Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-20
Simon Raten Rcprieved.

The recollection of the murder of James
Lansing by Simon Raten, some two years
ago, is still fresh in the minds of the people
of this community. At the time of the
commission of the decd, it will be remem-
bered the prison in which he was confined
had to be guarded by the military for weeks
and the gatling gun of the First Artillery
Regiment for a long time occupied COM
handing position at the entrance to the
County Jail. He had speedy trial. was
convicted of murder in the first degree,
and sentenced to be hanged. A point OF law
was raised regarding the constitutionality
of Indictment by information in the case
of Hurtado, and as Raten's conviction was
in a similar Indictment, they appealed both
cases to the Supreme Court OF this State,
and finally to the Supreme Court of the
United States The decision of the latter
Court was rendered some time since,
affirming the judgment of the lower Court,
and Raten was sentenced to be hanged on
the 9th of February, one week from to-
day. Hurtado died several months ago.
Many were of the opinion that the
sentence in Raten's case was too severe,
and when Christopher Lagos set about to
get signatures to petition, praying the
Governor to commute the death sentence
TO that of life imprisonment, he had little
difficulty in obtaining large number. The
Judges of the Court and the members of the
bar were almost unanimous IN saying that
the sentence should be committed. Yes.
terday the following document was issued
from the Governors office:
To all TO urIiom these presents shall come. Greet
ing: Whereas there is now in the custody of
the Sheriff of the county of Sacramento, State
of California, one Simon Raten. hitherto SEN
fenced TO death by a decree of the Superior
Court of Sacramento for the crime of murder i'll
the first degree, which decree will be enforced
on the 27tn day of the present month, unless
otherwise ordered and whereas, in the opin-
ion of the Attorney General of the State, of the
united bar of Sacramento and of many worthy
citizens, as evinced by petitions on file and of
record in this department, the crime for which
the said Raten was convicted and so sentenced
lacked the elements necessary to constitute
murder in the first degree-to wit, viz: malice
aforethought, deliberation and generalization;
and whereas, the Atorney-General of the State
affirms, i'll his opinion, that the execution of
said Eaten under the said decree would be a
judicial murder.
Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority in
me vested by the Constitution and laws of this
State, |. George Stoneman, Governor of the State
of California, do hereby commute the sentence
of said Raten to mrrisonment for life and di-
rect that he be imprisoned in the State Prison at
Folsom for the remainder of his natural life.
at office, in the city OF Sacramento. this 18th
day of February, in the year of our Lord 1885.
GEORGE SLOVENIAN, Governor.
Attest: 7. L. THOMSON, Sec'y of State.
By A. (. SHATTUCK, Deputy.
About 6 o'clock last evening reporter of
the RECoRD-UNIoN called at the County
Jail to ascertain how Raten had received
the news. Mr.. Chambers, the .jailer, said:
" have not told him yet Come with me
to his cell and you can tell him"
The cell door was opened, and Raten
found seated on his bed which was made
upon the floor. His feet were drawn up,
his knees were clasped with his hands, and
he had swaying motion not unlike that
of Gagged hyena. He manifested no sur
prise at the visit, simply saying . How are
you? The reporter then undertook to
tell him that the Governor had commuted
his sentence and that in Il few days he
would be taken to the State Prison at Fol-
som. Raten kept intcrrupting every SEN
tence, saying he did not believe anybody or
anything. The lawyers were rascals, the
newspapers political frauds, the Courts
humbugs, etc He said he did not shoot
anybody" the barkeeper did it." More
than half he said was Inintelligble. The
reporter and jailer both tried TO make him
understand that he would not be hung on
Friday next. All the conversation seemed
to be wasted upon him, as he never once
smiled or gave look that signified that he
understood the least thing that was being
said to him. He is firmly of the opinion
that he is 10 be hanged twice on next Fri
day at S \. NJ. and p. NJ He thinks that
the second hanging he dispensed with.