancheria.

The residents in Drytown grew scared that it was a trick, that if all the men went off into the night chasing after the bandits that it would leave their town vulnerable for a vicious attack. Either way, one of the towns would fall prey to the bandits, Rancheria or Drytown.

Robert Cosner, a local resident volunteered to go on ahead and try to make it to Rancheria before the bandits to warn the residents. While the rest of the men stayed back in Drytown, just in case of an attack.  Cosner went up another trail, through Rattlesnake Gultch in order to make it to Rancheria quickly and evade the bandits on the road.

By the time Cosner and his companion made it to Rancheria, they could feel that something just wasn’t right. In the distance they saw the bandits leaving on the opposite side of the hill across town.  The town was eerily silent and no lights were visible, only the light of moon directed the two brave men.  Finally, one of the men called out, to no reply. After awhile they heard a man calling out.  A man known as David Wilson had screamed out to the two men.

“My God! The whole town is slaughtered. My brother Sam was killed and I don’t know how many more!”

Photo of Rancheria: c/o J.Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Upon reaching Francis’ store they found Dan Hutchins, his clerk dead behind the counter along with Sam Wilson, David Wilson’s brother. Outside, they discovered Francis crawling on two broken legs, severely wounded. He had been shot several times and his legs butchered with an axe. He claimed that when they were attacked that he fought until he couldn’t handle it anymore and attempted to get out through the back door on the “stumps of his legs.”  Sadly, Eugene Francis passed away the next day.

As the men kept their search for survivors, they found more dead. A Native-American man was found dead just outside the hotel. The victims were:  Mrs. Mary Dynan (wife of Hotel Owner, Michael Dynan), Sam Wilson, Eugene Francis, Uriah Michener, An unidentified Native-American man and Daniel Hutchins.  

When Cosner located the Hotel owner, Dynan told them that they had been playing cards and had company over when the bandits attacked. It was realized that Mary Dynan (his wife)  had died when she attempted to help her child escape through an open window.  The safe at the Hotel was blown open and reports claim anywhere in upwards of $800 to $20,000 was stolen, more than likely most of it was money being held for the miners. All together 6 people were murdered (5 men and 1 woman).  One of the surviving  guests, a man known as Foster was later found hiding underneath the tablecloth of a table. He had somehow found a place to hide undetected during the attack.

THE ROUND-UP

By 9 a.m. the next morning there were at least five hundred people present, swarming the town.  Madly enraged and hell bent for justice, they demanded that ALL the Mexicans in the town be strung up and hung. 

CLICK HERE TO READ PART 2 OF "THE RANCHERIA MASSACRE"

(Copyright 2011-2013- J'aime Rubio via Dreaming Casually Publications)