Police Reports of May 1869
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Truckee constables such as Jake Teeter struggled to keep law and order in a wild rough and tumble town in 1869.
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Truckee was a magnet for crime due to an abundance of jobs, mostly in the timber and railroad industries. Jobs led to ample money, consumption of vast quantities of alcohol, and in the end waves of lawlessness that led to vigilante justice. Even with local constables such as Jake Teeter, Jake Cross, James Reed and other early lawmen doing their best, crime was rampant at times.
The Sierra Sun runs a weekly log of police reports in the Truckee area. Taking that format back to May of 1869, the Truckee Tribune newspaper crime log would show us what was going on in the wild days of Truckee's past.
MAY 1. Johnny Morton, well known around town, died from injuries last Tuesday. He had been accidentally shot in the ankle during the attempted bank robbery of Burckhalter & Co. bank. It was reported that Morton had been robbed and shot in the ankle on Second Street later that evening, but he confessed to being part of the bank heist was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery. Dr. Jones treated Morton, but his injuries were serious, the bones of his foot and ankle having been crushed. Dr. Jones amputated Morton's ankle and foot last Monday, but due to his years of hard drinking, his body could not handle the surgery and he succumbed. Morton was 29 years old and a native of Scotland.
MAY 1. The court case of E. L. Lee and Chris Blair commenced on Wednesday in Judge Gaylord’s court. The two along with Johnny Morton and two others made a failed attempt to rob Fred Burckhalter’s bank a week ago. William Forrest, one of the accomplices turned state’s witness and told the details of the affair. Judge Gaylord heard enough testimony from Forrest and other witnesses told hold Blair & Lee over for the Grand Jury to hear the case.
MAY 8. On Wednesday night some rascals broke into the Orleans Hotel and carried off a trunk and relieved it of its contents. They also stole $20 from the pockets of the landlord. On Thursday night someone broke in through a window of the Mechanics' Hotel bar room, and stole a pistol from under the head of the barkeeper who was sleeping in the bar room. Another robbery was committed at the saloon of Tom Welch. A silver watch was taken from his vest pocket that was hanging on a chair. No clue to solving any of the above crimes.
MAY 8. Last Sunday a Chinaman, who had been employed by Charles Nuce of the Truckee House at Crystal Peak, near Verdi, was accused of raping Nuce's six year old girl. Nuce made the Chinaman own up to the crime, then took the man to the Truckee River, where he shot him and threw him in the river. The Chinaman crawled out on the bank, then Nuce hit him with a rock and threw back in to float downstream. Public opinion is that Nuce did only his duty.
MAY 8. On Wednesday a Chinese man was shot and robbed near the railroad trestle at Donner Creek. He was going along the road when he received a charge of "goose shot" in the back. He says there was only one man who attacked him.
MAY 8. Officer Hanks arrested 18 Chinese men who were charged with cutting wood that belonged to Elle Ellen of the Truckee Sawmill. They appeared before Justice King, who held them under $1,000 bonds to appear in court on Friday.
MAY 13. Hell hath poured forth her minions upon us and the cities have selected their most infernal and desperate villains and sent them forth to a congress of thieves to our town, to commit their most hellish deeds and daring robberies. Scarcely a night passes but someone is robbed or a house broken into and plundered. The utmost surveillance upon the part of our worthy officers hold crime in check, so long as they are watching. We now fill twelve out of sixteen cells in the county jail, and if justice were done to a large number of men in our community, twice as many cells would be occupied, and five gallows as well.
MAY 13. Everyday for some time past, Indians are seen in a beastly state of intoxication upon our streets. Some wretch continues to supply them with liquor. There is a law that prohibits sale of intoxicating alcohol to Indians.
MAY 13. An attempt was made by a whelp in this town, who is well known, to blackmail Frank Pauson out of $200. In doing this he has disgraced himself, but he has always been too lazy to earn a respectable living anyway.
MAY 13. On Saturday night some parties entered the boarding house of Hoadley's sawmill, and robbed it of some $200 and some jewelry and watches. The men were asleep in the house at the time but heard none of the robbers at work breaking into their trunks and chests.
MAY 13. Last night someone entered George Schaffer's sawmill office and robbed the clerk of an undisclosed amount of money.
MAY 15. On Thursday night some individuals who have no fear of the law, and who would not "beware of the dog" entered the cellar of the Truckee Hotel, and removed wines, cigars, and other supplies. This was considered a very daring act, as the bar watchman was on duty at the time. The value was over $700, and three men have been arrested in connection with the crime.
