The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-07-02
THE SUICIDE or YANK EE sULI.IyAN
Further PRrllcnlnrn.

Wv s~" s"s sSSuSs Jush tu6Cte0 san Ef4nc1o-
CO. The san Francisco Bulletin, of the 3lst says
This morning about six O'Clock Sullivan called
the guard, and asked for drink ofwa,er. He tnld
the latter that be had jus, had most horrd dream
He dreamed that he had been condemned to die
he saw the guards approach--ihey seized him and
pinioned his arms-they led hins to the fatal win
dow-the rope was placed round his nrck-he
stepped on the platform, he saw the deridinS
crowd, his sins crowded upon him--the platform
fell. he strusged-and awoke in the most frightfuI
state OF mind. The guard reasoned with him. and
tried to cheer him He said that the COMMITTEES
did not mean to hang him, but only to send him
out of the country. Sullivan, however. was too
much frightened to accept, at first, the friendly
consolation. He received the drink of water that
he ask ed for and after time appeared to be more
cheerful. The guard then left him About two
hours later, when Sullivan's breakfast was being
carried into his room, the prisoner va. found on
| his bed dead. He was dressed in his pantzloons
and shirt, and lay extended on his back He had
cut his left arm at the elbow joint on the inside to
the bone. The main artery was completely sever
ed, aud he must have died in a few minutes after
wards. He inflicted the wound with the knife
which he used TO cut his food with. -
The body was cold at this time 40 that it is pro.
bable Sullivan committed the rash act immediate
ly after the guard had left him. at six o'clock Re
n.rse and terror, produced by his dream, had no
doub. prompted the suicide Two medical entle-
| men ere Immediately called in who declared that
Sullivan had been dead for some time, and that
he could have suffered no pain. He had fallen as
it ere into faint, aud in that condition expired.
The cuuntenance of tie deceased showed no marks
of pain. ,tA e 81 rr -1f
On the LIST of June an inquest was held, and the
wife of Sullivan gave her testimony rs follows:
Emily May Sullivan, sworn-I am the widow of
one Francis Murray alias James Sullivan, now de.
ceased, have been married to him for the last
fourteen mon tbs; married by German cer-
gyman in this city; we have lived together in this
city and in the Sandwich Islands; he was a native
n.xl 4hnl lat inn bat
saw him alive was about u oclock, NJ on Fri
day last; he was then confined in cell in the Wig
lance Committee building, on Sacramento street,
he told me then the Committee were going 10 hang
him on the following day: he looked at my wed
ding ring my finger, and stated that it was the
first present he bad given me, and then took
diamond ring out of his pocket and handed me,
saving that it would be the last, as he was posi-
tive be would be hung the next day. as he had
heard the guard outside the cell say so; told him
not to be afraid that they were not going to hang
him; he did not seem to be much depressed in
spirits he appeared as usual the last time l SAW
him. he always was afraid OF committing suickle;
one day was reading something in a newspaper
about some person having committed suicide, and
he remarked that he would never do so as If he
did he would not obtain the rites of his church. he
being Catholic; Mr.. Sullivan intended 10 go
away from the country at the time he was arrest
ed by the Vigilance COMMITTEES; the day of his
rest be gave directions to pack up all bis
clothes, also myS own, as he was going to leave the
country for good .s-..
INCIDENTS OF HIS LIFE. .s..-.-
James Sullivan is native of England and was
in early life transported to Sydney Tor theft He
arrived in New York while quite young, and was
at once recognized distinguished English
prize fighter. Upon his arrival there he opened
what called the ''Sawdust house." and gave
out that he reposing upon his laures, aBd
could not be successfully disturbed.
He made his escape from Si1ney on the ship Cit
izen, Capt. Lansing, to New Zealand From
thence he went to Sag Harbor, in the ship Hamil'
ton, Capt. Hearn This as in the year 1889 He
received the appeatiOn of Yankee" from wear
ing handkerchief with the American flag pain
ted on it in one of his great prize fights in England
before be was transported to Sydney.
e HIS FIGHTS.
The first prize fight in which he as engaged in
this country was with Vincent Hammond, on the
goth of September. le4l, near Philadeiphia, for
800 a side, and which he won in ten minutes. He
next fought Tom Hyer, eight days afterwards,
and was beaten after a contest of TWO hours and
fifty five minutes His third fight was with man
10y the name of Secor, on the 22d January, ls42,
for $500 side, and in which be was the victor At
ter slxty.seven rounds. The fourth with
Bell, on the 29th August, le42, in which Sullivan
came off first best after thirty-fve minutes. He
afterwards iu le47. fought with an Engiishman
who came over TO contend for the laurels which
Sullivan had achieved but they still remained
upon the brow of Yankee, if we may be allowed
such an application of the word. His next and
sixth contest was with Tom Hyer again, at Rock
Point, Md, on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake
Bay for $4,000 In this battle, Sullivan WAS badly
beaten in seventeen minutes He subsequently
fought John Morrissey at Boston Corners, Mass,
and was declared the victor. Since then he has
spent most of his time iu California where he has
been engaged in some few skirmishes of little i'm
portance He was one of those loungers who
never do days work, but always manage to live
well from the products of others The last dollar
he was known to earn, was to act as Inspector at
the Preside election last fall. for which position
he vas selected on account of bis physical ability
to defend a double bottom box, or keep off honest
citizens. while other thieves changed all the votes,
in accordance with the bids which the candidates
might make.
HIS COMPASSION
From them we learn that during his confue.
ment he has been quite uneasy to the diBposi-
tion which would be made with him, and has been
restless and eating but little. During all his con-
tinsment he has been Very penitent for hs con-
duct and expressed determinations to reform if he
should be liberated He has made free and unre
served confession of his crimes and rowdysms.
and disclosed, far as possible, the connection OF
his accomplices. He has been assured, ever since
his arrest that he should not be hung, as the CON-
mittee would not execute any man for a crime
that the law of the land would not do the same for
But he was informed that he would be sent out OF
the country. -,
lie had great reluctance about going to Sydney,
and frequently begged of a member OF tie COM
mittee to intercede to have him sent to New York
He promised the member that if he could be seSt
to the Atlantic States he would avoid the large
cities, 90 back into the country, and give up fight
ing aud the of liquor. He very anxious
that he might be sent alone, as he said his old asso
cates would kill him for the revelations he had
made. He seemed to fear transportation with the
other prisoners there, and some rowdies not yet
captured, as much as he did death itself. The
comm ttee man agreed to do what he could for
him, but cauld not promise to secure all that he
asked
THE VIGILANCE COMMITTEE.
The San Francisco Herald says it has ascertain-
ed the names of the secret oligarchy called the Vi
GLANCE Executive Committee, of twenty .nine who
have usurped the power Of government in that
city. They follows:
Ofeers.--Judge, J p Marrow. property holder
Secretary, - Bluxome Legal Adviser, L w
PARK; Grand Marshal, Charles Doane Door keep
| or, A NJ Burns
E1ernftrc Commiuee..-Wm Coleman, Presi.
dent, merchants VIM Arlington, merchant; Myers
| Trneft, merchant; G b Post merchant; Il L.
Smiley, merchant and auctoneer; James Dow es
| merchant; tHquor dea'er;) X M Jessup merchant;
q Case, merchant; II Cogbill, merchant; w II
TilIiDghast, merchant; J B Farewell, merchant; Il
| ii Washburn, merchant and auctioneer; -; III
| ali merchanf. w u