CALIFORNIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 50, 20 December 1851, Page 3

CALIFORNIA.

[From the " Sydney Morning Herald."]

We have California newspapers to Sept. 1

Setting aside the laws of God and man," the people" have committed two more murders. It is no longer to be denied that law and order are at an end in California, and that a " reign of terror" exists.

Two men named Whittaker and M'Kenzie were apprehended by the Vigilance Committee, on charges of robbery. An application having been made to Judge Campbell, he issued a writ of Habeas corpus to bring the men before legal authorities. The writ seems to have been carried into effect by stratagem, and the men were placed in gaol. On the following Saturday, during Divine Service, the gaol was broken into and both the unfortunate wretches taken away and cruelly murdered in mid-day, hi the presence as it is stated of fifteen thousand people.

We take the following account of the subsequent capture and murder from The Morning Post, of September 1.

Skizuee and Execution of Whittaker and M'Kenzie.—Yesterday (Sunday) another tragic scene was enacted in the drama of life in California. At about three o'clock a tap of the bell was heard from the Engine House on the Plaza, when a two-horse carriage was seen dashing down Dupont-street from the direction of the gaol, and turning down Sacra-mento-stveet, proceeded to the building- occupied by the Committee of Vigilance, on Batterystreet, followed by an intensely excited crowd, shouting and exclaiming that Whittaker and M'Keuzie had been committed by the Committee of Vigilance. A general rush was then made for the rooms of the Committee, and in a few minutes the entire street was filled by human beings of all ages, sexes, and nations, perfectly wild with excitement. In a few minutes the folding windows from the committeeroom were thrown open, and two men appeared with ropes in their hands, and climbing up to the beams projecting from the end of the building, adjusted them through the blocks, a proceeding which was hailed with a general outburst of applause from the excited portion of the crowd immediately under the windows. The ropes were then drawn inside the room, and in a few minutes the two men, Whittaker and

M'Kenzie, were seen dangling in the air, suspended by the neck. A trnthful description of this scene is far beyond the power of language to convey; but it will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it. The ropes were lowered away three times about five feet, and the bodies forced with terrible violence against the beams to which they were suspended. After hanging some three-fourths of an hour, the bodies were lowered to the ground, and left to the disposition of the Coroner. The victims were dressed in white cotton shirts and brown pantaloons. Their arms were pinioned by ropes behind. The circumstances attending the capture of the prisoners, are as follows:—About a quarter before three, p.m., while all the prisoners, except two or three who were sick, were in the passage way between the fence and the cell doors, attending Divine Service as usual on Sundays, (the Rev. Mr. Williams officiating,) Captain Lambert's attention was called to the gate, by the sentry on the top of the gaol; he turned to the gate to see who was there ; just then the two gates were forced open by the crowd, who poured in at the gates to the number of thirty or forty ; the gate keeper, Captain Lambert, was seized and held down, he crying out to his assistants to shoot, but this was not done for fear of injuring Judge Waller, who was over Lambert, assisting him; the other keepers were seized and held off, and the prisoners M'Kenzie and Whittaker taken away, placed in a carriage, and rapidly driven to the committee-rooms, attended by a guard, some mounted and some on foot. At the time the seizure was made, pistol shots were fired as signals without. The flag presented to the Committee by the ladies of Trinity Church of this city, was taken out after the execution, and exhibited to the crowd by a member of the Committee of Vigilance. An inquest was held on the bodies of the victims, at the California engine-house on Battery-street.

These cruel murders were approved of and justified by the press. The Alta California, the leading paper in the state, writing on this subject says, " but the Croakers where are they ? Where are the men who affectedly anticipate from such proceedings the worst consequences ? Where are the men who hear the words Lynch. Law with blanched cheeks and trembling limbs ? It matters but little. They are behind the time, the age, and the wants of this country !!!" But if anything were wanting to show how much the mass of the population must be corrupted, it is found in the fact that when these fearful murders were committed, a flag was unfurled which had been presented to the murderers by the ladies of Trinity Church. The news of the Sydney gold fields have reached San Francisco, and caused great excitement, particularly among those connected with these colonies. Several vessels were immediately laid on for Sydney, and we may expect a large number of arrivals before the end of the year, The first drafts arrived yesterday. The mining news is not very important, and was not considered encouraging. The number of miners who were doing well, bore no proportion to those who were barely paying their expenses. Business was very dull, and as the winter was fast approaching, was not expected to revive for some months.

English Shipping.—The Salaeia from Sydney Bth March, arrived at Gravesend on the 31st July. The Cornelius, from New Zealand, arrived at Cowes on the 29th July, The William Hyde, from Auckland 9th April, arrived at Plymouth on the 30th July. The Waterloo and Hamlet, for Sydney ; Tory and Candahar, for Adelaide, sailed from Deal on the27th July. The Aden, for Hobart Town, sailed from Gravesend on the 4th July. The Tasmania left Plymouth for Portland 27th July, and the Lysander for Adelaide on the 30th July. The Georgia, for Sydney, sailed ou 31st of July. The following vessels were advertised :—William and Mary, 538, with emigrants, to sail from Plymouth about 35th August, and the Senator, 450, King, 20th September, for Sydney ; Admiral, 783, Lamond, for Port Philip, 10th August; Andromache, 800, Passmore, 25th August, for Port Philip and Adelaide ; Windermere, 600, Ross, for Hobart Town about sth August; Chieftain, 700, Scott, for Wellington, loth August; Maori, 900, Shaw, for Nelsou, Wellington, and Otago, Ist September.

In the Arabia, 10 boxes glass, 3 cases drapery, 1 do sundries, 1 box, 2 casks glassware, 1 cask ironmongery, i kegs nails, 3 nests tubs, 25 cases of oilman's stores, 3 pkges. raisins, 2 casks soda, 4 cases drapery, 1 do. groats, 2 beer and spirit engines, 2 cases claret, 2 kegs butter, 60,000 ft. timber, 62 bdles. palings, 114^ bundles shingles, 339 jpags maize, R. J. Hunt. J export. "-■i In the Julia, 500 lbs. wheat, Low.