Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-07-13
SENTENCE OF RATRN.

4 few moments later Simon Ra.en, the
SLAYER of James Lansing. was brought into
tha Courtroom, and took seat at the bar
by the side Of His counsel, Elwood Bruner.
He is Siberian, and has much the appear
aoce OF Mongolisn. He was ordered to
stand up, and the Court, as in tbs case of
HurtaGG. oVerruled the objections made by
counsel 10 the passing of the death sentence.
Ratsn Was thea asked il he had anything to
say why TIE ssnteE ca of death should not be
pronounced upon him. The condemned man,
who speaks such broken English that ne can
scarcely be- understood, addressed the Court
for aboat fifteen minutes. He said that a
| few days before the homicide he wss most
| brutally and murderously assaulted by bar
| keepsr By the nsne of Erickson. That his
face hsd been bruised, his eyes blackened and
/ swollen to such IN extent he could scarcely
zee. That in this condition lie went to the
city prison snd endeGvored to have his as
sgilant arrested but was refused warrant.
he WAS TREATED WITH UTTER CONTEMPT
And called Chinoman by the police officer
10 charge at tins station house. That after
wa.ds he was arrested and fued for battery.
That the officers and attorneys at the Court
seemed to care nothing about the laws or fur
nishing him the protection be desired, but
seemed only DESTROYS to get hold Of his money.
That after he had been SO horribly treated
and could not secure the arrest of the man
| who had made the murderous assault, a.
though he appealed to the Court and the
officers, lie went to q eunsm;th, purchased q
pistol and conc'udad TO protect himself. He
claimed that if the Court had done its duty
in the premises the pistol would not have
been purchased nor ths murder committed.
He claimed that bis attorney had taken all
| his money aud he'd rot rendered him the
assistance ha should have doEe throughout
the tEial. His attorney would not permit
him to 60 on the stand and testify, which ne
thoughs was entirely wrong and resulted Ia
his being convicted. He said that there WAS
NO JUSTICE IN SACRAMENTO.
Svindiing officers and juries of barkeepera
would convict any man at any time of airy
off5ns for fifty ceats. He said that when he
was running through the alley he was SO
Blinded from the wounds on the fzcs be
could scarcely see, and that when j. w.
Wilson ran after him with q rope, crying
''hsng him." he thought biz time had come,
and throwing his hand behind him he fred
the shot that caused the death of Lansing.
After he had finished his remarks, ths
Court said: ''Ihe character Of the judgment
has been made known TO you already. It is
tina. you be confined 10 the County Jail until
the day which | shall fix, and then you be
taken by the Sheriff OF this county and
hanged by the reck until dead. The time
specified for the execution Of the Judgment is
now fixed by the Court for August, the 30th,
1888, between the hours of O'Clock in the
morning and o'clock il the evening. My
opinion Is that there is no avoiding this SEN
teuce, and would advise you to make what
preparations you have TO make to meet that
awful doom which we sll must meet sooner
OF later"
After sentence had been passed, Elwood
Bruner, Raten's counsel, addressed the Court,
stating thss from the time he had been ap
pointed counsel for Rasen, he had done every.
thing he could for bis client, and would con
tinue 20 do SO, Notwithstanding the abuse
hsspsd upon him by the condemned.
The Court assured the attorney that &c did
not doubt bat that he had defended his
client TO she bss5 If lis ability.