San Mateo County Gazette News
September 1859
(Transcribed by Chris Havnar)

POLITICAL SPEAKING - On Wednesday night, Gov. WELLER< Hon. C.L. SCOTT, and
Messrs. S.A. SPARPE, E. COOK, and Wm. T. GOUGH addressed the citizens of
this place upon the political issues of the day.  The meeting was well
attended, a bonfire and lanterns illuminated the scene, and the Democrats
seemed to vastly enjoy the occasion.  The orators appeared to have been
well received, and very hospitably entertained by their co-politicians of
Redwood City.  The meeting adjourned at 11 o'clock P.M.

ADMITTED - C.N. FOX, Esq., District Attorney of this county, was on the 1st
inst. admitted as an Attorney and Counselor in the Circuit Court of the
United States.

For Justice of the Peace
Third Township
William LASSWELL hereby announces himself as an Independent Candidate for
Justice of the Peace subject to the decision of the voters of the Third
Township, on the 7th September.

FROM CARSON VALLEY - Carson Valley, Aug. 29 - Judge CRANE has just returned
from a trip to Carson, and up the Humboldt. He states on the report of
immigrants, that the number of persons who will yet arrive across the
Plains for California, Oregon, and Washington and Nevada Territories,
between April and December, will not fall short of 70,000.  Some 20,000, it
is believed, will locate in Nevada Territory.  The stock of all kinds will
amount to 20,000 - some of which are of the best blood.  The emigration to
Oregon and Washington is very large.
Judge CRANE confirms the massacre of the immigrants at Sublett's Cutoff.
One of the SHEPHARD brothers will be here to-marrow.  The Mormons and
Indians robbed them of $800 in gold.  A man by the name of DAVIS confessed
at the Sink of the Humboldt, that the Mormons and Indians committed the
massacre.  The people at Humboldt gave him warning to get out of the way.
He will be there in a few days.  Judge CRANE leaves there in a few days for
Walker river.
Holladay's train passed through here this morning - Telegraphed to Sac. Union

THEY ARE COMING - A thousand wagons with an average of five persons to
each, have passed Omaha, Nebraska, on their way to California.

The Election
The agony is over.  The great struggle of 1859, in California, is over, and
the excitement is already beginning to subside.  Sore heads are not wanting
in the ranks of any part, still, so far as we can learn, those who are, or
suppose themselves to be, defeated, take the matter like philosophers -
look upon it as one of the fortunes of war, and attribute their want of
success, mainly to a want of votes …..

(Transcribers note - only transcribed the county position returns)

For Judge of the Twelfth District Court
John B. HARMON (Democrat) - 177
J.V. WATSON (Anti-Lecompton) - 4
Samuel H. BRODIE (Republican) - 153

For State Senators
Solomon A. SHARP (Democrat) -389
Elisha COOK (Democrat) - 299
T.G. PHELPS (Republican) - 404
Leonidas HASKELL (Anti-Lecompton) - 501
Caleb BURBANK (Republican) - 46
Henry B. TRUETT (Anti-Lecompton) - 133

For Member of the Assembly
Wm. T. GOUGH (Democrat) - 445
Wm. B. MAXSON (Anti-Lecompton) - 471

For County Clerk
B.G. LATHROP (Democrat) - 496
W.C. CROOK (Anti-Lecompton) - 420

For Sheriff
John W. ACKERSON (Democrat) - 454
Silas HOVIUS (Anti-Lecompton) - 463

For District Attorney
Charles N. FOX (Both County Tickets) -  808

For County Treasurer
C.E. KELLY (Democrat) - 445
Curtis BAIRD (Anti-Lecompton) - 407

For Assessor
Charles ELKINS (Democrat) - 283
J.D. ROSE (Anti-Lecompton) - 630

For Public Administrator
R.O. TRIPP (Both County Tickets) - 896

For Surveyor
A.S. EASTON (Democrat) - 514
S. Barr GILBER (Anti-Lecompton) - 399

For Coroner
Wm BLANKMAN (Democrat) - 327
W.D. CHURCH (Independent) - 67
Dr. LAMBERT (Anti-Lecompton) - 475

The following Township officers are elected: Third Township - Supervisor,
J.V. DILLER, Justices, J.W. TURNER, Andrew TEAGUE, Constables, J.S. KEITH,
Chester PARSHALL.  First Township - Supervisor, R.S. THORNTON, Second
Township - Supervisor, M. WOLF
 

ACCIDENT - On election day, as Wm. CLARK was about descending from the deck
of the new schooner, now in process of construction here, he missed his
footing, and fell through the staging, striking first his chin, then the
back of his head, in his downward flight, and finally striking the ground
with force, on the top of his head.  It was at first supposed he was
killed, but he was soon restored to consciousness, and his injuries proved
to be slight.

