roughing it-第83章

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mercilessly　in　his　little　〃People's　Tribune；〃　and　got　himself　into
trouble。　　Straightway　he　airs　the　affair　in　the　〃Territorial　Enterprise；〃
in　a　communication　over　his　own　signature；　and　I　propose　to　reproduce　it
here；　in　all　its　native　simplicity　and　more　than　human　candor。　　Long　as
it　is；　it　is　well　worth　reading；　for　it　is　the　richest　specimen　of
journalistic　literature　the　history　of　America　can　furnish；　perhaps：＇

From　the　Territorial　Enterprise；　Jan。　20；　1870。

SEEMING　PLOT　FOR　ASSASSINATION　MISCARRIED。

TO　THE　EDITOR　OF　THE　ENTERPRISE：　Months　ago；　when　Mr。　Sutro　incidentally
exposed　mining　management　on　the　Comstock；　and　among　others　roused　me　to
protest　against　its　continuance；　in　great　kindness　you　warned　me　that　any
attempt　by　publications；　by　public　meetings　and　by　legislative　action；
aimed　at　the　correction　of　chronic　mining　evils　in　Storey　County；　must
entail　upon　me　（a）　business　ruin；　（b）　the　burden　of　all　its　costs；　（c）
personal　violence；　and　if　my　purpose　were　persisted　in；　then　（d）
assassination；　and　after　all　nothing　would　be　effected。

YOUR　PROPHECY　FULFILLING。
In　large　part　at　least　your　prophecies　have　been　fulfilled；　for　（a）
assaying；　which　was　well　attended　to　in　the　Gold　Hill　Assay　Office　（of
which　I　am　superintendent）；　in　consequence　of　my　publications；　has　been
taken　elsewhere；　so　the　President　of　one　of　the　companies　assures　me。
With　no　reason　assigned；　other　work　has　been　taken　away。　　With　but　one　or
two　important　exceptions；　our　assay　business　now　consists　simply　of　the
gleanings　of　the　vicinity。　　（b）　Though　my　own　personal　donations　to　the
People's　Tribune　Association　have　already　exceeded　1；500；　outside　of　our
own　numbers　we　have　received　（in　money）　less　than　300　as　contributions
and　subscriptions　for　the　journal。　　（c）　On　Thursday　last；　on　the　main
street　in　Gold　Hill；　near　noon；　with　neither　warning　nor　cause　assigned；
by　a　powerful　blow　I　was　felled　to　the　ground；　and　while　down　I　was
kicked　by　a　man　who　it　would　seem　had　been　led　to　believe　that　I　had
spoken　derogatorily　of　him。　　By　whom　he　was　so　induced　to　believe　I　am　as
yet　unable　to　say。　　On　Saturday　last　I　was　again　assailed　and　beaten　by　a
man　who　first　informed　me　why　he　did　so；　and　who　persisted　in　making　his
assault　even　after　the　erroneous　impression　under　which　he　also　was　at
first　laboring　had　been　clearly　and　repeatedly　pointed　out。　　This　same
man；　after　failing　through　intimidation　to　elicit　from　me　the　names　of
our　editorial　contributors；　against　giving　which　he　knew　me　to　be
pledged；　beat　himself　weary　upon　me　with　a　raw　hide；　I　not　resisting；　and
then　pantingly　threatened　me　with　permanent　disfiguring　mayhem；　if　ever
again　I　should　introduce　his　name　into　print；　and　who　but　a　few　minutes
before　his　attack　upon　me　assured　me　that　the　only　reason　I　was
〃permitted〃　to　reach　home　alive　on　Wednesday　evening　last　（at　which　time
the　PEOPLE'S　TRIBUNE　was　issued）　was；　that　he　deems　me　only　half…witted；
and　be　it　remembered　the　very　next　morning　I　was　knocked　down　and　kicked
by　a　man　who　seemed　to　be　prepared　for　flight。
＇He　sees　doom　impending：＇

WHEN　WILL　THE　CIRCLE　JOIN？
How　long　before　the　whole　of　your　prophecy　will　be　fulfilled　I　cannot
say；　but　under　the　shadow　of　so　much　fulfillment　in　so　short　a　time；　and
with　such　threats　from　a　man　who　is　one　of　the　most　prominent　exponents
of　the　San　Francisco　mining…ring　staring　me　and　this　whole　community
defiantly　in　the　face　and　pointing　to　a　completion　of　your　augury；　do　you
blame　me　for　feeling　that　this　communication　is　the　last　I　shall　ever
write　for　the　Press；　especially　when　a　sense　alike　of　personal　self…
respect；　of　duty　to　this　money…oppressed　and　fear…ridden　community；　and
of　American　fealty　to　the　spirit　of　true　Liberty　all　command　me；　and　each
more　loudly　than　love　of　life　itself；　to　declare　the　name　of　that
prominent　man　to　be　JOHN　B。　WINTERS；　President　of　the　Yellow　Jacket
Company；　a　political　aspirant　and　a　military　General？　　The　name　of　his
partially　duped　accomplice　and　abettor　in　this　last　marvelous　assault；　is
no　other　than　PHILIP　LYNCH；　Editor　and　Proprietor　of　the　Gold　Hill　News。

