Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-05-29

Simon Ra.en, Of which the above is an ex-
cellent portrsit prepared from 3 photograph
by Ii. S. Beals for tie RECORD UNION, is q
native Of Irkutsk, Siberia. and was born N
1872 He is o man about feet 9 inches In
hight, spare but muscular figure, round
head, thick neck, broad java, high cheek
bones large mouth, deep-set brown eyes, mar
row forehead and of countenance strongly
resem bling the Chinese. He speaks English
with decided accent. He came to Sacra-
meato from the East some seven months ago
and engaged as 4 copper worker in the rail
road shops, where he proved to be highly
skilled workman, and introduced branches OF
copper working before unknown there. He
was qusrrelsome, however, and proved an
annoyance at the shops. Sunday, April .,
1882, Raten had quarrel at the Helvetia
House, on Fifth street, with Erickson,
fellow workman, and was severely punished
by the latter. He sought to have the peace
officers grant him a warrant for Erickson's
arrest. 1t was refused because Raten was
drunk He was told to come the next
refused, because according to his
own stcry he wss in the wrong.
That afternoon, Asrl 10. 1882, while
somewhat under the influence of liquor.
he met Eickson on the walk nearly
in front If the International Hotel, K
street. between Thiti and Fourth. He i'm
me2iately drg8 pistol 80 calibsr, and shot
at Erickson, missing him and hitting
young man named Livingston in the wris'.
Raten chased Erickson TO the corner Of
Fourth and K streets, when the latter
escaped. A crowd was collecting. Raten
intiWidated all who sought to intercept him,
and ran along Fourth TO the alley between
X ard l. streets and thence west into the
alley. When midway of the block james
Lansing, who was st work in the back
yard of his hotel (the Iuternatioual).
hearing the cries Of Raten's pursuers, stepped
into the alley to ascertain what was the mat
ter. He saw Raten retiring along the alley
and heard the cries "Stop him ~ etc. He
advanced few feet toward Raten, and was
within some fifteen feet of him when Raten
turned and drew bis pistol. Lansing threw
up his hands, and crying out "Dnn't shoot,
and Lansing received ball in his body. and
from the effects Of the wound the next day
died. Rsten ran. threw away his pistol, was
captured and fought his csptors, but
wassslodged in prison, where he made
conflicting statements, generally denying the
shooting however and asking if he shot Ism
sing, why no pistol was found on him. The
pistol was found in the gutter, where he threw
or dropped il. Excitement ran so high after
the death OF LanElng that the militia was
called out to guard the prison, and for some
days special guard was maintained at the
jsil after Raten's removal to that place.
In few days Rsten was bound over, and
then was presented by the District Attor-
ney before the Superior Court. On the 10th
of April, just one month to day after the
killing, Raten was placed on trial, and on
the 18th was found guilty of murder in the
first degree. He was to have been sentenced
on May 22d to be hanged at q date to be
fixed, bus he applied for new trial and the
sentence was deferred. Lansing did not
know and had never seen Raten prior to the
meeting in the alley. The victim of the
murderer was an old and highly respected
citizen, and his death was mourned by the
entire community. Ratsn's defense was,
crazed by liquor, no intent to kill Lansing.
and semi-insane evaporation at inability to
secure the warrants for Erickson, SO that
he was not conscious of what he was doing.