Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1851-10-09


commit their outrageous violations of
law with impunity. The following ar
'icle which we copy from the San Fran
cisco Picnyune, gives the details Of one
of these infamous transactions -
WHITAKER AND MCKENZIE HUNG
The fact Of The re taking and execu-
ton OF Whitaker and Mckenzie by the
Vigilance Committee, on yesterday al
ternoon, is already known to our readers.
We shall therefore content ourselves
with brief summary of the prominent
events of the dread tragedy.
At half past two, the quick peal of the
bell on The Monumental Engine House
told that the capture Of the prisoners was
accomplished. Thirty-six determined
members of the Committee had been the
entire day perlecting measures to secure
their possession. The method of the
accomplishment Of the daring design
was known to but few of the Commit
tee, and was Of SO quiet, resoIute, and
withal, skillul character, that failure was
out of the question. The hour which on
each Sabbath is allotted the prisoners in
the Jail for rclig Gus exercises, and prob
ably the only one in which the design
cluld have been executed, was the on"
chosen.
The prisoners. among whom were
Whitaker and Mckenzie, were seated
in the enclosure outside their cells, and
had listened TO n discourse from the
Rev. MIR. Williams, when as "A hymn
was being sung. noise at the wooden
gate startled the scnlries. Capt. Lam
bert endeavorcd TO secure the culprits in
their cells, but in a moment The gate was
burst open. aud the Committee, all well
armed, rushed in. While Il portion Of
them secured The prison guard the re-
mainder seized the prisoners, who stout
ly resisted. and bore them out where IA
carriage was in waiting. Two of the
rescuers entered the carriage with the
prisoners, holding revolvers at their
heads, and the prisoners were carried
to the Committee rooms, large crowd
following Before the party had reach
ed Dupont street, the alarm from The
Monumental bell was sounded, and the
excited populacc rushed towards Bat
terry street. The whole affair did not
occupy more than five minutes, and was
an exploit as unexpected as il was in
genlous.
The prisone RS were in the hall Of the
Committee and pinioned. Three min
utcs sulficed to make ready the fatal rope
from the beams over The two irolt
doors OF The Committee room and at
the expiration OF that time. the miserable
wretchcs were brought to the DOORS
Ay,E >rnpnntnI tr.p,hIin,r
and Il countenance horrible TO behold. -
Whitaker, who was neatly dressed
bore himself with strange tortiludc. In
another moment, they were swung from
the Threshold! They died easily
" hi:taker gasped convnlsively several
times. and witches OF his legs were TO
he observed tor some moments; Mcken-
Zlc scarcely moved.
The awful sight seemed 10 impress
the minds of The large majority of the
vast multitude with becoming awe
Most heads were bareG but some few
of the more thoughtless or cXci'ed in
duIged in most improper applause.
When ie was thought to be extinct,
Mr.. S. Brannan was called forward, and
addressed the multitude in n most be-
coming manner; as also did DR.. Robin
son and Stephen Payran.
Alter hanging for forty minutes. the
bodies were lowered, and physicians cx
amined to see if ilc was extinct Pro.
nouncng the men mot dead" they We c
a second time suspended, and SO remain
cd until near sunset.
A view of the banner presented to
the Committee by the ladies' Of Trinity
Parish was called for, when il was dis
PLAYED, and greeted with hearty ap-
plause. Mr.. Payran remarked that a
few days since, the Committee would
have been 10th 10 display it, but they
felt proud TO show il now. The Com
m &, e had r, tricvcl their honor, aud
administered justice to those who SO em-
incntIy deserved it.
Near night.fall, the bodies were cut
down. and the coroner having summon
| ed n jury. the testimony Of Mcssrs. Geo.
Mcllus, w. H. Jones b. Reynolds, II.
J. Baylees James b. HUE and S. T..
| Woodworth was received, aud the fol-
| lowing verdict rendered
''In accordance with the foregoing
testimony the jury, after deliberate con-
sileration, have come TO the conclusion,
and accordingly render their verdict,
that Samuel Whitaker and Robert
Mckenzie came to their death by be-
ing hanged by the neck, thereby produ-
cling slrangulation, by the act Ola body
OF citizens styling themselves the "Vigi-
lance Committee of San Francisco" on
the afternoon of Sunday, August gath:
instant, at about o'clock, in front OF the
Vigilance Committee Rooms. on Bat
terry street, near California street, from
the second story thereof. (Signed,)
THsoDoRE PAYNE, JonN e. GRIswoLD,
JAMES HAGAN, VIM. IL. MooRe,
J. SLoCUM, JAS. Ii. WINCATE.
EDWARD GALLAGHER. Coroner.
San Francisco Auu, "a, 1851.