roughing it-第85章

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altogether　disprove　them。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CONRAD　WIEGAND。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Gold　Hill；　January　15；　1870。


I　then　read　what　I　had　written　and　handed　it　to　Mr。　Lynch；　whereupon　Mr。
Winters　said：

〃That's　not　satisfactory；　and　it　won't　do；〃　and　then　addressing　himself
to　Mr。　Lynch；　he　further　said：　〃How　does　it　strike　you？〃

〃Well；　I　confess　I　don't　see　that　it　retracts　anything。〃

〃Nor　do　I；〃　said　Winters；　〃in　fact；　I　regard　it　as　adding　insult　to
injury。　　Mr。　Wiegand　you've　got　to　do　better　than　that。　　You　are　not　the
man　who　can　pull　wool　over　my　eyes。〃

〃That；　sir；　is　the　only　retraction　I　can　write。〃

〃No　it　isn't；　sir；　and　if　you　so　much　as　say　so　again　you　do　it　at　your
peril；　for　I'll　thrash　you　to　within　an　inch　of　your　life；　and；　by；
sir；　I　don't　pledge　myself　to　spare　you　even　that　inch　either。　　I　want
you　to　understand　I　have　asked　you　for　a　very　different　paper；　and　that
paper　you've　got　to　sign。〃

〃Mr。　Winters；　I　assure　you　that　I　do　not　wish　to　irritate　you；　but；　at
the　same　time；　it　is　utterly　impossible　for　me　to　write　any　other　paper
than　that　which　I　have　written。　　If　you　are　resolved　to　compel　me　to　sign
something；　Philip　Lynch's　hand　must　write　at　your　dictation；　and　if；　when
written；　I　can　sign　it　I　will　do　so；　but　such　a　document　as　you　say　you
must　have　from　me；　I　never　can　sign。　　I　mean　what　I　say。〃

〃Well；　sir；　what's　to　be　done　must　be　done　quickly；　for　I've　been　here
long　enough　already。　　I'll　put　the　thing　in　another　shape　（and　then
pointing　to　the　paper）；　don't　you　know　those　charges　to　be　false？〃

〃I　do　not。〃

〃Do　you　know　them　to　be　true？〃

〃Of　my　own　personal　knowledge　I　do　not。〃

〃Why　then　did　you　print　them？〃

〃Because　rightly　considered　in　their　connection　they　are　not　charges；　but
pertinent　and　useful　suggestions　in　answer　to　the　queries　of　a
correspondent　who　stated　facts　which　are　inexplicable。〃

〃Don't　you　know　that　I　know　they　are　false？〃

〃If　you　do；　the　proper　course　is　simply　to　deny　them　and　court　an
investigation。〃

〃And　do　YOU　claim　the　right　to　make　ME　come　out　and　deny　anything　you　may
choose　to　write　and　print？〃

To　that　question　I　think　I　made　no　reply；　and　he　then　further　said：

〃Come；　now；　we've　talked　about　the　matter　long　enough。　　I　want　your　final
answerdid　you　write　that　article　or　not？〃

〃I　cannot　in　honor　tell　you　who　wrote　it。〃

〃Did　you　not　see　it　before　it　was　printed？〃

〃Most　certainly；　sir。〃

〃And　did　you　deem　it　a　fit　thing　to　publish？〃

〃Most　assuredly；　sir；　or　I　would　never　have　consented　to　its　appearance。
Of　its　authorship　I　can　say　nothing　whatever；　but　for　its　publication　I
assume　full；　sole　and　personal　responsibility。〃

〃And　do　you　then　retract　it　or　not？〃

〃Mr。　Winters；　if　my　refusal　to　sign　such　a　paper　as　you　have　demanded
must　entail　upon　me　all　that　your　language　in　this　room　fairly　implies；
then　I　ask　a　few　minutes　for　prayer。〃

〃Prayer！…you；　this　is　not　your　hour　for　prayeryour　time　to　pray　was
when　you　were　writing　thoselying　charges。　　Will　you　sign　or　not？〃

〃You　already　have　my　answer。〃

〃What！　　do　you　still　refuse？〃

〃I　do；　sir。〃

〃Take　that；　then；〃　and　to　my　amazement　and　inexpressible　relief　he　drew
only　a　rawhide　instead　of　what　I　expecteda　bludgeon　or　pistol。　　With
it；　as　he　spoke；　he　struck　at　my　left　ear　downwards；　as　if　to　tear　it
off；　and　afterwards　on　the　side　of　the　head。　　As　he　moved　away　to　get　a
better　chance　for　a　more　effective　shot；　for　the　first　time　I　gained　a
chance　under　peril　to　rise；　and　I　did　so　pitying　him　from　the　very　bottom
of　my　soul；　to　think　that　one　so　naturally　capable　of　true　dignity；　power
and　nobility　could；　by　the　temptations　of　this　State；　and　by　unfortunate
associations　and　aspirations；　be　so　deeply　debased　as　to　find　in　such
brutality　anything　which　he　could　call　satisfactionbut　the　great　hope
for　us　all　is　in　progress　and　growth；　and　John　B。　　Winters；　I　trust；　will
yet　be　able　to　comprehend　my　feelings。

