The Double Hanging of William Lipsey and James Logan 1854

William Lipsey and James Logan were the first men officially hanged in El Dorado County on November 3rd, 1854, at Coloma. This marked the county's first official executions, which were held as a response to the many lynchings that had been taking place in that area.  

On November 6, 1854, the Daily Alta California newspaper, in its Volume 5, Number 308, edition, reported what took place:

Particulars of the Execution: James Logan and William Lipsey.

The execution of James Logan, for the murder of Fennel, at Coon Hollow, and William Lipsey, for the murder of Powelson, at Cold Springs, took place at Columa, on Friday, 3rd instant. They were the first criminals ever executed by the officers of the law in El Dorado County, and the assemblage of people was larger than was ever before known in the county, or probably ever will be again. 

Long before the hour of execution arrived, the streets of Columa were thronged with a dense mass of human beings, while thousands were congregated on the hills around. At 12 o'clock, the Sheriff proceeded to take the prisoners from the jail to the scaffold, which had been erected on the hillside. 

Logan walked out of the jail with as much apparent indifference as a man could well manifest under such circumstances; and although his head was "silvered o'er with age," — notwithstanding the fate that awaited him--he stepped into the wagon that contained his coffin; with the buoyancy of youth and the vigor of manhood, scorning the assistance that was proffered him. 

With Lipsey, it was entirely different. For a week, he had taken scarcely any food; he was debilitated in body and broken in spirit. He was assisted into the wagon and remained as if dead or chained to his seat until he reached the place of execution. 

Logan ascended the scaffold with a firm step, bible in hand, and for all the world with the air of a preacher of the gospel, about to address a sinful people whom he was anxious to exhort to repentance. 

Lipsey was almost carried up — his eyes were fixed, and presenting a vacant, death-like stare. Sheriff Buel, in a loud, clear voice, read the death warrant to William Lipsey. He was informed by the Sheriff that if he had anything to say, an opportunity would now be afforded him. In reply, when directly asked if he desired to speak, he merely shook his head by way of a negative response. 

The warrant was then read to James Logan, who, the while, was apparently calling on his Maker for strength, to support himself in his hour of trial, though not in audible voice. The Bible was still in his hand, and opened where there was a plate representing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 

The night previous, in the jail, he had opened the Bible at the same place, and pointed out the plate to one of the Deputy Sheriffs, remarking, "There! Mine is a similar case. I have been persecuted even unto death, and am going to die tomorrow, the victim of false testimony." 

When the Sheriff asked him if he had anything to say, he laid down the Bible and turned to address the vast sea of human heads that surrounded the scaffold. Having listened attentively and taken notes at the time, we are enabled to present to our readers the substance of his remarks, as follows:

He felt that he was growing feeble and would not be able to address at any great length those who had come to witness the execution. He stood before them a condemned man, the victim of false testimony. It was true that he had taken the life of a fellow creature, but he had committed the deed in self-defence. He went to the claim where the tragedy took place, not as had been said, to kill Fennel, but because the claim was his own and he went to get possession of it. His own rash threats had brought him to the scaffold. 

In answer to propositions to settle the difficulty either by law or arbitration, he had rashly replied that there was a shorter and better way -- but he did not mean it. He went to the claim to get possession of it, but did not snap or present his pistol — he merely showed it. It was merely a single-barreled pistol. 

Fennel went and got a revolver and came back and presented it at him, cocked. Fennel was advancing upon him with a cocked revolver when he presented his single-barreled pistol. Any other testimony than this was false. He only snapped his pistol a moment before Fennel did his. The man who swore that he snapped his first swore a lie. They both snapped together. He had warned Fennel not to advance. He got behind Swift, and if he (Swift) had stood his ground, nobody would have been killed. But Swift flinched and stepped aside. He then had to be killed himself, kill Fennel, or run away. 

He fired, and Fennel fell. He repeated that it was false that he snapped his pistol first; it was that snap that brought him to the gallows, and the testimony about it was false. In view of the halter (to which he pointed his finger) and in the presence of that God before whom he was so shortly to appear, he was now speaking the truth. He would never have been hung if he had not had a principle of courage in his composition that prevented him from running away. 

He had said that he was not afraid of a pistol, and that he would not run from one. He could not run. He exclaimed, would to God that he had run away! He did not go to the claim to kill Fennel. He was not a murderer. He had sinned against God's laws in not running away from Fennel, but not against the laws of his country. Belhinks had sworn false when he testified that he (Logan) had gone to the claim to kill Fennel. I have lived forty-seven years, fellow citizens -- no, I am not a fellow citizen -- forty-seven years without committing murder; and if I did kill a man who otherwise would have killed me, I die innocent of murder. 

