New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-07-18
Lynch Law in san Francisco.

has passed away.
Lynch Law in san Francisco.
Our city on the night q; the loth INST. was the
scene OF one OF the most apPalh ng tragedies laas
has ever been transacted within the limits, ga exc
cuon having taken place m the pubic plaza, known
Portsmouth square. body OF citizens acting aS
/ Judges and eNCcuuOncTS and multitude aiding and
supporting them 10y countonan' ns the deed by .aer
presence and non-inierierence. Inc clrcunSta1ccN
connected with the affair arc these
Owing 10 the vast amount ~ crime which has oeea
perpc,ra;ec for length of time, and the impoSShity
by due process OF law of procuring The CONVICTION of
the guilty btStOwng adequate punishment when
convicted. or even Keeping them IN safe custody,
number OF citizens reSoV 10 take the law INTO then
I own hands They accordingly organized themselves
into detective and protective force with fixed de-
termination TO punish those whom they should iai
/ guilty of the commission OF any toioniouS act
! They accordingly procured quarters IN building
| On the corner OF >anScmo and BUSH SIS. The nu
meroUs robbcrcS, huIglarieS and acts OF ncendlaT-
/ ism induced them 10 form ,helr determination
| About O'Clock on TUESDAY night man carrying
: bag containing something apparently quite heavy
attracted The attCntInn OF the Whitehall boatmen Of
/ their station on Central Wharf He jumped mo
boat with hS bag and pulled out toward the emit OF
I the wharf Blu; a few moments had elapsed before
/ Mr. Virgin. = gentlemen who keeps Shipping ONCE
or the wharf came down 10 the boat stand IN pursuit
of a person AhO had Just robbed his Office ot small
| IRON safe containing 4 considerable sum of money
/ The mae WITH The bag was A. once suspected ana
number OF tic 6Oaimca started Immediately IN pur-
Siit Aner sharp pull they o'ornau1ed hm' "heh
struggle one party OF boatmen succeeded IN capturing
HIM, while another tshcd up the bag which proved
| TO contain the stolen safe
lie COW cy )d on shore and NJ once taken pos
session OF by some of thc vlgilan, committee who
! conducted lin promptly to iheu headluarten.
where he was tned IN presence ~ aOout eiShJ
members OF The COrClaye sitting with closed doors,
/ bv them convicted and sentenced 20 DC hung IN the
Portsmouth square that vary might The precise
! mode Of irla was Of course Srcrct. during the
time OF It's progress the CITIZENS had accumulated IN
large numbers about Inc building aad m Portsmouth
square. The bell on The Engine house at the latter
locality having gung signal 20 aPrrse me ci1l1ens
of The procccilcg> golns on. The popuiace were
very much excited bat more orderly than We ever re-
collect to have seen such numerous aSSemoiaSe on
any sImli roccaSlon.
Some dl>arprobatlon WAS manifested a;thc secrecy
of the Committees proceedings, but when the result
was known there was very general approval MANI
} tested although there were many who deemed the
punishment of death too severe Tor Tue ohehSs' ana
Others thought he should be- executed IN ufoi Jay.
/ hgh A. soon as the sentence was passed, the oeu
ON the California Engine house, near by commenc-
ed ringing the prisoners funeral kneii 'ap'. beha
min Ray. OF the Police force applied at the door OF
/ the Committee Room. and demanded the prisoner,
but was refused several times, and although others
OF the Police force were on the ground they "a"
i was of 10 use - attG mpt rescue
About I o'CiocA Mr.. samuel Brannan came our,
and ascending the bank opposite, announced the re-
suil of the Committees deliberations stating thN ne
had been fairly tried convicted upon the strongest
TESTIMONY aud offered no defense except denlhoi
the robbery. lie gave the name OF John Jenkins
} and protested 10 be- native OF LONDON Mt
stated that he had been allowed another hout 10 pre-
/ pare himself ior death, and that Rev Mr. Mines had
! been sen. Tor 10 visit him. The crowd present
promptly approved of the action OF the COMMITTEE.
