The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1851-04-18
Crime in SAN Francisco.

SHA1nc lu San EfanctSCO.
There are but few Of our readers who really
know the condition Of things in California;
There is law, or at least there are courts Of
law, but they are like those of Texas in It's
early history-amere mockery, or worse than
mockery, protection to the guilty and fear
to the Innocent. San Francisco and ,aicra-
mento City at this time are great ) Of
robbery, swindling and murder, OF "a we
cannot believe their own papers, whose col
umns are literally filled with details ofcrimes
This is the natural result of the motives
which urge men to go to California, and the
too frequent dlsappointments which there
overtake them. Men go there with no other
object on earth but 10 make money, and with
no intention of making the country their per-
manent home. They discover that as in their
own country. money can only be made by
toll, anxiety and persevering industry. Their
hopes Of returning In few brief months with
wealth to insure them comforts for life time
are speedily dissipated. Disappointed and
despailing, they find themselves in country
where government is as yet scarcely recog-
nized, aud yet where wealth surrounds them,
and every temptation is presented TO disre-
gard the rights Of property. They stand
thus candidates for almost any crime, unless
they be governed by rare principles OF moral
ity, capable Of passing unscathed through an
ordeal Of temptations almost too much for
poor human nature TO resist under the cir
cumstances. We extract the following from
an article in the Stockton Times, which gives,
rs we must believe, fair description OF the
state Of affairs in san Francisco.
Ed. JOURNAL.
San Francisco has just been the scene OF
an excitement. growing out oil recent attempts
upon the lives and property of the citizens
shat reminds one OF the days Of the .'Hounds' d
1t will appear strange abroad, that such a
s ate of things should exist in a country where
there are courts. Iuries, laws, and an organ
lied judicial system for the prevention and
punishment OF crime. But the fact cannot
De disguised, and under our present system,
with the men we have 10 I'd minister our Grim
NAL laws, crime has been committed with
mpunity, until criminals have become bold
reckless and defiant of the laws, and the PEG.
Pile are compelled again 10 take laws into
their own hands to ensure protection for their
ives and properly Murders are committed
every day, and the murderers, though known
, are left unhung. Men are almost hour,
shot, stabbed, Knocked down, beaten and rob
bed, and the perpetrators 90 unpunished.-
There is no law reason or morality in The
world that binds a community to submit Il
this state Of things. Under such circum
stances, we ho.d 1t as the sacred light an.
duty OF the people TO take the administrators
j Of justice into their own hands, and visit upoI
u the guilty the most exemplary punishment
il The most bold and daring attack upon Mr.
Janson. in his own store, at public hour O
the evening" in one OF the most busy streets
u III San Francisco; the brutal attack and mos
" atrocious murder OF poor Fayol at the Abel
PHI, by the rowdy aud bully, Duane; mel
shot down, their safes and desks rihed O
their contents. within sound OF the footstep
OF the pasSers-by-al admonish that the da,
II has come when n mighty effort must be mad,
Q 10 stay the progress oil crime. 1t is idle Il
talk and preach about the sanctity of tn,
a laws, and tell the people that they shout,
leave such offenders ia the hands oil III,
courts. The courts do not do their duty; tn,
d administration Of criminal justice, in thei
e hands, has been q legal farce in this countr,
: Tor the last year, and, fleii to them. we fea
that California will become land Of murder
ers and highwaymen, worse, even than Mex
co itself.