Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1856-01-04
NistrIlunrolls.
San Francisco Correspondence.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 20

your readers, all the details Of the events
Of the land OF Gold aud crime.
will commence with one Of the most
dastardIy cold .blooded murders that ever
was perpe,raied in California. It i, the
cruel buichery Of Gen. William U. Rich.
ardson, U. s. Marshal, by Chas. Cora
an Italian and well.known sporting
character in the gambling saloons Of San
Francisco. 1t seems that on the night
OF the 10th of Nov, Gen Richardson
and Cora had had difficulty, which, to
all appearances, was arranged On Satnr-
day. Ga Saturday evening, abnu, 6
o clock, the parties met at the "Cosmo-
pol'tan. on Montgomery st., between
Clay and Commercial, where the diff
Guilty Of the previous evening had oc :.
Cured. After some conversation, and
a, abou. half-past six o'clock they walk =.
ed arm in arm down Clay ST., un,ll they
reached the building once known as God
ofitey Il Sl!lem's, and at presen, occupied
by Fox and O. Conner. Here, i'll front
Of the hr,, door they stopped and had
some conversation, aportion of whic h
was overheard by different parties, and
all, uncontradicted as it now is, going
To show tina, one of the most wanton and
deliberate murders on record was perpe-
t,a,ed. Richardson was understood TO
ask # j, was all right. The reply was in
tone passed A pistol was seen 10 one
oil Cora's hands, whilst with the other he
gra.ped Richardson by the throat. and
showed him into the door. richardson
was then heard to demonstrate agalns,
his firing. stating that he was nnarmed
Cora. with his pistol against Richard
son's S breast, fred, held hun up for mo.
meut. and then let him down on The side
walk aud slowly walked up Cla, ST.
when. the alarm haviny been gwen. he
vas arrested without the least resistance
Those who FIRST reached the pr,strate
form OF Gen. Richardson found him !,
my upon his face, with his head towards
the street, aud hts feet on the door.sil
4 ledied pistol Was lying near his hand
and soon alter bowie-knife, recognized
as the property of Ger. Richardson. was
handed by an unknown boy to police
officer, which the boy had apparently
picked up from the curb-stone. These
two incidents are OF grea, importance. -
1t also appears that Immediately alter the
alarm, a stranger was observed running
down from the corner Of Clay ST., with \
pistol, and a startling developement 'tis
said, will be made, TO the effect that Gen
K ichardson lost both his knife and his
pistol on the previous night. Ii this
should prove to be 50. il will at once ex-
plan the manner in which the knife and
pistol came TO be fo1nd where they were
as well as the extraordinary declaration
of Gen. Richardson, that he was uaarn-
ed II they should have been placed
there by other hands. it would give the
last touch to the b.ackness of the deed.
Immediately after the COMMISSION OF
the bloody deed, the news spread like
wldfre, and an immense con course of Gil.
,zens was soon collected. For brief pc
riod all seemed appalled,. but presently
some one cried ou,-"hang him hang
him J" On The person Of the priSonc
two pistols were found, one loaded and
the other ualoaded. He was somewhat
ag,,a,ed. and accounted for the act, by
stating tina, he was afraid Richardson in.
tended to kill him. Afterward he SAID
tha, Richar ison had drawn first bowie.
knife and then pistol upon him, aud
tn at he fred in "seIf.defence -
At an early hour Of the night. Mar
shall North epprehending tina. the Sta
,ion House was no. sufficiently secure,
had the prisoner conveyed to the County
Jail. An inquest has been held. and re-
por, that Richardson came to his death al
the hands of Chas. Cora. The death OF
Gen. Richardson has fallen upon the
whole community with the most appall
ing horror. Not only has noble spirit
been inhumanIy hurled into another
world. not only has loving wife been
reduced almost 10 the portals Of the
grave and an infant rendered fatherless
by the act, bu, every member Of the com.
mun,y is startled by lhe reflection that he
or she may not know at wha, hour the,
may similarly suffer. Gen. Richardson
was shot in the presence ofthe Governor
John Bigelow- Of this State.
the MURDER or NEssRs. WALL AND