Secretary of State.

Given at Sacramento, this the fifth day of June, 1871.

Our correspondent continues:

I am sorry to say that Sheriff Higgins has not been so active in
the discharge of his duty as the urgency of the case required, but
he is perhaps excusable on account of the criminal interference of
the editor above alluded to. But I am detaining you from more
important matters. Your Saturday's paper reached here at 4
o'clock, Saturday, 13th May, and, as it now appears from the
evidence taken before the coroner, several persons left Auburn on
the same errand, but without any previous conference. Two of these
were named respectively Charles P. Gillson and Bartholomew Graham,
or, as he was usually called, "Black Bart." Gillson kept a saloon
at the corner of Prickly Ash Street and the Old Spring Road; and
Black Bart was in the employ of Conrad & Co., keepers of the
Norfolk livery stable. Gillson was a son-in-law of ex-Governor
Roberts, of Iowa, and leaves a wife and two children to mourn his
untimely end. As for Graham, nothing certain is known of his
antecedents. It is said that he was engaged in the late robbery of
Wells & Fargo's express at Grizzly Bend, and that he was an
habitual gambler. Only one thing about him is certainly well
known: he was a lieutenant in the Confederate army, and served
under General Price and the outlaw Quantrell. He was a man
originally of fine education, plausible manners and good family;
but strong drink seems early in life to have overmastered him, and
left him but a wreck of himself. But he was not incapable of
generous, or rather, romantic, acts; for, during the burning of
the Putnam House, in this town, last summer, he rescued two ladies
from the flames. In so doing he scorched his left hand so
seriously as to contract the tendons of two fingers, and this very
scar may lead to his apprehension. There is no doubt about his
utter desperation of character, and, if taken at all, it will
probably be not alive.

So much for the persons concerned in the tragedy at the Flat.

Herewith I inclose copies of the testimony of the witnesses
examined before the coroner's jury, together with the statement of
Gillson, taken _in articulo mortis_:

DEPOSITION OF DOLLIE ADAMS.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, } ss.
County of Placer. }

Said witness, being duly sworn, deposed as fol