LATER FROM CALIFORNIA.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 227, 23 December 1859, Page 3

LATER FROM CALIFORNIA.

.MORE MORMON MURDERS. , Immediately after the Court adjourned on the I9ih August/the Marshal was directed by Mr Drowns to stay the execution issued in his favor agaiust BUL Hickman, one week, as Hickman,had.informed him-that he iutended to settle the matter, so that it would not be necessary lo serve the execution. On the 20th August, Drown, who lives some 18 miles from this, cjty v. came to town on business, accompanied by Josiah Arnold, his neighbor and principal witness, iv a suit against Hickman. That afternoon Hickman (a Danite) was riding about toWtt'accompanied by some eight or nine of his gang of Ignites, and several persons then "remarked that there was mischief brewing At ahout teii o'clock that night the city whs startled by the rapid firing of pistol shots in Main-street; some thirty shots were fired within two minutes. Upon inquiry, I learned that at that time Hickman and his gang rode up to the house of Mr. Eddy, ou Main-street, in the most thickly settled part of the city, where Drown and Arnold were stopping for the night, and called for Dro Am to come out. Drown refused to do so, whereupon the party broke down the front aud back doors ofthe house and commenced tiring in upon Drown and Arnold, shooting the former fatally through the abdomen, so that he died early the next morning, and the latter through the fleshy part of the thigh. Arnold, in the encounter, retained his self-pos-session sufficiently to fire his revolver at. the assailants live times, and one of them was heard to exclaim " I am shot." After committing this bold aud dreadful murder, the party mounted their horses and rode round the town unmolested.

At about 3 o'clock that same night, Mr Spencer and his family, living one block from the house iv which Drown was murdered, were woke by an unusual noise in front of the house; looking out of the window they saw two men clenched iv a struggle. Presently, one of them fell, groaning, as if dying, and the other rau off. The wounded man, with a desperate effort, got up and staggered across the pavement into the street where he again fell, and, as Mr, Spencer is positive, died. Mr. Spencer was afraid to go out and assist the wounded man or see who it was, but determined to watch the body until morning. Just before daybreak, however, three men came and carried off the body. In the morning, the Marshal being apprised of the fact visited the place and found a targe pool of blood on the ground, aud a hat lying on the spot. It is a matter of conjecture who this mau was; whether it was another victim who was killed with a knife, or wounded by a shot from Arr nold's pistol, and was endeavoring to get off undiscovered.

Thus; during the past short sessi.n of ths Court, tliree men have become victims to. their, efforts to obtain justice before it. By the murder of one of these, F. C. M'Neill, a suit brought against-the Church leaders was most easily disposed of. By the murder of another, and the wounding Of his companion, Charles M. Drown, and Josiah. Arnold,—the latter afterwards poisoned, a timely lesson was given to the people of the Territory that it was obath to dare to make use of a United States Court in obtaining redress for the wrong? committed upon them by the "destroying angels" of the Church. More terribla still, the majesty and power of that Court was used to tie .the hands of an innocent mat, Serjeant Ralph Pike, and lead him up to be ruthlessly shot down ami assns_.in.ited, without the power i of defence or self piotecuon. an'd^ tlie same Court now protects his murderer, by holding up the strong* arm ofthe'law in terror over thosb who wouljd1 dare to take justice jxi their own'hands aiid punish their friend. The Court, ii it is organised 1, is powerless to punish a Morinch offender,,but all- po^erfu\, (9, maiotaio the strict letter'of the law a£%in£t gentiles. :. ";$ ■■.!£ |*$: wte fc H W, .s&£*

nothing except to pass sentence upon a man that was compelled, by torture; to confess his, participation in a burglary committed upon a;; '{nod Mormon ; and, in civil cas«c' tb feridpr judgment when judgment was confessed.' In those cases in tfhich a jury was called, tlie jury had either to be discharged in consequence of the abduction of witnesses, or else their verdict had to' bo set aside by the Court and a new trial granted. All possible means was made use of to exhaust the time and patience of the Court, and by creating vexation and delay, to subvert the ends of justice. September 14, 1859,