Mining Camp Courts

These "mining camp courts" were another name for an assembly of all who swung a pick or held a claim.  It voted on punishment for theft and murder, decided ownership and boundaries of claims.  It did not decide minor personal disputes or collect debts.

The early Western mining court lacked permanent officials (except the occasional alcalde) and also lacked written laws.  No records were kept.  Anyone could call it into session.  Anyone who didn't see the urgency of the reason for the session, simply didn't come.  

There is a recorded case in Jackson Creek Camp (in present day Oregon) where the camp wanted the Alcalde Rogers to resign but he kept refusing.  A case came before him concerning a miner who had lost his property to his partner do to a crippling accident.  Rogers refused more than once to hear the case.  In 1852, over one thousand miners left their jobs that day to form their own court of appeals.  They elected a fellow miner as judge and retried the case that Rogers wouldn't, complete with jury, counsel arguments and witnesses.  The ownership case was found in favor of the injured man and Rogers was disposed.  The majority rule kept corruption out and suppressed violence.

Even though they lacked written laws, the mining camps were not lawless.  Sometimes, however, vigilantism was necessary to deal with those who tried to take over what government they did have.  Unlike what it sounds like, vigilantism took tact and courage as well as considerable organizing ability to be used successfully.  

Next time - we will take a look at one of the best recorded examples of vigilantism

_______________________

Today in Pioneer History: "On July 23, 1918, Della Sorenson begins her murder spree which ends with seven family members dead by poisoning in Nebraska, most of them babies.  Her reason?  She enjoyed attending funerals...You can read more details at This Day in History at the History Channel Website.  She was found to be schizophrenic and committed to a state mental asylum in 1925.