Plumas County CA Archives History - Books .....Historical Reminiscences - A Model Inquest 1882
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 4, 2006, 7:37 pm

Book Title: Illustrated History Of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

A MODEL INQUEST.

   Early in the spring of 1856 Bill McCartney and Jim Grace concluded to embark
in the express business, running between Gibsonville and Nelson Point. They held
a powwow over the scheme one morning at Onion valley, a stranger named Lyons
being present. While they were consulting about the enterprise, old Simeon
Fowler of Nelson Point walked in, and stated that he had just found the dead
body of a Chinaman lying on the trail on Washington hill. McCartney proposed
that they resolve themselves into a coroner's jury at once, and hold an inquest
over the remains. This was agreed to, and McCartney, Grace, and Lyons repaired
to the spot, made an examination, and arrived at the unanimous decision that Mr.
Chinaman had met his death through exhaustion and exposure in the snow. On the
person of the deceased were found three dollars and seventy-five cents, together
with a fine revolver. The question of disposing of the body was easily solved,
but the disposition of the effects found thereon was a subtle problem about
which it was difficult to reach a conclusion. Finally McCartney struck upon a
brilliant idea, and said: "Well, Mr. Lyons, you take the cash. Mr. Grace and me
are about going into the express business, and we shall need that revolver." The
stranger was surprised and disgusted, and walked away, remarking: "Not any for
me, gentlemen. Take it all yourselves. We don't rob the dead where I was raised."


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

San Francisco: Fariss & Smith
(1882)


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