ANATORI.
[prom oub collingwood correspondent.] September 2. A gentleman arrived at Oollingwood from Anatori on Saturday, to report to the Coroner a" case of awfully sudden death at the reefs. A man named James Durden, while sitting and chatting with his mate, suddenly fell o.ver — dead. The cause was most likely heart-disease. The utter sense of isolation, and the need of mutual dependence felt by the diggers in that neglected quarter, inspired them to more than ordinarily prompt measures. On the Tuesday, an inquiry was made into the circumstances as formal as possible under the difficulties, and a shell was constructed for the reception of the body, ■which,- on Wednesday, was handed, passed, lifted, lowered — anything but carried — through the twelve or thirteen miles of dense bush, up and down precipices, over the river again and again to a terrace near the tide. Here a spot was selected, and the body interred. A half-crown subscription was set on foot for a head-stone and a railing, and in a few minutes £13 were collected. This grave will most appropriately mark the site of the future cemetery, which should be purchased from the natives and surveyed. I have given a particular description of this death, inquest, and funeral procession, in order to "point a moral," and a most serious one. The fact that one of the most promising gold-fields in this province — perhaps in the colony — has for a twelvemonth possessed a considerable population, among whom the spirit of law and order fortunately prevails without a Bemblance of the law's authority, speaks volumes for the character of that population, but is not a whit less a shame and a reproach to the Government. Such a district is the Anatori. About a year ago, the population of these diggings increased from thirty or forty to about 140, at which figure it may now be stated. The recent discovery there of very rich reefs, however, promise those diggings an importance within the next few months that will dwarf their past into insignificance ; in saying which I am attempting to utter no prophecy, but simply echo the deliberate conviction of all who have seen and are able to judge of the reefs. The other workings, meanwhile, are not to be underrated, and will most likely gradually open into undertakings of a more extensive character. Thirty or forty miles from any Warden or Magistrate, policeman or doctor, with no roads excej)t some wretched attempts of unprofessional roadmaking through the Pakav.au bush fifteen or twonty miles at this side of the diggings ; on native territory, with payment of Miners' Eights fees, but -with no miners' rights in return for them. Such are the conditions under which this mining community are trying to struggle on. If they sucoeed with their reefs, the Government of Nelson must derive a large profit, in gold revenue and Customs, as there will be a large inilux of population ; and yet the Government of Nelson has not moved a finger to aid them, and has in fuct ignored the existence of these men altogether. Goods are sold at the landing places at paces not outrageous s but it is no exaggeration to say, that on the whole diggers must lose a third of their tiuio in getting them to their claims. There is not a scratch of a road made by Government on the diggings; nothing not the work of the diggers' tomahawk or axe. If a poor wretch should get wounded seriously, he must dio undor the operation of being dragged through the bush to be sent away to Nelson by the next craft. There are no tracks fit for the bearers of a litter. Should the law be broken, there is no resource, other than a vigilance committee and lynch law ; for a journey to Collingwood and back consumes nearly a week, and the diggers cannot always spare the cash and time. There are a good mauy arguments in favour of lynch justice on this field which the digger would find suggesting themselves, if it I were needed. Where the Government worit protect a community of men, they are bound to protect themselves — and they may well conclude that the Government intend that they should do so. Their salvation hitherto has consisted in their being limited in number, and mutually known j but should any strangers prove aggressive, the sense of the necessity for mutual protection among those in possession will bring down on the aggressors a vengeful blow ; and for both — the first aggression and retaliation, the Government will be responsible. I have before commented upon the farce of the collection of miners' rights by the natives. Thie anomalous state of things has before been represented to the Superintendent by memorial, and ] believe verbally to the Superintendent and the Native Commissioner, but no notice has apparently been taken. Will the prospect of gain to the province now secure that justice which remonstrance has failed to secure ?
LYNCH La."W. — It begins to look as though our Western civilization were rapidly retrograding to the old days, when the whole population of tho border was divided into hostile catnp3 of rogues and regulators. With lynch law that country has at no time been unfamiliar, but the manifestations of that peculiar code seem to be daily growing in recklessness and atrocity. Some months ago, in Cass County, Missouri, it was discovered that there had been a fraudulent issue of county bonds, in which more than one of the county justices and several prominent citizens were implicated. These suspected persous were promptly arrested, and placed under heavy bonds for trial at the next session of the Court. But the public opinion of the Casa County was not satisfied to await the slow processes of justice. It was determined to kill these accused persons first, and then to determine their guilt or innocence. Hints of this resolve were freely given to the intended victims, but they, labouring under the delusion that they were living under a civilized country paid no heed to these menaces, and went the even tenour of their ways. For some of them •at least this confidence was fatal. On the afternoon of the 24th of April, J. C. Stevenson, one of the county justices, and J. B. Cline, a young lawyer, both implicated in the bond frauds, together with T. E. Dutro, one of Cline' s bondsmen, got on the cars at Harrißonville, a town of Cass County, to go to Holden. At a place called Grunn City the train was stopped by obstructions on the track, and almost immediately a volley of pistol-shots poured into the car warned tho engineer not to attempt to move. Four armed rufliams jumped upon the locomotive, and imprisoned the engineer and fireman iv the tender, while the remainder of an immense mob rushed into the cars calling loudly for Cline and Stevenson. The doomed men were in the baggagecar smoking at the time, and the latter with a prescience of his fttto, refused to stir ; but Cline boldly confronted the mob, throwing up his hands to show that he was unarmed, and expressed his willingness to submit to a fair investigation. So much courage, combined with such utter helplessness, might have softened the bitterest purpose ; but the mob came for murder, not inquiry, and poor Cline was in an instant riddled with bullets. The baggage-car, where Stevenson had barricaded himself, was burst open, and the unhappy man shot down like a -hunted wolf. Lastly, poor Dutro, whose only crime was a too faithful friendship, was thrown mortally wounded on the track, to linger in terrible agony until nearly midnight, no one being permitted to go near him on peril of instant death. General John Shelby, who was on the train, was also fiercely threatened ; but either fearing a warmer reception, or already satisfied with bloodshed, the mob refraimed from molesting him. Finally, after the terrified witnesses had been sworn to secrecy, the train was permitted to depart. Most of the desperadoes, it should be observed, scorned even the flimsy disguiao of masks. The murders were perpetrated in broad daylight, in presence of numerous witnesses, yet a trembling coroner'c jury brought in a verdict of death at the hands o'. persons unknown. And the mob, emboldened bj these successes, threatened to kill every one connectec with these frauds, either as principals or bondsmen and to hang the Governor himself Bhould he attempi to interfere. — New York Times. • Ttjbf Liberality. — Mr. Saville, whose horse Cre moine won the Derby, and in the following weel the Grand Prix, at Paris, gave 3,000 francs to thi poor of Paris, and 1,250 francs to the English churcl in the Rue d'Aguessean, Paris, in commemoration o bit horae'i victory.
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Bibliographic details
ANATORI., Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 63, 7 September 1872
Word Count
1,458ANATORI. Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 63, 7 September 1872
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