PASSENGERS FOR THE EAST - The Golden Age carried away on the 5th, 579
passengers, and the Uncle Sam 716.  Horace GREELY left on the Uncle Sam 5th
inst., for the Atlantic States.

GENOA, Carson Valley Sept. 5th - Judge CRADLEBAUGH opened his court to-day
for this district.  He appointed a Clerk and Deputy U.S. Marshal, and then
adjourned until the 10th October.  Judge CRADLEBAUGH will issue a warrant
for the arrest of O'BEY, who shot DALE, immediately, and take him from the
mob.

TO OUR PATRONS
We this week place at the head of our paper the name of C.N. Fox, Esq., as
editor, and place our editorial columns under his charge.

THE ELECTION
Official canvass
Precincts in the county of San Mateo
10 Mile Stable
San Mateo
Spanish Town
Purissimo
Redwood City
Searsville
Greer's S. House
Lapham's Mill
Finch's House
 …
The following was the vote of the several Townships for local officers:
First Township - Supervisor: I.G. KNOWLES, 51, R.S. THORNTON, 78, E. WEHLER
69; Justices of the Peace; James MEE 134, W.A. CLARK 81, J. RAND, 64, H.L.
WHITE, 21; Constables; J. CASEY 122, B.F. FOX, Jr. 107, R.E. MORRIS 57
Second Township - Supervisor; M. WOLF 210, Justices of the Peace; J.P. AMES
134, L. HILL, 127, A.T. SWART 74, E. ZABELLA 28, E.D. BOWMAN 3.
Constables; S. FORD, 200, Wm LAMPMAN 146
Third Township - Supervisor: J.V. DILLER 298, R.J. WEEKS 157.  Justices of
the Peace: J.W. TURNER 237, A. TEAGUE 217, T. MOYLAN 147, O.P. MASON 159,
W. LAZWELL 36, L. RICE 79.  Constables: J.S. KIETH 257; C. PARSHALL 180, J.
CANION (?) ??8, J.P. ROSS 40.

QUALIFY - We now have a full complement of officers elected, and we hope to
see each and every one of them quality, and be ready to do duty when
occasion may require.  The offices of Justices of the Peace and Constable
are comparatively worthless, but they are sometimes indispensable to the
community - and no man ought to allow the people to elect him, unless he is
willing to serve.

The Stockton Republican says, that a number of immigrants from the plains
have arrived at that place.  Train after train encamps nightly upon the
outskirts of the city, seldom passing through it and leaving on the morning
for Contra Costa, Tulare and other counties.  They and their stock appear
to be in fine condition.

