Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-08
TEE CASE OF RATEs.

g. citizen sends the RECORD UNION @
request to publish the following extract from
the Placer Argus, stating that he indorses it
fully, and knows that it gives the sentiments
Of many residents of the city:
"As for r 1ten, the case is different. He
had been goaded to de- peration by the wrongs
which had been done him, he was fleeing for
his life to escape the fury Of q crowd Of pur-
suers, and when q citizs IN esssyedto stop him,
he turned in his frenzy and shot ths man.
Under ordinary circumstances anyone who
did this thing should be held fully responsible
for the murder but this is not an ordinary
case, nor. in our opinion, case of murder in
it's fullest meaning. R1ten is Russian who
sreaks our language very imperfectly he is
said, and we believe truly, to be a trife
cranky, though this latter point alone should
have very little weight in his favor. But he
bad been swindle1 and beaten, and when he
sought on two or three occasions to invoke
the sid of the Law, his very poor pronuncia-
ton, coupled, perhaps with his hslf-crank
appearance and manner, caused the local
authorities to disregard bis application for a
warrant Of arrest against bis prosecutor.
Finally ne grew desperate, just as MIR.
Cox did in San Francisco 6. few weeks
ago-the man who shot snd killed
McLaughlin-snd he determined to seek his
own redress. Meeting his man on the street,
Raten attempted TO shoot him though, as
we believe, not until he had again been sub
scted to annoyance and wrong. He then
turned and h4d, pursued by crowd who
/ shouted, Hang MIN : Mr.. Lansing, a
| popular man and good citizen, hearing the
ciamoT, ran out of his hotel and gave chase.
} Ratep, seeing himself about to be inundated,
( as be thought, turned and shot Lansing.
/ These are the substantial facts Of Rsten's
/ crime fairly stated, we believe. To our way
/ of thinking the man ought not TO be hanged,
| and he ought not to be imprisoned for life. 1t
! will be shame and an infamy ii this poor,
/ iriendless. ignorant man shall be executed for
/ such an offenss. Governor Stonemsn will do
/ himself as much credit by committing Rsten's
sentence as he will probably never have a
/ chance Of doing in like manner, for it sell
| dom happens 10 California that a compare
| lively innocent man is condemned to death,
IS has been done 10 this instance"
Politics IN YoLo CoUNTY.-The Wood
land Democrat gives the names of parties sug.
gested for Office in that county, without
asserting them to be candidates, viz: Demo
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., NJ. E. Glove, of
Knights Landing Superior Judge, the trio
of the three BIZ, viz, Bush, Ball and Baker
for Clerk, that veteran quill-drivsr, NJ. o
/ Hsrling; Recorder, r F. Hester and Fred.
Klays; Sheriff, Watkins, B9smer and Doug
las; Treasurer, A. C. Kean and J. L. Simp.
son; Surveyor, l.. P. Everett aud j. f. 4.
/ 0'Farrell District Attorney. Hudson Grant,
John Lambert, Byron Ball Joseph Craig ;
Public Administrator, Giles E. Sill and J. o
Maxwell. Republication Assemblyman,
B. H. Hudson Judge, G. II. Gsroutte. G.
P. Sprsgue; Clerk, Otto Schluer Recorder,
G. NJ. easier ; Sheriff, John Smith Treas.
urer, G. b. Culver; Surveyor, w. II. Lud-
den District Attorney, r. Clark and Frank
Sprsgus; Public Administrator, George D.
Fiske.