San Quentin Prison during the California Gold Rush

Heading: (California Gold Rush – San Quentin Prison)
Author: Farwell, W.B.
Title: Death of California Gold Rush pioneer, virtual dictator of San Quentin Prison - 1859 letter
Place Published: San Francisco
Publisher:
Date Published: April 29, 1859
Description:

Autograph Letter Signed (with initials), while editor of the Alta California newspaper. 2pp. To his brother, probably in Massachusetts. 2pp.+ docketing note, with 2 pasted-on newspaper obituary clippings.

The day that Farwell, 49er newspaper editor, noted in this letter the death of notorious pioneer, "General" James Madison Estill, the California Legislature launched an investigation of Estill's ten-year management of San Quentin Prison, originally established as a private enterprise, leased to Estill, who had virtually dictatorial control of the Penitentiary.

"From the enclosed notices, you will see that my worst anticipations in regard to Gen. Estill have been fully realized. He is now beyond the reach of earthly tribulation, and the grave covers alike his good and his bad deeds. . The following notices are from the Alta..."

Estill, a business partner of General Mariano Vallejo, California's most prominent Mexican-American grandee, was "a modern Midas" who reportedly made more money from state contracts than any other Gold Rush pioneer, despite being "of great annoyance" to three successive Governors. "Violently abusive" to his opponents, a "foe to be feared", he controlled a newspaper and sat in the Legislature - which at last turned on him after his death.

The writer, Willard Brigham Farwell, sailed "round the Cape" to San Francisco from Massachusetts at age 20, becoming, after unsuccessful adventures with his brother in the gold fields, editor of the Daily Alta California, the influential San Francisco newspaper, through which he supported the new Republican Party and Lincoln's presidential candidacy. Farwell was rewarded with a lucrative Treasury Department post, in which he countered Confederate maneuvers during the Civil War and then journeyed to Europe to investigate fraud in wine imports at US Consuates. After running an Express Company and manufacturing machine guns of his own design, he returned to San Francisco to be elected to the Board of Supervisors, from which he published a "dime novel" expose of hazardous health conditions in Chinatown. Later in life, he headed the Society of California Pioneers - and was bankrupted by speculative investments.
Condition Report: Very good.