This Day…

1900-Several diseases are now epidemic among the miners and Eskimos who have decended on Nome, and most of the game in the area has been killed by hungry ‘boomers.’ Approximately 30,000 men are stranded on the beaches of Nome, of whom only a few hundred are even trying to find gold.

1855-Kansas Governor Shannon organizes a ‘Law & Order’ party at a pro-slavery meeting at Leavenworth.

1874-King Kalakaua of Hawaii visits the United States as a guest of the U.S. Government. Kalakaua is the first king to visit from any country and is received in state by President Grant. The purpose of the visit is to stregthen ties between the two countries and aid the negotiation of a reciprocity treaty. After an extended tour of the United States, Kalakaua will return to Honolulu on 15 February 1875.

1832-Congress authorizes the War Department to enlist mounted troops, known as dragoons, for use on the Western plains to protect caravans on the Santa Fe Trail.

1934-Nebraska-The legislature adopts a unicameral nonpartisan form of government, ending 20 years of discussion, in an attempt to eliminate the delays and deadlocks of a two-house body. The new system is more economical in that fewer members are elected after redistricing, but it also does away with checks and balances, making the body more susceptible to outside influence. This experiment makes the state a focus of political scientists

1829-Thirty-one men leave the Mexican village of Abiquiu to pioneer a trade route to Southern California. They are led by Antonio Armijo, who will become the last Mexican territorial governor of New Mexico.

1916-A large group of deputized policemen carrying rifles fires on some 250 International Workers of the World supporters coming off a chartered steamboat in Everett, Washington. The Workers are protesting the treatment of their fellows who were forced to run a gauntlet as they left Everett.

Clay Allison was discussing his role in the lynching of Cruz Vega two days previously with Pancho Griego, a friend of Vega’s, at a table in Lambert’s Saloon in Cimarron, New Mexico. With his usual aplomb in such affairs Allison pulled his gun and fired three shots into Griego killing him.

1875-Clay Allison led another lynch mob in Cimarron that strung up accused murderer Cruz Vega. The mob then shot vega in the back and Allison tied the lynch rope around the saddle horn and dragged the corpse over rocks and through brush. Vega was probably innocent of the murder he was accused of. Ain’t the always the way.

1881-In the famed Gunfight at the OK Corral in Tombstone, AZ. the Earps and Doc Holliday killed Frank and Tom McLaury and Billy Clanton. Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne were both unarmed and wisely scampered to safety. Tom McLaury was unarmed too. But he didn’t scamper fast enough.

1842-Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones, commanding a fleet of the US Navy in the Pacific Ocean, seizes Montery, the capital of the Mexican Provice of California, when he hears that the United States and Mexico are at war. Cateby Jones had feared that the British would take advantage of the hostilities to seize California. He returns to the post the following day when he learns of his mistake. Apologies reparations are made to Mexico by President Tyler.