Plumas County, CA History

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta Jul 2009

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Illustrated History of PLUMAS, LASSEN & SIERRA Counties
with CALIFORNIA from 1513 to 1850, Farriss & Smith , 1882, San Francisco.

Historical Reminiscences


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 had a powwow over the scheme one morning at Onion valley. a stranger named 
Lyons being present. While they were consulting about the enterprise, old Simon 
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 up 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.