The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-21 00:00:00

At three o'clock this morning, Governor M'Dougal
and Mr. Brenham, mayor, awoke the sheriff at his
residence, and presented him with a writ, issued by
Mr. Justice Norton, of the Superior Court, com-
manding him to take the bodies of Whittaker and
M'Kenzie, and bring them into court to be dealt
with according to law. Colonel Hays and some of
his deputies immediately repaired to the rooms of the
committee, having declined a posse of police which
• was offered to accompany them. The police, how-
ever, followed with some stragglers who wished to see
the result. The sheriff and Mr. Caperton walked up-
stairs and entered the room, no resistance being
offered. Mr. Caperton advanced to the room in which
the prisoners were confined, and announced himself
to be the deputy-sheriff, and called on the two men,
Whittaker and M'Kenzie, to accompany him, Col.
Hays meantime guarding the door. When the party
were about to leave, Mr. Van Bokkelen laid his hand
on the sheriff's shoulder and attempted to push him
from the door, but Colonel Hays told him he was
there to ao his duty, and he was obliged to do it, and
the party were permitted to leave. Two of the mem-
bers of the committee, suspecting treachery, had at
the same time let themselves down from the windows,
and at once gave the alarm by ringing the bell of the
California engine- house.
This was a little before the break of day, and im-
mediately the members came pouring in from all di-
rections. Hearing what had taken place, several left
in disgust. Amid intensTs excitement the meeting
organized, and the circumstances were detailed. The
person who had charge of the room was bitterly de-
nounced ; various propositions were made, each more
violent than the other ; but they adjourned till eight
o'clock without taking any action. The bell tolled at
half-past 7, and at 8 a large number was in attend-
ance, with an excited crowd of citizens outside.
At about half-past 7 A.M. some one, of course un-
authorised by the committee, announced to the crowd
assembled around the rooms in Battery-street that an
immediate attack was about to be made upon the
gaol, and the prisoners taken forcibly from the cus-
tody of the authorities. This produced an instant
scattering of the assemblage, and a rush for the scene
of the anticipated battle.
(From the Alta California, Aug. 25.)
Yesterday afternoon, about half-past 2 o'clock, the
bell of the Monumental Engine Company commenced
tolling in a very rapid manner, and a cry of "Fire"
was raised, which, however, was corrected in a few
minutes by the statement that the prisoners Whit-
taker and M'Kenzie had been taken out of tba county
gaol by some members of the Vigilance Committee.
The manner of the rescue was us follows :—About a
quarter-past 2 o'clock the prisoners, as has been the
custom for several Sundays past, were taken out of
their cells for the purpose of listening to Divine ser-
vice, which was performed by the Rev. A. Williams.
Soon after they were called out the attention of Cap-
tain Lambert, the keeper of the gaol, was called to
the gate by the sentry, who was on the roof, and in a
moment the doors were burst open, a rush made, and
Captain Lambert thrown upon the ground and held;
the prisoners, Whittaker and M'Kenzie were at the
same moment seized and carried out. Two or three
pistols-shots were fired, but were fired in the air, and
it is said merely as signals.
A carriage was outside, in which the prisoners
were placed ; it was driven, we understand, by one of
the keepers of a livery-stable, end a pair of fine,
dashing grey horses, sprang at the word in the direc-
tion of Dupont-street. At this juncture the bell of
the Monumental was rung in quick, sharp strokes.
The consternation in the streets can better be im-
agined than described. People ran in all directions,
but the crowd seemed hurrying towards the county
gaol. The excitement and uproar were terrific. As
the multitude surged, now this way now that, and
finally drifted towards the gaol, a carriage might
have been seen dashing fiercely down Dupont-street.