MAY 15. On Thursday night as Jake Cross was going to his home on Piety Hill he was assaulted with a club by a ruffian in the rear of the Truckee Lodging House. The fellow dealt Cross a severe blow upon the chin, but Cross grappled with the villain and drove him off. Had Jake been armed it is very probable that there would have been a job for the undertaker.
MAY 15. On Thursday night some of our nipping fraternity broke into the Magnolia Saloon and took out the money till and robbed it of its contents, some two dollars in coin. They went into the sleeping room of Mr. Bell and robbed the pants pockets of another three dollars, then left.
MAY 15. On Thursday morning John Egbert was arrested as a vagrant by officer Jake Teeter, and upon examination before Judge King, was sent to jail.
MAY 15. On Thursday night somebody stole a revolver from J. S. Lord. If there is any city in California that can show a stronger record for thievery than Truckee, we want to know about it.
MAY 19. On Tuesday night a young man by the name of McMillen shot a Chinese man through the shoulder, just below town. The Chinese man asserts that McMillen attempted to rob him and his companion and that they resisted McMillen. McMillen asserts the same charge against the Chinese men. He says they tried to rob him and he fired his gun and shot the Chinese man. The investigation continues.
MAY 19. On Saturday night the thieves of this burg, or a few of them, went through the Truckee Exchange but what was taken was unknown at this time.
MAY 19. An attempt was made to rob the residence of Tom Shirley on Monday night. The thieves took out the lower window sash of the kitchen window, and while trying to force the lock on the door leading to the main house, Mrs. Shirley was awakened by the noise. She cried out, which alarmed the burglars and they fled the scene.
MAY 22. Burglary and robbery seem to be the order of the day, though during the past few days our thieves have been rather quiet; this is no fault of theirs we venture to say, but rather vigilance that has kept them down. As soon as our people get over their scare a little and the officers eyes are off them, it will break out again in all its former boldness. It is only the watchfulness of the people that has left many of them un hung. If there is an escaped convict or a murderer at large those in search had better visit Truckee as we have about all of them here.
MAY 22. Complaints were filed that Main Street, from one to the other, is more like a vast sewer than a street. All the offal and rubbish from the hotels, clearings from the privies, and everything else of a filthy nature, seem to find their way to it.
MAY 29. This morning in the County Court the following sentences were passed: Ah Fook, for breaking into a house in the daytime with intent to rob--one year in prison; Charles Richardson, for grand theft larceny in stealing a carpet at Truckee--two years in prison: E. Lee, for burglary, in entering and attempting to rob Burckhalter & Co. Bank--ten years in prison. Lee protested the evidence, the verdict, the jury, and a fellow villain for turning states evidence. Judge Niles, in passing sentence, noted that the robbers went to rob, armed and disguised, to accomplish their purpose, even to the taking of a life, he therefore gave the prisoner the full extent of the law.
MAY 29. The man who has been in the calaboose for the last ten days, on a charge of being a participant in the robbery of Campbell's Truckee Hotel cellar, broke out of jail on Wednesday night by digging his way out through the door with a chisel, which was given him by someone on the outside. The other prisoner, who was in on a charge of petty larceny, crawled out through the hole and went up town and got a drink and then returned to his cell; he thought that the free board was too good a thing to be missed.
MAY 29. A terrific row occurred on Front Street on Thursday evening, between a man and a woman. Two bystanders interfered and attempted to separate them. The combatants were pretty badly used up and were arrested.
MAY 29. On Wednesday Patrick Cafferty entered the store of Sisson, Egbert & Co. and stole a ham. He was arrested by Officer Teeeter and locked up. After trial in Judge King's court, he was sentenced to sixty days in jail.
MAY 29. On Wednesday night someone stole about one hundred dollars worth of steel wedges from Kenovan & Govan's blacksmith shop on upper Main Street. Chinamen are suspected of being the thieves.
MAY 29. George Smith & George Carr were arrested by Constable Teeter on a complaint by William Ford on the charge of assault and battery, to which charge they pled guilty.
MAY 29. On Thursday a man named Church, engaged in the wood business at Camp 20, down the river attempted to commit suicide. While working in the office, he suddenly got up pulled a concealed derringer and shot himself in the chest. The wound was painful but not life threatening, and he was put on a train to Reno for medical care. Depression is a common problem among the working class in the area.
MAY 29. An attempt was made on Thursday night to rob the saloon of Mrs. Baldwin, but the robbers did not succeed in accomplishing their design.
MAY 29. On Wednesday night one of the China stores was entered and robbed of six sacks of rice.
The crime ridden town would quiet down as law enforcement got more efficient and courts less lenient in sentencing. In 1874 vigilantes took matters into their own hands for a time, but since it ended in the death of one of their own, the practice was ended. As time passed Truckee became a more orderly town, but episodes of lawlessness continued on into the modern era.
