I write this narrative while confined in the Modesto jail awaiting mytrial for the shooting of the defamer of my mother's name on the 7thof December, 1874. It will be seen by reading the following statement,that I gave myself up to the sheriff to be held to await the decisionof the law. I will here explain why it was necessary for me to betaken to the Modesto jail. There was no safe jail at Merced, and ithad been the custom for several months to take Merced prisoners toModesto, a town in the adjoining county, and a distance of about fortymiles. The cars passed through Merced about noon on the day of theshooting, five hours after the affair happened, and direct to Modesto.Why did not the sheriff improve this opportunity of taking me to aplace of safety? Failing in that, a good span of horses could haveconveyed us to Modesto during the afternoon. He knew the jail was notsafe, and instead of doing what every sensible man would conceive tobe a sheriff's duty, he chose rather to send me out handcuffed, withtwo men, on a public highway, to a lone wayside inn, seven miles fromMerced, and ten from Snellings. It seems from my brother's and severalother gentlemen's statement, that every horse was engaged at thelivery stable in Merced before eight o'clock on that night.
There is another question which will naturally arise in the thinkingmind: Where did the sheriff go, and what was he doing that night whilethe mob was getting ready? The mystery may be solved some day.
I wish to show in this simple statement that I did not fleecoward-like from justice, but that I was making my escape from adrunken infuriated mob, after being duly liberated by the deputysheriff. I understand that the mob, or a portion of the mob that nightreturned and destroyed my step-father's printing office, although thesheriff was in town.
H. H. GRANICE.
On Monday morning, at about fifteen minutes to eight o'clock, December7th, 1874, immediately after the shooting, or as soon thereafter as Icould collect my scattered senses, which was in about three minutes, Iinquired for the sheriff for the purpose of giving myself up; but henor any of his deputies were on the spot. After waiting a few minuteslonger I began to grow impatient at the delay of the officers, and notwishing to move from the scene of shooting for fear the movement wouldbe misconstrued and I be accused of trying to effect an escape, I senta messenger in quest of Sheriff Meany (I forget now who the messengerwas). In a short time thereafter Sheriff Meany arrived on the spot,and perceiving him, I addressed him thus: "Sheriff Meany, I am yourprisoner." He grabbed me in rather a rough manner by the lapel of mycoat, took me to the lock-up, thence to the El Capitan hotel, andafter remaining at the latter place for half an