The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-09-13
tmPer'ass frsm Califersta-The last Execp-,
items of the Vigilance Cemuittee. isqs.ai

On the 24th of July, DR.. A eRandall,I
San Francisco, was brutality murdered i
that city by notorious individual name
Joseph Hetherington. The cause Of the al
sault is said to have been an unsettled ir
debtedness of Randall to Hetherington, 70
borrowed money upon some real estate
WHICH the former was unable to meet. Th
mortgages had already been forcciosed, an
much Of the valuable property of the Docto
in different parts Of the State, principall
ranches, was pledged to secure this debt
Fhe parties were formerly intimate friends
and have transacted considerable business to
gether. But since the Doctor became una
bic to meet promptly his demands, 9 cold
ness has grown up between them, which ha
caused much yindictiys abuse on the prt 9
Hetherington. .If -if
| The Doctor, it seems, anticipated an as
sault. The, followlng account of the affiay
which resulted in DR.. RandaIl's death, W.
take from the Alta, July 25th:
1t seems that about half-past three o'clocl
the Doctor came down to the st. Nicholas
where he has rooms, and was pursued by
Hetherington and some friends, who kept a
some distance from him. The Doctor enter
ed the hotel, placed his cane upon the regis
ter, and took a couple Of letters that hao
been left at'the Clerks Office for him. and
was reading ne of them when sHetherngtor
came into the bar-roOm, and stepping up tu
the Doctor took him by the whiskers, which
are very long, and pulled him so violently
and fOrcibly as to move him five or six feet
from where he was standing. In an instant
both drew revolyers and commenced firing
Il is difficult to tell which fired first, as the
whole movement was consummated in an in
slant. Some Of the eye witnesses are of opn-
ion that lletherington fred the first shot,
and others were confident that they were ST.
multaneous, while others claim that the Doc
tor was the first to ethe pistol. All, how
ever, agree that the first assault was made
by Hetherington, by pulling the beard of his
opponent. After each had fred shot, pei-
ther of which effect, the Doctor ran behind
the counter where the clerk Yas standing,
and the firing continued from both parties.
After the second shot d.. Randall dropped
down behind the bar, when Hetherington
reached over, and putting his pistol near the
person of bis adversary, shot him through
the head. This was the only shot out offive
three by Hetheripgton and twoby Randall
that took effect. The ball enter ed the left
temple and lodged in the right lobe Of the
brain, ard rendered the patient almost in
stantly senseless. The right side was found
to be perfectly paraiized tom head to foot.
The DR.. A. Randall here alluded to as be-
ing murdered is no other than p gentleman
yell knogn to ths older settlers of Mime
sofa. In lS47 and '4S he was engaged up
on the Government Geological Survey of
Iowa, Wisconsin and our Territory, and in
the winter Of l848-9 he purchased print
ing Office in the city OF Cincinnati with a
view TO establish the Minnesota Register at
st. Paul. One number Of the Register was
published, when DR.. Randall sold out, and
turned his steps Calfornia-wards, where he
lived till the day of his death.
His murderer, Hetherinston, together with
another hardened villain named Brace, was
executed by the Vigilance Committee on the
18th Of July. - ~, =, 20. =, '.'i-s' %