The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-06-28
Two Murderers Lynched in Cal
ifOrnia.

SANTA CRUZ, May, 10, 1S77.-The
murderers of DeForrest, Francisco
Arias and Jose Chamalis, were this
morning found hanging from the cross
beams of the Upper San Lorenzo
Bridge, dead, their feet and hands be-
ing tightly bound with hay ropes. On
night before last men were seen in the
orchard back of the jail, but as no at
tempt was made to lynch the prisoners
the people concluded that the law would
be allowed to take its course. At 2
O'Clock this morning the jailOr and I'M
der Sheriff were surrounded by a body
of men. These men broke open the
jail-yard door and obtained from the
officers the Jail keys. 1t is surmised
that the prisoners were placed IN a
wagon and driven to the place Of exc
cution, the wagon being driven out from
under them after the halter around their
necks had been fastened to the beam
above. This morning the people gath
cred in large numbers, but there was no
excitement, and while the regret was
great that lynch law should be resOrted
to in this law-abiding community
city in which no one has been executed
without due process of law since 1852
there was a feeling of security mani
tested, and a general relief that life was
no longer endangered by the existence
of two as desperate 9ssassins as ever
stretched hemp.
Chamalis was executed within 800
wards of where he was born, and at the
time of his death was twenty-one years
of AGE. He was sent to the State Prison
from this county for three years for rob
bling a widow named Rodriguez. He
broke jail, was re-arrested, and served
out his term. His time expired in March
last. Last Monday night he was brought
to this place, and confessed all in the
| presence of four witnesses. He said that
Arias came to the house where he was
| and asked him to accompany the speak
er to the circus. He replied that he had
no money. Arias said that they would
get some, and they went to the locality
where DeForrest was, and DeForrest
happening along Arias fired at him.
DeForrest not stopping, Arias fired
again, when DeForrest fell. They re-
manned in the willows till all was quiet,
and then they dragged the murdered
man across the road. His pockets were
robbed of So Arias kept IS. 80 of the
amount, and they went to the circus.
Arias was SO years of age, and was
born near Pescadoro. He still has rela-
tives residing in this county. For muir
dering a sheep herder in San Luis ObispO
he was sent to State Prison for three
years, his brother having been sent there
for life for the same crime. For rob-
bling the house of P. Murphy, of Wat
sonville, he was sent to the State Prison
from this county for two years. For a
time he denied the murder of DeForrest,
but, on being closely cross-examined,
indirectly admitted the crime. By re.
quest of Chamalis they were put in diff
ferent cells.
THE Chief of the Bureau of Statistic:
has received information from Glasgow
stating that the importation of Ameri
can fresh beef in that city has greatly
checked the previous steady increase in
the slaughter of cattle. Last year 49,
12O oxen, Us, 060 sheep, 43,015 lamb;
and 1,741 calves were slaughtered, be-
ing a decrease of about 1850 cattle
1880 sheep and 500 lambs, IS con
/ trasted with 1873.