The following additional particulars, as sequel to the Summerfieldhomicide, have been furnished by an Auburn correspondent:
Mr. Editor: The remarkable confession of the late Leonidas Parker, whichappeared in your issue of the 13th ultimo, has given rise to a seriesof disturbances in this neighborhood, which, for romantic interest anddownright depravity, have seldom been surpassed, even in California.Before proceeding to relate in detail the late transactions, allow meto remark that the wonderful narrative of Parker excited throughout thiscounty sentiments of the most profound and contradictory character.I, for one, halted between two opinions--horror and incredulity; andnothing but subsequent events could have fully satisfied me of theunquestionable veracity of your San Francisco correspondent, and thescientific authenticity of the facts related.
The doubt with which the story was at first received in thiscommunity--and which found utterance in a burlesque article in anobscure country journal, the Stars and Stripes, of Auburn--has finallybeen dispelled, and we find ourselves forced to admit that we stand evennow in the presence of the most alarming fate. Too much credit cannot beawarded to our worthy coroner for the promptitude of his action, and wetrust that the Governor of the State will not be less efficient in thedischarge of his duty.
[Since the above letter was written the following proclamation has beenissued.--P. J.]
Proclamation of the Governor.
$10,000 Reward.
Department of State.
By virtue of the authority in me vested, I do hereby offer the abovereward of ten thousand dollars, in gold coin of the United States, forthe arrest of Bartholomew Graham, familiarly known as "Black Bart." SaidGraham is accused of the murder of C. P. Gillson, late of Auburn, countyof Placer, on the 14th ultimo. He is five feet ten inches and a half inheight, thick set, has a mustache sprinkled with gray, grizzled hair,clear blue eyes, walks stooping, and served in the late civil war, underPrice and Quantrell, in the Confederate army. He may be lurking in someof the mining-camps near the foot-hills, as he was a Washoe teamsterduring the Comstock excitement. The above reward will be paid for him,dead or alive, as he possessed himself of an important secret by robbingthe body of the late Gregory Summerfield.
By the Governor: H. G. Nicholson,
Secretary of State.
Given at Sacramento, this the fifth day of June, 1871.
Our correspondent continues:
I am sorry to say that Sheriff Higgins has not been so active in thedischarge of his duty as the urgency of the case required, but he isperhaps excusable on account of the criminal interference of the editorabove alluded to. But I am detaining you from more important matters.Your Saturday's paper reached here at 4 o'clock Saturday,13th May, and,as it now appears from the evidence taken before the coroner, severalpersons left Auburn on the same errand, but without any previousconference. Two of these were named respectively Charles P. Gillson andBartholomew Graham, or, as he was usually called, "Black Bart." Gillsonkept a saloon at the corner of Prickly Ash Street and the Old SpringRoad; and Black Bart was in the employ of Conrad & Co., keepers of theNorfolk Livery Stable. Gillson was a son-in-law of ex-Governor Roberts,of Iowa, and leaves a wife and two children to mourn his untimely end.As for Graham, nothing certain is known of his antecedents. It is saidthat he was engaged in the late robbery of Wells & Fargo's express atGrizzly Bend, and that he was an habitual gambler. Only one thing abouthim is certainly well known: he was a lieutenant in the Confederatearmy, and served under General Price and the outlaw Quantrell. He was aman originally of fine education, plausible manners and good family, butstrong drink seems early in life to have overmastered him, and left himbut a wreck of himself. But he was not incapable of generous or, rather,romantic acts; for, during the burning of the Putnam House in thistown last summer, he rescued two ladies from the flames. In so doing hescorched his left hand so seriously as to contract the tendons of twofingers, and this very scar may lead to his apprehension. There is nodoubt about his utter desperation of character, and, if taken at all, itwill probably be not alive.
So much for the persons concerned in the tragedy at the Flat.
Herewith I inclose copies of the testimony of the witnesses examinedbefore the coroner's jury, together with the statement of Gillson, takenin articulo mortis:
Deposition of Dollie Adams.
State of California, } County of Placer. } ss.
