The Placer herald., 1858-02-20
A Citixen Murdered-the Jail broken open
by Mob and the Murderer hung.

Our town was the scene OF great excite
ment on Thursday afternoon and night caus-
ed by the murder Of one Of our oldest citi-
Gems and the subsequent breaking open Of
the Jail and the hanging Of the culprit by a
mob. The details of the tragedy so far as
We have been able to gather them, are as
follows: Mr. James Murphy, (he murdered
many was the proprietor of piece Of land
on the outskirts Of town that adjoned a small
ranch claimed by negro named Aaron
Bracey. Murphy had lately enlarged his
tract. by purchasing a strip Of land from the
negro, and upon the day Of the tragedy,
Bracey was engaged in digging post holes,
as we are informed, upon the land he had
recently sold. Mr.. Murphy having observed
that work was being done near the respec-
tive boundaries, went to the place, when
shortly afterwards the negro came to the
Court House seeking the officers, wanting
to deliver himself up, stating that he had
struck Murphy with pick, and believed he
had hurt him badly. Several Of the officers
and a number of other persons hastened i'm
mediatey to the place indicated by Bracey,
where the found Mr.. Murphy lying upon the
ground, in great agony, with his hands clasp
ed upon dreadful wound on the back Of
his head, through which blood and brains
we're issuing. lie had been struck with one
Of the points Of the pick, which had crush
ed through the skull and penetrated deep in
the brain. He was Immediately conveyed
to his residence, when the wound was ex-
smined and dressed by several physicians
The wound was probed two inches and a
halfin depth, and a number of fragments Of
the skull taken out that had been spintered
of. Although far gone and very weak, Mr.
Murphy was entirely conscious, and after the
dressing of the wound bis affirmation Of the
circumstances was taken by justice Love;
the substance of which was, that he had
gone upon the ground, had had converse
ton with Bracey, but no quarrel, and was in
the act Of leaving, not apprehending any yio-
lence, when the negro struck him the blow
with the pick. From the location of the
wound (being on the back of the head) it is
certain that Murphy received the blow when
his back was turned. The negro's statement
was, that in raising the pick to strike, it slip
ped from his hand and inflicted wound he
did not intend. This was palpably a false
hood, as it was but too evident the blow was
given with willing and sure hand-the as
sassin made but too sure Of his victim.
Upon dressing the wound considerable
amount of the brain came out. The hole in
the skull was about the size Of dollar.
Notwithstanding the dreadful character of
the wound, the sufferer is yet alive, but there
is no possibility Of his living. The physicians
say that, he may survive several days
but his death is looked for at every moment.
Thus has another victim been added to the
long and fearful catalogue of California
crime. The husband and the father, use
fu and energetic citizen, is cut down by an
sssassin's hand in the full prime and pride of
manhood. In an unsuspecting moment the
stea|thy hand Of murder has placed the
death-seal upon the brow Of him who was
thejoy of happy household, and robbed
community Of valuable member. Is it to
be wondered at then, in case like this, that
the public mind should have become greatly
excited, and the feelings Of sympathsing
friends break over the restraints imposed by
the laws, and embark in the summary pro-
ceedings that were afterward enacted.
The negro on giving himself up was pla-
ced in Jail. No immediate violence was Of
ferred, and although all believed he deserved
to be punished with death, no action Of
violent nature seemed to he in progress.
In the evening Sheriff King became appre-
hensive that an attempt would be made to
take Bracey from the Jail by violence, and
thought Of summoning posse to resist
such an attempt; but having taken every
means, with the aid of his officers and others,
to ascertain the state of public feeling, and
finding no demonstrations, either by words or
action, of a resort to violent measures (the
town throughout the evening having its
usual quiet and order, he saw no occasion
for such move.
In the early part of the evening" rumor
gained currency that Bracey had been re-
moved from Jail by the Sheriff, and the
friends Of Mr.. Murphy were considerably ex-
cited. But upon the Sheriff taking one Of
their number to the Jail, ane showing him
that the prisoner was securely locked in