The Shasta courier., 1855-02-03
Lynch Law !---One Man Hung and ane.
sher Severely Woundcd.

eher severely WOum0e0s
SHASTA, Jan. 81, 1855.
Mr. Brigham, of Adams & Co.'S Express, has
just shown US letter from Red Bluffs commu-
nicating the fact that man lname unknown)
was lynched in that place on yesterday (Tues-
day. 1t tappears that he had been caught with
number of mules, belonging to MIR. Cecil,
which he had stolen from the corral of Mr..
Connell
We are informed that he was tried by jury
of twelve men, who deemed the evidence of his
crime worthy of death. and accordingly SEN
fenced him to be hung. A portion of the citi-
Of Red Bluffs then hung him to the.
limb of tree until life was extinct.-Courier-
Extra.
We have since been informed that the crimi-
the State Prison from this county several years
since, and that his term Of imprisonment had
expired very recently.
Below will be found the full particulars Of this
unfortunate affair-unfortunate for the reputa-
ion of the county:
RED BLUFFS, Jan. 81, 1856
MEssRs. DosH & SKILLMAN The dull mo-
notony which has usually characterized our
town. was, yesterday, broken by the enacting
of scene which, admitting it to be just,
is fearful to think of. The mania for mob law,
which appears to prevail among the people
throughout the entire country, appears also to
have seized upon the citizens of this place
Perhaps the recent examples in other parts OF
the State have had some influence the con-
duct of our people. However. be that as it may.
yesterday about o'clock in the afternoon, some.
of fhe citizens of this place condemned and ex-
eculed man for mule stealing, " no refused to
give his name. The circumstances connected
with the matter are as follows, so far as have
been made acquainted with them: The man
was found In possession OF mule which had
been stolen from MIR. Connell, of Colusa county,
having been followed by Mr.. Connell and Con-
stable Potter as far as Horsetown. where he was
arrested and brought back as far this place,
where they stopped for the night. On the fol-
lowing morning yesterday some OF the ciIZeus
OF this place met, and appointed committee OF
twelve to examine into the matter and report
to The meeting. The committee took the evil
dence of Mr.. Connel and some others, after
ing, the purport of which was. that the eridence
presented before the committee sufficient
to convict the prisoner of mule Stealing and
that there was circumstantial evidence which
tended TO show that he was an old offender.
The meeting then took vote to decide whether
they should deal with him according TO Lynch
Law. or permit him to be taken to Colusa county
and be tried by the authorities. The majority
being in favor of Lynch Law the prisoner was
taken TO an oak tree on the west side Of town,
where persons endeavored to get him to make a
confession, for the purpose of learning whether
he had any accomplices; bu: he refused to dis
close anything. He told them if they would
shoot him he would give his name, but If he was
to be hung he did not want his relatives to
know it. They refused his request to be shot,
when he bound the rope put around his
neck, and the cart driven from under him. The
body not taken down for two three
hours. l have since learned he was from Rome
in New York. He was about twenty-five or
twenty-six years OF age, and of genteel appear
ance.
How far men are justified in violating the
laws of their conntry. by taking the life OF fel
low man who has transgressed the same code of
laws. depends very much the peculiar cir
cumstances of each particular And how
far the men who were engaged in this affair
were justified is not for me to say, but must be
left to the judgment of the community.
party OF men from the east side of the river,
opposite this place, went in search of some In
dians few days ago who had been stealing
stock from Dyes Ranch. They found the lndi-
ans about tw enty-fve miles from the Valley, TO-
wards the head of Antelope Greek, where they
had fe eht with them, in which VIM. Ransom
was severely wounded. having received two arr
row wounds. 1t is thought he will recover
Several Indians were killed.
Yours, &C., SIEux.