The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-08-14

social state had become dsorganized almost beyoud
description; crime, in every form, was rampant in
"stalked unavenged amongst us" The instinct Of
self preservation was aroused, and it was seen
clearly that it would not do TO wait until the mes
laws came into effect but that the organised band
OF humans who infested our towns, and who were
more than suspected Of having four times burned
it down, should be purged out from our midst.
Accordingly, more than q month ago, q number of
our prominent citizens organised themselves into
Committee Of Vigilance, for the prevention, deteo,
ton, and punishment of offences against life and
property. They added TO their numbers until the
committee numbere cd upwards OF 50O they organize
perpetual patrols Of police; they established
central, and numerous local police stations; they
raj ed funds for their own support and have since re-
manned in perpetual session. Minor offenders they
hand over to the regularly constituted authorities
Offenders Of the most aggravated description, for
whose oniign punishment they adjudge the exist
ing laws to be inadequate they reserve for their own
adjudication. The first exemplary villain who fell
into their hands, was the man Jenkins, notorious
Botany Bay convict, who was caught 10 the actual
burglary Of safe with its contents He was tried,
convicted, and executed, as you are well aware.
After this, numerous offenders Of lighter dye
were arrested and delivered to the authorities
together with the evidence which had been collected
against them. But the committee assumed another
jurisdiction, which has had the most healthy results
1t was to notify men of VIGOROUSLY bad character
to leave the country, under penalty of the conse-
quences. If it was aseertained that there resided
here Sydney convict, of VIGOROUSLY bad charac-
ter, inhabiting Sydney crib, and without any
visible means Of support, he wa, forthwith notified
to leave the country within five days This man
date was generally obeyed without resistance
Some half dozen attempted to disobey it, but the
committee took them into custody at the expiration
of the FIVE days, and shipped them back again, to
rejoice the hearts of their compatrists, in the xt
vessel bound for Botany Bay. The committee
also took the liberty Of boarding every vessel
which arrived from the same quarter of the globe,
landed n herr MACS IN
who could not prove their good character, were po-
litely informed that they could not be permitted TO
land, but u ast resume their voyage to the fright
about" Many a convicted thief, burglar, aud
murderer has thus been denied admission into the
" land Of prom Use" and has returned to Australia
with but an unsatisfactory glimpse of the sandy
hills which border the coast Of California.
AS | have said before, this committee had been
in full working organization for q month before
Stuart fell into their hands. At first he gave his
name as W illiam Stevens, and gave o pretended
history Of his life under that name; but as the
proofs accumulated against him, he discarded his
aliases, and, in full confession, revealed his true
name and character. have taken the pains to ar
range his confessions and the testimony against
him, which are somewhat disjointed in the publica-
ton made by the Vigilance Com nittee, and which
transmit to you. 1t became apparent to the COM
mittee that they had in their custody the captain
and chief villain Of band Of rufians, organized in
our midst for purposes of robbery, burglary, and
murder, and who coolly elaborated upon the burn
By his own confession, he had committed no less
than five burglaries, of such enormity that
each of them deserved the punishment Of death,
for some of which innocent men had been
already convicted on account Of theie singular
sembance to him; and the committee were satisfied
by other evidence, that he had IN ordered Moore,
the Sheriff at Fosters Bar, for which Burdue, upon
the same resemblance, had just been convicted and
with him now the question. Should he be re-
manded to the authorizes here, who could only
sc ntence him to Imprisonment under the old law or
send him to Marysvile for trial for murder for the
same offence for which another man had Just been
convicted? After long elaboration, the CO n
mittee, in full session. decided that he ought not
to live, and that no chance Of prolonging his life
ought to be allowed to him. They had been eng iged
in his trial for above q week, and finally, in cool
blood, without any passion, and without any. ex-
element, they adjudged him to dea;h The deci.
sion was announced to the ass I'm bet citizens; and
ands there present, with but three dissenting
the afternoon, in the open day; and the clear sun
shine, the committee issued from their ro,m, in
ranks of ten abreast, closely locked arm in arm,
and files Of thirty deep, some three hundred in all.
In their midst was the prisoner, manacled and
closely pinioned; well built, intelligent looking
man, with dark chestnut hair, broad, high, intel
lectual forehead, and dark, bright eyes. He bore
himself firmly and erect-there were men among his
Ell ecutioners whose features we're overspread with
a deeper pallor-and his sparkling black eye roved
over the multitude with an expression Of curiosity
which faded into that Of inquiry, If for rescue
and help, and finally gave way to fixed expression
Of despair. Slowly, aud with measured tread,
the serried band took its way TO the Marketstreet
wharf, where block had been rove to derrick
used for hosting goods from vessels alongside and
through this the fatal rope was passed. Arriving
here, the committee opened right AMI left, aod the
doomed man was brought forward. The rope was
passed over his head and adjusted the realities Of
death we're before him, and he was heard to say
" My doom is just am ready TO die; my confes-
sion is all true" Being asked If he was ready, he
Hats off, The whole multitude with one movement
uncovered, and at the same instant, the wretched
man hung struggling In the air. After hanging
half an hour, he was pronounced dead, taken down,
and delivered to the Coroner.
Everything was done with the deepest and most
orderly solemnity. There was no disturbance, no
heotipg, no imprecations, no noise Of any kind.
The men who did this deed were our wealthiest, our
most prominent, and our most respectable citizens
If there are some among them who are not favora'
bly, known either here or at no me- it is because this
society shares the imprecatons of all human lie
ties; but it is certain that these men find their
level there as they do elsewhere. Instead Of
th being an organization against "law and order"
II Ia one in favor Of law and order The results
show this. Life, property, and all we hold mos.
valuable, have become doubly secure since the or
ganization Of this committee. Robbery has become
rare, burglary unknown, and murder unfrequent.
Il would be doing the grossest injustice to
nunity, and to the citizens who have patiently la
Dorousy, openly and fearlessly done these acts to
characterize them as the results Of "mob law"
In the doings Of this committee, The writer has
neither act nor part. He differs from them in think
ng that the courts are inefficient, but places
me origin Of the eyl deeper in the defect Of the
laws. lie will not even pledge himself TO approve
the future action Of the committee, but reserves his
judgment for each Mt as IL takes place; but, as a
calm and disnterested spectator, who looks upon
what passes before him for the sole purpose Of en-
larging bis experience, he feels bound TO say that
thus far, the action Of the committee has done much
good, and has wrought practical injustice TO any
one; and thatf the committee now proceed 10 com
plete the jail with funds raised by themselves, and
then dsband, as they propose to do they will have
doue an incalculable amount Of good. In no event
can their acts be justly cited to show tina. an
archy reigns at san Francisco, or that We live
under The rule Of the mob" SPECTATOR
The following is tie
confession.
Left England at about l6 years Of ags; com.
mitted forgery, and went 10 New South Wales for
life ntercession Of friends procured emancipation
from there 20 South Australia, Adelaide stayed
a. fF.II.