Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-19
ALONG TEE PACIFIC COAST.
4 Workman CaYed On and Killed in a
Mine in FL Dorado County.
FIsHY STORY FROM MARYSVILLE.
Blood Horse Races Postponed-Gov-
ernor Ferry of Washington
Inaugurated Yesterday.
FIsHY STORY FROM MARYsyILLE.
Irrc1AL DISPATCHES TO rHs RBconpur1on.l
OREGON EXECUTION.
Peter Sullivan Hanged for the Murder of
John Bronkee.

Peter Sullivan Hanged for the Murder oi
John Bronkee.
CANYON CITY (Or.), November 1Sth.-
Peter Sullivan was hanged here last Friday
for the murder of John Bronkee The
Grant county Nelc,, in special edition,
says: This afternoon Peter Sullivan was
executed, persentence passed last September
by the Judge of the Circuit Court of Grant
county. The crime for which he was tried
and convicted was committed il the early
morning of the first day OF last April.
John Bronkee was killed in his cabin on
Pine creek, few miles esst of a cabin
which had been occupied only by Bronkee
and Sullivan. The latter was much the
stronger man.
Sullivan, after having committed the
deed, repaired to a neighbours house and
stated that there was dead Duichman up
the creek, and that he had killed him
that Bronkee had made an assault upon
him, and for self-preservation he had shot
him. Sullivan then came to town and
surrendered to the authorities
A Coroner's inquest established the fact
that the victim had been shot once in the
center of the back with Winchester and
had two other wounds about the breast and
side. The evidence went to show that he,
Bronkee, had been lying on his bed with
his face to the wall, and probably was
asleep when shot in the side; therefore,
at the conclusion of the preliminary exam
ination before Justice OF the Peece n Ruli-
son, Sullivan was held without bail to ap-
pear before the next Grand Jury which,
according to the evidence in their hands,
indicted him for murder in the first de-
gree.
The case was tried at the September term
of the Circuit Court for Grant county, Dis
trict Attorney Rand and NJ. D. Clifford
prosecuting. S. L. Denning was appointed
by the Court to defend the prisoner.
Insanity was the extenuating effort made
in behalf of the accused, and the only plea
for leniency that could have softened just
ice, failed to bear the test, and the jury
verdict was guilty as charged in the indict-
ment. Judge Ison pronounced sentence
that he be hanged November 10th.
Prior to passing sentence Sullivan was
asked If be had anything to say, and he
replied that his life was misery to him
that he preferred to have it over with as
early as possible.
Shortly before o'clock on the afternoon
of the 10Th, the prisoner, assisted by Sheriff
Gray and deputy, mounted the scatfold.
When asked if he desired to make any
statement, his only reply was to "show re-
spect to his body His limbs were pin
ioned, and the black cap adjusted, and at
precisely POI the drop wa. sprung. The
knot slipped around under the victim
chin and horrible contortions OF the body
were discernible for eight minutes. At the
end of nineteen minutes Drs. Orr and Rec
ord pronounced life extinct, and after
hanging twenty-eight minutes the rope
was cut and the body lowered and after
ward buried on the hill without friendly
mourner. Sullivan was the second mur-
derer executed by the Sheriff of Grant
county within period Of seven months.
From the time of his sentence till a few
days prior to his execution, Sullivan ap-
peared in good spirits, the last of his
troubles being his approaching doom; but
his department the last two or three days
of his life evidenced troubled conscience
and a restless spirit. Feeling approaching
death and all its uncertainty his rest at
night was broken and his food untasted.
Rev. Mr.. Eads and other religious men
were called to his side for religious conver-
sation and all the bravado which had
marked his career vanished.
A short time before the hour of his exc
cution he repented his evil deeds and felt
himself forgiven; that for the past three
years life had been a misery to him and he
had no rest. He was satisfied with the re-
suit OF his trial, and preferred hanging to
life imprisonment.