The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-08-08

Lieut.. E. G.. Bufium, en- officer at
tached tn Col. Stevenson's regiment o
volunteers, has just given to the worlt
the result of his three years experienc,
in California, including six months pas
sed by him in the gold mines. 1t is 1
very readable book, abounding in in
terest and information, together with
some little adventure-of which the fol.
lowing is specimen:
We received report on the after.
noon Of January Goth, that five mer
had been arrested ut the dry diggings,
and were under trial for robbery. The
circumstances were as follows: A Mex
ican gambler named Lopez, having in
his possession large amount of money
retired to his room at night, and was
surprised about midnight by five men
rushing into his appointment, one of whom
applied pistol to Els head. while the
others barred the door and proceeded to
rifle his trunk. An alarm being given,
some of the citizens rushed in and ar
rested the whole party. Next day, they
were tried by jury chosen from among
the citizens, and sentenced to receive,
on tne irl!owlng poening, thuty nine
lashes each. Never having seen pun
ishment inflicted by Lyncb-law, | went
over to the dry diggings on clear Sun
day morning, and, on my arrival, found
u large crowd collected around an oak
troo ~ ,,hicb xy,o Iacbod n ,,a, ,,,;t h n
barred back, while another was apply ing
a raw cow-hide to his already gored
flesh. A guard of dozen men, with
loaded rifles pointed at the prisoners,
stood ready to fire in case of an attempt
being made to escape. After the whole
had been flogged. some fresh charges
were preferred against three of the men
two Frenchmen, named Garcia and
Bissi, and Chileno, named Manuel
These were charged with robbery and
an attempt at murder, on the Stanislaus
river, during the previous fall. the un-
happy men were removed to neighbor,
ing house, and being SO weak from their
punishment were unable to stand, were
laid stretched upon the floor. As it was
not possible for them to attend, they
were tried in the open air, in their abb
sence, by crowd o: some two hundred
men, who had org ganized themselves into
a jury, and appointed a pro tempore
Judge. The charges against them were
well substan.iated, but amounted TO moth
ing more than at attempt at robbery and
no overt acs being alleged
They were known to- be bad men, how
ever, and a general sentiment seemed
to prevail in the crowd that they ought
TO be got rid of. AT the close Of the
trial, which lasted some twenty minutes,
the Judge put TO vote the question wheth-
er they had been proved guilty. A uui-
versal affirmative was the response; aud
then the question, 'What punishment
shall be inflicted:' was asked A bru-
tai looking fellow in the crowd cried out
Hang them The proposition was sec
onded, and met with almost universal
| mounted stump and
IN the name Of God, humanity, and the
aw, protested against such course Of
proceeding; but the crowd, by this time
excited by frequent and deep potations
from neighboring groggcry, would lis
en- to nothing contrary to their brutal
desires, and even threatened to hang me
f | did not Immediately desist from any
urther remarks. Somewhat fearful that
such might be my fate, and seeing the
alter uselessness of further argument
with them, l ceased, and prepared to
witness the horrible tragedy. Thirty
minutes only were allowed the unhappy
victims to prepare themselves to enter
IN the scenes ofeternity. Three ropes
we're procured, and attachedto the limb
IF tree. The prisoners were marched
out, placed upon a wagon land the ropes
put around their necks. No time was
given them for explanation. They vain
y tried to speak, but none Of them un-
1erstanding English, they were obliged
o employ their native tongues, known
o few Of those assembled. Vainly
hey called for an interpreter, for their
;ries were drowned by now infuriated
mob. A black scarf was bound around
he eyes Of each; their arms were PIN
oned, and at given signal, without
priest or prayer-b 'ok, the wagon was
lrawn from under them, and they were
aunched into eternity. Their graves
we're dug ready to receive them, and
when life was entirely extinct they were
ut down and buried in their blankets.
This was the first execution | ever Wit
lessed-God grant that it may be the
asst. Sunday Times.