Daily national Democrat., 1858-12-08
COLUMBIA, Dec. 4th.

The following is a letter published in the
Alta:
COLUMBIA, Dec 4th.
The all absorbing topic at present is the
hanging of Harrison Morgan alias Parrott
yesterday, Immediately after concluding the
evidence before Justices Lfora and Dodge,
of Sonora, and Justice Hopkins, of Shaw's
Flat.
The prisoner (Morgan)was examined and
closely questioned, and said he "came from
Forest Hill, Placer county where he owned
u saloon, which he left in charge of a friend,
and came to Columbia with Dutchman,
named Miller H. Walker. lie was near the
spot where Leary was killed, but not engaged
in the killing.
Wallace said that he was thief, and that
Morgan, the Dutchman and himself belonged
to gang which subsisted on robbing, DC.
Morgan. understand, told Mr. Muller that he
would kill any officer rather than be taken" ="
Wallace also said that he and Morgan were
sent to the State Prison from Calaveras coun-
ty, for stealing horses in 1855.
The Justices ordered the men sent back to
Sonora Jail, and requested the citizens to
withdraw from the court house, which they
did. Seven officers bad charge Of the prison
ers, including Sheriff Sedgwick and Deputy
Mcfarland. All prepared to leave the court
room, Mr.. Parker and 'Deputy Mcfarland
Ieading Morgan. There was great crowd
outside, which was very orderly, 50 much 50
that the officers did not expect any diff
Guilty,
AS they passed out the crowd made rush
for Morgan. The officers struggled manfully
to keep him, butte no purpose; they got him
and Immediately rlsl e up Broadway to the
high fume on the Gold Springs road, where
they hung him in quick order, hosting him
up and letting him drop again until dead. !
am informed by person who was near the
prisoner, that no struggle was perceptible,
he only saying God have mercy on my
soull Oh! my dear father ami mother" In
the meantime the officers succeeded in getting
Wallace in the Sheriifs buggy, which was
standing before the door, Mr. Jas. Mcdonald
the stage agent holding the reins, and drove
off at dead run James McD. kindly 0d-
vised the prisoner to jump out and run, but
he said he would rather take his chances in
the Jail. He said he was bad man, and
promised to make IA clean breast of all.
The funeral of Mr.. John Leary, the mur-
dered man, was decidedly the largest one
ever in Tuolumne county; there were oven
nine hundred men in the procession.
The Tuolumne Courier thus comments on
the occurrence:
Life and property have become insecure
and no longer men may pass from their en-
plOyments to their homes without again, as
of old, arnfng themselves with implements Of
death The wretches who have prowled
about us have eluded the vigilance Of our
oihcers and escaped the search of the bands
OF citizens, who have for weeks been hunting
after them, until men have come to think
that the number of the outlaws and theil
pans and modes of action were beyond all
apprehension In this feversh state of pub
Tic ieeling-under the accumulation of vii
Ialnles, and with the blood of good and true
men reeking in our faces, public outburs
mas taken place, and summary vengeance an
uclpated the action of the law. We deplort
IT, mourn overit but we ask the charitable
consideration of all men, all law loving men
Tor the course our citizens have taken. Lei
ahem not be condemned too harshly, but
through the excess of the enormities that
have been cast upon them, let them find som'
measure of pallation.
I'VE say to thieves State Prison convcts
assassins and all other villains, avoid this 10
cality A peace-loving, law-abidhg people
have been driven to despair and cannot, anc
will not be trifed with"