Despite　the　insult　and　wrong　heaped　upon　me　by　John　B。　Winters；　on
Saturday　afternoon；　only　a　glimpse　of　which　I　shall　be　able　to　afford
your　readers；　so　much　do　I　deplore　clinching　（by　publicity）　a　serious
mistake　of　any　one；　man　or　woman；　committed　under　natural　and　not　self…
wrought　passion；　in　view　of　his　great　apparent　excitement　at　the　time　and
in　view　of　the　almost　perfect　privacy　of　the　assault；　I　am　far　from　sure
that　I　should　not　have　given　him　space　for　repentance　before　exposing
him；　were　it　not　that　he　himself　has　so　far　exposed　the　matter　as　to　make
it　the　common　talk　of　the　town　that　he　has　horsewhipped　me。　　That　fact
having　been　made　public；　all　the　facts　in　connection　need　to　be　also；　or
silence　on　my　part　would　seem　more　than　singular；　and　with　many　would　be
proof　either　that　I　was　conscious　of　some　unworthy　aim　in　publishing　the
article；　or　else　that　my　〃non…combatant〃　principles　are　but　a　convenient
cloak　alike　of　physical　and　moral　cowardice。　　I　therefore　shall　try　to
present　a　graphic　but　truthful　picture　of　this　whole　affair；　but　shall
forbear　all　comments；　presuming　that　the　editors　of　our　own　journal；　if
others　do　not；　will　speak　freely　and　fittingly　upon　this　subject　in　our
next　number；　whether　I　shall　then　be　dead　or　living；　for　my　death　will
not　stop；　though　it　may　suspend；　the　publication　of　the　PEOPLE'S　TRIBUNE。
＇The　〃non…combatant〃　sticks　to　principle；　but　takes　along　a　friend　or　two
of　a　conveniently　different　stripe：＇

THE　TRAP　SET。
On　Saturday　morning　John　B。　Winters　sent　verbal　word　to　the　Gold　Hill
Assay　Office　that　he　desired　to　see　me　at　the　Yellow　Jacket　office。
Though　such　a　request　struck　me　as　decidedly　cool　in　view　of　his　own
recent　discourtesies　to　me　there　alike　as　a　publisher　and　as　a
stockholder　in　the　Yellow　Jacket　mine；　and　though　it　seemed　to　me　more
like　a　summons　than　the　courteous　request　by　one　gentleman　to　another　for
a　favor；　hoping　that　some　conference　with　Sharon　looking　to　the
betterment　of　mining　matters　in　Nevada　might　arise　from　it；　I　felt
strongly　inclined　to　overlook　what　possibly　was　simply　an　oversight　in
courtesy。　　But　as　then　it　had　only　been　two　days　since　I　had　been　bruised
and　beaten　under　a　hasty　and　false　apprehension　of　facts；　my　caution　was
somewhat　aroused。　　Moreover　I　remembered　sensitively　his　contemptuousness
of　manner　to　me　at　my　last　interview　in　his　office。　　I　therefore　felt　it
needful；　if　I　went　at　all；　to　go　accompanied　by　a　friend　whom　he　would
not　dare　to　treat　with　incivility；　and　whose　presence　with　me　might
secure　exemption　from　insult。　　Accordingly　I　asked　a　neighbor　to
accompany　me。

THE　TRAP　ALMOST　DETECTED。
Although　I　was　not　then　aware　of　this　fact；　it　would　seem　that　previous
to　my　request　this　same　neighbor　had　heard　Dr。　Zabriskie　state　publicly
in　a　saloon；　that　Mr。　Winters　had　told　him　he　had　decided　either　to　kill
or　to　horsewhip　me；　but　had　not　finally　decided　on　which。　　My　neighbor；
therefore；　felt　unwilling　to　go　down　with　me　until　he　had　first　called　on
Mr。　Winters　alone。　　He　therefore　paid　him　a　visit。　　From　that　interview
he　assured　me　that　he　gathered　the　impression　that　he　did　not　believe　I
would　have　any　difficulty　with　Mr。　Winters；　and　that　he　（Winters）　would
call　on　me　at　four　o'clock　in　my　own　office。

