Bidwell’s Other Hotel

          Who stayed there? Why? 

How did this hotel stay in business? Guests who stayed there were reluctant to spend the night again, although some undoubtedly did. Advanced reservations were not necessary. In fact, when guests arrived they did not have to sign in; it was done for them! However, despite these conditions, the hotel operated as long as the town of Bidwell was the county seat. Such were the conditions at Hotel Hoosegow.

 Building the jail at Bidwell, along with the courthouse and some county office space, was a requirement of having the county seat moved to that location. A Hotel Hoosegow in Hamilton, with a similar purpose, remained in use even after the new facility was opened in Bidwell. Sometimes the sheriff or constables found it inconvenient to transport guests to a distant city to find them a safe and secure place to spend the night.

 Where was the Bidwell Jail Located?

 Local folklore has placed the Bidwell jail in two different locations. One of the posabilities became the old Gluckauf, later called the Bendle, store. As one of the last remaining building standing, in what once was downtown Bidwell, it sure looked the part! Made of native stone and weathered by decades of winter’s cold and baked relentlessly by summer’s sun, the high walled fort-like building with iron doors and barred windows looked foreboding. Viewing the backside, from the new road that crossed the Suspension Bridge, it caused many travelers to conjure up stories about the old dilapidated building. Unless told otherwise by the few remaining residents of the area, that the iron doors were originally for fire protection and the iron bars were for protection of the stores merchandise from theft by desperate individuals. During the times when the store also served as the Post Office, the added security provided protection for the mail. Over the years as Bidwell’s Bar transitioned from a ghost town to a popular local recreation area, imaginative “Jail” folklore stories persisted around the crumbling remains of the old store building.

Historian Florence Danforth Boyle, in her 1941-1943 Old Days in Butte County series of newspaper articles, attempted to help that generation of readers know the true identity and purpose of the Gluckauf/Bendle store building still standing in the town-site of Bidwell. She provided this information for her readers:

In later years, when most other buildings deteriorated, the stone structure stood, making people think it was the old jail. The Bidwell’s Bar Jail was located in the basement of the courthouse.

While Boyle dispelled the folklore that the old store building had once been the jail, could she have unwittingly continued a second folklore that needs investigating? Was Boyle relying on the information reported in the standard Butte County history reference produced in 1882 by Wells & Chambers?  Or did she have other local evidence of the original jail location?

 The History of Butte County California, 1882, compiled by Wells & Chambers is still one of the standard references for county history

 On page 147 of that reference, the county courthouse at Bidwell’s Bar is described as: “The new building put up at the expense of the Bidwellites was located on an elevation called Courthouse hill. It had more room in it than the Hamilton affair and was considered quite a creditable institution. It was also used as a church by the piously-inclined of that neighborhood, and its walls echoed both to the sonorous “Oh, yes! Oh, yes!” of the court crier, and the devotional anthems of the Sunday choir. The upper floor had an apartment where the somewhat uncertain decrees of justice were promulgated, while on the ground-floor the business of the county was transacted, and beneath all were the gloomy dungeons for the confinement of offenders against the peace and dignity of the state.

Is there any basis for questioning the Bidwell courthouse “basement jail” location?

The first problem with the Bidwell basement jail theory starts with the deed transferring ownership of the completed required facilities to Butte County

 Deed Date:   8/1/1853    Recording Date: 8/2/1853   Sale Amount:  $ 000

Grantor(s):Randal Hobert, William W. Hobert , A. B. Newcomb & J. E. N. Lewis

Grantee(s): County of Butte  (County Courthouse Property at Bidwell Bar)

Property location/description:

“ One quarter of an acre of ground to wit: One Hundred and fifty feet by One Hundred and thirty four feet upon the Public Square.”

-“ Together with the Jail, which is the lower portion or story north of the half of the building, erected on said quarter of an acre, known and designated on said map as the Court House for county purposes. The said jail is deeded to the said party of the second part, free and unencumbered from any lien or claim, and the party of the first part, warrants and defends the said jail to be free from all liens and encumbrances of whatsoever character.” 

 “-Balance of building consisting of four or more rooms for County Offices & Judicial purposes for the term of five years after August 10, 1853.”

 Note the second item in this description (italics and underlining added) describes the “jail which is the lower portion or story north of the half of the building erected.”

