The Georgetown news., 1855-10-04

\ startling Narrative OfCSssne-~-A 1Eur-
derous 1rl0---T70yvcrfrl Memory of
uuTderor'
we find the following intensely interest
narrative in the S. T. Herald of last Satur-
dav-particularly so to the people of El
Dorado county, the scene of many Of the
crimes referred to below We will add to
what is taken from our cotemporary that
Mickey Free has been tried at Coloma,
found guilty, and sentenced to be executed
on the 26th Of this month-the same day
appointed for the execution of Crane
Some may be surprised that the following
narrative, if true, has not appeared in some
of the papers Of this county. In all proba-
hilty the facts have been known to our
neighbor at Coloma, where the prisoners
are confined, but for good reasons pnblica-
ton in this county has been deferred until
after the trial. which being over, there is
no impropriety in giving these develop
ments as we find them:
Some months ago, a large section of the
interior country, embracing portions of the
counties Of CalayeFas, FL Dorado and Pla-
Ger, was the theatre ofa series of horrible
and mysterious murders 4attributed to Mex
lean bandltti. In most cases, the victim
was miner, known to have been working
a 5od claim, and situated in a locality
where in case Of attack byrobbers he would
have little chance Of escape, and still less of
assistance from neighbors In several in
stances, men were murdered and their bod
les burned on the spot; and upon making
search for the missing, the only ground for
suspicion that the party sought for had been
murdered, was in the fact that his tent or
cabin bore traces Of having been rihed and
evident hasty departure Of the occupant
The officers of the law were unable to gain
any trace TO the route pursued by the mur-
daTers, or of their number and character,
although it was universally believed that
they were MexiCans. Some weeks since,
murder was committed in El Dorado county
and suspicion attached to man named
Wilson, and although there was nothing Of
proof sufficient to warrant his arrest, dep
atty sheriff of that county resolved to try
what could be done by stratagem, and ac-
cordingly approached Wilson and charged
him directly with the murder Wilson
manifested every symptom of guilt, and i'm
medately exclaimed, "Have they caught
Kelly?" The officer said "Yes, we have
got Kelly" when the other replied, "Then
the id scouAdrel has blowed it upon
ne" Wilson was Immediately taken to
Coloma jail, when he was induced to become
States evidence. with the condition that be
should be liberated upon the conviction of
his partners il crime. He then commenced
a long narrative Of mGrders, to which be
had been witness and party, and impica-
ted two men named Kelley and Mickey
Free, with whom, it appears, he was associ- |
ated IN nearly every murder that has been
committed in the section Of the country spe-
cited during the last year. He related his
story with such minute detail, apparently
exhibiting such q wonderful power of mem /
Ory, that his listeners were almost induced /
to the belief that they were being deceived /
By the imaginings of a mad man. Many Of /
the circumstances which he related, howey-
er, were iR some measure known to the Off
Ger, and a careful note was. taken Of all the
description which he gave relative to the
position of the bodies of men that had been
murdered by him and his companions, and
burned, as a precaution against immediate
investigation Of the murder. Ia every in
stance these descriptions were found to be
wonderfully correct, even in such details as
the tearing OF garment and stufing the
fragments into the mouth of the victim, to
prevent his calling for assistance. Bodies
Of murdered men, described by him as hav-
ing been burned at a distance from any
habitation, were found in in the exact posi-
ti9n indicated. The form and color Of
rock, the peculiar inclination Of the branch
es and shrubbery of q tree in q spot visited
by him but once, aud then under circum-
stances which gave little time or opportu-
nifty fer remark, were described with such
accuracy that the officers had only to refer
to the chart which he had marked out for
their guidance, and they were sure of find
ing the objects which it indicated. Soon
after the arrest of Wilson, policeman of
this city visited him in his cell at Coloma
Jail, with the view Of ascertaining if he was
the person of the same name who is accused
Of numbering man IN Monterey county,
some years since. AS soon as the officer
entered the cell, be saw that Wilson was
not the man he was looking for, and imme-
diately turned away-when the jailor re-
marked to the officer: "I'll bet you that
Wilson can describe to me every article of
your dress" The officer remained in a p0-
siti1n where he could listen without being
seen by the prisoner, and was startled to
hear complete description not only of his
apparel but even of peculiarities Of his per-
son which he himself had never previously
noticed.
It is admitted by all, that a man of such
remarkable talent, capable of employing it
in the manner illustrated by his own story
Of crime, is too dangerous a person to be
allowed his liberty. Mickey Free, one of
the mprderous trio, has been arrested, and
will undonhtedlv be executed. Kelly had