He pretended to be insane.

I had to make two visits to Downieville on this business, and there, made the acquaintance of Mr.Stewart, now a Senator from Nevada.
He was married to a daughter of Governor Foote; was living in a small frame house on the bar just below the town; and his little daughter was playing about the door in the sand.

Stewart was then a lawyer in Downieville, in good practice; afterward, by some lucky stroke, became part owner of a valuable silver-mine in Nevada, and is now accounted a millionaire.

I managed to save something out of Spears, and more out of his partner Thornton.

This affair of Spears ruined him, because his insanity was manifestly feigned.
I remained in San Francisco till July 3d, when, having collected and remitted every cent that I could raise, and got all the property in the best shape possible, hearing from St.Louis that business had revived, and that there was no need of further sacrifice; I put all the papers, with a full letter of instructions, and power of attorney, in the hands of William Blending, Esq., and took passage on the good steamer Golden Gate, Captain Whiting, for Panama and home.