Panning for Gold

Faces of the Gold Rush

What's the meaning?

You be the Judge...

Thompson River First Nations

In the morning, the effects of the excesses of the previous night were plainly visible on him. His irascibility was increased and his pompousness not diminished. Dressing himself in military costume, according to his custom, the "Captain" went to his office late that afternoon. There he learned that the assault had been committed, and that the constable of Hill's Bar was; even then searching the town high and low for the law-breaker Farrell. His wrath knew no bounds. He worked himself into it mighty passion as he thought of the insult to his dignity which was implied in the attempt to arrest an offender in his jurisdiction without his authority. In his heated mind, the whole thing was a deliberate contempt of him and his court. He, a military man and a magistrate, could not brook such an insult from anyone, especially from the sailor magistrate of Hill's Bar.

Considering the matter carefully, he concluded he would punish the insult as it deserved. Accordingly he instructed his constable not only to arrest Farrell for the assault, but also the constable from Hill's bar, for contempt. At the bar, Magistrate Perrier waited impatiently and looked anxiously up the trail for the appearance of his constable, and the offender. In vain. Finally the news came that the constable was under arrest at Yale for attempting to execute the warrant. As the news spread, the anger of the people at the bar began to find expression. All work ceased. Excited groups of men discussed the situation at every door. An indignation meeting was hold. Inflammatory speeches were made. The miners determined to support magisterial dignity in the person of Mr. Justice Perrier. A body of about one hundred and fifty men put themselves under arms in readiness to uphold by force, if necessary the stand taken by their magistrate.

It happened that amongst the miners on the Bar, there was a man once famous in California- the celebrated Ned McGowan. This man who had held the office of judge in San Francisco was a noted character. Opposite his name in the Vigilance Committee book was the word "wanted." In leaving San Francisco he had not stopped to bid adieu to the Committee. He had worked quietly at Hill's Bar, but in this turmoil he came to the surface. His legal experience readily pointed a way out of the difficulty. He suggested to Mr. Perrier that if it were a contempt of court for the Hill's Bar constable to attempt to make an arrest in Yale, it was equally a contempt of court for the magistrate at Yale to imprison that constable. He volunteered if a sufficient force were given him to arrest, not only the original offender, but also Mr. Whannell and his constable. This pleased Magistrate Perrier mightily. McGowan and a number of others sworn in as special constables, were accordingly dispatched to Yale for this purpose.

The outraged magistrate of Yale paid the fine, and returning to Yale roused the populace with the story of his grievous wrongs. A public meeting was held to consider what steps should be taken, to avengge the insult. Whannell being, as before stated, a military man, had great faith in the power behind the throne. Accordingly it was resolved to invoke the aid of the army and navy. Messengers were sent to Colonel Moody, then stationed at Langley in command of a small body of Royal Engineers, to inform him that the notorious Ned McGowan, the renegade of renegades, had been prison-breaking at Yale. The dispatches further intimated that this was part of a gigantic plot to overthrow British power in the Colony, and annex it to the United States. The original assault was forgotten and the action of the Hill's Bar magistrate and his supporters was exaggerated into a deep laid rebellion. On receiving these dispatches, Colonel Moody started at once for the scene of the supposed rebellion with twenty-five of the Engineers. The Governor was notified and in response to his request Lieutenant Mayne in command of one hundred marine* from H. M. S. "Plumper" and H. M. S. "Satellite" embarked in the "Plumper" for Langley. The marines took a field piece with them. The police force of the Colony also joined the expedition. The Chief of Justice of the Colony, Sir Matthew B. Begbie, went along to try the offenders according to law. Colonel Moody with the Engineers formed the advance guard. The matter was regarded an so urgent that the Colonel did not wait for his reinforcements, but left orders at Langley that Lieutenant Mayne with the marines, the field piece and police should follow. Unfortunately there were no means of conveyance except canoes, as Colonel Moody had chartered the only light-draught vessel on the river, the "Enterprise." Leaving the marines with the field piece and the police at Langley, Lieutenant Mayne set out in a canoe to Yale for instructions. He was ordered to return on the "Enterprise" and bring up the reinforcements. When the "Enterprise" reached Hope the following day Lieutenant Mayne received instructions to leave the field piece and the police at Hope and to go on to Yale with the marines.

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