San Andreas independent., 1857-03-07
Pardon of Stonecffer.

j. Nicely johnson has again exhibited
weakness, and manifested his privilege
by pardoning one of the most consummate
scoundrels ever convicted of murder in this
State. It would seem our imbecile Gov
ernor, and the notorious James Estell, are
each, in spirit of positive rivalry, trying
which can do the most to increase the
number of murderers and cut throats IN
our midst. Thousands of dollars are an
nually expended to arrest criminals, and
convict the numerous shoot and stab"
brutes, whose villainous acts have made
this State "by-word for shame and dam
ger;" these midnight, daylight, street and
parlor assassins commit murder with i'm
punity; these God-forsaken outlaws who
are ready with bowie-knife and pistol to
earn fee, or crafty their thirst for blood,
are thus supported and encouraged in their
deeds by Executive officers of the law
The murderer knows that the friendly and
sympathetic aid of the Governor, or the
State Prison Superintendent, will rescue
him in the last extremity. The assassin
plunges the bowie-knife boldly into his
victim, yhen avealthy and selfsu6icient
monopoly tells han, to do 1t, because he
believes that if he fails in all other re-
sources to avoid punishment, the pardon
ing power of the Governor, in the last
extremity, will save him. The money of
the "California Stage Company" has saved
this murderer's neck Stonecifer was their
runner, he was the i" shoot-and- stab" busi-
ness man of that institution; the man
most impregnable points of "the opposi-
tion"-his business was to " bluff off"
the most popular and effective runners of
the other line" of stages. Mr. Rich
ardson, one of the proprietors of the "oppo-
sition,' was a gentleman of quiet mien
and prepossessing manners, endeared to
his friends and family, and well liked by
the community - his kindness and be-
nevolence and system of doing business,
were not to be competed with by runners
of Stonecifer's character, so it was re-
solved to remove him. The deed was
done by three cut-throat runners, in the
employ of the California Stage Company.
The Sacramento Union, paper favorable to
the pardon of Stonecifer, thus admits the fact:
Stonecifer and the deceased were both run
ners-the former for the California Stage Com
pany and the latter for the opposition line. On
the morning of the day on which the fatal blow
was struck, an alteration occurred on the levee
between John Huckins and Frank Cashell, both
of whom were runnerS-the former in the inter-
est of the line with which Richardson was con-
nected and the latter in the employ Of the Cali
fornia Stage Company. Just at this time Phil
Smith, co-runner, with Cashel stepped up
and ordered Huckins to leave the levee. The
latter retreated and endeavored to draw pis-
tol but was anticipated by Smith, who drew
his revolver, (or obtained one from Stonecifer,
who was standing by,) thrust it into Hucbins
face, knocked him down, and, afterwards taking
head Huckins then left the leyee and went to
the Merchants Hotel, on K street, where Rich
ardson was. The latter Immediately proceeded
to the levee and entered upon the discharge of
his duties as runner, according to the mode then
pursued. Soon after he was accosted by Smith,
who, besides using abusive language, endeav-
ored, apparently, to provoke fight by treadlng
upon his toes and occasionally making mo-
ton as though in the act of drawing pistol.
Richardson, meanwhile, kept retreating, and
finally lifted piece of board with his foot, and
grasping it, struck Smith, breaking his jaw and
telling him instantly. At the instant almost,
he seized by Cashell and stabbed by Stone
cifer The deceased having freed himself from
both, Stonecifer fed across Front street into
the United States Hotel, closely pursued by de-
ceased, who still retained the stick and welded
it in threatening manner. As deceased was
passing out upon the sidewalk, Stonecifer
again stabbed him, or made a motion as
though so doing,) remarking that he thought
he would finish him. Richardson was taken
thence to the Merchants Hotel, where, upon
examination it was discovered that he had been
stabbed in four different places. Stonecifer,
Smith and Cashell, were Immediately arrested.
Richardson died on the 23d October, seventeen
days after the occurrence"
The Sacramento Bee in commenting on this
pardon says
Governor Johnson has committed an act
which should cause his cheek to tinge with
shame. We allude to his unconditional pardon
of the murderer Stonecifer Had he COM
muted his punishment from death to imprison-
ment, the public might have had some patience
with the act but, here we have turned loose
upon the community, by shameless stretch of
the Executive clemency, man who was fairly
and impartially tried by jury of honest men,
convicted of willful murder, and sentenced to
die. The highest Court in the land had been
appealed to, to save him, and so plain and pal
pable was his guilt, that that tribunal had di-
,rected that the sentence of the Court below
should be carried into execution. Gov John
son steps in and pretends to know better than
nd the Court yrh ich tcind hin,