Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-12-20
Murder of Gen. richardson.

The telegraph has informed us of the MUIR
der Of Gen. VIM. II. Richardson, u. S. Mar
shall Of California. The San Francisco Her
aid, of November 18th, gives the following
particulars of this cold blooded assassination I:
"0ne of the most c0wardly and h~eartless
acts of murder that we have ever been called
upon to record was committed on Saturday
evening, November z, in a public thorough
fare in one of Their most frequented sections
of the city. The victim, William III. Rich
ardson, was a gentleman highly esteemed by
a large circle of friends in this city, and oc-
-cupied a high official position in this State.
From all that we are able to gather, it APP
pears that Mr.. Richardson had some trifling
difficulty the night previous with a man
named Charles Cora. Mutual friends inter-
fered in the matter, and it was supposed the
difficulty had been amicaoly adjusted. About
61l O'Clock last evening Messrs. Richardson
and Cora were noticed standing in front of
McAllisters building On Clay stleet, below
Montgomery street. Several persons to whom
both parties were known were standing near
by, and presently MIR. Richardson was heard
to remark "Well, is it al! right?" Cora re-
piled, "Yes." They continued to converse
in a low tone for some minutes, and by this
time Cora had taken hold Of the coat collar
of the other with the left hand. Richardson
suddenly exclaimed "What are you going
to do? Don't shoot me, | am unarmed." At
this Cora produced a small single barreled
pistol, and before he could be prevented shot
Richardson through the heart. The action
was so sudden aud unexpected that the wit
nesses were for a moment paralyzed, and
Goro hal1 hta .iof,.. o.toot Al Ill "a Al
house for the space of a few seconds, and
then suddenly relaxing his grasp, walked
away, but was arrested and placed in the Gus
tody of Officer Russell, who fastened with
him to the police station. Richardson was
taken into the drug store Of Messrs. Keith &
CO., at the corner of Montgomery and CLAW
streets, where he expired almost Immediate
ly. An immence crowd Immediately congre-
gated in that vicinity, and it was found ne
eessary to take the body of the murdered man
to some more secluded place, and it was
finally taken to the private office of the Clerk
Of the United States District Court. BY this
time a very large and excited crowd had as
sembled, completely blocking up the passage
Of Montgomery street for a distance of two
blocks.
AT this time there could not be less thar
three thousand persons present. The utmost
excitement prevailed. The fearful cry of
"Hang him hang him tt' was raised. The
public pulse beat at a feverish rate, and it is
more than probable that il the culprit had
been within reach he would have been exc
cuted on the spot. Several persons address
ed the sssemblage in favor of hanging Cora
at once, while Others counseled submission to
the laws. and spoke in favor of the mainte-
nance OF law and order. II was finally put
to vote a storm Of ayes and noes followed.
1t was found impossible to decide whether
there had been a majority in favOr Of, or
against hanging without recourse TO law. The
assembly shortly afterward broke up into lit
Tie Knots, IN which the enormity of the crime
winch mad Just been committed was discuss
ed In a very excited manner. Others rushed
to the station house in order to ascertain what
disposition had been made of the prisoner.
Meantime, Cora was conveyed to the STA
ton house, and on being searched, two der
myers were found on his person, one Of which
had but recently been discharged. When
the crowd began to gather about the station
house the officers became alarmed for the
safety of the prisoner, and determined on
placing him in the county Jail, for greater Sc
curity. He was accordingly removed there.
During the whole of these proceedings, Cora
displayed the utmost GOODNESS, and seemed
never TO have lost his presence Of mind.
During the walk from the station house to
the county jail, he appeared somewhat agi-
tated, and a~pprehended that he might be
taken out of the hands of the officers by the
excited people, frequently looking back to
ascertain if he was pursued
As soon as the facts Of the murder became
known, the most intense excitement prevail
ed throughout the city, and fears were enter
tanned that an assault would be made upon
the Jail. Extensive preparations, however,
were made for the defence of the building,
and no assault was made.