CODE DUELLO
Again has the moral sense of the whole community been shocked by an appeal
to this barbarous code.  Again have the laws upon out statute books been
openly and shamefully violated.  And this time, too, it has been done by
men from whom, on account of their intelligence and high position, we
should have looked for better things.  Done, too, for no apparent cause,
for if the statement which we give below from the Sacramento Bee is
correct, and we believe it is, we defy any man to point out a reasonable
excuse for the bloody affray - for it deserves no better name - which took
place of Tuesday morning.  D.C. BRODERICK, a United States Senator, and
David TERRY, a Judge of the Supreme Court, have each forsaken their high
positions - trampled under foot the Constitution and laws which they had
sworn to support - the one dishonored the mantle of a Senator - the other
disgraced the ermine of the Bench - and entered the ring next in the
downward grade of human depravity to that of the pugilist - and upon the
false-named field of honor - with weapons peculiarly adapted to the hand of
an assassin, have sought to blot out, each in the other's blood, the little
honor that yet remained to himself.  Honor, indeed, on such a field!
This duel has been for some time on the tapis, and during the first days of
the week much anxiety was felt throughout the State to know the result.
The parties met on Monday morning, near the Lake House, and had just got
the preliminaries arranged when they were interrupted by the police of San
Francisco, and required to appear before Judge COON to answer to an attempt
to fight a duel.  The Judge discharged them on the ground that "an attempt"
was not punishable under the law.  On Tuesday morning they again met, and
this time succeeding in accomplishing their purpose.  The weapons were
TERRY's own dueling pistols, set with hair-spring triggers, carrying
half-ounce balls.  The distance ten paces.  When the word to fire was
given, from some cause (a dozen different ones are given) BRODERICK's
pistol went off prematurely, taking effect in the ground.  TERRY took
deliberate aim and fired, hitting his antagonist just above the right
nipple - the ball passing around the front of the body, crushing the
sternum bone, passing through the left lung and lodging under the skin near
the left arm.  BROKERICK fell and was soon removed to the house of Leonidas
HASKELL, where he was properly attended to.  The wound was supposed to be
mortal, but at this time (Wednesday afternoon) our latest reports are that
he is still living, with some ground to hope that he may recover.  TERRY
immediately hasted across the Bay, and overland to Sacramento.  Much
excitement prevailed in San Francisco, on learning the result of the
contest, and the city papers are full of details of the tragic scene, but
we have neither the space nor the desire to copy them. We regard the whole
affair as a disgrace to our State, and to the parties engaged in it.   The
seconds of TERRY were Calhoun BENHAM and Thomas HAYES - of Broderick, J.C.
McKIBBIN and General COULTON.  Of the origin of the difficulty, the Bee says:
The facts are like this: The Anti-Lecompton State Convention of June last
was held in this city (Sacramento) one week in advance of the Lecompton
Convention.  Judge Terry was a candidate before the latter for a
re-nomination, and was defeated.  On the last night of the sitting of that
body, all the prominent defeated candidates were called to the stand, the
Judge among them.  He made a short spirited address, in which he said,
among other things, after asking who was opposed to the party to which he
belonged:

"They (the Anti-Lecompton) are the followers of one man, the personal
chattels of a single individual, whom they are ashamed of.  They belong
heart and soul, body and breeches, to David C. BRODERICK.  They are yet
ashamed to acknowledge their master, and are calling themselves, aye
forsooth, Douglas Democrats, when it is known, well known to them as to us,
that the gallant Senator from Illinois, whose voice has always been heard
in the advocacy of Democratic principles, who now is not disunited from the
Democratic part, has no affiliation with them, no feeling in common with
them.  Perhaps, Mr. President and gentlemen, I am mistaken in denying their
rights to claim Douglas as their leader.  Perhaps they do sail under the
flag of Douglas, but it is the banner of the black Douglas, whose name is
Frederick, not Stephen."

BRODERICK has read this, and which at breakfast, one morning at the
International Hotel, San Francisco, entered into conversation with those
near him on the subject and stated that he had once expressed the opinion
that "Judge TERRY was the only upright man upon the Supreme Bench, but he
believed that he would now have to take that back."  Mr. PERLEY, a friend
of TERRY, once his law partner took offence at this and replied sharply.
Some further remarks were made, and BRODERICK in the heat of the moment
expressed his sorrow that the Vigilance Committee did not hang TERRY when
it had him in custody.  The result was the PERLEY challenged BRODERICK, and
the latter refused to accept on several grounds, and also stated that he
would not accept a challenge from any person until after the election.  On
election day, TERRY in company with PERLEY, left this city for San
Francisco, the Judge having first resigned his office.  It was known on the
boat going down that TERRY intended to challenge BRODERICK.
The Judge, we believe, halted at Benica, went to Stockton for his physician
- Dr. AYLETT - and left overland for San Francisco.  TERRY sent BRODERICK a
preemptory challenge.  BRODERICK, through his friends desired to know the
particular offence he had given, or the language he had used, which caused
the challenge - and whether it had anything to do with his difficulty with
PERLEY.  The answer was, we hear, that it had no direct reference to the
PERLEY matter, but to the language used, about that time, by Broderick, in
which he expressed his regret that the Vigilance Committee had not hung the
Judge.  To this BRODERICK's friends replied that while he spoke thus in a
moment of excitement, such were not the sentiments of the feelings of his
heart; for he did not wish that body to hang any man, and that he was
willing to acknowledge this publicly; but, as it was called out by what
Judge TERRY had said of BRODERICK at the Lecompton State Convention, in
Benton's church, TERRY should also withdraw what he had "said" of BRODERICK
upon that occasion.  This TERRY peremptorily refused; hence, there was no
course left but to fight.