The individuals at Bidwell donating the courthouse facilities undoubtedly wrote or reviewed this deed description for the transfer to the county. If the building contained a basement where the jail facilities were located, why was a basement not included in the description? Instead, the jail is described as a lower portion or story of the north half of the building. In this researcher’s opinion this deed describes a building, which was most likely a rectangular structure, a portion of which was two-story and a portion was a single story.  According to the deed description, the jail was located on the north side of the single story portion of the building. The description is not clear enough in this passage, and in others presented later in this article, to determine if the jailer’s office was in the single story section of the building with the jail cells extending north of the building, or if all of the jail facilities were attached to the north side of the building.

 Another interesting piece of Bidwell jail information is contained in a May 1856 newspaper article. By this date the town of Bidwell was locked in a crucial debate with Oroville over the future location of the county seat. A bitter editorial battle had been going on for months between the Bidwell based Butte Record and the Oroville based North Californian newspapers. Both newspaper filled their issues with any information that might belittle or discredit the other location’s interests. A jail escape at Bidwell on the night of May 30, 1856 provided Editor Lincoln of the North Californian just the opportunity he needed to ridicule the facilities at Bidwell:

 Broke Jail

On the night of the 25th inst., George French, Jeremiah Odell, Jerome Arteze and J. D. Sloan, made their exodus from the Jail at Bidwell. French and Odell were under indictment for the murder of a Chinaman near Wyandotte. Arteze had been sentenced to two years in State Prison, for assault with intent to kill; and Sloan was under arrest as an accomplice in the Trinity mountain robbery. We understand that the floor of this modern Bastile was perforated with a small sized gimlet, and the prisoners made their exit through the aperture. We have heard of people passing in and out of key holes, but we think this is the first instance on record   of persons making their escape through a gimlet hole. The prisoners evidently thought it a­­­ small piece of business, as they left in the night and have not shown their faces since.

We are informed that Odell left a letter addressed to his jailors, stating that he had gone on a pleasure trip to the country &c., and apologizing for his abrupt departure.

 Note especially the title of the article and that a major portion of it focuses on the inadequacy of the facility. Interestingly this article was conveniently placed in the North Californian just below the article promoting the construction of a jail at the new courthouse area in Oroville after the county seat election.

 Of special interest is the method used to escape. Basically, while the prisoners were unobserved, they bored holes in the wooden floor of the jail and escaped. An above ground jail could have been constructed of heavy timbers thought to be sufficiently strong to retard escape.  If the jail was located in the basement of the courthouse, it is unlikely the floor or the jail cells would have been wooden, or even if they were, that the floor would have been raised off the ground high enough for the prisoners to bore a hole in the floor and escape between the floor and the earth below.

 An August 9, 1856 article in the Oroville Butte Record provides another description of the Bidwell Jail.

Full House

The Butte County jail is full and running over. Sixteen regular boarders, which is more than any other house in Bidwell can show. They speak of Sheriff Freer, as being a fine landlord -- sets a good table, keeps clean rooms, and his attachees are spoken of in the highest terms, the principle of which is the jailer, Howard Carey, who sleeps with one eye open in order that the county’s unwilling guests may want for nothing until his Honor, Judge Lewis, shall call them to a settlement for the deeds done here in the body. The jail-room is 16 by 12 feet, and two cells attached. It is the coolest and most airy resort in Bidwell, not excepting Joe Buckman’s Exchange.*         (* a saloon and eatery at Bidwell)

 Irrespective of the location of the jail cells, at ground level or in a basement, it takes some imagination to believe that sixteen individuals crowded onto two jail cells would find the conditions favorable. However, the last sentence may provide additional information related to the physical location of the jail cells. Describing the jail as the coolest and most airy resort in Bidwell, certainly does not sound like the terms that would be used to describe a basement location of the jail cells.

 This researcher has not located any original source information to countermand the description provided by the property deed, newspaper jail descriptions, or location information provided during the time the county seat was located at Bidwell, or in a five to ten year period thereafter. Therefore, this researcher believes the Bidwell Jail was an above ground wooden structure attached to the northerly side of the courthouse at Bidwell.  Perhaps the Bidwell basement jail folklore developed in later years as a result of the then existing basement jail at Oroville. This story could have developed over time just like the stories that declared the relic remains of the Gluckauf store to have been the jail at Bidwell.  Perhaps several of the original settlers of the area knew better, but just laughed it off as silliness of the uninformed newcomers. It is hard for historical facts to counteract good local folklore!

Who were some of the boarders at Bidwell’s Hotel Hoosegow ?

Why were they invited to stay at county expense?

