WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1902
CARD OF THANKS
We sincerely thank our friends and neighbors for their kind assistance in
the illness of our beloved husband and father.
Mrs. Emma Brown
Mrs. F. M. Gassaway
Mrs. C. A. Paulk
Bessie Brown
Frankie Brown
Minnie Brown
C. J. Gooch and his son-n-law, Mr. McInnis, have been called to Alturas as
witnesses in the Brown case.
S. H. Paulk and Sam Boyd were called to Alturas as witnesses for defense in
the Brown case and left for that place this morning.
Steve Gassaway, a young man 25 years of age, whom we reported seriously ill
with pneumonia at the Brown place, on the Bench, last week, passed away last
Thursday ad was laid at rest in the cemetery in Little Hot Spring Valley the
following day. The young man was born in Placer County, this state, and his
death, just as he was entering the full estate of manhood, is to be
sincerely deplored. He leaves a mother and several brothers and sisters to
mourn his loss. (1:3)
In our issue of January 1st, we published an account of the death of Mrs. A.
R. Perkiss and inadvertently stated that one of the children left by her was
Mrs. Tena Pulse; it should have been Mrs. Tena Waite.
TRIAL OF J. W. BROWN
Claude Morris was put on the stand by prosecution last Wednesday and
related the story of the lynching about as told by Hutton.
Cross-examination commenced same afternoon and was conducted by Spencer. A
good deal of time was taken up in the identification of country party.
Witness stated he knew Leventon by his walk and voice. Heard Leventon say
“Hello” and recognized his voice. Had a sack over his head. Was examined
as to Leventon’s walk, how he wore the sack on his head and his height
compared with those around Lookout. Spencer then asked witness if certain
men in vicinity of Lookout were not as tall or taller than Leventon and
might have been in lynching instead of Leventon. Men named were Woodmansee,
Perry Summers, Erv Carpenter and others. Prosecution objected and objection
was sustained.
Witness stated that Robert Leventon is five or six inches taller than Levi
brown thus illustrating his judgement in matter of identification. Did not
identify those men that night but thought of it afterwards. Stated that he
recognized Kresge on account of him being slightly hump-shouldered.
Identified Claude Brown by grease on his overalls. Identified henry Knox by
his walk and by the leather coat he wore. Knew it was leather by its color.
Noticed nothing particular about his walk; knew his voice when he said good
evening to the crowd. He waited until we were masked before he said “good
evening” to the crowd. He speaks rather soft. Knew his voice from hearing
it for three or four years. Recognized Will McDaniels by peculiarity in his
walk as we were going to the hotel from the schoolhouse. He is about the
height of Marcus and not as high as Claude Brown.
Recognized O. A. Trowbridge by his walk, and by his voice. He said “good
evening” when he came to the schoolhouse; he has a soft voice and speaks
rather halting; he was my seat mate at school for several years, he kind of
swings his body like, and he walks like one leg was shorter than the other.
Don’t know whether he is lame or not.
In his examination last Saturday, witness stated that there was a bitter
feeling between his father, W. D. Morris and E. S. Trowbridge over business
rivalry and that he shared that animosity. He was asked if his father did
not state just before he died that he would die happy if he knew that E. S.
Trowbridge would be accused as one of the Lookout lynchers, but under
objection was not allowed to answer.
On Monday morning, the prosecution unexpectedly announced that they rested
their case and defense asked for continuance until two o’clock, which was
granted.
In the afternoon, Judge Spencer made the opening statement for defendant,
which was in substance as follows:
That on May 25th, three persons were arrested in the absence of defendant
brown. On Monday following cases against them were continued. Brown was
appointed constable on May 27th. On Saturday, Isom Eades and Robert
Leventon came to Alturas to see Bonner relative to prosecution. Bonner was
unable to be present and appointed C. C. Auble as deputy. Auble agreed to
prosecute and told Eades and Leventon that he has a case against them. On
Thursday morning, defendant with others went to Hall’s place and searched
the premises for the hide of a calf, which Hall had killed. Hall was away,
but came home while defendant was there. He refused to tell where the hide
was and was told that he would have to go to town with them, which he did
without resistance on his part or any force on the part of the defendant and
will show the testimony of Agnes Wilson is false. Will show that the
defendant was not present and did not participate in the lynching either
directly or indirectly and that he never entered into any conspiracy; will
show that he did not ask Morris or Hutton to participate in lynching at any
time; that Brown was not in Trowbridge’s store where ropes were being tied,
as stated by Hutton, but that he was at that time on the road to search the
premises of Calvin hall. Will show where all parties named as conspirators
were at that time and that defendant never had a talk with Hutton back of
hotel as stated by Hutton and that he did not tell him that prisoners would
by hung on the first bright night. Will show that defendant never went to
schoolhouse on night of meeting of mob and never agreed to give any signal
and that he did not go out of room at all that night from the time he went
on guard; that defendant and Sid Goyette were compelled to hold up their
hands at point of firearms and that Myers tried to get into the room and was
also held up with a gun; that at the time of lynching Sam Parks was up
stairs in bed and that he was awakened by the noise and came down stairs and
was seen in the hallway by one of Myers daughters and by Myers and thus
could not have been at the schoolhouse. Will also show the whereabouts of
Joe Leventon, J. J. Potter and all who are accused of participation in mob
and show it was impossible for them to be there. Will show that the
conversations testified to by Lafe Harris in hall at Lookout and in
blacksmith shop are totally false and that persons he named were not even at
these places at time at which he referred and in conclusion would show that
ropes were not kept in that part of Trowbridge’s store in, which witness
stated they were being tied.
Mrs. E. Etzenhouser, sister of D. R. Brownell and Mrs. Luima Norwood,
arrived here from the East last Saturday evening on a visit.
Word reached here yesterday that Joe Gordon had been arrested in Alturas the
day previous on a charge of selling whiskey to the Indians. Joe Says the
arrest is spite work on the part of an Indian.
Sid Garrison of Fall River is reported to have lost his mind. He imagines
that the Lookout lynchers are after him. He is now being closely watched
and it is hoped that his mind will be restored; as it is said he had a like
spell soon after the Lookout lynching occurred from which he shortly
afterwards recovered.
BORN
FAHRION – In Susanville, Cal., Jan 14, 1902, to the wife of G. Fahrion, a
daughter
JOHNSTON – At Standish, Cal., Jan 13, 1902, to the wife of F. Johnston, a
son
HOLMES – Near Standish, Cal., Jan 14, 1902, to the wife of E. B. Holmes, a
daughter
Season's Greetings
~~~~~~
Billie C. & Anita 'Jean' Reynolds
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