The Sun. — 1852-01-30 (London, England)

CALIFORNIA.  THE HANGING OF BILL MARSHALL AND JUAN VERDUGO. (From the San Diego Heraid, Extra, Dec. 16 ) The trial of these men was concluded on Friday evening last, and on Saturday morning it was announced on the Plaza that they would be executed at two o'clock the same day. The Fitzgerald Volunteers were ordered to be on duty at that time to conduct the prisoners to the scaffold, which had been erected a short distance out of town, near the Catholic buryingground. The graves were dug, and all the preparations made during the forenoon for carrying out the sentence of the court-martial. At about two o'clock the volunteers were under arms, and the people began to gather in considerable numbers about the Plaza and Court-house. A priest was  with the prisoners most of the forenoon, and accompanied them to the gallows, where they received final absolution. They were then informed that a short time would be allowed them if they wished to make any remarks. Marshall was the first to speak. He said that he was prepared to die, and be hoped that his friends and the people around him would forgive him, that be trusted in God's mercy, and hoped to be pardoned for his many transgressions. He still insisted that he was innocent of the crime for which he was about to die. This was about the substance of his remarks as near as we could learn from those who stood near the scaffold. Verdugo spoko in Spanish. He acknowledged his guilt and admitted the justness of the sentence passed upon him ; said he was ready and willing to yield up his life as a forfeit for his crimes and wickedness. The ropes were then adjusted--the priest approached them for the last time—said some consoling words to them—repeated a final prayer—extended the crucifix, which each kissed several times, when he descended from the waggon, which immediately moved on, leaving the poor unfortunate wretches suspended about five feet from the ground. The fall could not have been more than a foot, at the most:, for their necks were not dislocated. Marshall struggled considerably, but the Sonorian scarcely moved a muscle. Both of them were in their shirt sleeves, and neither of them hoodwinked. Marshall was quite a small sized mao, with regular and rather agreeable features, and a head indicating, phrenologically, when acart great determination. The other was much stouter, With a frame apparently of great power. He was a shade darker than the average of Californians, armsand had a most brutish countenance. Their a convulsive movement couldpinionedbehind.butfrom under be seen, although the physician said that they were not dead for some three-quarters o du There was no halting utmost or. er theart of q those whose painful t h e a itpi; i r o washt eo cut tori 0 nda take at oekfrea. tnthdhee i Everyivavieestt nh aei nd ns sg was conducted with . or hesitation onl wp into theirowmninds of h hands, t fore h property of the whole community. The largettfey asaemblage, and especially of the friendly Indians, seemed to be impressed  with homing awe. It was an awful and melancholy sight, to see those bodies swinging about there in the wind—now exhibiting their countenances directly fronting you, and again averting them, with the crows and buzzards hovering overhead, as if ready to pounce down upon and devour their meal of human flash—and one which, we trust in God, we may never be called upon to witness Egain. After being suspended about an hour and a half, the bodies were cut down, and interred in the Catholic bury ing- ground. Bill Marshall, it will be borne in mind, denied on the gallows, most emphatically, that he was guilty of the crime for which he was to suffer death ; but in his confession he acknowledged that he knew the four men were to be murdered, and did not make the slightest effort to save them, which he might easily have done. His father-in-law, who was arrested with him, confessed that he knew all about the affair, but that he was too old to take a part in it. He was discharged.