The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-09-01

lllNI1NkNJlNlJ, NlAjlN-DA i !,
ADDITIONAL CALIFORNIA NEWS.
Execution or Tive Men BY tho visiInnl
Csmmiaes, &c, &C., Gc.
'th inst. Tho Vigilance Committee still existed,
though IL was believed that but for the murder Of
DR.. Randall Il would have disbanasd ~ 1t had
begun TO wind up lis affairs. It will now disbaad
AFTER deciding the case of Judge Terry. who 1t 10
thought, will be sent ont of the country. We take
the following account Of ths exciting events which
have transpired in San Francisco from the Alta
Californian Of that city:
THE MURDERS.
On the morning Of July 2sth, DR. A. Randall,
while standing In the St. Nicholas Hotel reading
letter. was seized by the whiskers by Joseph
Hetherington with whom difficulty had occurred,
and pulled violently about. In an instant both
drew,their revovers and commenced firing II is
dimcuit to tell which fired first, rs the whole
movement WAS contaminated in an instant
sorne Of the eye witnesses are Of opinion that
Hsthsrington fired the first shot, and others are
confident that they were simultaneous, while
others claim that the Doctor was the first to use
tho pistol. AL however, agree that the first as.
sault was made by Hethsringson, by pulling the
beard of his opponent. After each had frsd
shot, neither of which took effect the Doctor ran
behind the desk or counter where the clerk was
standing, and the firing continued from both par
ties. After the second shot DR.. Randall dropped
down behind the bar, when Hetheriugton reached
over, and putting his pistol the person of his
adversary, shot him through the head This was
the only shot cut of fve-three by Hetherinrton
and two by Randall-thst took effect The ball
entered the left temple and lodged in the right
lope Of the brain, and rendered the patient almost
instantly senseless. The right side was found to
be perfectly paralyzed from head to foot Randall
died in half an hour, and Hetherington who had
first been arrested by the police, was taken in
hand by the vigilant Committee Hatherington
had loaned DR.. K money and It not being paid
in due time, q GOODNESS had resulted betw cen
them, which had occasioned several insults from
FL. to Randall Hetheriugton killed DR.. Baldwin
In 1853 and was acquitted Philander Brace
murdered Capt. West in 1854, and afterwards
murdered one of the accomplices who aided him in
the murder.
EXCITEMENT IN THE MORNING.
BY some means it became known early In tho
morning that the execution of Joseph Hethering.
ton, the murderer Of DR.. BALDWIN, in 1853, and Of
DIR. Randall, on Thursday last. and Philander
Brace, the murderer of Captain West in 1854, and
the supposed murderer of Marion, an Acoomplice
Two days afterwards, wsud occur during the day,
and at an early hour people began to gather about
the rooms and their vicinity in anticipation of the
event. Sacramento street, from Montgomery down
to the rooms, was literally crowded with persons
passing up and down, who were anxious to ascsr.
tain at what particular moment the execution
would occur
THE TROOPS CALLED OUT.
BY 12 o'clock, several of the military companies
of the Committee were observed on the street,
seemingly preparing for duty. This appeared to
be an additional indication that ssmo action was
about to bo taken Of q serious nature The gath
ering upon Sacram street rapidly increased,
and all the thoroughfares leading to the rooms
were nearly blockaded with anxious spectators Of
the anticipated death scene. All business trsnsac-
tions were apparently suspended, and all eyes and
attention were fxcd upon the headquarters Of the
Committee From IL until the NEST active pre-
parstions we're being made by the military force
OF the Committee, to prepare for the duty OF acting
escort and guard. and the entire force of the
Committee were probably on duty, and 1t was esti.
mated shat not less than 5000 men were under
arms. Being anxious to know something Of the
situation Of the mind and feelings Of Hstherington
under bis sentence, visited the reems yesterday
in order 10 ascertain
HIS APPEARANCE REFoRE THE EXECUTION.
Through the poiteness Of the Executive Com
the prisoner at o'clock. from whom We gained his
opinion and statement Of the last crime charged
upon him.
We found him engaged In writing which he per-
formed without exhibiting the least excitement
He was apparently cool and collected ~ the
most Indifferent and uncsncsrned could be. He re-
marked that he should die - calmly ~ he appeared
while talking 10 us. He converted freely of all
the acts Of his lifs and particularly Of the killing
of DR.. Randall. He regarded it Is . very unfsr
tunate affair, but one which he could not avoid, a.
he forced into it by the hrst shot from his ad-
versary His yersicn Of the affair 10, that the Doe
tor drew first and hred shst before he did, and
that his first and the Doctors second were stimuli
tanesus. After firing twice, he says the Doctor
ran behind the counter, creuched down, rested his
pistol upon the edge Of the counter or desk, and
continued bis firing
This accounts for the shot which was fred
through the hstel register and up into the ceiling
overhead. One of the balls passed SO near his head
that it caused him suddenly to start back, as II he
WAS stunned; no dsss not look upon the affair =
murder and thinks he acted in self defence. He
blames tie Executive Committee for his convic.
tien, and says that he is ~ much above them ~
heaven is higher than earth. He defes any man
say aaght against his character since he lived in
San Fran cisco, and added that no man in this city
is better prepared to meet his Maker than he was.
He felt ready and prepared for the fate that await
cd him, and was veSy an1ious that the reporters
of the press would be present and report correctly
what he had to say on the scaffold, and he wanted
nothing added to it. He has made written state
meat Of tho tragedy, which he has placed in the
hands Of an attorney who will cause 1t to be pub.
lished. He entertained the opinien that his YER
aisn Of the affair, rs contained in this written
statement, would convince the world Of his limo
cence.
HIS NATIVITY AND ESTATE.
He informs US that he was born and raised In
Cum berand county, near Carlise, England, and
thinks he is about thirty Ave years Of age, but
not tell positively He has lived much Of his life in
St Louis and New Orleans, and has been in Cali,
fornia since 1850 He has no family relatives in
the United States, and never was married He is
possessed of an estate, which, he says, is q very
difficult one to settle, and which, for want of his
papers, that were stolen the day he was arrested,
be has been unable to do. He says 1t viii probably
amount to from $40, 600 to Goo He leaves his
business with Fletcher M. and Henry Haight,
who have been his counsel in this city and St.
Louis. he eontradicts the statement that has been
made to the effect that the indebtedness of Randall
was contracted by the purchase Of = judgment or
demands against him, but WAS money loaned. This
matter he will fully explain In his written state
ment 10 the public
He charges upon DIR. Randall a determination
to assassinate him, and that on several occasions
when they have met upon the street, Dr. Randall
had defantly placed his hand upon his pistol, and
apparently inviting . conflict He know the Dr.
to be constantly armed with . revolver, and also
two pocket derringers, which latter he carried in
his pantslsons pocket. He said he had been visited
during the morning BY several elersymen whs had
been very kind to him, and to whom he felt under
obligations. He, however, fslt that he was fully
prepared for the hour of DEATH but regretted that
it must be upon the galisrs
APPEARANCE OF BRACE.
The prisoner Brace appeared quite the reverse
all HathArinrtOn and m nfa ted neniteuca ar