Said witness, being duly sworn, deposes as follows, to wit: My name isDolly Adams, my age forty-seven years; I am the wife of Frank G. Adams,of this township, and reside on the North Fork of the American River,below Cape Horn, on Thompson's Flat. About one o'clock p. m., May 14,1871, I left the cabin to gather wood to cook dinner for my husband andthe hands at work for him on the claim. The trees are mostly cut awayfrom the bottom, and I had to climb some distance up the mountainsidebefore I could get enough to kindle the fire. I had gone about fivehundred yards from the cabin, and was searching for small sticks offallen timber, when I thought I heard some one groan, as if in pain. Ipaused and listened; the groaning became more distinct, and I startedat once for the place whence the sounds proceeded; about ten steps offI discovered the man whose remains lie there (pointing to the deceased),sitting up, with his back against a big rock. He looked so pale that Ithought him already dead, but he continued to moan until I reached hisside. Hearing me approach, he opened his eyes, and begged me, "For God'ssake, give me a drop of water!" I asked him, "What is the matter?" Hereplied, "I am shot in the back." "Dangerously?" I demanded. "Fatally!"he faltered. Without waiting to question him further, I returned to thecabin, told Zenie, my daughter, what I had seen, and sent her off ona run for the men. Taking with me a gourd of water, some milk andbread--for I thought the poor gentleman might be hungry and weak, aswell as wounded--I hurried back to his side, where I remained until"father"--as we all call my husband--came with the men. We removedhim as gently as we could to the cabin; then sent for Dr. Liebner, andnursed him until he died, yesterday, just at sunset.
Question by the Coroner: Did you hear his statement, taken down by theAssistant District-Attorney?--A. I did.
Q. Did you see him sign it?--A. Yes, sir.
Q. Is this your signature thereto as witness?--A. It is, sir.
(Signed) Dollie Adams.
Deposition of Miss X. V. Adams.
Being first duly sworn, witness testified as follows: My name isXixenia Volumnia Adams; I am the daughter of Frank G. Adams and the lastwitness; I reside with them on the Flat, and my age is eighteen years.A little past one o'clock on Sunday last my mother came running intothe house and informed me that a man was dying on the side-hill, from awound, and that I must go for father and the boys immediately. I ranas fast as my legs would carry me to where they were "cleaning up," forthey never cleaned up week-days on the Flat, and told the news; we allcame back together and proceeded to the spot where the wounded man layweltering in his blood; he was cautiously removed to the cabin, where helingered until yesterday sundown, when he died.
Question. Did he speak after he reached the cabin?--A. He didfrequently; at first with great pain, but afterward more audibly andintelligibly.
Q. What did he say?--A. First, to send for Squire Jacobs, the AssistantDistrict-Attorney, as he had a statement to make; and some timeafterward, to send for his wife; but we first of all sent for thedoctor.
Q. Who was present when he died?--A. Only myself; he had appeared agreat deal easier, and his wife had lain down to take a short nap, andmy mother had gone to the spring and left me alone to watch. Suddenly helifted himself spasmodically in bed, glared around wildly and mutteredsomething inaudible; seeing me, he cried out, "Run! run! run! He has it!Black Bart has got the vial! Quick! or he'll set the world afire! See,he opens it! O my God! Look! look! look! Hold his hands! tie him! chainhim down! Too late! too late! oh, the flames! Fire! fire! fire!" Histone of voice gradually strengthened until the end of his raving; whenhe cried "fire!" his eyeballs glared, his mouth quivered, his bodyconvulsed, and before Mrs. Gillson co
uld reach his bedside he fell backstone dead. (Signed) X. V. Adams.
The testimony of Adams corroborated in every particular that of his wifeand daughter, but set forth more fully the particulars of his demoniacravings. He would taste nothing from a glass or bottle, but shudderedwhenever any article of that sort met his eyes. In fact, they had toremove from the room the cups, tumblers, and even the castors. At timeshe spoke rationally, but after the second day only in momentary flashesof sanity.
The deposition of the attending physician, after giving the generalfacts with regard to the sickness of the patient and his subsequentdemise, proceeded thus:
I found the patient weak, and suffering from loss of blood and rest, andwant of nourishment; occasionally sane, but for the most part flightyand in a comatose condition. The wound was an ordinary gunshot wound,produced most probably by the ball of a navy revolver, fired at thedistance of ten paces. It entered the back near the left clavicle,beneath the scapula, close to the vertebrae between the intercostalspaces of the fifth and sixth ribs; grazing the pericardium it traversedthe mediastinum, barely touching the oesophagus, and vena azygos,but completely severing the thoracic duct, and lodging in the xiphoidportion of the sternum. Necessarily fatal, there was no reason, however,why the patient could not linger for a week or more; but it is noless certain that from the effect of the wound he ultimately died. Iwitnessed the execution of the paper shown to me--as the statement ofdeceased--at his request; and at the time of signing the same he wasin his perfect senses. It was taken down in my presence by Jacobs,the Assistant District-Attorney of Placer County, and read over to thedeceased before he affixed his signature. I was not present when hebreathed his last, having been called away by my patients in the town ofAuburn, but I reached his bedside shortly afterward. In my judgment, noamount of care or medical attention could have prolonged his life morethan a few days.
