Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-06-15
execution of De witt at Colusa

Execution of De Witt at Colusa.
CoLusA, June 14th-Charles De Witt was
hanged in the Courtyard here, this after
noon, for the murder of Dolly Sullivan, a
courtesan, at Willows, this county, May 10.
1885. He was convicted of murder in the
first degree, in June, 1885, and was SEN
fenced to be hanged September 18th. On
that date, however, the case had not been
passed upon by the Supreme Court. In
February, 1886, the Supreme Court affirmed
the judgment of the lower Court, and the
defendant was re-sentenced to be hanged
on June 4th. On that day, however, Gov
ernor Stoneman reprieved him for ten days
His attorneys and friends made strenuous
efforts to have the Governor commute the
Judgment to Imprisonment for life, but
without avail, and to-day the death SEN
tence was duly carried out. The deceased
was an intelligent-appearing young man.
was a native of San Francisco, aged IS
years He smoked a cigar while the death
warrant was being read to him by the
Sheriff, and betrayed very little nervous
ness. He made quite lengthy speech OH
the scaffold. He criticised the Governor S
action in not committing his sentence, and
upbraided the prosecuting officers for not
permitting him, as he claimed, to have a
ldlT lIldt. I1t DduC SOOu-DN " Ills lIltlltiS,
but made no reference to the murder. The
drop was sprung at 2:44 P. NJ, and the fail
dislocated his neck In nine and half
minutes life was pronounced extinct, and
in eleven minutes the body was cut down.
About forty spectators witnessed the exc
eution, including several Sheriffs from
neigboring counties.
DETAILS OF THE CRIME.
CoLUsA, June 14th-The crime for which
De Witt paid The penalty Is as follows ::
He was a gambler of Willows, and on the
10th of MAY, 1885, he shot and killed Dolly
Sullivan, woman of the town. He had
been living off the earnings of her shame
until within few hours of the tragedy,
and there appeared to be no provocation
for his act except that she had refused to
support him any longer. EARLY in the
morning he went 10 the house where she,
with others, was living, and asked to be
admitted. He had threatened the night
before to kill her and others, and fearing
that he had come to execute his threat they
refused 10 let him in. He then broke in
through the window of her room and fol-
lowed her to another room where she had
taken refuge The door was locked, but he
broke it open. As he did so the proprietor
of the house, Hugh Miller, demonstrated
with him for his conduct, and asked him
to go away. Miller lay in bed at the time
and simply raised up on his elbow to speak
to De Witt, when De Witt drew his pistol
and fired at him, the ball only infiicting a
slight flesh wound in the side. The woman
then jumped up from another bed in the
room and running to the murderer threw
her arms around his neck and begged him
to desist and leave the house. He, in re-
ply, instantly shot her. The ball entered
the side at the eighth rib, passed through
the liver and stomach and lodged in the
spine. As De Witt fired he put his arm
around her and dragged her from the bed
room into the hall and fired two more shots
at her. The second shot missed, but she
fell to the floor from exhaustion, and as
she lay there he fired the third and last
shot, which passed through her arm.
Arrested for Forgery-Third District Fair.
CHICO, June 14th.-On Saturday evening
young German named Steinman was ar
rested for forging the name of George
Peterson to check for $50, and cashing it
at the Bank of Chico. He is now in jail
Henry Sanborn, owner of the Chico
Driving Park, will begin in a few days to
put up new stables and other buildings to
take the place of those destroyed by fire.
Our people are very jubilant over the fact,
as it was feared there would be no fair this
year. The Directors of the Third District
Agricultural Society promise one of the
largest and best fairs ever held in northern
California All departn ents will be well
represented. A splendid speed programme
has been arranged, and purses amounting
to 81, 900 will be given. The purses range
in size from $3.50 up to 800. On the LIST of
July stable of twenty noted running
horses will arrive here and remain in train
ing until the fair begins, August 18th.
Insurance Paid-sair Preparations.
CHICO, June 14th.-The insurance on the
Chico race track building, which was burned
last Thursday, was paid this morning. and
the new buildings will be commenced to-
morrow, all on modern scale, and will be
ready for the agricultural fair, which begins
on the 18th of August. Preparations for the
fair are in full blast.
Residence Burned-Suicide of al Boy.
SANTA CRUZ. June 14th.-The residence
of Mrs. Stikeman, on Ben Lomond,
burned to the ground on Saturday evening.
Loss, about So 800; insurance, 81 500. The
origin of the fire is unknown.
This morning Ernest Slack, brother of
Professor Slack, of the Hastings Law Col
lege, committed suicide by shooting him
self. He was about Is years of age.
WeIl-Known Citizen Dead.
SANTA CRUZ, June 14th.-John Menges,
a well-known citizen, died last evening,
after lingering illness. He was for many
years foreman of the hook and ladder COM
pany.
The funniest of the Pacific Bezirk.
PETALUMA, June 14th.-The attendance
at the funniest of the Pacific Bezirk, being
IL 10
ing torchlight procession paraded through
the principal streets The business houses
were illuminated with Chinese lanterns
and handsomely decorated. Yesterday an
Grafton was delivered by Hon. H. Rocher
at Agricultural Park and a competitive
turning exhibition given. The San Jose,
Napa and San Francisco singing sections
gave competitive concert at Turner Hall
in the evening. Prize Rotations were also
given by the Los Angeles, Napa and San
Francisco Mission Vereins. To-day gym
nastic and shooting competitions are being
held at the park.
Safe Neatly Cracked.
Stockton, June 14th.-The safe of Peter
Music, grocer, was neatly cracked yester-
day morning, and $40 stolen. The safe
was close to the glass front of the store in
plain sight of the street, and the gas was
burning within. The burglars took a wine
supper in the store afte. they had finished
the job on the safe.
Death. of Boy from Lockjaw.
REDWOOD CITY, June 14th.-William
Walsh, the eightsyear- old son of Mrs. P.
Walsh, of this town, died to-day from lock-
jaw. He contracted the ailment from a cut
in the foot week ago.
Another Indian Outbreak Threatened.
NEEDLES, June 14th.-An outbreak and
massacres are threatened among the Hual-
PAL Indians at kingmau & Peach Springs
Arizona, and much apprehension is felt for
the safety of the whites. About ten days
ago buck named Pisa, in jealous rage.
shot his squaw and seven other bucks and
squaws, and then killed his pony and him
self. In revenge, the tribe, according to
their custom, were about to massacre the
family and relatives of Pisa, but were pre-
vented by the whites, who finally sent
them here for safety. This greatly enraged
and excited the remainder. They have
been holding powwows, procuring ammu-
!