A Cold-Blooded Murder  - John Tallan Murder Mystery Chapter 2
A town's outrage at injustice and a plea for reward. 
Submitted by TDHS Research Historian Chaun Mortier 
 
Articles published April 1877 – Truckee Republican
Printed April 21, 1877
-Give Us a Reward-
As appears in our local columns today, one of the darkest, and most mysterious murders, was committed in this section on Wednesday last. It has formed the constant theme of conversation, along the street and in the household, since its committal. The mystery surrounding it seems to grow deeper and more clouded, instead of becoming developed or cleared up. All sorts of theories and suppositions are advanced in regard to it, but the fact remains unchanged that a quiet and unoffending citizen, was shot in cold blood, and unless immediate steps are taken to ferret out the perpetrator, it is altogether likely that he will forever go unpunished. Had this section become less notorious for actions of this kind, public indignation might be palliated or allieved, by efforts made alone by the local officers in this vicinity, but in this connection, we must call to mind the fact that less than a year ago, the Trout Creek trans-section aroused the blood of indignation in the hearts of all good citizens, not only in this section, but throughout the entire state.

The Governor of the State offered a large reward, several thousand dollars were subscribed by private persons in San Francisco, and the next day after the murder a private circular was circulated along Front Street in this town, and a large amount of money raised. Now whether the true culprits were discovered or not matters little, for the purposes of our argument—this fact is patent; that it had a wholesome effect. It brought the best detectives from the lower counties, it was published and re-published in nearly every paper in the state, and the fact was made known to the world that an outrage of this kind could not be committed with impunity.

Now, we protest that a Chinaman has no more rights than a white man! The human life taken by some dastardly wretch on Wednesday last, was just as sacred and should be as inviolate as that of a Chinaman! The clink of gold is the magic charm that lures men to activity, and stimulates them to energetic perservance. Indeed it could not be expected that our local officers with their parsimonious income, could be called on to spend large amounts in traveling expenses, and scouring the country in what might prove a futile search, and even if their work proved profitable, the income would not equal one iota of the outlay.

Let the $5,000 reward that was offered in the Trout Creek case be held out as an inducement to bring the murder of Jack Tallan before the bar of Justice, and unless she has departed to some far off crime, there can be little doubt of the assurance that before many weeks he would be confined in a murderer’s cell. The whole country would be searched, the case would be probed to its very depths, and every official in every city, town and hamlet on the coast would be upon the lookout for some sign or token.

Let Governor Irwin be as magnanimous and vigilant for one class of citizens as another, for even if the matter dies out, the fact will forever remain that it was a heartless dark and cold-blooded murder, and unless some such steps as we have suggested are resorted to, it will probably always remain shrouded by the dark veil of mystery than now envelops it.
April 23, 1877
Truckee Tribune
-Let Us All Subscribe-

Mr. McMillian, a friend of Mr. Tallan, who all believe to have been so foully murdered, is circulating a subscription among the lovers of justice living around this neighborhood, and is meeting with every success. We believe he has now about $1200 subscribed for the purpose of bringing the assassin to trial, and there also has been circulated a petition from the Cardwell House, praying Gov. Irwin to offer an additional reward. We do not assert that the poor mortal who was hurried into the presence of his maker was foully murdered, but we firmly believe from all the evidence and circumstances brought to light that such is the case. It is something remarkable that Gov. Irwin seems to take no steps in the matter, and we hope the petition will be the means of awakening him to a sense of his duty.


April 25, 1877
Truckee Republican
- Tallan’s Funeral -

On Saturday last at 2 in the afternoon the remains of Jack Tallan, were borne to their resting place. It was snowing very hard at the time, the cold wind blowing the great flakes into the faces of the friends who had gathered to pay their last tribute of respect to their poor and greatly wronged friend. Six carriages were filled with mourners, and a number of footmen followed behind. As the funeral left Plunkett’s office, and moved down Front Street, the sight presented a sad and melancholy appearance. Most of the those who followed were personal friends of the deceased, men who had worked side by side with him on the road and in the lonely wood, all men who bore testimony to his personal worth, his peaceable disposition and sober life, and now, they were bidding their last goodbye to him, as he passed into the silent grave, beyond the confines of time.

The fact that he had been stricken down without provocation, by the hand of some unknown assassin made the thought dreary indeed. He was temporarily interred in the Catholic burial ground. In this connection it might not be amiss to again call attention to the matter mentioned in our last issue that by all qualities of sense and justice, a reward should be offered for the murderer of that man. We know people are loath to take the initiatory step, but on other occasions they have been forward enough. That such a foul and dastardly act should be committed almost in our very midst, and that it should be passed quietly over reflects little credit on those who have so keen a sense of right and justice. We have heard of no steps being taken in this direction although we have made diligent enquiries as to whether it was probable or not that a reward would be offered. It is morally certain that as matters now stand the wretch who without even a shadow of a motive, shot that man in the back will go unpunished. It is a sad reflection to think that the machinery of justice is so lame and impotent, that when such a monstrous crime as this is committed, no effective steps are taken to secure the perpetrator. It causes for a day a ripple of excitement, but feelings are qualmed and the affair blows over – poor Jack is unavenged!