(Signed) Karl Liebner, M. D.
The statement of the deceased was then introduced to the jury asfollows:
People of the State of California, } vs. } Bartholomew Graham. }
Statement and Dying Confession of Charles P. Gillson, taken in articulomortis by George Simpson, Notary Public.
On the morning of Sunday, the 14th day of May, 1871, I left Auburn alonein search of the body of the late Gregory Summerfield, who was reportedto have been pushed from the cars at Cape Horn, in this county, by oneLeonidas Parker, since deceased. It was not fully light when I reachedthe track of the Central Pacific Railroad. Having mined at an early dayon Thompson's Flat, at the foot of the rocky promontory now calledCape Horn, I was familiar with the zigzag paths leading down that steepprecipice. One was generally used as a descent, the other as an ascentfrom the canon below. I chose the latter, as being the freest from thechance of observation. It required the greatest caution to thread thenarrow gorge; but I finally reached the rocky bench, about one thousandfeet below the grade of the railroad. It was now broad daylight, and Icommenced cautiously the search for Summerfield's body. There is quitea dense undergrowth of shrubs thereabouts, lining the interstices ofthe granite rocks so as to obscure the vision even at a short distance.Brushing aside a thick manzanita bush, I beheld the dead man at the sameinstant of time that another person arrived like an apparition uponthe spot. It was Bartholomew Graham, known as "Black Bart." We suddenlyconfronted each other, the skeleton of Summerfield lying exactly betweenus. Our recognition was mutual. Graham advanced, and I did the same; hestretched out his hand and we greeted one another across the prostratecorpse.
Before releasing my hand, Black Bart exclaimed in a hoarse whisper,"Swear, Gillson, in the presence of the dead, that you will forever befaithful, never betray me, and do exactly as I bid you, as long as youlive!"
I looked him full in the eye. Fate sat there, cold and remorseless asstone. I hesitated; with his left hand he slightly raised the lapels ofhis coat, and grasped the handle of a navy revolver.
"Swear!" again he cried.
As I gazed, his eyeballs assumed a greenish tint, and his brow darkenedinto a scowl. "As your confederate," I answered, "never as your slave."
"Be it so!" was his only reply.
The body was lying upon its back, with the face upwards. The vultureshad despoiled the countenance of every vestige of flesh, and left thesockets of the eyes empty. Snow and ice and rain had done their workeffectually upon the exposed surfaces of his clothing, and the eagleshad feasted upon the entrails. But underneath, the thick beaver clothhad served to protect the flesh, and there were some decaying shredsleft of what had once been the terrible but accomplished GregorySummerfield. A glance told us all these things. But they did notinterest me so much as another spectacle, that almost froze my blood.In the skeleton gripe of the right hand, interlaced within the clenchedbones, gleamed the wide-mouthed vial which was the object of our mutualvisit. Graham fell upon his knees, and attempted to withdraw the prizefrom the grasp of its dead possessor. But the bones were firm, and whenhe finally succeeded in securing the bottle, by a sudden wrench, I heardthe skeleton fingers snap like pipe-stems.
"Hold this a moment, whilst I search the pockets," he commanded.
I did as directed.
He then turned over the corpse, and thrusting his hand into the innerbreast-pocket, dragged out a roll of MSS., matted closely together andstained by the winter's rains. A further search eventuated in findinga roll of small gold coin, a set of derringer pistols, a rusteddouble-edged dirk, and a pair of silver-mounted spectacles. Hastilycovering over the body with leaves and branches cut from the emboweringshrubs, we shudderingly left the spot.
We slowly descended the gorge toward the banks of the American River,until we arrived in a small but sequestered thicket, where we threwourselves upon the ground. Neither had spoken a word since we left thescene above described. Graham was the first to break the silence whichto me had become oppressive.
"Let us examine the vial and see if the contents are safe."
I drew it from my pocket and handed it to him.
"Sealed hermetically, and perfectly secure," he added. Saying this, hedeliberately wrapped it up in a handkerchief and placed it in his bosom.
"What shall we do with our prize?" I inquired.
