Joel N. McDonald, a policeman in Columbia, California, met a tragic end on November 26, 1858. McDonald, along with Constable John Leary, was involved in an operation to arrest three professional thieves who had been loitering suspiciously around the town. McDonald, working undercover, gained the trust of the thieves by suggesting they rob a house together and then divide the loot at his saloon. The plan was for Constable Leary to hide at the saloon and surprise the suspects during the robbery.
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