chiefly of immigrants from the western states, where
Spanish grants were unknown. Schooled in the doc-
trine that all unoccupied American soil is free, they
knew and cared to know nothing of the land laws
other than the laws of preemption ; and to be driven
from their lots by speculators claiming under the
Sutter title was unbearable tyranny.
The trouble had long been brewing. Much feeling prevailed during the winter of 1849-50, and the squatter element then lacked only a leader openly to resist. Such a spirit at length appeared under the name of Dr Robinson, who was seconded by one Mahoney. One of the squatters had been ejected by the authorities, and two arrested as before men- tioned. Meanwhile the squatters had been collecting arms and ammunition with which to oppose the exe- cution of the law. Robinson was arrested, passed the form of trial, and was released. Not long after he was elected to the leo-islature from Sacramento county, an act on the part of the people significant of their sympathy.
An organized band of squatters, some eighty in number, who had taken up claims on an island in Feather river, known as the Jimeno grant, told the deputy United States marshal, who in May, 1853, was attempting to serve certain summons, that they had contributed $3,000, with which to defend the suit, that they were now carrying it to the supreme court, and if they lost it there they should then fight. They told the officer, moreover, that if he attempted to serve his summons they would kill him. The mar- shal retired and took the boat for San Francisco. Stopping at a wood-yard, he learned that the proprie- tor, Holiday, was one of the persons for whom he had a summons. The marshal delivered the writ and be- gan to read the summons, when he was interrupted with, "Waal, I suppose I may as well kill you now as any time," at the same time receiving on his arm, which he had thrown up to protect his head, a blow