He　continued　to　beat　me　with　all　his　great　force；　until　absolutely　weary；
exhausted　and　panting　for　breath。　　I　still　adhered　to　my　purpose　of　non…
aggressive　defence；　and　made　no　other　use　of　my　arms　than　to　defend　my
head　and　face　from　further　disfigurement。　　The　mere　pain　arising　from　the
blows　he　inflicted　upon　my　person　was　of　course　transient；　and　my
clothing　to　some　extent　deadened　its　severity；　as　it　now　hides　all
remaining　traces。

When　I　supposed　he　was　through；　taking　the　butt　end　of　his　weapon　and
shaking　it　in　my　face；　he　warned　me；　if　I　correctly　understood　him；　of
more　yet　to　come；　and　furthermore　said；　if　ever　I　again　dared　introduce
his　name　to　print；　in　either　my　own　or　any　other　public　journal；　he　would
cut　off　my　left　ear　（and　I　do　not　think　he　was　jesting）　and　send　me　home
to　my　family　a　visibly　mutilated　man；　to　be　a　standing　warning　to　all
low…lived　puppies　who　seek　to　blackmail　gentlemen　and　to　injure　their
good　names。　　And　when　he　did　so　operate；　he　informed　me　that　his
implement　would　not　be　a　whip　but　a　knife。

When　he　had　said　this；　unaccompanied　by　Mr。　Lynch；　as　I　remember　it；　he
left　the　room；　for　I　sat　down　by　Mr。　Lynch；　exclaiming：　〃The　man　is　mad
he　is　utterly　madthis　step　is　his　ruinit　is　a　mistakeit　would　be
ungenerous　in　me；　despite　of　all　the　ill　usage　I　have　here　received；　to
expose　him；　at　least　until　he　has　had　an　opportunity　to　reflect　upon　the
matter。　　I　shall　be　in　no　haste。〃

〃Winters　is　very　mad　just　now；〃　replied　Mr。　Lynch；　〃but　when　he　is
himself　he　is　one　of　the　finest　men　I　ever　met。　　In　fact；　he　told　me　the
reason　he　did　not　meet　you　upstairs　was　to　spare　you　the　humiliation　of　a
beating　in　the　sight　of　others。〃

I　submit　that　that　unguarded　remark　of　Philip　Lynch　convicts　him　of
having　been　privy　in　advance　to　Mr。　Winters'　intentions　whatever　they　may
have　been；　or　at　least　to　his　meaning　to　make　an　assault　upon　me；　but　I
leave　to　others　to　determine　how　much　censure　an　editor　deserves　for
inveigling　a　weak；　non…combatant　man；　also　a　publisher；　to　a　pen　of　his
own　to　be　horsewhipped；　if　no　worse；　for　the　simple　printing　of　what　is
verbally　in　the　mouth　of　nine　out　of　ten　men；　and　women　too；　upon　the
street。

While　writing　this　account　two　theories　have　occurred　to　me　as　possibly
true　respecting　this　most　remarkable　assault：
FirstThe　aim　may　have　been　simply　to　extort　from　me　such　admissions　as
in　the　hands　of　money　and　influence　would　have　sent　me　to　the
Penitentiary　for　libel。　　This；　however；　seems　unlikely；　because　any
statements　elicited　by　fear　or　force　could　not　be　evidence　in　law　or
could　be　so　explained　as　to　have　no　force。　　The　statements　wanted　so
badly　must　have　been　desired　for　some　other　purpose。
SecondThe　other　theory　has　so　dark　and　wilfully　murderous　a　look　that　I
shrink　from　writing　it；　yet　as　in　all　probability　my　death　at　the
earliest　practicable　moment　has　already　been　decreed；　I　feel　I　should　do
all　I　can　before　my　hour　arrives；　at　least　to　show　others　how　to　break　up
that　aristocratic　rule　and　combination　which　has　robbed　all　Nevada　of
true　freedom；　if　not　of　manhood　itself。　　Although　I　do　not　prefer　this
hypothesis　as　a　〃charge；〃　I　feel　that　as　an　American　citizen　I　still　have
a　right　both　to　think　and　to　speak　my　thoughts　even　in　the　land　of　Sharon
and　Winters；　and　as　much　so　respecting　the　theory　of　a　brutal　assault
（especially　when　I　have　been　its　subject）　as　respecting　any　other
apparent　enormity。　　I　give　the　matter　simply　as　a　suggestion　which　may
explain　to　the　proper　authorities　and　to　the　people　whom　they　should
represent；　a　well　ascertained　but　notwithstanding　a　darkly　mysterious
fact。　　The　scheme　of　the　assault　may　have　been：

