comments  on  the 
case.  Stocking  has  a record  covering  many  years 
as  a peace  officer,  and  it  is  certainly  one  that 
any  man  might  be  proud  of.  In  the  discharge 
of  his  duty  he  has  been  compelled  to  take  life 
not  unfrequently,  but  never  did  so  unless  he 
was  first  fired  on.  As  a cool  and  careful  officer 
this  paper  has  always  regarded  him  as  a model, 
and  even  in  the  present  case  we  do  not  blame 
him.  It  is  not  to  be  presumed  that  an  officer 
must  engage  in  a hand-to-hand  combat  with 
prisoners.  If  such  is  to  be  the  rules  of  all  jails 
the  chances  are  that  many  good  officers  would 
lose  their  lives  and  murderers  and  thieves 
would  be  allowed  to  gain  their  liberty.  If  a 
prisoner  secures  an  opportunity,  and  sees  fit  to 
attack  a jailor  or  guard,  he  should  suffer  the 
consequences.  Jailors  should  not  be  placed  on 
the  same  footing  with  guards  in  an  insane 
asylum.

Wm.  Smith,  a miner,  had  a narrow  escape 
from  death  Saturday,  by  a cave-in.  He  noticed 
the  coal  was  about  to  fall  and  placed  his  pick 
up  against  the  roof  to  stay  it  until  a brace 
could  be  put  in,  but  the  pressure  was  so  great 
he  was  severely  squeezed  by  the  falling  mass.

chunk 1151 · paragraph 1896

Wm.  Smith,  a miner,  had  a narrow  escape 
from  death  Saturday,  by  a cave-in.  He  noticed 
the  coal  was  about  to  fall  and  placed  his  pick 
up  against  the  roof  to  stay  it  until  a brace 
could  be  put  in,  but  the  pressure  was  so  great 
he  was  severely  squeezed  by  the  falling  mass.

One  night  last  week  some  one  locked  the 
door  of  the  house  on  the  Box  Ranch  near  Separ, 
in  which  James  Langford  and  another  man  were 
sleeping,  poured  coal  oil  over  the  roof  and  set 
fire  to  it,  the  men  awakening  just  in  time  to 
make  their  escape  through  a small  window. 
The  house  with  all  its  contents,  as  well  as  a 
new  wagon  and  harness,  were  destroyed.The  rich  strike  made  at  Central  City,  on 
Sunday  last,  has  been  the  topic  of  conversation 
on  our  streets  all  this  week.  Great  chunks  of 
cerargarite  (horn)  and  native  silver,  have  lain 
within  pistol  shot  of  the  town  for  many  years, 
and  it  was  only  by  merest  chance  that  its  value 
was  ascertained.  The  vein  although  not  very 
large,  is  sufficiently  rich  to  make  up  for  any 
discrepancy  in  size.  The  strike  was  made  by 
Bennett  and  Potter,  on  virgin  ground,  and  ex- 
tends through  one  of  Henry  Woods’  claims, 
which  has  been  worked  since  1888.  The  prop- 
erty is  now  in  dispute,  and  is  being  held  by 
shotguns  and  rifles.  The  courts  will  have  to 
decide  upon  its  ownership.