Page:A La California.djvu/282

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234
AROUND THE MOUNTAIN CAMP FIRE.

be hanged. All business was suspended for the day in the camp, and nothing else was thought or talked of.

Kanoffsky denied all connection with the affair from first to last, and the place where he had hidden his share of the plunder was never found, though search was made for it for years.

A similar murder was committed in Tuolumne county in 1851, and the money, amounting to several thousand dollars in coin, buried by the murderers near the cabin. It was sought after for years, but it was not until twenty years later, in the summer of 1871, that a party of miners sluicing away the hillside where the cabin had stood, unearthed it and shared the spoil between them, all the original actors in the tragedy having passed away meantime. The plunder hidden by Kanoffsky may possibly be unearthed in some such manner years, or centuries even, hence. When the execution took place a minister was sent for, and he labored earnestly for hours with the murderers Pike and Kanoffsky, but all in vain—not a sign of repentance or contrition did either give. Led out at last to the tree on which they were to die, the halters were placed around their necks, and they were asked if they had anything more to say. Pike said he had told the whole story and had nothing more to say. Kanoffsky called me to him, and, holding out his hand, said, "Well, good by, old fellow; I can't blame you! When it's all over, write to my———"

He stopped there, thought a moment, and then said, "No, you needn't though; it is better as it is! Here,