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In the fall of 1859
there took place in the town of San Bernardino a difficulty of local origin,
that had somewhat the aspect of a civil war on a small scale. There were in the
place two rival physicians, Dr. Ainsworth and Dr. Thomas Gentry. They met one
day at a livery stable, and Ainsworth returned fire on Gentry, who fled, and
sent word to his friends at El Monte that he was "corralled by Mormons."
Impartial testimony on either side goes to show that the affair was purely
personal, and that no faction or party question was concerned. But Gentry's
friends at El Monte rallied to his summons, and, led by a rough named Frank
Green, they set forth, 100 strong, prepared to capture the town if necessary. On
arriving at San Bernardino, and learning the circumstances, as they actually
existed, the more rational of the invaders, comprising about one-half of the
-party, returned home, but the rest remained, being in a frame of mind disposed
toward disorder. Ainsworth and his friends had entrenched themselves in an old
adobe house on the corner - west of the South Methodist Church. As night came
on, with no indications of the approach of the hostile party, the
to-be-besieged, who were well armed with rifles and revolvers, went forth and
dispersed themselves over the cornfield surrounding the house. It was not until
a late hour that Green's gang was seen approaching the house, upon which all the
party of defense lay down, leveling their guns upon the enemy. The party from El
Monte formed in line of battle on the opposite side of the road as quietly as
possible, but they retreated in confusion and disorder on perceiving that they
were under the eyes and the guns of the foe. As a body they were demoralized,
but certain individuals remained and caused some disorder and bloodshed. Jim
Greenwade, Frank Green and the Sea brothers were thus persistent, Green shooting
David Coopwood in the thigh. The ruffian Green was bravely attacked in his turn
by Taney Woodward, and the two men emptied their pistols at each other at short
range. This fracas took place September 21, 1859. For days thereafter San Bernardino was a scene of lawless disorder. There were United States troops encamped on the banks of the Santa Ana river, three miles from town, but they did not interfere, probably because they were not called upon by the civil authorities. The sheriff was powerless to quell the mob, until at last he made a general call for all citizens to unite and drive out the intruders. This being done, peace and quiet, law and order, prevailed for a long time after. Green subsequently met a violent death at El Monte, slain by a man whose father he had killed. |
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