Sam hated Sewell.
Probably in 1862 while mining, Sam became acquainted with G.T. Sewall who was a manager of mining lands and probably collected Sam’s dues on his claim. In 1861, Sewall had been appointed a Judge in Humboldt County by Governor Nye, for whom Sam was doing rote Constituent Services work (writing reply letters) His note to his brother, “Did you see that squib of mine headed ‘Petrified Man?’ It is an unmitigated lie, made from whole cloth. I got it up to worry Sewall. Every day, I send him some California paper containing it; moreover, I am getting things so arranged that he will soon begin to receive letters from all parts of the country, purporting to come from scientific men, asking for further information concerning the wonderful stone man. If I had plenty of time, I would worry the life out of the poor cuss” (G.T. Sewall) As superintendent of the mining company that controlled the five mines in Humboldt township, Sewall had an aggressive policy toward “unclaimed” or “blind ledges” therefore Sam and Sewall may have clashed for mining rights.
Sam’s southern sympathies may also have been offensive to the Humboldt County judge. Sam wrote to his friend William Clagett: I have heard from several reliable sources that Sewall will be here shortly, and has sworn to whip me on sight. Sam was still plugging the hoax more than a month after it’s publication. Orion was not laughing so long.
Indeed, Sam’s story was picked up by 12 newspapers in California and Nevada – eight of them gave no hint that it was a hoax.