doc241 - Schoenherr Home Page in Sunny Chula Vista

This was the prelude to the most amusing scrape that Ames's absences led him
into, as it was, the occasion when Lieutenant Derby edited the Herald for six weeks (instead
of two) and changed its politics, as related farther on. Ames seems to have
learned something from this experience, for upon starting again for San Francisco,
about December 3rd, of the same year, leaving one "Borax" in charge, he gave the editor
pro tem of the paper "strict injunctions not to change its politics," as Derby had done.
In April, 1855, Ames went East again. It is said this trip was made on public business,
but nothing has come to light to show what the public business was. Ames himself
states that he was present at the convention of the American (Know-nothing) party, in
Philadelphia, when Fillmore was nominated for president. It is a matter of record that he
brought out Phoenixiana at this time, and it is also understood that he married and
brought his wife to San Diego with him upon his return, some time the following spring.
During this prolonged absence, Ames left Wm. H. Noyes in charge of the paper,
who took good care of it, not only at this time, but also on several subsequent occasions
when Ames went to San Francisco. In April, 1857, when about to depart on such a trip,
Ames left the following savage attack upon certain officials for insertion in the next issue:
"Malfeasance in Office: . . . We have for a long time been aware of the utter unfitness
of our County Clerk and Recorder for the position which he occupies.... It is well
known that this County is deeply in debt, but it is not so well known that the greatest
portion of this debt has gone into the hands of county officers.... The salary of the
County Judge of this county is fixed by law at $1000 and yet for a long time Mr. Couts,
the County Auditor, has been issuing scrip to him at the rate of $1200 per annum."
He then goes on to say that a party had a bill against the county, of long standing,
which after some trouble he got approved, and demanded the issuance of scrip to
him first, so that it would be the first paid when the county had any money. He charges
that Couts promised to do this but evaded it and issued scrip clandestinely to his friends
ahead of it.
"It is to be regretted that there are not other offices in the county to which he
(Couts) could be elected or appointed, as he at present only fills the following: County
Clerk, County Recorder, County Auditor, Clerk of the Court of Sessions, Clerk
Page 301
[William H. Noyes]
of the First District Court, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and Clerk of the Board of
Equalization; the income of which offices is greater than that of any other officer in the
county."
This looks as though Gilbert had been reading the San Diego Herald when he
drew his character of Pooh Bah, in the opera of the Mikado. In the next issue of the
Herald Noyes repudiates this blast and "wishes it distinctly understood that it owes its
paternity to the regular editor."
The issue of May 30, 1857, contains an apology for its leanness in the matter of
news, "the editor being absent in San Francisco, the sub-editor gone into the country,
and, to crown all, the 'devil' having sloped, leaving us 'alone in our glory,' with an overabundance
of labor to perform, and a dearth of local news."