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exhausted and panting for breath。 I still adhered to my purpose of non…
aggressive defence； and made no other use of my arms than to defend my
head and face from further disfigurement。 The mere pain arising from the
blows he inflicted upon my person was of course transient； and my
clothing to some extent deadened its severity； as it now hides all
remaining traces。
When I supposed he was through； taking the butt end of his weapon and
shaking it in my face； he warned me； if I correctly understood him； of
more yet to come； and furthermore said； if ever I again dared introduce
his name to print； in either my own or any other public journal； he would
cut off my left ear （and I do not think he was jesting） and send me home
to my family a visibly mutilated man； to be a standing warning to all
low…lived puppies who seek to blackmail gentlemen and to injure their
good names。 And when he did so operate； he informed me that his
implement would not be a whip but a knife。
When he had said this； unaccompanied by Mr。 Lynch； as I remember it； he
left the room； for I sat down by Mr。 Lynch； exclaiming： 〃The man is mad
he is utterly madthis step is his ruinit is a mistakeit would be
ungenerous in me； despite of all the ill usage I have here received； to
expose him； at least until he has had an opportunity to reflect upon the
matter。 I shall be in no haste。〃
〃Winters is very mad just now；〃 replied Mr。 Lynch； 〃but when he is
himself he is one of the finest men I ever met。 In fact； he told me the
reason he did not meet you upstairs was to spare you the humiliation of a
beating in the sight of others。〃
I submit that that unguarded remark of Philip Lynch convicts him of
having been privy in advance to Mr。 Winters' intentions whatever they may
have been； or at least to his meaning to make an assault upon me； but I
leave to others to determine how much censure an editor deserves for
inveigling a weak； non…combatant man； also a publisher； to a pen of his
own to be horsewhipped； if no worse； for the simple printing of what is
verbally in the mouth of nine out of ten men； and women too； upon the
street。
While writing this account two theories have occurred to me as possibly
true respecting this most remarkable assault：
FirstThe aim may have been simply to extort from me such admissions as
in the hands of money and influence would have sent me to the
Penitentiary for libel。 This； however； seems unlikely； because any
statements elicited by fear or force could not be evidence in law or
could be so explained as to have no force。 The statements wanted so
badly must have been desired for some other purpose。
SecondThe other theory has so dark and wilfully murderous a look that I
shrink from writing it； yet as in all probability my death at the
earliest practicable moment has already been decreed； I feel I should do
all I can before my hour arrives； at least to show others how to break up
that aristocratic rule and combination which has robbed all Nevada of
true freedom； if not of manhood itself。 Although I do not prefer this
hypothesis as a 〃charge；〃 I feel that as an American citizen I still have
a right both to think and to speak my thoughts even in the land of Sharon
and Winters； and as much so respecting the theory of a brutal assault
（especially when I have been its subject） as respecting any other
apparent enormity。 I give the matter simply as a suggestion which may
explain to the proper authorities and to the people whom they should
represent； a well ascertained but notwithstanding a darkly mysterious
fact。 The scheme of the assault may have been：
FirstTo terrify me by making me conscious of my own helplessness after
making actual though not legal threats against my life。
SecondTo imply that I could save my life only by writing or signing
certain specific statements which if not subsequently explained would
eternally have branded me as infamous and would have consigned my family
to shame and want； and to the dreadful compassion and patronage of the
rich。
ThirdTo blow my brains out the moment I had signed； thereby preventing
me from making any subsequent explanation such as could remove the
infamy。
FourthPhilip Lynch to be compelled to testify that I was killed by John
B。 Winters in self…defence； for the conviction of Winters would bring
him in as an accomplice。 If that was the programme in John B。 Winters'
mind nothing saved my life but my persistent refusal to sign； when that
refusal seemed clearly to me to be the choice of death。
The remarkable assertion made to me by Mr。 Winters； that pity only spared
my life on Wednesday evening last； almost compels me to believe that at
first he could not have intended me to leave that room alive； and why I
was allowed to； unless through mesmeric or some other invisible
influence； I cannot divine。 The more I reflect upon this matter； the
more probable as true does this horrible interpretation become。
The narration of these things I might have spared both to Mr。 Winters and
to the public had he himself observed silence； but as he has both
verbally spoken and suffered a thoroughly garbled statement of facts to
appear in the Gold Hill News I feel it due to myself no less than to this
community； and to the entire independent press of America and Great
Britain； to give a true account of what even the Gold Hill News has
pronounced a disgraceful affair； and which it deeply regrets because of
some alleged telegraphic mistake in the account of it。 ＇Who received the
erroneous telegrams？＇
Though he may not deem it prudent to take my life just now； the
publication of this article I feel sure must compel Gen。 Winters （with
his peculiar views about his right to exemption from criticism by me） to
resolve on my violent death； though it may take years to compass it。
Notwithstanding I bear him no ill will； and if W。 C。 Ralston and William
Sharon； and other members of the San Francisco mining and milling Ring
feel that he above all other men in this State and California is the most
fitting man to supervise and control Yellow Jacket matters； until I am
able to vote more than half their stock I presume he will be retained to
grace his present post。
Meantime； I cordially invite all who know of any sort of important
villainy which only can be cured by exposure （and who would expose it if
they felt sure they would not be betrayed under bullying threats）； to
communicate with the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE； for until I am murdered； so long
as I can raise the means to publish； I propose to continue my efforts at
least to revive the liberties of the State； to curb oppression； and to
benefit man's world and God's earth。
CONRAD WIEGAND。
＇It does seem a pity that the Sheriff was shut out； since the good sense
of a general of militia and of a prominent editor failed to teach them
that the merited castigation of this weak； half…witted child was a thing
that ought to have been done in the street； where the poor thing could
have a chance to run。 When a journalist maligns a citizen； or attacks
his good name on hearsay evidence； he deserves to be thrashed for it；
even if he is a 〃non…combatant〃 weakling； but a generous adversary would
at least allow such a lamb the use of his legs at such a time。M。 T。＇
End