OUR COUNTY
The tax roll of our county has been completed, and is now in the hands of
the Tax Collector for collection.  From it we learn that the whole number
of acres of land assessed this year is 148,408 acres.  This does not
include the land assessed by the lot, in village plats.  Total valuation of
real estate in the county, $618,666.  Total valuation of improvements upon
real estate $240,845.  Total valuation of personal property $630,896.
Making an aggregate of $1,490,407.  Tax levied thereon, $1.55 on each $100
- making $23,101 in all.  Of this there is, for State purposes, $8,942.44
1/4; county fund $7,452.3 ½; Court House fund $3,726. 1 ¼; Road fund
$745.20 ½; indigent sick fund, $745.20 ¼; School fund, $1490.40 ¾
There are upon the assessment book the names of five hundred and
twenty-three persons, of whom two hundred and thirteen as assessed with
real estate.  We shall at some future time endeavor to give some further
statistics of the county as they appear from this book, but this week we
have not had time to compile them.

The last mail bad of the last contract between the United State Government
and the Pacific Mail Steamship Company was carried on board the John L.
Stephens by Postmaster, C.L. WELLER.  It will be understood from this fact
that our usual mail facilities are now at an end, and that we must
henceforth depend principally upon the Butterfield Overland Mail.

BRODERICK IS DEAD
On Friday morning of last week, Senator D.C. BRODERICK breathed his last.
However much or little we may have thought of the man in life, we can but
regret his fall.  Of the manner of that fall, it is unnecessary to say
anything at this time.  We gave the facts connected with it last week.   ……
He was essentially and truly the architect of his own fortunes.  Born and
reared in comparative obscurity, by his own energy he has marched onward
and upward, until at a very early period in life (for he died at less than
forty) we find him occupying one of the highest positions which the
ambition of man could as aspire to, or the American people could give.  …
He came here in 1849, with no reputation, except that of being a ninth ward
New York politician - very soon become a State Senator - from that, by
appointment, President of the Senate, and eventually, by reason of the
resignation of Governor Mc DOUGALL, for a short period, acting Governor of
the State.  He aspired to the United States Senate, and for four years, we
think it was, he labored for that position with a power and an energy which
has seldom been exhibited, and which was at length crowned with success.
Since he has held that high position, his course has been antagonistic to
the party which elected him, but it has nevertheless been fearless and
independent.  And for this very independent, and the energy with which he
advocated the cause of his espousal, he is entitled to the respect even of
his enemies.  Cast off by his political party, he soon gathered around him
another, of the leadership of which none had the right to dispute with him,
and at the late election his course was endorsed by a very considerable
proportion of the people of California.

It is said by those who knew him best, that as a man he possessed many
excellent qualities of head and heart - that even those who opposed him as
a politician, loved him as a neighbor and a friend.  He is also said to
have been very successful in whatever business he undertook - that which he
has expended thousands to accomplish a political end, he has never lost a
dollar in any regular business transaction in California.  He was a man of
regular and temperate habits, of an iron constitution and a vigorous
physical frame.  He has fallen in the prime of life, and in all the
strength of manhood.  He is said to have been the last of his race, leaving
no kindred behind to mourn his loss.  But his untimely end will be
deplored, to a greater or less extent, by a whole people; for it is
characteristic of us as a nation, when one like him has fallen, to draw the
veil of obscurity over all his faults and remember only his virtues.  So
should it ever be - in the grave with his body, let all animosities be
buried.  If he possessed any good qualities, let them be remembered and
emulated.

OBSEQUIES TO BRODERICK
As soon as the death of Senator BRODERICK was known in San Francisco, all
the flags were placed at half-mast - all the public and many of the private
building trimmed in mourning, and throughout that and the following day the
streets were full of men discussing the sad event.  On Friday evening, the
remains of BRODERICK, in full dress, were placed in a bronze sarcophagus
and removed to the Union Hotel, where the body was laid in state until
Sunday morning.  On Saturday morning the spacious hall of that building was
thrown open and throughout that day there was one living mass of humanity
moving thither to take a last look at the dead.  On Sunday afternoon, an
immense throng gathered in the Plaza, where a funeral oration was delivered
by Col. E.D. BAKER, after which a procession was formed and proceeded to
Lone Mountain Cemetery, where appropriate religious services were held, and
the body was interred.  We have not space to give a detailed description of
the proceedings and scene, but altogether it was a funeral pageant which
perhaps has never but once been equaled in California.