The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-18

The reverse OF the &nlden medal at California
begins to be shown, in the rscitals Of returning
emigrants, and even in the columns Of her own
press. From the San Francisco Picayune, we
take the following details of a tragedy en-
acted there but short time since, together with
the comments Of an eye witness:
About o'clock this morning. an alteration
occurred at Williams Parker House, on the
Plaza, between two men, the one named Charles
BARLEY, formerly policeman Of this city, and
and the other Charles Burnett. Both men, as
is stated, were slightly intoxicated at the time.
The circumstances attending the tragedy, MS We
have heard them, are AS follows:
While both men, together with several mutual
friends, were standing ut the bar, BARLEY slapped
Burnett playfully on the shoulder, which the lat
ter returned by laughingly tossing the remains
of glass of brandy which he had been drinking,
upon the coat of BARLEY. This the LITTER re-
scented by volIey Of opprobrious epithets, to
which Burnett quietly replied, " | shall call you
to an account for these words" BARLEY re-
sponded, We will settle it in any manner you
may choose, tomorrow morning" Burnett, con-
sdering the affair concluded, invited the party up
to drink. Observing BARLEY apart and moody,
he cried out, 81 thought our difficulty was sus-
pended until morning; come up and drink"
At this BARLEY stepped up, and again addressing
Burnett in an insulting manner, seized him by
the throat, and drawing a revolver levelled it at
his head, exclaiming, "Stir, and will lift your
head off," Burnett replied that he was un-
armed, had no friends, when bystander inter
fered, telling him that he was his friend. Bur-
nett Immediately barred his breast, daring his
adversary to fire, or to allow him five paces and
time to defend himself To this hitter PROPOSE
ton BARLEY agreed, when Burnett commenced
retreating. He had fallen back near the spec-
fed distance, when BARLEY fired, missing his
aim, the ball entering a stovcpipe over Burnetts
head. The latter drew his revolver fired, he also
missing his mark. They both presented the
second time, firing simultaneously, when Bart
ley received ball through the heart, and, stag
gering to the bar, feebly crying, I'm dead
man." expired. Burnett attempted to escape,
but was arrested by the police
The coroner is engaged in holding an inquest
upon the body of BARLEY at the hour of going
10 press After the verdict is rendered, the
murderer will be examined before the Recorder.
A correspondent of the New York Journal Of
Commerce, who forwards the above article to
that paper, accompanied it with the following
remarks:
The funeral service was held in the Parker
House," in the back part of the room. At the
time the funeral service was being read over the
corpse, two monte tables in the same room were
in full operation, each surrounded by crowd Of
betters." A person standing in the room could
hear the parsons solemn words I" / am the resur-
rection and the life," intermngled with the
gamblers cry to those around him, " Pungla
do,on." Believing that such scene has rarely
il ever occurred before many country, take the
liberty of addressing you, to show how all the
finer feelings of man can be destroyed by
gambling, hoping that it may prove warning
to all those who may be tempted to commence
gam bling.