CALIFORNIA EDITORS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1707, 9 August 1879, Page 3

CALIFORNIA EDITORS.

A friend ia politically ambitious; he would like political honors. He ia honest, learned, rich ; he is too proud to fawn, he is too clean to mingle in the dirty ward wallow. We recommended that he see the leading gentlemen of the press, and consult with them, and let them understand his aspirations and his views, "These gentlemen," we remarked, "are the first minds of our coast. They are the moulds in which the form of public opinion ia cast. They are the leaders in our political and social organisation by virtue of their unselfish love of their fellow man, their pure moral lives, their elevated tone of thonght. They Beek only to promote the public good ; the common welfare the only aim of their industrious, self-denying lives." He replied : " I have been to them all; I have interviewed them, seeking their advice, and have come away with a reflection. The reflection contains an idea; the idea is embodied in a story. Tho story is of an incident that occurred at Washoe in its early days. Sam Brown was the most popular and dreaded of all the early murderers. Most of his exploits of killing were by daylight in crowded saloons. Ho was an artist that delighted in the exhibition of his work. He wa3 confessedly at the head of his profession, and took a just pride in his reputation. One day Sam Brown, finding himself at leisure, and the day being an agreeable one—Waahoe zephyr's playing over the fragrant sagebush, the air laden with perfume—bethought himself to go down from Virginia City, through tho Devil's Canon, up the valley and by the brawling river, to kill "Van Sickle, a publican, who kept a roadside tavern on the Carson. _ On hia way Sam overtook a diminutive little Jew named Levy, well known at Virginia for hia honeat dealings, his genial temper, and his pleasant ways. Their respective mnles fell into a harmonious jog, and little Levy, full of fear and full of guileless anxiety lest in some playful moment Sam would kill him in a sportive way, made himself most agreeable to hia companion. At Silver City, and the Gate, and at every roadside inn, he played the generous cavalier. In the out-spoken friendliness of & generous nature Sam informed Levy of hia purpose to kill Van Sickle, and into hia purpose the small Levy entared with full sympathy, convincing Sam of his earnest cooperation, and assuring the blonde murderer (for Sam was fair haired and blue eyed, of Saxon type) that he might rely upon him for hia co-operation and assistance, should the exigencies of the case demand his aid. Thus in friendly converse the tedious day passed net unpleasantly. Sam beguiled hia companion with tales of murder deftly accomplished ; of the bullet sent with unerring aim to offending parts ; how once he waa winked upon, and of the brain he ahattered through the insulting orb ; how a blow was arrested by a Derringer ball that broke the arm and killed ; how he had ahot the victim in the back that had turned hia back upon him. Van Sickle saw the approaching pair, and, from hia verandah, with a double-barreled gun, welcomed Sam to a hospitable but bloody grave. The duel was a hot one. Sam's ready arsenal opened fire, and for a long time the fusillade was incessant. Levy trembled and fled; but the incoming stage, laden with passengers—all armed, as was the habit of the country—rapidly nearing the scene, Levy rallied and returned. It was an uneven fight, and Mr Brown succumbed to the unequal conflict. He fell, pierced with many wounds, bleeding at every pore; dying —not a cartridge left in hia arsenal. Levy pressed into the group that surrounded the dying man. ' Shentlemens, I ask one favor. D—n you, Sam Brown, you murdering villain ! Shentlemens, do me one little favor. Let me shoot him just vonce.' The crowd consenting, Levy fired, and Sam Brown, smiling, died. ' And,' said our friend, 'that is just the way I feel towards editors. Ido not want to know them. I do not want them to notice me. I would avoid them. I am afraid of them. lam compelled through fersonal fear to assent to all they say when am with them. I would like to murder them—the whole fraternity—but I dare not fight them. I admire the man who does ; and if the whole gang could be killed I would deem it a great favor to just shoot the last safe shot into the expiring carcase of the last dying editor."—"San Francisco Argonaut."