MY　OWN　PRECAUTIONS。
As　Sheriff　Cummings　was　in　Gold　Hill　that　afternoon；　and　as　I　desired　to
converse　with　him　about　the　previous　assault；　I　invited　him　to　my　office；
and　he　came。　　Although　a　half　hour　had　passed　beyond　four　o'clock；　Mr。
Winters　had　not　called；　and　we　both　of　us　began　preparing　to　go　home。
Just　then；　Philip　Lynch；　Publisher　of　the　Gold　Hill　News；　came　in　and
said；　blandly　and　cheerily；　as　if　bringing　good　news：

〃Hello；　John　B。　Winters　wants　to　see　you。〃

I　replied；　〃Indeed！　　Why　he　sent　me　word　that　he　would　call　on　me　here
this　afternoon　at　four　o'clock！〃

〃O；　well；　it　don't　do　to　be　too　ceremonious　just　now；　he's　in　my　office；
and　that　will　do　as　wellcome　on　in；　Winters　wants　to　consult　with　you
alone。　　He's　got　something　to　say　to　you。〃

Though　slightly　uneasy　at　this　change　of　programme；　yet　believing　that　in
an　editor's　house　I　ought　to　be　safe；　and　anyhow　that　I　would　be　within
hail　of　the　street；　I　hurriedly；　and　but　partially　whispered　my　dim
apprehensions　to　Mr。　Cummings；　and　asked　him　if　he　would　not　keep　near
enough　to　hear　my　voice　in　case　I　should　call。　　He　consented　to　do　so
while　waiting　for　some　other　parties；　and　to　come　in　if　he　heard　my　voice
or　thought　I　had　need　of　protection。

On　reaching　the　editorial　part　of　the　News　office；　which　viewed　from　the
street　is　dark；　I　did　not　see　Mr。　Winters；　and　again　my　misgivings　arose。
Had　I　paused　long　enough　to　consider　the　case；　I　should　have　invited
Sheriff　Cummings　in；　but　as　Lynch　went　down　stairs；　he　said：　〃This　way；
Wiegandit's　best　to　be　private；〃　or　some　such　remark。

＇I　do　not　desire　to　strain　the　reader's　fancy；　hurtfully；　and　yet　it
would　be　a　favor　to　me　if　he　would　try　to　fancy　this　lamb　in　battle；　or
the　duelling　ground　or　at　the　head　of　a　vigilance　committeeM。　　T。：＇

I　followed；　and　without　Mr。　Cummings；　and　without　arms；　which　I　never　do
or　will　carry；　unless　as　a　soldier　in　war；　or　unless　I　should　yet　come　to
feel　I　must　fight　a　duel；　or　to　join　and　aid　in　the　ranks　of　a　necessary
Vigilance　Committee。　　But　by　following　I　made　a　fatal　mistake。　　Following
was　entering　a　trap；　and　whatever　animal　suffers　itself　to　be　caught
should　expect　the　common　fate　of　a　caged　rat；　as　I　fear　events　to　come
will　prove。

Traps　commonly　are　not　set　for　benevolence。
＇His　body…guard　is　shut　out：＇

THE　TRAP　INSIDE。
I　followed　Lynch　down　stairs。　　At　their　foot　a　door　to　the　left　opened
into　a　small　room。　　From　that　room　another　door　opened　into　yet　another
room；　and　once　entered　I　found　myself　inveigled　into　what　many　will　ever
henceforth　regard　as　a　private　subterranean　Gold　Hill　den；　admirably
adapted　in　proper　hands　to　the　purposes　of　murder；　raw　or　disguised；　for
from　it；　with　both　or　even　one　door　closed；　when　too　late；　I　saw　that　I
could　not　be　heard　by　Sheriff　Cummings；　and　from　it；　BY　VIOLENCE　AND　BY
FORCE；　I　was　prevented　from　making　a　peaceable　exit；　when　I　thought　I　saw
the　studious　object　of　this　〃consultation〃　was　no　other　than　to　compass
my　killing；　in　the　presence　of　Philip　Lynch　as　a　witness；　as　soon　as　by
insult　a　proverbially　excitable　man　should　be　exasperated　to　the　point　of
assailing　Mr。　Winters；　so　that　Mr。　Lynch；　by　his　conscience　and　by　his
well　known　tenderness　of　heart　toward　the　rich　and　potent　would　be
compelled　to　testify　that　he　saw　Gen。　John　B。　Winters　kill　Conrad　Wiegand
in　〃self…defence。〃　　But　I　am　going　too　fast。

OUR　HOST。
Mr。　Lynch　was　present　during　the　most　of　the　time　（say　a　little　short　of
an　hour）；　but　three　times　he　left　the　room。　　His　testimony；　therefore；
would　be　available　only　as　to　the　bulk　of　what　transpired。　　On　entering
this　carpeted　den　I　was　invited　to　a　seat　near　one　corner　of　the　room。
Mr。　Lynch　took　a　seat　near　the　window。　　J。　B。　Winters　sat　（at　first）　near
the　door；　and　began　his　remarks　e