An Outrage

Great Indignation over the Hong Di Case. Jury Spares His Life. The Attempt to Lynch Proves a Failure. Exciting Scene in Court. The Murderer’s Run For Life—The Obstinate Juror Weeps and Gets Slapped—The Murderer Secretly Removed From the Jail.

FULL ASSOCIATED PRESS AND THE MERCURY’S SPECIAL DISPATCHES.

COLUSA, July 10.—The jury in the case of Hong Di agreed on a verdict at 1 o’clock this morning. The judge was notified and refused to receive it till later in the day. When the verdict was opened it proved to be for murder in the first degree, fixing the penalty at imprisonment for life. An attempt to lynch Hong Di in the court‐room was repulsed by the sheriff and posse.

ASSISTANCE ASKED.

SACRAMENTO, July 10.—About noon to‐day the following dispatch was received here:

COLUSA, July 10.—To Governor Bartlett: Just received a verdict of murder in the first degree in the Hong Di case, and imprisonment for life. Bold attempt to take him from the Court‐room. A mob is now surrounding the jail. The sheriff will be unable to protect him. Must have assistance immediately.

W. L. BENVILLE, Sheriff.

E. A. BRIDGEFORD, Superior Judge.

The governor is at Alameda and Adjutant‐General Cosby is with him.

Secretary Markley forwarded the dispatch to Bartlett, who immediately replied to turn the matter over to the Adjutant‐General’s office. Colonel Perrie Keenan at once sent the following telegrams, first at 4 o’clock:

Colonel Grayson, Colusa: Take command of the Colusa Guard, and report to the sheriff. By order of the governor.

GEORGE B. COSBY, Adjutant‐General.

A telegram was also sent to General J. W. B. Montgomery, commanding the Chico Guard, Chico, advising him to instruct Colonel Grayson to report to the sheriff of Colusa county. Private Secretary Markley telegraphed General Beville to call upon General Montgomery if he wanted more assistance, and the Chico Guard would go to his aid.

THE PLAN OF ACTION.

COLUSA, July 10.—Last night it was planned by the people that should the verdict not be in their favor the first degree, to take the prisoner away from the officers and hang him to the bridge, a passage way from the court‐house to the jail.

PROTECTING THE PRISONER.

It was nearly nine this morning when the court was assembled and the jury gave in their verdict. The sheriff’s posse had taken the precaution to put the prisoner behind his attorney’s desk, inside the bar that they could better protect him. The audience listened with breathless silence to the verdict.

“IT IS NOT SATISFACTORY.”

After the verdict was read Mr. Billiou, brother of Joseph Billiou, addressed the court saying: “If your honor please, the verdict is not satisfactory.”

This caused a moment’s delay on investigation of which forenoon the sheriff.

THE MOB SETS FORWARD.

They immediately surrounded the Chinaman. As the mob came forward, Judge Bridgeford arose and sternly said: “We must have order,” which was immediately followed by Sheriff Benville demanding the crowd to clear the courtroom. W. L. Greeu at this point fearing the shedding of blood, addressed the mob and said: “THE VERDICT IS AN OUTRAGE.”

“The verdict of this jury is an outrage upon the people of California and it is without parallel in our history. Yet these officers are sworn to perform their duty which they must do.”

Then a number of citizens undertook to quiet the leaders and to get them out of the Court‐room. Court‐House was finally cleared and Hong Di taken to the bridge. The jail door at the further end of the bridge was opened and the criminal told to run for his life. He needed no second bidding but glided with lightning‐like rapidity into the jail. Persons below intended to shoot him as he crossed the bridge but he was too quick for them. A large number of additional Deputy Sheriffs were at once sworn in and put on guard to protect the jail.

The jail is strongly built of brick with steel cells and it would be a futile effort to attempt violence thereon. The mob saw this and made no efforts in that direction. The opportunity for taking the prisoner has passed.

This evening the high excitement of the morning had subsided to a considerable degree.

GREAT INDIGNATION.

The indignation over the verdict of the jury after so plain a charge from the court and after such clear evidence of the guilt of the prisoner is without bounds. Denunciations of the jury are universal.

The jury until a late hour last night stood ten for murder in the first degree, one for manslaughter and, one for acquittal. At last they compromised on a sentence for life.

A HANGMAN’S NOOSE.

At the time of the verdict being rendered by the jury parties fastened a rope to the bridge between the Court‐House and jail with a hangman’s noose at the end in readiness for the criminal, providing he would have been secured by the mob. After Hong Di had gained the jail, one of the leading spirits of the mob threw the rope, still attached to the bridge, along the railroad, where it still swings.

JURYMAN CRIES WEEPS.

Juryman Gay went home on the noon train, as did the Billious. On the train a discussion was engaged in between Billiou and Gay, and Gay was convinced that he was in error in his action on the jury, as he was the one who favored leniency. As the train stopped at Colusa Junction he was regretting his action and began to cry.