The Court, Jury, and District Attorney had treated him as a murderer for defending his own life. Everything had been against him — nothing in his favor. He had been persecuted. He upbraided one of the witnesses who had sworn against him, but at the same time acknowledged the truth of what he had sworn. Gentlemen, you are all on the broad road to Hell. I was once, but now I am going to Heaven as sure as you are on the way to Hell. 

The prisoner had spoken at considerable length, though he had stated he would not be able to do so. He went on repeating in an unconnected manner what he had said before -- stating some things in a manner quite inconsistent with the foregoing portion of his speech. 

Sheriff Buel informed him that the hour appointed for the execution was at hand. Logan stopped speaking and, turning to Rev Mr. Taylor, remarked, "We had better spend the remainder of the time in prayer." 

The prisoners were then placed on the drop, the ropes put about their necks, the long white shrouds put on, and the black caps drawn over their faces. Meanwhile, Logan uttered an inaudible prayer; Lipsey remained silent and motionless. 

Rev Mr. Taylor addressed the Throne of Grace in an eloquent, appropriate, and solemnly impressive manner. Then the drop fell! 

By an accident as unaccountable as it was impossible to prevent, both knots slipped, notwithstanding that they had previously sustained a weight of four hundred and fifty pounds each, dropped six and a half feet for the prisoners to fall. 

Immediately after striking the ground beneath the scaffold, Logan pulled the cap from his eyes to see if Lipsey had come down with him, then rose to his feet, and with little assistance (his feet having been untied) re-ascended the scaffold. 

Lipsey had to be carried up, though he had not been seriously injured by the fall. No disturbance had been created by the fall, except that nearly the entire crowd seated on the hillside involuntarily rose to their feet. The ropes were speedily re-adjusted. After the cap had been drawn over his eyes, and just before the rope was to be cut, Logan asked the time of day and demanded to see a watch. 

The cap was raised, and a watch was presented. He remarked. "Ah, you have twenty minutes yet — if it was two o'clock, I would demand my liberty under the law," and turned away with a muttered laugh that we could not have expected to witness coming from a dying man.

Lipsey required support to stand up. After being placed on the drop the second time, he said in a suppressed tone as if to himself, "I don't think I'm a murderer at heart. " Just before the rope was cut, he said, "Be as quick as you can — I am fainting — I am just gone." These were his last words. Logan's last words were, " Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

 A brief prayer from Mr. Tavlor, and James Logan and William Lipsey passed into eternity, at the fall of the drop, with scarcely a struggle. Lipsey has left a written confession. He said in prison that he belonged to a good family, that he once conducted himself properly, but that liquor had brought him to a terrible end. He was a young man, about twenty-five. We think Logan has also left a written confession. We are informed that Logan's wife and children visited the scaffold after the bodies had been placed in the coffins. They were buried at the foot of a knoll nearby, on the top of which is the graveyard.

-- end of report.

The county's illegal lynchings had prompted its leaders to change the name of "Hangtown" to the more respectable Placerville, and the official executions of Logan and Lipsey were a result of this new formalization of justice.

As for the event, the hangings were attended by a large crowd of thousands, all gathered to watch the executions. At first, the hanging was botched with both men falling through the nooses. The flawed execution was blamed on the inexperience of El Dorado County Sheriff Buel. 

William Lipsey was a 25-year-old gambler who murdered a fellow cardsharp in a drunken brawl over a game of cards. Yes, that was not something that was unusual in the Old West. As for William Lipsey's demeanor, he was that of a man debilitated and broken in spirit. He had to be half-dragged to the scaffold and carried up to the platform. His demeanor was a complete contrast to James Logan's.

Since he reportedly faced his execution with surprising calm and what many there saw as bravery, James Logan's demeanor was one of bravado and a man declaring his innocence. As for him almost becoming an instant legend among those who witnessed the hanging? 

It's said the crowd was impressed watching Logan step into the wagon with the "buoyancy of youth," despite being "silvered o'er with age". And yes, supposedly, some there questioned his guilt after hearing his side of the story. Of course, Logan's composure after the first attempt to hang the two was botched is said to have had a few tip their hats to him. 

And really, I don't find that too strange when we consider that the crowd watched Logan get up from the ground and collect himself before he walked back to the gallows. Again, unlike Lipsey, Logan didn't need help to meet his maker. To add to the talk of Logan was the fact that many there took note of how Logan actually requested a look at a watch before the successful second attempt to hang him.

For those witnessing such a thing, it's said that Logan's actions gave them pause. And frankly, I can understand how that may have been the case since, even back in the day, it wasn't every day that a convicted murderer remained so steadfast in declaring his innocence while meeting their death. 

But really, that's what he did. James Logan was a 47-year-old miner who was convicted of murder and condemned to hang for killing a fellow miner over a mining claim dispute. And remarkably, all the way to the gallows, even after an initial botched hanging, before a gathering of what some say were at least 10,000 souls, all there to watch him die, Logan insisted to the last that he had killed only in self-defense.

Tom Correa