FirstTo　terrify　me　by　making　me　conscious　of　my　own　helplessness　after
making　actual　though　not　legal　threats　against　my　life。

SecondTo　imply　that　I　could　save　my　life　only　by　writing　or　signing
certain　specific　statements　which　if　not　subsequently　explained　would
eternally　have　branded　me　as　infamous　and　would　have　consigned　my　family
to　shame　and　want；　and　to　the　dreadful　compassion　and　patronage　of　the
rich。

ThirdTo　blow　my　brains　out　the　moment　I　had　signed；　thereby　preventing
me　from　making　any　subsequent　explanation　such　as　could　remove　the
infamy。

FourthPhilip　Lynch　to　be　compelled　to　testify　that　I　was　killed　by　John
B。　　Winters　in　self…defence；　for　the　conviction　of　Winters　would　bring
him　in　as　an　accomplice。　　If　that　was　the　programme　in　John　B。　　Winters'
mind　nothing　saved　my　life　but　my　persistent　refusal　to　sign；　when　that
refusal　seemed　clearly　to　me　to　be　the　choice　of　death。

The　remarkable　assertion　made　to　me　by　Mr。　Winters；　that　pity　only　spared
my　life　on　Wednesday　evening　last；　almost　compels　me　to　believe　that　at
first　he　could　not　have　intended　me　to　leave　that　room　alive；　and　why　I
was　allowed　to；　unless　through　mesmeric　or　some　other　invisible
influence；　I　cannot　divine。　　The　more　I　reflect　upon　this　matter；　the
more　probable　as　true　does　this　horrible　interpretation　become。

The　narration　of　these　things　I　might　have　spared　both　to　Mr。　Winters　and
to　the　public　had　he　himself　observed　silence；　but　as　he　has　both
verbally　spoken　and　suffered　a　thoroughly　garbled　statement　of　facts　to
appear　in　the　Gold　Hill　News　I　feel　it　due　to　myself　no　less　than　to　this
community；　and　to　the　entire　independent　press　of　America　and　Great
Britain；　to　give　a　true　account　of　what　even　the　Gold　Hill　News　has
pronounced　a　disgraceful　affair；　and　which　it　deeply　regrets　because　of
some　alleged　telegraphic　mistake　in　the　account　of　it。　　＇Who　received　the
erroneous　telegrams？＇

Though　he　may　not　deem　it　prudent　to　take　my　life　just　now；　the
publication　of　this　article　I　feel　sure　must　compel　Gen。　Winters　（with
his　peculiar　views　about　his　right　to　exemption　from　criticism　by　me）　to
resolve　on　my　violent　death；　though　it　may　take　years　to　compass　it。
Notwithstanding　I　bear　him　no　ill　will；　and　if　W。　C。　Ralston　and　William
Sharon；　and　other　members　of　the　San　Francisco　mining　and　milling　Ring
feel　that　he　above　all　other　men　in　this　State　and　California　is　the　most
fitting　man　to　supervise　and　control　Yellow　Jacket　matters；　until　I　am
able　to　vote　more　than　half　their　stock　I　presume　he　will　be　retained　to
grace　his　present　post。

Meantime；　I　cordially　invite　all　who　know　of　any　sort　of　important
villainy　which　only　can　be　cured　by　exposure　（and　who　would　expose　it　if
they　felt　sure　they　would　not　be　betrayed　under　bullying　threats）；　to
communicate　with　the　PEOPLE'S　TRIBUNE；　for　until　I　am　murdered；　so　long
as　I　can　raise　the　means　to　publish；　I　propose　to　continue　my　efforts　at
least　to　revive　the　liberties　of　the　State；　to　curb　oppression；　and　to
benefit　man's　world　and　God's　earth。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CONRAD　WIEGAND。


＇It　does　seem　a　pity　that　the　Sheriff　was　shut　out；　since　the　good　sense
of　a　general　of　militia　and　of　a　prominent　editor　failed　to　teach　them
that　the　merited　castigation　of　this　weak；　half…witted　child　was　a　thing
that　ought　to　have　been　done　in　the　street；　where　the　poor　thing　could
have　a　chance　to　run。　　When　a　journalist　maligns　a　citizen；　or　attacks
his　good　name　on　hearsay　evidence；　he　deserves　to　be　thrashed　for　it；
even　if　he　is　a　〃non…comb