"Our prize?" As he said this he laughed derisively, and cast a mostscornful and threatening glance toward me.
"Yes," I rejoined firmly; "our prize!"
"Gillson," retorted Graham, "you must regard me as a consummatesimpleton, or yourself a Goliath. This bottle is mine, and mine only. Itis a great fortune for one, but of less value than a toadstool for two.I am willing to divide fairly. This secret would be of no service to acoward. He would not dare to use it. Your share of the robbery of thebody shall be these MSS.; you can sell them to some poor devil of aprinter, and pay yourself for your day's work."
Saying this he threw the bundle of MSS. at my feet; but I disdained totouch them. Observing this, he gathered them up safely and replaced themin his pocket. "As you are unarmed," he said, "it would not be safe foryou to be seen in this neighborhood during daylight. We will bothspend the night here, and just before morning return to Auburn. I willaccompany you part of the distance."
With the sangfroid of a perfect desperado, he then stretched himself outin the shadow of a small tree, drank deeply from a whiskey flagon whichhe produced, and pulling his hat over his eyes, was soon asleep andsnoring. It was a long time before I could believe the evidence of myown senses. Finally, I approached the ruffian, and placed my hand on hisshoulder. He did not stir a muscle. I listened; I heard only the deep,slow breathing of profound slumber. Resolved not to be balked anddefrauded by such a scoundrel, I stealthily withdrew the vial fromhis pocket and sprang to my feet, just in time to hear the click ofa revolver behind me. I was betrayed! I remember only a flash and anexplosion--a deathly sensation, a whirl of the rocks and trees about me,a hideous imprecation from the lips of my murderer, and I fell senselessto the earth. When I awoke to consciousness it was past midnight. Ilooked up at the stars, and recognized
Lyra shining full in my face.That constellation, I knew, passed the meridian at this season of theyear after twelve o'clock, and its slow march told me that many wearyhours would intervene before daylight. My right arm was paralyzed, but Iput forth my left, and it rested in a pool of my own blood. "Oh, for onedrop of water!" I exclaimed, faintly; but only the low sighing ofthe night blast responded. Again I fainted. Shortly after daylight Irevived, and crawled to the spot where I was discovered on the nextday by the kind mistress of this cabin. You know the rest. I accuseBartholomew Graham of my assassination. I do this in the perfectpossession of my senses, and with a full sense of my responsibility toAlmighty God. (Signed) C. P. Gillson.
George Simpson, Notary Public. Chris. Jacobs, AssistantDistrict-Attorney. Dollie Adams, } Witnesses. Karl Liebner, }
The following is a copy of the verdict of the coroner's jury:
County of Placer, } Cape Horn Township. }
In re C. P. Gillson, late of said county deceased.
We, the undersigned, coroner's jury, summoned in the foregoing case toexamine into the causes of the death of said Gillson, do find that hecame to his death at the hands of Bartholomew Graham, usually called"Black Bart," on Wednesday, the 17th May, 1871. And we further find saidGraham guilty of murder in the first degree, and recommend his immediateapprehension.
(Signed) John Quillan, Peter McIntyre, Abel George, Alex. Scriber,(Correct:) Wm. A. Thompson.
Thos. J. Alwyn, Coroner.
The above documents constitute the papers introduced before the coroner.Should anything of further interest occur, I will keep you fullyadvised. Powhattan Jones.
Since the above was in type we have received from our esteemed SanFrancisco correspondent the following letter:
San Francisco, June 8, 1871.
Mr. Editor: On entering my office this morning I found a bundle of MSS.which had been thrown in at the transom over the door, labeled, "TheSummerfield MSS." Attached to them was an unsealed note from oneBartholomew Graham, in these words:
Dear Sir: These are yours; you have earned them. I commend to yourespecial notice the one styled, "De Mundo Comburendo." At a future timeyou may hear again from
Bartholomew Graham.
A casual glance at the papers convinces me that they are of greatliterary value. Summerfield's fame never burned so brightly as it doesover his grave. Will you publish the MSS.?
Here ends No. Two Western Classics Containing The Case of Summerfieldby W. H. Rhodes an Introduction by Geraldine Bonner and a FrontispieceAfter a Painting by Galen J. Perrett the Typography Designed by J. H.Nash of this First Edition One Thousand Copies Have Been Issued Printedon Fabriano Handmade Paper Published by Paul Elder and Company and Doneinto a Book for them at the Tomoye Press in the City of New York MCMVII.
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends