The New York herald., 1851-12-04
Our CaIifornia Correspondence.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov l, 3 o'clock, p. M.
The Excitement rslat,ve to Captain Watgman-Ac-
tiom of the Vigilance COMMITTEE.
open my letter to give you the particulars of an
excitement we have just passed through in relation
to Captain Waterman, and his mate, Mr. Douglas,
of the clipper ship Challepge, inst arrived. The
ship came in q few days since, and in the report
made by tho Captain of his trip, he mentioned the
loss of ten men during the passage. This large
number excited the attention of all, and strange
yumors were widely circulated to the effect that the
men had died from the improper treatment received
from the captain and mate. Last Thursday merf-
Ing, the 30th the vessel being wharfed into her
berth at Pacific wharf, whom tremendous crowd OF
sailors and boatmen along our shores made rush
for her. The captain, fearing difficulty, had lefG
her some time before; but the nate vas on board
The mob made for him, but he dropped into
small boat laying alongside, and pulled for Rincou
Point, pursued by at least hundred small boats,
but he escaped by hard pulling, and succeeded in
getting ashore. Yesterday morning, at9 O'Clock.
q wild excited mob Of sailors, and all kinds of
riotere, rushed furiously down Montgomery street
to California, to the splendid warehouse of Alsop s.
Co, the consgnees of the Challenge, of which house
Mr. Charles Griswold, son Of Mr. Nathaniel
Griswold, Of your city, is partner. The reason
for the crowd coming to this place was that they
supposed the captain and mate were secreted in the
building. They entered the house perfectly frantic,
per rooms they found pair of pantaloons said be-
long to the mate, which they clutched with Wild de
light, but the substance was not there The mob then
became perfectly frantic, and said they would hang
Capt. Land, whom, they said, had rescued the
mate but a strong guard of our most influential
citizens protected him from harm. Matters now
began to take q very serious turn. Word was sent
he immediately repaired to Msssrs AIsop pss' co so
attended by the Marshal, Sheriffs, Judges Camp
bell, Bailey, and other officials. The mob had
now grown to be immense-the Mayor spoke to
them, and commanded them to disperse. On the
contrary. they became more riotous. Capt. Fol-
som addressed them, and told them that the men
they were in search Of were not in the building.
be would do all in his power to that the sailors
were rightly treated in the matter. In the mean
time, q committee of six, from the crowd, was ap-
pointed to research the building. The Mayor then
were appointed special police, apd it was deter
mined to call upon the Vigilance Committee to as
sist the authorities In supporting law aad order.
pany bell toed forth its peals and in five minute
six hundred members of the committee were upon
the ground, presenting most sublime spectacle,
and placing the COMMITTEES, for the first time, in its
proper position that of friendship to the author.
ties. Immediately en- the arrival Of the com.
mittee, the Mayor again addressed the multi
tudes, and told them he would be supported
If they did not disperse, and gave them ten minutes
to do so. The appearance Of the Vigilance Com
mittee had the desired effect for, after cheering
the committee, and groanhg tho captain and mate
OF the Challenge, the mob quietly fetreated AMI
graceful AFFAIR, insult put upon the commercial
community, Of the grossest character; their build
ipgs and counting rooms searched by q vagabopd
mob, simply for the that their captaiA was
brute, We arc all gratided at ono result growing
out OF this Affair and II is this-the Vigilance Con-
mittee, by their action yesterday, shows itself
to be the protecting power of our city, andin tins
Of need, our citizens do not require more power.
full auxiliary in CAlIFoRNIA.