Salt Lake Telegram | 1930-10-19 | Page 4 | Old California Grandees Live Again in Volume

Old California Grandees Live LiveS S Again in Volume On liOn the O Old d West Vest Coast Reminiscences s of Famous Famous Famous Fa Fa- Fa- Fa Ranger By R. R D. D HALE Spanish grandees In all aU their trappings and glories rule Califor Califor- nia Ia again in On the Old West IVest Coast a book of reminiscences of ot Major Horace Bell BeU ranger and editor edi tor of or the days s when that state stae wa was was yet et to swear ti allegiance to th the union This famous old Scotch Irish ad adventurer adventurer adventurer ad- ad first published his recollections in 1881 When he died tiled In 1918 a a- number of his manuscripts and notes were left In the hands bands of oC ofa ofa a ft daughter From these Lanier Bartlett has compiled a a. book boole that for sheer for sheer relation of or swaggering ad d venture and sensational happenings Is not often equalled Major ajor Bell Ben saw saw about about all aU there was to see of old California Pitched into the midst of ot the strife of ot those days das when Mexicans or c Califor- Califor were battling to hold onto this rich country in th the face of or the Increasing gringo he knew new it as did dide few e Being an able story teller and favored with sense or of humor and the dramatic the militant m major j r set own down a a. most unusual record or of the era eia He was wan first a a. gold miner in IJ while still stUlln in his teens l later ter he was a a. ranger in pursuit of the Infamous and rapacious Joaquin M Murrieta a bandit who would make almost iny any more recent outlaw ashamed of himself Then Then Then-he he be became became became be- be came a. a soldier o of fortune in the forces of ot BenIto Juarez in Mexico From this he lie stepped position position position tion of ot aide to General Walker on the the thecel cel celebrated filibuster ster into Nic Nic- aragua H He was a It Union officer inthe In Inthe the Civil ar sand land later was stationed stationed sta sta- d on on th the Mexican border Forsaking the sword for the pen he assumed an editorship in Los Angeles where where he be made single- single handed war ar against dominant political poll poli Ue l groups in the then Infant city His little publication was a barb Darb in inthe inthe th the side of or many nian a civic figure In that day Th The last stages of his carer career found him as an an attorney who who enjoyed the of confidences of old id Spanish California families in the days days' of ot racial and political readjustment readjustment read read- rend that followed California's s 's admission into the union Such a a. rich fund of information pr prompted Major Bell to style himself him self correctly indeed the truthful truthful truth ful historian Ho 16 h had d first hand band acquaintances from the c cattle tUe b barons roris and range riders to the outlaws outlaws outlaws out out- laws and gunmen The book Is far tar from being a a. a history history his his- tory of ot the despite the rich historical matter It it contains Rather Bather it is a a. series of yarns such as a a. figure like Major Bell would delight in telling The They are all aU told toM In an informal breezy manner mannel Outlaws and killers get hi his sympathy sym sm pathy pathS along with Uh great geat men of oC the period fro To him o one e is as deserving of ot a a. story as the otherOn other On tho the Old Vest West Coast Ms Is is mighty interesting reading The The urge of adventure Is rampant from front to back cover William Morrow Mor Mor- row raw w C Co