The Nevada journal., 1852-04-22
Great Excitement al COloma- Two Men Hung
by the Populace.


by the Populace.
We copy the annexed account of the
hanging Of two men at Coloma, on the
18th inst, from the correspondence of
the Union.
Coloma has this day been the scene
of great and unusual excitement. Two
men, the one white man of the name
of Henry George, said to be from Sidney,
and the other a negro named VIM. Mil
ler-- were forcibly taken from our Jail
and hung by mob, composed of the
citizens of this vicinity, in conjunction
with several members Of the Vigilance
Committee of Placerville. The white
man was charged with having stolen
about $4,000 from q miner on Granite
Creek near this place and the negro
with having stolen about $4,000 from
Mr.. David Martin, who resides at Co.
lumbia, near Kelsey's Diggings. Our
Court of Sessions was in session at the
time these men were arrested, and the
regular Grand Jury had.been discharg-
cd The court proceeded at once to
empannel special Grand Jury for the
purpose of enquiring into these cases.
An Indictment for grand larceny was
found and presented on yesterday even
ing against George, and another for the
same crime against the negro, was pre-
sented this morning. But before either
of them could be brought to trial, and
while our Sheriff was absent for the pur-
pose of summoning jury, the mob col
lected from different parts of the coun-
ty, to the number of some two or three
hundred, and demanded Of the iailor
the negro boy Miller The jailor, after
q fruitless attempt to persuade the mob
to desist from their purpose and dis
perse, complied with their demand.
Miller was taken about two hundred
yards from the Jail and hung which was
no sooner done, than the mob returned
to the Jail, demanded and had delivered
to them the prisoner George, whom they
took and hung to the same tree. They
then returned Immediately to the Jail,
and demanded prisoner of the name
of Dougherty, who had been indicted
for grand lafcency, on a charge of steal
submitted to petit jury On yesterday,
who had not agreed upon IL verdict.
About this time the Sheriff made his
appearance ut the Jail, and informed
the mob that jury of their country
men was then deliberating upon the
case of Dougherty, and requested them
to defer further action, until they should
s,k Al,
appointed committee of three to wait
upon the jury and inform them that un-
less they agreed upon verdict in ff-
teen minutes, Dougherty would be hung
The committee proceeded directly to
the jury room, and in about fifteen min
utes returned and reported that the
jury had agreed upon verdict The
crowd then rushed to the court house,
which was very soon filed and crowded
to overAowing. Dougherty was brought
in, and the jury delivered their verdict,
which was, that the defendant was gui.-
ty, and the punishment ten years i'm
prisonment in the penitentiary. This,
however, was not satisfactory to the
mob, and the cry of bring him outn and
hang him." again resounded through
the crowd.
At this crisis, Thos. Robertson, Esq,
who had assisted in prosecuting Doug
herty, appeared. and by means of very
effective and eloquent address to the
crowd, succeeded in soothing the feel
ing and allaying the excitement that
prevailed at the time; and it was there
upon resolved, that the crowd disperse,
and allow the law to take its course
with the prisoner Doughertv.