Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-04-10

he knew Berdu; that he was not
guilty of the crime of which he was
accused. This man further affirmed
that be knew the perpetrator, who was
a notorious character named Stephen
son, passing under the alias of Stewart.
This intelligence surprised the COM
mittee, who at once sent word to the
sheriff to send this man to San Fran
cisco. The request was obeyed. Be-
ing confronted with Berdu, he at once
pronounced him innocent alleging
that Stewart himself had told him the
whole story of the assault soon after
its perpetration. Beyond this he was
silent.
The committee were puzzled. JAN
sen insisted that Berdu was the guilty
man, and was sustained by the bulk of
the citizens. Others took sides with
Berdu. The city was divided and as
both parties were equally angry and
jealous, serious consequences might
have followed had not an incident
occurred which put all doubt out of
question. The man who believed In
Burdu's innocence was discharged,
nothing of enough Importance being
found against him to justify arbitrary
punishment. He went off.
Three days after, be called at the
city hall and asked to see the marshal.
The official being absent, he was intro
duced to General Addison, county
clerk, to whom he stated that while
rambling over the hills in the vicinity
of Yerba Buena cemetery he chanced
upon a small tent made of blankets,
pitched in valley surrounded with
scrub ouk. The tent was occupied by
solitary man whom he believed to be
Stewart.
This intelligence was Immediately
conveyed to the sheriff, Colonel Hays,
who, with an armed squad of police,
went in search of the hermit. He was
found asleep, surprised after a hard
struggle, and taken prisoner.
Meanwhile the committee had re-
ceiVed notice of the proceeding, and,
being resolved to have no tampering
with justice, called an assemblage. As
the deep tones of Monumental's bell
rolled over the city, thrill shot
through the citizens; they forsook their
employments, and repaired to the
headquarters of the committee.
Soon after the first alarm 800 men,
armed with muskets and led by Samus
ell Brannan, drew up in front of the Jail.
The authorities endeavored to resist,
but were overpowered. The door of
the Jail was forced, Berdu and Stewart
were led out, placed in hack, and
driven to the rooms of the committee.
There the two men were compared.
The similitude was marvellous. They
were of an exact height, exact shape,
and exact expression of countenance.
Their eyes were of the same color,
their hair alike, their boards trimmed
in the same fashion. Each had an
Indian.inking on the middle finger Of
the right hand, and the first finger of
each was broken or crushed out Of
shape. Their dress was almost similar
their voices and manners exactly alike.
1t was almost impossible 10 tell them
apart. Jansen, however, gave Bedu
the benefit of his doubts; though he
found it difficult to decide between
the prisoners.
Some one then proposed to hang
them both, to make sure of the cul-
prit. The proposal was received with
cheers. Measures were taken to carry
it into effect, when Stewart came to
aid of his companion. He made a
confession of his crimes. By his own
showing he richly deserved death. He
had committed numerous acts of vio-
lence, had assaulted Jansen and killed
the sheriff of Yuba county.
His fate was soon decided. The
public voice clamored for his blood.
That afternoon he was conveyed to
the place of execution-a derrick at
the foot of Market Street wharf. This
derrick was used in discharging goods
from lighters; it was now called to
serve a more CHASTITY purpose. A
whale line was reeved through the
block poised to the cross-beam on the
top.
When the. moose was ready the
culprit threw of his necktie and assist
ed in adjusting the rope. Drawing his
hat over his eyes, he told the execu-
TONERS to make his hands fast. These
being secured, he was asked if he
had anything to say. His answer
was, II die contented; my sentence is
Just" The words were scarcely utter
ed when the line was extended, and
with jerk the criminal rose in the
air, swung over the water and mount
ed to the scaffold. AS the rope belay-
ed, his head struck with loud thud
against the block. His struggles were
intense, and his hat blowing. off re.
vealed the frightful change death had
wrought in his features. But his
agony did not last long life was
now extinct, and a mass of lifeless
clay was all that remained Of the
criminal.
Berdu was afterward set at liberty.
A purse of $3.50 was raised for him,
with which he decamped. His name
is inscribed on the historic pages of
San Francisco, and will ever be identi-
6ed with one of the most remarkable