San Mateo County Gazette Redwood City, San Mateo County, California Saturday Morning, May 7, 1859, Vol. 1 No. 5. MARRIED At Woodside, San Mateo county, on Sunday, 1st inst., by Rev. J. EMERY, Mr. James O. SHAW of Redwood City to Miss Tel'tha TEIGUE, of Woodside. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Monday, May 2d, 1859 Regular meeting of the Board. Members all present. Edward l. JOHNSON, J.C. MAYNARD, and John P. EDINGER, appointed to view out and locate a road petitioned for, from Crystal Springs, along the San Mateo creek, to the bridge near SHAFFNER's hotel. County Surveyor to be called on to survey the route. S.M. MEZES, C. BOLLINGER, and A.T. CASTOR, appointed to view and locate a road from Belmont to Condon's through the HARRINGTON ranch. Report of viewers on both of the above roads to be made on or before the first Monday in June next. Bills were allowed, amounting to $252.50 Ordered, that public notice be given for proposals to cement the exterior brick-work of the Courthouse. The Assessor was authorized to procure a new book for the present year's assessment. Adjourned to the first Monday in June. HOME SUMMARY During the month of April there were six hundred and sixty-five arrests made by the police of San Francisco, of which two hundred and fifty were for drunkenness; and no doubt nearly all the balance were for offences directly attributable to a too free use of the "ardent." Samuel BOOKSTAVER and Robert GEDNEY, two butchers of San Francisco, amused themselves by shooting at each other on Merchant street, Saturday last. The only part injured was an unfortunate horse that happened to witness the tragedy. Cause - fickle woman. In the case of Ianocencie ROMERO, who claims five square leagues of land in Contra Cost county, near Martinez, Judge McALLISTER last week delivered an opinion, affirming the decision of the Board of Land Commissioners, which tribunal rejected the claim. The opening lecture of the annual course, in the Medical department of the University of the Pacific, was delivered by Dr. COOPER, Professor of Anatomy and Surgery, at the Hall of the College, on Monday last. Miller's steam wagon was tried at Marysville, last week, and worked exceedingly well. It is said that nineteen hundred passengers came out on the last steamer. The crops in Shasta are reported to be suffering from droughts. CHEAP AS DIRT. - D.S. COOK recently sold sixty acres of his beautiful farm at San Mateo for three thousand dollars. Taking the location into consideration, this is the cheapest sale of land we have heard of this many a day. OUR TOWN - In our article upon "Our County" wherein we referred to the several towns, we unintentionally omitted to mention one or two places, which though small, are still worthy of a moment's notice, either on account of their present or prospective importance as business-centers. One of theses is Ravenwood, a little point near the southeast corner of the county, which at one time bid fair to be the leading business place between San Francisco and Santa Clara. For business, it seems at present comparatively forgotten; but it in not wholly so, it is possessed of advantages which will yet make it a flourishing little town. It is a point easy of access by water, and has already one of the finest and most costly wharves in California, not even excepting those of San Francisco. The Seventeen-Mile House, so called from its distance from San Francisco, is also a point of some business, with one store, a hotel, blacksmith shop, etc. Here is also an embarcadero, whence the farmers in the vicinity ship their grain, and from which a large amount of charcoal is shipped to the city. SENTENCES FOR MURDER. - On Saturday last, Judge HAGER, of the Fourth District Court, performed a duty of no ordinary character. His honor had been busy for nearly a month past in trying different persons for the crime of murder. Four of these persons had been convicted of some grade of this highest crime known to our code, and on Saturday last it became the painful duty of the Judge to pronounce sentence upon them. At ten o'clock the four prisoners were brought into court. The courthouse was densely crowded with spectators, anxious to look upon the culprits. After making several decisions, the Judge called William MORRIS, who had been convicted of the murder of Richard H. DOAK. This prisoner was the one known as Tipperary Bill, and is perhaps one of the most hardened wretches that ever stood in the felon's dock. He arose, cool, and apparently unconcerned, and in answer to the question whether he had any legal cause to show why the sentence of the law should not be pronounced, replied that he had, and proceeded to make a speech of some length, wherein he complained that he had not been permitted to see his friends, had no opportunity to prepare his defence, had not been properly defended by his counsel, that witnesses had sworn falsely against him, etc. The Court interrupted him and remarked that these complaints, if well founded, should have been made before, but that the Court had seen no cause of complaint - the whole trial had been properly and legally conducted; and after reviewing the history of the case, said, "the jury have found that you committed the act with premeditation and deliberation, and in cases of this kind, the punishment is the highest known to the law." Here MORRIS again interrupted the Judge, and asked that the execution might be fixed as early as possible; he wished, if he must died, to died within a week, as he could repent of all his sins in that time, and he preferred that to living any longer in jail. Judge HAGER stated that the law provided that the execution should be fixed at not less than thirty days after sentence; that he had no disposition to accommodate him in this respect; and after some further remarks, pronounced the sentence of death, to be carried into effect on Friday, the tenth day of June next. George GILMAN, for the murder of S.S. RUSSELL, was next called. In this case the prisoner had been found guilty of murder in the second degree, and recommended to the mercy of the Court. After reviewing the history of the case, the Judge sentenced him to ten years in the State prison, the lowest punishment allowed by law. John REYNOLDS, found guilty of murder in the second degree, for killing Charles MULLOY, was next called. He complained of the prejudice which had existed against him from the first, acknowledged the killing, but protested his innocence of any deliberate murder. The Judge, after reviewing the facts, stated that the circumstances were such as to warrant the infliction of the highest punishment provided by law, and thereupon sentenced him to be confined in the State prison for life. Henry WAPPNER, found guilty of murder in the first degree, for killing Louise VOLLMER, was next called. Through an interpreter he protested his innocence of any intended murder - that the woman was his friend, and he had no desire to injure her; that he was drunk, and supposed he must have done the fatal deed during his intoxication. The Judge reviewed the facts in the case, commented upon the evidence of the fact that the crime was committed for the purposes of gain, etc., and finally pronounced upon him the sentence of death, and appointed Friday, the seventeenth day of June next, for his execution. After sentence, the prisoners were returned to the jail, and after having reached that dismal abode, MORRIS, with a degree of recklessness almost unparalleled swore that he would yet be revenged on John EVANS, the principal witness against him - that he would pursue him to the very gate of heaven to seek revenge. The prisoner manifested throughout a perfect indifference to his fate. ==================================================== Websites: http://www.seeley-society.net http://www.newspaperabstracts.com ====================================================