Bret Harte, a newspaper reporter in Union…
March 1860 CE
While serving as assistant editor of the Northern Californian, Harte had been left in charge of the paper during the temporary absence of his boss, Stephen G. Whipple.
Harte had published a detailed account condemning the slayings, writing: "a more shocking and revolting spectacle never was exhibited to the eyes of a Christian and civilized people. Old women wrinkled and decrepit lay weltering in blood, their brains dashed out and dabbled with their long grey hair. Infants scarcely a span long, with their faces cloven with hatchets and their bodies ghastly with wounds."
Harte had quit his job and moved to San Francisco, where an anonymous letter published in a city paper is attributed to him, describing widespread community approval of the massacre.
In addition, no one will ever brought to trial, despite the evidence of a planned attack and references to specific individuals, including a rancher named Larabee and other members of the unofficial militia called the Humboldt Volunteers.
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