CALIFORNIA.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 680, 7 February 1852, Page 3

CALIFORNIA.

(From the Sydney Morning Herald) The California Courier has a fearful list of bloody outrages in the southern districts of the state. Here is a scene which occurred in the very heart of the city of San Diego. “ Our city was disgraced on Saturday nightby an affray which resulted in the killing of some half dozen Indians of the Cohuilla tribe, and the serious wounding of as many more. M e give the particulars as we have received them from several credible sources. It seems that on Saturday afternoon Jose Antonio, the A'.cade of the Cahuillas living in this city, applied to the City Marshal for permission to play the peon, (a favourite game among the Indians), within the limits of the city. The Marshal refused, not only because the peon is prohibited by city ordinance, but because the Mayor had strictly charged him not to permit the playing of that game. The Aicade then applied to Juan Sepulveda, one of the ’ustices of the peace, who granted the request, and detailed six Californians to act as a patrol, in order to prevent, if possible, any disturbance on the occasion. Mr. Sepulveda himself accompanied the patrol to the peon, which was held in front of the house of Jose Maria Ivarra, near the cemetery. During the evening an Indian known by the name of Cayote, who was trading for some liquor with Ivarra’s wife, endeavoured to take a bottle from her by force, but was prevented by Ivarra, who undertook to tie him in order to take him to gaol. Five or six Indians interfered and rescued Cayote, and pulled Ivarra by the hair and abused him in other ways. The Indians then attacked the patrol, threw stones at.them, and drove them up the bill, and also threw a firebrand upon the house for the purpose of burning it, and dared the Californians to an attack. Mr. Sepulveda, finding that he could not contend with the Indians, and that they appeared determined to burn the house, came down town for assistance, and returned with seven Americans, among them Mr. Reeder, City Marshal, and Deputy-Sheriff Osborn. When the party reached the ground, the Indians were on the side of the hill, whooping and yelling, and the Californians called to the Americans to come quickly to their aid. The Americans were armed, some with muskets and some with six-shooters. Most of the Californians had swords. The Indians continued their endeavours to burn the house, and were fired upon by the Americans and Californians. The firing was kept up for some five minutes, and until the Indians fled in all directions, the Californians pursuing them, i Twenty-one of the Indians took shelter in Ivarra’s house, where they were captured and conveyed to the gaol.” It is supposed that about fifteen Indians were killed, and as many more dangerously wounded.

Here is another fiendlike scene at San Luis Obisco : — Luis Rubio and Joaquin Blanco, two Californians, had a dispute, in the course of which they both drew pistols. Felipe Butron, a mutual friend of the parties, stepped between them to pacify them, Rubio’s pistol going off by accident, he (Butron) was instantly killed. A crowd having assembled, and no one appearing to know who had committed the deed, the people cried out to arrest Blanco, who had left the house, and mounted bis horse. Blanco refused to stop, and two Americans who were present, named Brown and Hoyt, fired three shots at him, two of which took effect, and after riding a short distance he fell from loss of blood. As soon as be had fallen from his horse, Victor Lenares, who with the rest of the people was pursuing him, deliberately placed the muzzle of his pistol to Blanco’s temple, and blew out his brains, notwithstanding all the people were crying out not to injure him. With the following we close the murderous record from the South :—On the 4th November an Indian was murdered in Santa Barbara, under circumstances which call loudly for the establishment of a "V igilance Committee in that place He was called from his bouse by a Sonorian, whose name we did not learn, and who, without any provocation whatever, plunged a knife into his heart, killing him instantly. Some four or five Indians were present, witnesses to the transaction, and they pursued the murderer, caught him, and carried him before a magistrate. Will it be believed that he was almost immediately released from custody, because our laws will not allow an Indian to testify against a white man ? The Indians in this part of the state, in the main a harmless race, are left entirely at the mercy of every ruffian in the country, and if something is not done for their protection, the race will shortly become extinct.

Ppobable Murder and Summary Execution. —A most brutal assault was cotn-

initted on Saturday last at a place called Mud Springs, four miles this side of Placerville, on the person of an old man, name unknown, by a young man named Dixon, from Winconsin, about 19 yeais of age. lie entered the cabin of his victim at night, and attacked him with a hatchet, wounding him in so dread'nl a manner that although not killed instantly he cannot survive. After robbing him of about 200 dollars he left him, believing that he was dead, and repairing to his own tent secretly buried the money near it, where it was afterwards found. The murder being discovered, a search was immediately made for the perpetrator, and the culprit was tracked to his own tent by the prints of his footsteps on the damp earth. He was immediately arrested, and next day tried by a jury of the people, convicted, and sentenced to be hung, which was carried into effect at noon on Sunday, he protesting his innocence to the last. Dixon is said to be an old offender, having been arrested some lime since in tms city for stealing, but escaped through the intervention of friends.- Sacramento Union.

Another duel. —Man Killed. Me extract the following account of a duel, on the Yuba Hi ver. from thj .Nevada Journal extra, issued on Saturday evening:—A duel took place on the Yuba, about eighteen miles from here, on the spot of the disputed Chinese claims of which we have frequently spoken, between a man named George M. Dibble, formerly a midshipman, and E. B. Lundy, familiarly known as Jim Lundy, a Canadian, both oi this city, the former of whom was killed. A trivial dispute had arisen a few evenings previous, during a convivial party, on a conundrum, during which Dibble called Lundy a liar, and to which Lundy replies with opprobrious epithets. In consequence Dibble challenged Lundy, and the challenge was accepted —the second of Lundy being C. E. G. Moaseol this city. The preliminaries were arranged by General Morehead, the second of Dibble, and Lundy's second the parties to stand at fifteen paces, and use Colt’s revolvers. At the signal given, Lundy fifed, Dibble reserving fits fire. He bad previously declared his intention to draw Lundy’s fire, and then shoot him. After Lundy fired, Dibble called out with an oath, “ You have fired too soon !” His second asked, “ are you satisfied ?” at which D. opened bis coat and showed where a ball had passed into one side and out of the other. He pushed aside those who stepped to support him, and walked about 120 yards, and expired in about twenty minutes.