This article by Gordon Richards originally appeared in the August 6, 2004 Echoes From The Past column in the Sierra Sun.
The Sierra Sun runs a weekly log of police reports in the Truckee area. Taking that format back to May of 1869, the Truckee Tribune newspaper crime log would show us what was going on in the wild days of Truckee's past.
MAY 1. Johnny Morton, well known around town, died from injuries last Tuesday. He had been accidentally shot in the ankle during the attempted bank robbery of Burckhalter & Co. bank. It was reported that Morton had been robbed and shot in the ankle on Second Street later that evening, but he confessed to being part of the bank heist was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery. Dr. Jones treated Morton, but his injuries were serious, the bones of his foot and ankle having been crushed. Dr. Jones amputated Morton's ankle and foot last Monday, but due to his years of hard drinking, his body could not handle the surgery and he succumbed. Morton was 29 years old and a native of Scotland.
MAY 1. The court case of E. L. Lee and Chris Blair commenced on Wednesday in Judge Gaylord’s court. The two along with Johnny Morton and two others made a failed attempt to rob Fred Burckhalter’s bank a week ago. William Forrest, one of the accomplices turned state’s witness and told the details of the affair. Judge Gaylord heard enough testimony from Forrest and other witnesses told hold Blair & Lee over for the Grand Jury to hear the case.
MAY 8. On Wednesday night some rascals broke into the Orleans Hotel and carried off a trunk and relieved it of its contents. They also stole $20 from the pockets of the landlord. On Thursday night someone broke in through a window of the Mechanics' Hotel bar room, and stole a pistol from under the head of the barkeeper who was sleeping in the bar room. Another robbery was committed at the saloon of Tom Welch. A silver watch was taken from his vest pocket that was hanging on a chair. No clue to solving any of the above crimes.
MAY 8. Last Sunday a Chinaman, who had been employed by Charles Nuce of the Truckee House at Crystal Peak, near Verdi, was accused of raping Nuce's six year old girl. Nuce made the Chinaman own up to the crime, then took the man to the Truckee River, where he shot him and threw him in the river. The Chinaman crawled out on the bank, then Nuce hit him with a rock and threw back in to float downstream. Public opinion is that Nuce did only his duty.
MAY 8. On Wednesday a Chinese man was shot and robbed near the railroad trestle at Donner Creek. He was going along the road when he received a charge of "goose shot" in the back. He says there was only one man who attacked him.
MAY 8. Officer Hanks arrested 18 Chinese men who were charged with cutting wood that belonged to Elle Ellen of the Truckee Sawmill. They appeared before Justice King, who held them under $1,000 bonds to appear in court on Friday.
MAY 13. Hell hath poured forth her minions upon us and the cities have selected their most infernal and desperate villains and sent them forth to a congress of thieves to our town, to commit their most hellish deeds and daring robberies. Scarcely a night passes but someone is robbed or a house broken into and plundered. The utmost surveillance upon the part of our worthy officers hold crime in check, so long as they are watching. We now fill twelve out of sixteen cells in the county jail, and if justice were done to a large number of men in our community, twice as many cells would be occupied, and five gallows as well.
MAY 13. Everyday for some time past, Indians are seen in a beastly state of intoxication upon our streets. Some wretch continues to supply them with liquor. There is a law that prohibits sale of intoxicating alcohol to Indians.
MAY 13. An attempt was made by a whelp in this town, who is well known, to blackmail Frank Pauson out of $200. In doing this he has disgraced himself, but he has always been too lazy to earn a respectable living anyway.
MAY 13. On Saturday night some parties entered the boarding house of Hoadley's sawmill, and robbed it of some $200 and some jewelry and watches. The men were asleep in the house at the time but heard none of the robbers at work breaking into their trunks and chests.
MAY 13. Last night someone entered George Schaffer's sawmill office and robbed the clerk of an undisclosed amount of money.
MAY 15. On Thursday night some individuals who have no fear of the law, and who would not "beware of the dog" entered the cellar of the Truckee Hotel, and removed wines, cigars, and other supplies. This was considered a very daring act, as the bar watchman was on duty at the time. The value was over $700, and three men have been arrested in connection with the crime.
MAY 15. On Thursday night as Jake Cross was going to his home on Piety Hill he was assaulted with a club by a ruffian in the rear of the Truckee Lodging House. The fellow dealt Cross a severe blow upon the chin, but Cross grappled with the villain and drove him off. Had Jake been armed it is very probable that there would have been a job for the undertaker.
