Weekly Trinity journal., 1873-03-22
NCKEER.

:
tune. In these DAYS when hanging
for murder" is ia becoming "lost
art" it is almost refreshing to hear of
the speedy punishment Of a red handed
murderer, who, had he been allowed the
benefit Of the laws delays, might have
eventually cheated the devil of his due
for time at least. The hanging of Matt
Tarpcy, cowardly bully, for the murder
Of Mrs Nicholson, a peaceable and re-
spetable woman, at Watsonville, is case
which, although unjustfable from legal
point Of view, will receive the sanction OF
nearly all who read the sickening details
of the horrible crime. From lengthy
account in the San Francisco Chronicle
of March 18th, we condense the following:
Talpey had sold some land to Mr.. and
Mrs. Nicholson, in the vicinity Of Wat
sonville, Santa Cruz county. Mr.. Mich
olson works in San Francisco and his
wife lived on the farm. Tarpey, for some
reason, wished to drive the Nicholsons
from the place and to this end moved a
house from his own land, which adjoined,
on TO that Of Nicholson and sent man
to live in it. Mrs. Nicholson, acting un-
der the advice Of lawyer, took posses
sion Of the house, together with young
man of her acquaintance, whom she sent
for, and boy who helped her on the
farm. We now Use the Chronicle cor
respondents words {:
"Thcy had hardly got into the house
on Thursday morning before Peterson,
the German to whom Tarpcy had leased
the premises, came riding into the yard
and, to his surprise, found The promises
occupied. He demanded possession, but
the lady, with bold front, told him she
was in possession and he could not come
in. If he had any grievance he must go
TO to Taipey. The German, not wishing
to have any trouble, rode of and went to
town and told Tarpey what had happened.
That evening TaIpoy buckled on Il six
for Mrs. Nicholson's place. On the way
he stopped and borrowed double-bar
relied shot gun in addition to his other
arms. lie got to the place about o'cock
on Friday morning, and bivouacied on
his own land but near the road side. The
place he selected was behind Il large oak
tree. Here he intrenched himself behind
huge log that lay on the ground, dig
ging n hole in the ground to sink his feet,
50 that the log completely obscured his
body. The erection of this barricade
took lin perhaps an hour. After it was
done he got himself in it and prepared
to wait for daylight so that he might open
hostilties. Meanwhile the occupants Of
the little house were in ignorance Of what
was going on. They were asleep, and
little dreaming Of how sudden was to be
their waking. Sitting there in his forti-
cation in the middle Of the night, TaIpcy
probably thought it would be good thing
to stir up the occupants Of the house any
how. So he picked up the Henry rifle
and fired six Or seven shots right into the
house IN rapid succession. The effect
was like magic-M Mrs. Nicholson, Mr..
O'Neill and the boy rushed out of bed
and out OF door. in terrible fright, and
made for their own house, quarter Of Il
mile away. They knew what the trouble
was, knew lhat Talpey had come to dive
them out, and as they had no arms they
retreated. Having performed this gal
liant deed Talpey sat quietly in his barri-
cade until daylight. Next morning about
six o'clock Mrs. Nichol-on got breakfast
in her own house, and after breakfast She
said to O'Neill, Let me go up to the
other house and see where Tarpeys bull
lets struck and get our things. After
that will go into town and see if we can't
punish him for firing into a house that
way" Accordingly the two, with the
boy, started up the road without the
slightest apprehension that Tarpcy was
in the neighborhood. They had no arms
and had not the slightest apprehension of
danger. When within about thirty yards
of the house Tarpey suddenly rose up
from his ambush and stepped out into the
roadway, gun in hand. Mrs. Nicholson
gave n start and graspcd Mr.. O'Ncill's
arm, bat recovering herself she said,
" Good morning, Mr.. Talpey." The viii
loin's only reply was, " Now, you ID
W, I've got you :" and raising the
shotgun he pulled the trigger. The cap
snapped Seeing this the poor woman
screamed, " For Gods sake, Mr.. Tarpcy,
take the whole thing, but do not murder
me-" But Tarpey took aim again and
the cap snapped. The terrified woman
seized hold Of Mr.. O'Neill and said,
" Come, let us run hem kill us both. "
She turned to run, but rs she did so the
heartlcss brute took aim again, and this
time the gun went off. Mrs. Nicholson
fell dead, utteIing but one piercing Shrek.
Nine bullets had penetrated her back,
one Of them going straight through the
heart. ONeill went toward the PROSTATE
woman to pick her up, but had advanced
only a few steps, when the boy shouted,
Look out he is going to shoot you.''
To save himself O'Ncil fled and a shot
sped after him, but did not take effect.
Tarpey then turned to the boy and said
Look out; | am going to shoot you,
too," but the lad took to his heels, and
Tarpey did not fire. Mrs Nicholson lay
dead ON the spot where she had fallen
and Talpey approached her to finish hi,
work if anything remained to do. Iil
carried the muzzle of his gun pointed to.
ward her, and by his own account he
brushed her hair back and scrutinizcd
her face. The appearance Of her eye:
told him that she was dead. lie left the
body OF his victim lying there in the road
way alone and unattended. He went
bacl, to his ambush and got his Hen.
ry rifle Che used the shotgun to commit
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