Butte record., 1856-08-02
The Shooting of DIR. Randall.

The Town Talk, after mentioning the cir
cumstances which led to the assault upon
Dr. Randall by Hetherington, already pub
lished, says:
He returned to the city at 12 o'clock yes
! terday, in order to attend to some law busi-
ness, and at 3 o'clock wrote some instructions
in Judge Sutherland's Office, his attorney, in
order that that gentleman might proceed
that night to Benicia to attend to some law
affairs. He went thence to the s.. Nicholas
Hotel, where he arrived just previous to
o'clock. In the room were Col Gift, Judge
McCorkle, and Mr.. Taliaferro, conversing
between the desk and the window; Mr.
Casey, the proprietor of the hotel carriage,
leaning against the same; Mr.. Sheppard,
the book keeper, writing at his desk, and
Just beyond Col Bell and Mr.. Mckenzie,
State Prison Directors, and some other gen.
tlemen, one in conversation with the bar
keeper and one behind the bar.
Dr. Randall came up to the book-keeper.
who handed him two letters, remarking,
iocularly: g Doctor, | have two letters for
you, which I'll give you if you'll give me two
bits" To which the Dr. replied, in his usu
al manner, "rll see--I don't think they're
worth il - but opening one, he remarked;
the register of the hotel, which is on a swivel
on the counter, round. and wrote his name,
and afterwards read his letter, still retain
ing his position. A few seconds thereafter
Hetherington entered, and approaching the
counter seized Dr. K. by his beard, which
is very long, and said: s. Cd damn you, Eve
got you now :" at the same time twisting the
Doctor round, facing the northern wall
The DR. Immediately drew his pistol, but
before he could use it Hetherington fred
the ball passing close by Mr.. Sheppard, and
entering the wall adjoining the safe. The
residue of the affray occurred instantane-
ously: both fired, and Hetherington kept on
firing in rapid succession. The smoke CO
vered the parties, and the gentlemen in 'the
room we're panic struck-the balls whistling
around them so quickly that fears were en-
tertaned that each would be shot. DR.. Ran
dali crouched round inside of the counter,
Hetherington still firing when he got there.
Hetherington bent over the counter, and
fired his fifth and last shot at the Doctors
head the ball entering the left temple, and
lodged, as is presumed, on the base of the
brain, infcting a mortal wound Drs. To-
land and Hewlett were in immediate attend
ance, but, from the character of the wound,
recovery is impossible. DR.. Randall remain
ed insens; ble. which is gratifying, for, hang
ing between life and death by a thread, he
is cut of pain His right side was immedi-
ately paralyzed, whicn leads to the supposi-
tion that the ball lodged near the spinal
connection.
Hetherington was Immediately secured and
conveyed to the Vigilance Committee Rooms
So panic struck were all present, it was not
until Mr. Sheppards cries that Dr. Randall
was murdered the aid came forward to raise
him from the floor, and convey him, bleeding
and insensible, to an upper room.
The excitement spread outside rapidly,
the noise of the shooting causing many to
rush to the spot, and soon hundreds of in
quiring and curious persons gathered a
round, aud for hours the place was the CEN
trail point of attraction to all our citizens.
The balls, judging from the one picked
from the wall, were half an ounce in weight.
The south wall shows one shot, the north
wall, adjoining the door to the private en-
trance, another, and the east casing of the
door a third, while a fourth passed through
the desk supporting :hc register and the
book itself, within a hairs breadth of kill
ing the book keeper. Fortunately no shots
were fired to the southeast, or the gentle
men sitting there would have been shot
one at least, if not all.
Both pistols were obtained by the Vigi
lance Committee, and frtm Dr. Randall-s
only one chamber was empty. Ilethering-
tons were all discharged.
1t is represented that lIetherington has
been driven out of his mind by reverses,
particularly in regard to DR.. Randall's
transactions, he seeming to think the Doctor
desired to cheat him.