In it were the capturing party and the pri-
soners. Pistols were held at the heads of the
victims during the time they were in the carriage,
and, before the crowd were aware what had hap-
pened, Whittaker and M'Kenzie were safe in the
rooms of the committee. Thirty-six members were
engaged in the rescue of these men, and it is said that
they have for several days been watching an opportu-
nity to recapture them. Most of the party was com-
posed of the room-guards on duty at the time the
prisoners were taken from the committee. It is said
that Captain Lambert called on bis men to fire, and
that pistols were presented with deadly aim on both
sides. The prisoners were taken just as the sermon
in the prison had been concluded, and resisted to the
utmost the strong arm of the capturers.
From every ward in the city, and from the most
remote suberban parts within the sound of the Vigi-
lance bell, people came flocking, breathless and ex-
cited, to the scene of execution. The streets pre-
sented a scene of furious, mad disorder. Living
masses surged down the byways, through the tho-
roughfares, and over the planked roads, until the
tramp and roar of the multitude sounded like the
beating of the waves upon the shore. Every mo-
ment the crowd grew more intense, and the pulse of
the excited populace beat higher. Montgomery-
street poured its tide of human masses into California-
street, and California-street emptied its living con-
tents, like a mighty
ta ernivbeyr,thu
their
rn
captors.thespot wihieerreetahreo
the
pri-
sonershad been k
,Committee Csihdea,mobfetrws-0
the
Vhoiugsileasn, creep -tstorylcaorgnestrfuracmtioen
their " gable ends" fronting Battery-street, ind
block between California and Pine-streets. The lower
floors of these buildings are occupied as stores ; the
upon Battery-
hupaypeereatiopharhtmeaevryitsdoaurhelethdeooVrsigeiplaenncienChambers, and
street, above which project timbers and pulleys, such
as are used in store-lotts for the purpose of hoisting
goods from the ground.
The afternoon was very windy, and the dust of the
streets filled the air. While the multitude were
the proceedings,
passing Battery-street, and securing all the elevated
places and positions for overlooking
an outcry and huzza rent the air, and was borne up
from the rooms of the committee far into the air,
until ten thousand throats seemed to join in the gene-
ral cheer and shout of congratulation. The committee
had assembled, and were preparing to execute justice
upon the criminals. A carriage dashed round the
corner and up California-street. It was greeted with
cheer after cheer. The driver stood up on his
box, waved his hat, and huzz sed in reply.
This was the carriage in which the prisoners had
\been carried off from the county gaol, and which
was now returning from the committee-rooms. It
was drawn by white horses, whose sides were reek-
ing with foam and perspiration. The crowd parted
right and left as it passed, but, closing up, thronged
the streets, an d packed every square foot of ground
within sight of the Vigilance Chambers. The house-
tops, the windows, piles of lumber and of goods, and
all other accessible points of elevation that afforded
footing, or a place to climb up and hold on, were
seized and occupied. Heads were thrust forth from
the windows all along the line of the street in which
the crowd was gathered. Women were crushed be-
tween the restless, swaying bodies of the more rugged
species of animanife. A confused busy hum of low
voicese
Vigilancepervaded theair, and might have been heard
blocks distant.
,odsfitsoltuittetnlgdt .g
t ht
rhSoeut iglplhatshse crowd increased. Members
of th
Committee arriving on the ground,
theage denseto
the massoha m
hoef
eted insideelyblo so as to resist theckedupandclosed rscom-
p human
,prtehsesurdeoefrrosmbein
without.
tel nln the southern chamber a rope had been
r fa 2"
" being
reeved"
through the block attached to the beam above the
left door, and several members, • appearing at the fall,
lowered the rope to their comrades below, and swung
them up from the ground, thus giving them access to
the committee.

Twelve minutes had elapsed since the alarm was
sounded on the fire-bell, when the door of the northern
charnbi2r opened, and a few members appeared with-
out their coats, and addres%ing a few words to the
heaving, surging masses below. The din of human
voices that arose completely drowned the speakei'a
words. It was understood that the capture of the
prisoners was announced. Cries of " Hang them up !"
is Now, and here !" ensued ; and the tumult and noise
each reoniont grew greater. A. member of the com-
mittee waved his hand, significant of assent to
proposition,
and, in u momentary lull, we could catch