 Making historical declarations related to the “first” and “last” of anything is not a path this researcher intends to venture down! Safer ground is to simply explore some of the earliest recorded incidents involving the use of the Jail that afforded  participants the opportunity to occupy this special Bidwell hotel.

 Any event resulting in the need for someone going to the jail would have been of interest to the new newspaper trying to establish itself in the county. However, it was not until August 2, 1854, when the town was on fire, before the need for the county jail became obvious. Ironically it was one of the few facilities in the town that was not destroyed by the fire!  The sad commentary on human behavior provides an almost comical look at some candidates requiring a stay in the jail. 

Several safes had been dragged into the streets and left, and while the fire was yet raging, two patriotic hombres, fastened to the one belonging to Mr. Gluckauf, and endeavored to remove it. They were interrupted in their benevolent designs, however, but were not disposed to evacuate the premises, until compelled to do so by superior force. They were marched to jail, but were subsequently discharged.

 There was but one bar left standing when the fire had ceased, and that must have retailed a large quantity of awful bad liquor, as the crowd around it were full of fight. Three fisticuffs transpired in about as many minutes. One of the belligerents who would probably have come off victorious had he not been handled too roughly by his opponents make his way out of the crowd and tried his fist on an inoffensive German. He was marched to the jail, and got a fair glimpse at the iron bars, when he concluded it was not a desirable place to lodge and took to his heels. But the officer in pursuit was not quite as top heavy as Ned happened to be, and he was brought back, with the conclusion forced upon him, that he should run just about as he could fight. Fined $10 and costs, or twenty-nine hours in the lock up. He rested from his labors in the lock up.

 The aftermath of the fire continued to provide guests for the local jail as reported on October 7, 1854, two months later.

 Two men named George Miller and Moses Derusean, were arrested on Wednesday last by  Sheriff Hobart, on a warrant issued by Justice Safford, and locked up for examination. They are charged with having in their possession goods which were missing shortly after the fire. They will probably have a hearing before the above named Justice today.

The jail set empty for short periods as reported on September 16, 1854, just a week before one of the saddest accounts of a young man, who was arrested for horse theft, committed suicide while being held in the jail, The unusually complete account of his crime and self-inflicted punishment was perhaps detailed by the editor to serve as a deterrent to others tempted to make a foolish mistake that might lead to a disastrous end.

 Jail to Let - The jail of Butte County is now tenantless. Notwithstanding our grand juries continue to report it as comfortable quarters, a peep through the bars to the interior, is quite satisfactory to us.

 Suicide. - A young man who was arrested on Saturday, and brought before Justice Wells on charge of horse stealing, and who was held in custody in default of $800 bail, committed suicide in his cell on Tuesday morning last by hanging himself to a joint of stovepipe which protruded into his room, with a handkerchief. He gave his name as John C. Martin. The circumstances as we have learned them, were as follows:    On Saturday morning last, he obtained a horse at Fuller’s Livery Stable in Marysville, for the purpose of riding to the Butte Mountains a distance of 18 miles and back. Instead however of crossing the river to go to the Buttes, he turned up country and made his way to Bidwell. Directly after his departure Mr. Fuller finding that he had been to Montgomery’s Stable and tried to get a horse to ride to Sacramento, suspected that all was not right and mounted a horse in company with Mr. Greene, after considerable hard riding, succeeded in overtaking him some two miles from town. The evidence on his examination showed that he had offered to sell the horse to a person whom he had overtaken on the road.

He stated that he had hired the horse to go to the Buttes, to see his cousin; but hearing that his cousin had sold out and left, he came to Bidwell to find employment. He also stated that he came across the plains this season. There was nothing in his conduct while in prison that led those in attendance to believe that he contemplated committing self-murder. He was discovered by Esquire Wells, about 10 o’clock on Tuesday morning, suspended as above stated. The following paragraphs were found in his cell, written in a large, round schoolboy hand the orthography being very bad:

“To the people: My Friends, you are all strangers to me. I have but one relation in the country and I will not name him - therefore I am but a stranger here and I cannot my character prove; if I die, I am a murdered man, for who can live in this lousy den? My name is J. C. Martin, born and raised 12 miles from Toulon, Illinois.”

On the back of the paper containing the above, was written - “ My own hand will now do it.” The following dated the 17th shows the time he was held to answer:

“The day has come, the time has come, now here I am confined in jail. I pray to God the time may soon come that I can my innocence prove. This is my prayer, so help me God. My sorrows soon shall have an end, I soon shall reign above, there I can my innocence prove. O Lord, remember me”.   J. C. Martin

He was a young man apparently about 21 years of age, and from the circumstances attending the case, it was thought his first offense, and his self-inflicted penalty had dearly atoned for his crime.

