Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-06-26

The Execution IN Carson Valley.
We are no apOlogist for those bodies Ofmen
Who in violation Of law, assume the power
and right 10 themselves to become the exccu-
TONERS Of offenders. Where laws exist and
resort can be had to established legal tribu'
mails, to secure the punishment Of those who
violate the law, we can scarcely imagine such
q state Of affairs as would justify good citizens
in refusal to apply to the Courts Of Justice
and to them alone, for protection against the
acts Of the lAwless. But il ever mon were 80
situated as to be excusable in taking into their
own hands the protection Of their persons and
property, and il need be so doing, to take the
life Of the outlaws, the people Of Honey Lake
and Carson Valleys are that people.
Lucky Bill was we'll known in this city
his reputation being that Of an associate Of
the lawless and disOlute, but Of integrity in
his pecuniary matters Knowing but little Of
the character Of the men who testified against
him, and less of the real facts and circumstan-
ccs which induced the peoples jury to declare
his life forfeited and his neighbors to execute
that verdict, we shall refrain from comment
at present upon the testimony as published.
Many Of the men who were connected with
his arrest, trial and punishment are known to
us as gentlemen Of great moral worth, op'
posed to mob violence, and we are confident
that they adopted their extreme measure only
under sense Of the imperative necessity Of
Kidding their community Of those whose pres
ence in their midst endangered their own
safety. They are residents Of Territory.
large portion Of the inhabitants Of which arc
in open rebellion against the Government Of
the United States, in which there are no reg
ularly constituted Courts, unless it be that
Court whieh is said to accompany and be de-
Tended by the army under Col johnson. At
all events, there are no Courts to which it
would be possible for the citizens to apply for
redress. Horrible murders, murders for gain,
for money, are committed among them. They
seize the man who cOnfesses that he has bar.
bored and protected the murderers, and
against whom the evidence Of participation in
the commission of the deed Of blood itself il
strong. They further prove upon him that
he is the employer Of assasSins and has offer
ed large sums to any ono who would take the
lives Of some Of the most respected Of their
number. They give him such trial as the
circumstances BY which they arc surrounded
will permit and that trial is conducted with
fairness and deliberation. He is adjudged
guilty, and they take his life. "What else
could we do ~" asks ono Of their number in
his letter to US.
Having determined upon his arrest and trial
if the proof were sufficient, they could do no.
thing but execute him. By his arrest he be-
came the more cmbittered against them, and
his discharge would have lost many valuable
lives in all probability. But in saying this,
VIC are aware that We use one Of the strongest
arguments against the action Of ell such or.
CARNATIONS. They are almost compelled to
adjudgc guilty those whom they arrest because
Of the danger they incur by discharging re.
vengcful and rcsolutc man, whom they SUBJ
jcctcd to their power. We hope that the nc.
cessity for other action by those citizens may
never again exist, and that Territorial gov.
crnment will soon relieve them from their
present anomalous and embarras ing situa-
ton.