From that time tue excitement began 10 increase,
and the matter freely discussed by knots OF oi-
xens at the various street corners, around the con-
mi,ec room and IN the square. \ very large ma
: ority were evidently m favor of the execution
( The prisoner was perfectly composed during this
time and INDUCED IN 4 cigar. The clergyman
promptly responded to the request to pray with The
/ prisoner and remained with him for nearly an hour.
! Ii we are correctly informed ms presence Ind no
/ parti1 uar effect upon the condemned man VINO
doubtless confidently anticipated rescue by The po-
/ hce
/ Abou, O'Clock The doors of the committee room
! were opened and the condemned was for the nrsI
/ lime presented to the populace. lie was tau man
of very grea, muscular developments and WIN
rather ioTbldolng countcnance. He was smoking
/ a cigar and appearei rather pale but composed
/ His arms were pnloncd and his hands tied behind
HIM, While lac was surrounded by rope thickiy
, manned by armed men, many others closing on
! them determined to prevent his escape In this
manner, followed by large crowd he was con-
/ Quoted To The public square. His arrival was an
! nounccd with shout and every description OF vo-
Ciloraion-thc widest scene OF confusion and ex-
! ctrment prevailing We have witnessed for a long
time The moon Obscured by clouds shed no light,
and the picture presented was Wild and awful IN the
extreme.
Some person cliinod the liberty pole 10 rig block
for the execution, but loud shout OF dino I hang
him on the liberty pole" arose. Voices screamed
~
that edice, upon The corner VI the square, formerly
occupied as The Custom House rush was at once
made for the cnd of the building, block rugged and
"A long rope run through A. In the mean time mum
Der OF the Police who were on the ground, made sew
eral attempts to obtain possession OF the prisoner but
they were roughly handled and pfcyenied-had tney
persisted they would have been rlddlcd with bails.
Several citizens dcuo,ncedthe execution and sought
10 al Il the Police.
The prisoner by tins time was nearly dead with
fear and rough handling. When rush was made to-
"A A
manned by twenty ready hands, and the heavy form
OF the convicted elOn swept through the ayr and dan
glcd from the block. \ few fearful struggles. quD.
or Of the hempen cord, few nervous ~ ches, and
the crowd gazed upon the hfccss corpse Of him upon
whom such speedy and terrible vengeance had been
executed by an outraged people A. he swung 10
and fro and turned round and round feeling OF awe
appeared 10 spread through the crowd, who could
not be otherwise than Impressed by the terrible Oc-
ouTrence. slowly lacy dispersed. but when day
broke there stll many gazing upon The swollen,
purple features Of The doomed man
At O'Clock the Marshal, Mr.. Crozior. repaired 10
tie srOt, cut down the body and consigned II u the
dead house Thus ende1 The first execution which
ever TOOK pace IN San Francisco where more cIlae
has been committed Thin the past year than ia aay
other city o the same population IN the InIon vita
on, one -lnglc instance OF adequate punishment Vi
the guilt of Jenkins there no doubt lie has beeD
known 10 the police for months a. desperate char
acter from the renal colonies, where lie had passed
many years a. Il transported convict.
The Following 3 he verdIct OF the CoroneIs Jury.
empanolcd io hold an inquest on The bod,
We, the Jurors Of Jury Of Inquest empane.ei by
The Coroner of the county Of san Francisco 20 inquire
INTO The death of one John Jenkins alas SIGpton do
find upon Their Oaihs that The said Jenkins alias
SmpiUn, came 10 IL. death on thc morning OF the
18th OF June, between the hours 81 two and three
O'Clock, BY io!ent means, BY stgangulatson caused
by beng suspended by the neck, with arope attached
to the end OF the adore building the Plaza, Al the
hands Of, and IN pursuance of precOnccrcd action
on The part Of al association Of citizens styling
tEtm.elve. a COMMITTEE OF yisilance OF whom the
ftL Al fe.t
ny. - Wit: Captain Edgar Wakeuan, Wm. ii.
Jones, James G.. Ward, Edward 4. King, y. X. Bat.
ielie, Benz Roynolds, }. ). Eagan f. &. Derby a0d
Samuc Drannan and the following members BY
ihcir voluntary oval ~ partcipaiIOn IN the act