AMERICAN ITEMS

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 863, 3 May 1871, Page 3

AMERICAN ITEMS

(FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO PAPERS). We have learned the particulars of a murder which occurred on Monday, the 30th January, in Allegan county, township of Wayland, and not far from Yankee Springs, in Barry county. It appears that a desperate character, by the name of Joseph Wheaton, lost his wife several years ago, who left a young child, a little boy somewhere about one year old, which he gave away legally to a Mr Baird, of Yankee Springs. This family kept him unmolested until last fall, when Wheaton stole the child from Mr Baird, who recovered him in turn, when Wheaton prosecuted Baird for "kidnapping" his child, the complaint being made before Justice Cobb, of Middleville, who rendered a judgment delivering the child up to Mr Baird and wife, who are wealthy people, and who had become very much attached to the child, they having no children. Upon leaving the court-room of Justice Cobb, and passing into the street, Wheatop again attempted to steal the child out of Mr Baird's arms, and finally did so, after breaking one of the child's limbs in the melee, running off with it in the dark, it being evening, and Becreting himself with the child in the woods with a family some three miles fiom town. When his hiding place was found, and he was approached by the Sheriff, he fired upon that officer and left the child, making his escape into a swamp ; but was afterwards found and the matter compromised, Wheaton agreeing to leave the child with Mr and Mrs Baird unmolested. With them the child did remain until a few days ago, when Wheaton stole the child again, and because the child would not stay with him, being strongly attached to Mr and Mrs Baird, he whipped it to death. In the agonies of death the child's screams attracted six men to the house, but too late to deliver it from the tormentor's hands. When the demon of a father was confronted by these men he seized an axe and avowed his intention to split the first man that laid hands upon him, and made his escape from them to the woods, they being unarmed. The excitement of the whole country round is terrible, and the people turned out en masse with arms, hunting the murderer. The decadence of the mining interests, and the consequent ruin of the mining counties, has suggested many inquiries as to how these unfortunate localities were to be lifted out of the financial slough into which they have fallen, and be made once more prosperous. Various remedies have been suggested, the favorite one being the encouragement of agricultural and horticultural industries. In this line £1 Dorado haa set an example that can be followed by several other mining counties with profit. It is a well settled fact that the mountains and foothills produce by far the best fruits that are raised, and to this industry the people of El Dorado County have paid much attention, and are now reaping the profits in lar^e yields and ready sales for all they can produce. The Bee in noting the growing importance of the trade uses the following language : — " It must be gratifying to those citizens of El Dorado County who have stood by her through the ups and downs she has experienced, to note the rapid increase in the agricultural product of the once famous mining county. For months past a continual stream of fruit has poured into this market by rail, and to-day we have to note nearly the largest receipts by any one train — at least eight tons — the greater portion of which goes to San Francisco, and the rest to other localities. . . This merely gives an idea of what El Dorado will be capable of when her resources are more fully developed —her hill-side 3 planted with grape-vines and fruit trees. Her mines may become things of the past, but each succeeding year henceforth will find her wealth doubled through her exportation of fruits and wine. We are informed that there yet remains from last fall's yield many thousand boxes of fruit in the hands of £1 Dorado fruit-growers."