Los Angeles daily herald., 1873-10-07
Yos Angeles Aerald.
Hanging Yankee Jim.

AN~oi" WI " iS"ioi nobic tTIui anu exc
cution: aEV #f t##I
Tn August 1862 there were three dis
agreeable men in San Diego, named
James Robinson alias "Yankee Jim,n
James GraysOn Loring and William
Harris. They hailed from the early
mining camps, and soon after their ar
rival came information of II reliable
character which pointed out Yankee
Jim as dangerous character. 1t was
said that he had loafed around various
mining camps, and, watching his op-
portunity, had pounced upon miners
III Out-Of-the-Way places, murdered
them and robbed them of their gold
and trinkets. AS long as he behaved
himself he was not mOlested here.
Yankee Jim was Il Canadian French
man, six feet and three or four inches.
in height and well developed physi-
cally. He had anything but a prepos-
sessing appearance and was stunned
by all respectable people.
STEALING A BoAT-GRAND LARCENY.
AT the time we speak of, Yankee
Jim and his two companions stole Il
boat here in the harbor, which they
afterwards deserted and turned adritt
outside the Heads. 1t belonged to JO-
seph G. Stewart and EnOs Wall, who
found their property few days after it
was stolen, washed up on the beach n
few miles down the coast.
THE TRIAL.
The three men were arrested and ar
raigned before what was at that time
known as the Court of Sessions, on
charge of grand larceny. This Court
of Sessions consisted of the County
Judge, John Hays, presiding, with
two Justices of the Peace. JudsOn
Ames and William T. COnlOn.
James w. Robinson father OF Hon.
VIM. N. Robinson, was at that time
District Attorney, and conducted the
prosecution. AgostOn HarasZthy was
Sheriff, and Philip Crosthwaite, our
present Deputy Sheriff, acted in the
double capacity of Clerk of the Court
and Under Sheriff.
Yankee Jim was tried and convicted
of grand larceny.
THE JURY.
The following persons served as jul
rors in the trial: Cave j. Couts, fore
man; Albert Il. Smith, Thomas Fox,
VIM. COnrOy, Philip HoOf, Abel Wat
kinsOn, John &. Stewart, EnOs Wall,
George WassOn, James Donahue, G..
{. Varney, Charles Lloyd.
THE VERDICT.
The following is the verdict, as taken
from the records of the Court:
" Your jurors i'm the within case of
James Robinson, have the honor to re-
turn a verdict of Guilty" and to
therefore sentence him, James Robin
son, to be hanged by the neck until
dead.' CAVE j. CoUTs,
Foreman Of Jury.
FINAL SENTENCE BY THE COURT.
Judge Hays addressed the prisoner
as follows:
" You, James Robinson, have been
tried by Il jury OfyOur cOuntrymen, Sc
lected by yourself, for grand larceny,
and found guilty of the same, and the
jury affixed the punishment of death
rs the penalty. You are now brought
before the Court to hear the final SEN
~tence of the law pronouneS9rby the
Court. Have you anything to say why
the sentence should not now be pro
nOunced? n pauSe) Having none
the Court order, adjudge and decree
that you, James Robinson, be taken t6
the Jail of the county of San Diego
and put i'm the custody of the Sheriff O
said county, there to be safely ant
securely kept until Saturday, the lStl
day of September next. Between the
hours of ID o'clock A. NJ. and o. clock
T.. NJ, you will be taken from thence
by the Sheriff of said county to the
place of execution, and there hung by
the neck until you are dead"
PREPARING FOR DEATH.
Yankee Jim thought, up to the mo-
ment he was swung off into eternity
that they would not hang him. HI
did not object to the two men, Stewar
and Wall, from whom he stole th'
boat, sitting on the jury. He probably
thought that they would not be hare
on him, because they had recovered
the boat uninjured. The Roman Cath
olic priests were attentive to his spir
itual welfare, but he still entertained
the impression that he would not nee(
the intercessiOn in this emergency
1t is matter of history that the piO
making up their minds, but whel
once made up, the decree was un-
changeable. And thus it proved in
this case.
THE HANGING.
The. gallOws consisted of two beams
planted in the ground with heavy
bar across the top. 1t was located il
Old Town, on the spot where Whaley'!
brick house now stands. On tht
18th day Of September Yankee jim
was taken from his little adobe jai
room, where he had been closely
guarded, and placed in a wagon. TIVE
Catholic priests accompanied him ant
did their utmost to convince him tha
his time was near and to impress hin
with the Importance of being prepared
for the future state. To the wagOf
was attached a span of mules with ole
Gustave Fisher as driver. On reach
ing the gallows the priest alighted ant
the wagon was driven under the fata
moose. The rope was adjusted around
Yankee Jim's neck and he delivered
his farewell speech to the large crOwd
that had gathered to witness the exc.
cution. He told them he had been a
good man and given piles of gold to
help poor men. Under-SheriffC CrOsth-
waite, who superintended the execu-
ton stood on the ground near the
wagon and listened patiently to Yam
kee Jim's story until it was quarter
of three O'clock. He finally ordered
Fisher to drive on, and the old man
applied his whip freely to the mules.
Yankee Jim kept his feet i'm the wagon
AZ long as possible, but was finally
pulled of. He swung back and forth
like pendulum, until he strangled to
death And thus ended tho ca raar oj