Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-08-21
Life in California.


July. We copy the narrative Of the Alta
About 9 O'Clock, the tapping OF the bell Of
the Monumental engine company's house on
the PLAN, attracted the attention of our citi-
| zens, known as il was, TO be a signal of the
vigilance con, miaes. People soohsbegan 10
throng down ID the direction Of the commit
tee room, and il was reported that James
Stuart was 10 be hung. By 10 o'clock, two
or three thousand people had gathered, and
appeared to be quietly waiting with the ex-
peciation Of seeing somebody hung. The
committee in the mean time were passing in
and out, and it was evident that something
was in progress inside. ioN ''tpA
About half past !, some one came out of
the committee room and read portion of
the confession which Stuart had made and
it was stated that he would be hung in an
hour. The crowd sanctioned this PROPOSE
ti0n almost unanimously. About half past
2o'clock the committee came down stairs,
| and formed three abreast. There were near
ly thousand of them, principally composed
OF our oldest, best known and most promi-
nent citizens, merchants, bankers, mechan-
les. and business men Of every description.
The procession moved up Battery street,
preceded and followed by The crowd, with
Stuart handcuffed and pinUned, near their
| centre. There was no noise, no outcrv, no
apparent excitement, and there was some.
thing awfully solemn in the measured tread
OF the procession upon the planked street,
When the procession reached Market street,
and It was perceived that they we're about to
turn down, rush was made to secure good
places, and some time before the prisoner
arrived, every box, bale aud barrel had it's
occupants. The decks and rigging Of The
vessels lying around the wharf itself was enc
perfect sea of heads. A gallows of plain up
rights and a cross beam had been erected, a
block with rope in il with the moose ready
made. On the way down Stuart appeared
perfectly cool and collected, and not at all
excited. When he reached the gaIlows the
rope was placed around his neck, and with
The exception Of slight paeness, there was
no change in his appearance, no trembling,
no agitation. He appeared to feel as though
he was satisfied with his sentence, and did
not desire to live longer
The immense crowd remained breathess,
and Stuart, when under the gaIlows, said, q
die reconciled, my sentence is just The
rope was pulled, and in moment he was
dangling in the air. As he Vent up, he clos
ed his eyes, and clasped his hands together
lie scarcely gave a struggle, and although
the knot was on the back Of his neck. ap.
peared to be in but little pain. When he
had hung about 90 minutes, be was cut down
by Coroner Gallagher, placed in boat, and
taken to the frs, district police station house.
There was no attempt made at rescue by
the authorizes, and many persons in the city
knew nothing of the affair Till it was over
II was conducted with the greatest order and
quiet. Stuart was arrested by The Vigilance
Committee about a week since. He was
found removing some stolen trunks, and was
tried before the committee for the murder of
Moore, and upon a variety of other charges
Ii is said that he has made some disclosures
that tend TO criminate number of men in
this city, whose characters have previously
stood fair, and that he has given the COM
mittee clues that will lead TO their arrest.
The confession Of Stuart occupies n ore
than Two columns of small type in the San
francisco papers. He left England for New
South Wales, when sixteen wears old, under
sentence Of transportation for lite for forge
ry, but was subsequently pardoned. and after
remaining several years 10 Australia, and on
the Pacific coast OF South America, came to
California and engaged in mining. His
| first offence against the law in that country,
was stealing over $4,000 in the vicinity of
Marysville, for which he narrowly ESCAPED
hanging by the populace. The detail of his
subsequent career is the most extraordinary
record OF crime that we have ever read.
David Hill. tom CortlandI CO., N. ", had
been executed al Sonora, but the account
before us does not mention for what crime
We copy from the Sonora Herald:-
After 6 O'Clock Hill was led forth TO exc
l,.. Il 4
other Williams had collected from various
camps. After the prisoner was placed on
the stand, he made few remarks de- crib-
ing his life as one of crime, and warning 9TH
ers against following his course. He also
done many other acts Of crime, but had new
er shed blood, and threw himself upon the
mercy Of the people.
The question was then put, Shall he be
hungt A large number answered Aye but
an equal number responded in the negative
Immediately some hundreds of pistols were
drawn, and universal stampede occurred
Horsemen plunged through the crowd and over
them. and the people ran in every direction
Order being partially restored, several persons
spoke for and against the execution-until at
length George Work arrived by himself, and
asked to be heard. He then pledged his own
life that the prisoner should be forthcoming at
the District Court, if they would deliver him
into the hands of the civil authorities. His
remarks were responded to by cries of Thorn
ly Thornly'
In the excitement, the prisoner was taken
from the stand, his hands all the while pinion-
ed behind him, and he was thrust into a wag-
on, which Immediately drove off at rapid
rate for Sonora. The sheriff and one other
person were also in the wagon, and several
| others accompanied them on horseback.
News of the result having reached here short
after the rescue, d. L. Edwards, accompanied
by b.. Linoberg, with gong passed through
the city and called meeting of the people in
stantly in front of Mr.. Holden's store Mr..
Edwards then addressed the crowd in short,
but very effective speech, referring to the es-
cape of criminals heretofore, and the danger of
our citizens while such thieves and rascals
were permitted to escape. He proposed to
take the prisoner as soon as he might arrive in
town, and hang him. There was not dis.
senting voice.
The crowd then prepared with weapons to
meet the sheriff and the prisoner at The en-
trance of the city. They came in a wagon
with two person alongside on horseback. But
| all was of no avail. The men in that crowd
were not to be frightened. They followed the
wagon, driving at rapid rate, until it struck
against post, it being dark. George Work
then jumped out with the prisoner, holding
him by the collar, and both ran at full speed
| for the jail, planging through the arroyo, while
the crowd behind were shouting, Stop him in
front-we are afraid to shoot lest we may kill
our friends-stop him in 'front.' Mr. Linoberg
| SOON caught the prisoner behind, and hung on