 As the populations in the mining camps increased, the conflict between individuals grew accordingly. The young and restless, predominantly male population of miners worked hard and played equally hard. Not only were they physically capable of inflicting much bodily harm on each other, they also were generally armed with knives and guns and had little hesitancy to use them as they felt a personal need to do so.

 Professional gamblers and prostitution soon appeared in most mining camps, and Bidwell was no exception. Only five references to houses of ill fame, a.k.a. prostitution, have been located so far in this research. A September 15, 1855 article describing a fight that occurred identifies the location as Jim Toner, keeper of a house of ill-fame on Water Street. Earlier in the year another dispute, which started at an unidentified house of ill-repute, wasted the court’s time when the complainant decided he was not in a good legal position to press his charges of assault and battery. In this case Mr. White avoided spending time in jail; however, he angered the court, so that the next person to attempt this procedure was going to spend a night in jail to reconsider their actions.

 Assault & Battery. -- A case of assault and battery occurred on Sunday last, at a house of ill       fame, in which a Mr. Culver was considerably battered by one Tho’s White, and while yet covered with blood, appeared before Justice Corsette and entered a complaint. Papers were issued for the belligerent White, and the trial set for Monday morning. Reflection seemed to convince the complainant that, although he got battered, and was guilty of the assault himself, and he accordingly departed, leaving the case to be dismissed for want of prosecution. Hereafter, persons entering complains before us from such a source will be placed in safe keeping and compelled to abide the issue.

 The variety and number of crimes in the mining community continued month after month, year after year, sounding like the evening news of today. Unsolved murders, hate crimes committed by one minority group against another, and by the white population against all groups, especially the Native Americans. The underbelly of history confronts us with some unpleasant realities of the past and present. Shoplifting was a practiced art, even if not very effective, by one Bidwell resident that was reported in September 29, 1855. While not the last guest at the jail, perhaps he is symbolic as one of the most humorous or weird guests at Hotel Hoosegow in Bidwell.

 Lifting A Hat -- Lawrence Foley walked into the store of Joseph Gluckauf, and placing his dilapidated tile over a new one, put them both upon his head and left the store. He informed the court that the head and front of his offense, had this extent no more; that he neither stole nor desired the hat, having one that answered his purpose. Lawrence was slightly oblivious, and the court requested him to pay a license of fifteen dollars for his exhibition of legerdemain. He concluded to board it out.

 After the County seat election of April 19, 1856, the final chapters were being written on Hotel Hoosegow at Bidwell.  At this August 9, 1856 date the Bidwell Jail was still the official county jail since the facility at Oroville had not been completed, and Oroville was not declared the county seat until September 24, 1856.

 One final newspaper report summarizes the status of the three Butte county jails as of August 4, 1856, and the next law enforcement challenge facing the county.

 Butte County Jails

We use the plural number, for Butte County at present has two jails, with fifteen prisoners in one and one in the other. One of these jails is located at Bidwell, the present county seat, and the other at Hamilton, where the county seat was formerly located. We have the third jail now in process of erection, in Oroville, and, like other tenements in our city, it will be occupied as soon as completed. The Jail business in Butte County has been brisk since the Vigilance Committee has been in session in San Francisco. It was tolerable brisk at one time last winter, the Sheriff having nine prisoners on hand at one time; but never as high as sixteen before. This extra expense the taxpayers of the country may thank the Vigilance Committee for. Our citizens may also thank the Mobites of San Francisco for the organized bands of robbers and thieves now in our midst, who state that they have been driven from San Francisco. Why don’t San Francisco convict and send her rascals to the State’s Prison, instead of turning them loose upon the interior, to rob and murder our citizens, and to be convicted at the expense of other communities. Why should our citizens support the Vigilance Committee of San Francisco if it has the effect to drive their rascals into our midst, to plunder and murder our citizens? Let every community take care of its own rascals. The mobites of San Francisco have no more right to let their rascals loose to prey upon the miners of the interior, than a man has to turn a rabid dog loose upon his neighbor.

 While summarizing the status of the Butte County jails, and the efforts of the County to meet local needs, it vividly outlines the impacts of actions of other communities, in this case San Francisco, in dealing with their criminal element that placed great strain on Butte and other counties in providing reasonable protection for their citizens.