MAY 15. On Thursday night some of our nipping fraternity broke into the Magnolia Saloon and took out the money till and robbed it of its contents, some two dollars in coin. They went into the sleeping room of Mr. Bell and robbed the pants pockets of another three dollars, then left.
MAY 15. On Thursday morning John Egbert was arrested as a vagrant by officer Jake Teeter, and upon examination before Judge King, was sent to jail.
MAY 15. On Thursday night somebody stole a revolver from J. S. Lord. If there is any city in California that can show a stronger record for thievery than Truckee, we want to know about it.
MAY 19. On Tuesday night a young man by the name of McMillen shot a Chinese man through the shoulder, just below town. The Chinese man asserts that McMillen attempted to rob him and his companion and that they resisted McMillen. McMillen asserts the same charge against the Chinese men. He says they tried to rob him and he fired his gun and shot the Chinese man. The investigation continues.
MAY 19. On Saturday night the thieves of this burg, or a few of them, went through the Truckee Exchange but what was taken was unknown at this time.
MAY 19. An attempt was made to rob the residence of Tom Shirley on Monday night. The thieves took out the lower window sash of the kitchen window, and while trying to force the lock on the door leading to the main house, Mrs. Shirley was awakened by the noise. She cried out, which alarmed the burglars and they fled the scene.
MAY 22. Burglary and robbery seem to be the order of the day, though during the past few days our thieves have been rather quiet; this is no fault of theirs we venture to say, but rather vigilance that has kept them down. As soon as our people get over their scare a little and the officers eyes are off them, it will break out again in all its former boldness. It is only the watchfulness of the people that has left many of them un hung. If there is an escaped convict or a murderer at large those in search had better visit Truckee as we have about all of them here.
MAY 22. Complaints were filed that Main Street, from one to the other, is more like a vast sewer than a street. All the offal and rubbish from the hotels, clearings from the privies, and everything else of a filthy nature, seem to find their way to it.
MAY 29. This morning in the County Court the following sentences were passed: Ah Fook, for breaking into a house in the daytime with intent to rob--one year in prison; Charles Richardson, for grand theft larceny in stealing a carpet at Truckee--two years in prison: E. Lee, for burglary, in entering and attempting to rob Burckhalter & Co. Bank--ten years in prison. Lee protested the evidence, the verdict, the jury, and a fellow villain for turning states evidence. Judge Niles, in passing sentence, noted that the robbers went to rob, armed and disguised, to accomplish their purpose, even to the taking of a life, he therefore gave the prisoner the full extent of the law.
MAY 29. The man who has been in the calaboose for the last ten days, on a charge of being a participant in the robbery of Campbell's Truckee Hotel cellar, broke out of jail on Wednesday night by digging his way out through the door with a chisel, which was given him by someone on the outside. The other prisoner, who was in on a charge of petty larceny, crawled out through the hole and went up town and got a drink and then returned to his cell; he thought that the free board was too good a thing to be missed.
MAY 29. A terrific row occurred on Front Street on Thursday evening, between a man and a woman. Two bystanders interfered and attempted to separate them. The combatants were pretty badly used up and were arrested.
MAY 29. On Wednesday Patrick Cafferty entered the store of Sisson, Egbert & Co. and stole a ham. He was arrested by Officer Teeeter and locked up. After trial in Judge King's court, he was sentenced to sixty days in jail.
MAY 29. On Wednesday night someone stole about one hundred dollars worth of steel wedges from Kenovan & Govan's blacksmith shop on upper Main Street. Chinamen are suspected of being the thieves.
MAY 29. George Smith & George Carr were arrested by Constable Teeter on a complaint by William Ford on the charge of assault and battery, to which charge they pled guilty.
MAY 29. On Thursday a man named Church, engaged in the wood business at Camp 20, down the river attempted to commit suicide. While working in the office, he suddenly got up pulled a concealed derringer and shot himself in the chest. The wound was painful but not life threatening, and he was put on a train to Reno for medical care. Depression is a common problem among the working class in the area.
MAY 29. An attempt was made on Thursday night to rob the saloon of Mrs. Baldwin, but the robbers did not succeed in accomplishing their design.
MAY 29. On Wednesday night one of the China stores was entered and robbed of six sacks of rice.
The crime ridden town would quiet down as law enforcement got more efficient and courts less lenient in sentencing. In 1874 vigilantes took matters into their own hands for a time, but since it ended in the death of one of their own, the practice was ended. As time passed Truckee became a more orderly town, but episodes of lawlessness continued on into the modern era.
This article by Gordon Richards originally appeared in the August 6, 2004 Echoes From The Past column in the Sierra Sun.
