Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-08-16
California.

The last arrival from California brnos nc tho in
teigence of state of anarchy existing in San Fran
cisco which no can contemplate without a ,eeL
ing of horror. The jurisdiction of the courts is omen
y defed by a band of men calling themselves a
Vigilance Committee, who administer vengeance
upon those they adudge to be guilty of crime in the
most summary manner. The Habeas Corpus witt,
issued by the highest judicial tribunal in the State,
Is dsresarded and secret inquisiiion now controls
the affairs of the city. The following account of
the trial and murder of robber, named James Stu
art, is copied from the Alta Californian Of JnIv
18TH
j IMMENSE EXcITEMENT.-Sfua t Hung Bv
the Itgatance COmmittee.-About 9 o'clock. YES
terday morning. the tapping of the bell of the Mon.
umenta Engine Companys house on the Flaza. at
lracted the attention of our citizens, known, as it
was 10 be signal OF the Vigilance Committee
People soon began 10 throng down In the direction
OF the COMMITTEE room. and II was reported that
James Stuart was to be hung
Inc COMMITTEE, In the mean time, were passing
and out, and 1t was evident that something was
| n progress inside. Everything was conducted.
however, with so much secrecy, that it was known
to but very few, if any, outside, what was really
going on; and many, after waiting an hour or two,
occur at about half past one, some one came out
OF the Committee room and read portion of the
confession which Stuart had made and was stated
that ne would be hung IN hour. The crowd
sanctioned the proposition almost unanimously The
news spread, and a large crowd soon gathered,
About halt-past two O'Clock, the Committee came
down stairs and formed three abreast There were
nearly thousand of them, principally composed Of
our oldest, best known and most prominent citizens
merchants onJ
OF every description. Previous TO this clergyman
had been sent for, who remained with Stuart some
time.
The procession moved up Battery street, preceded
and followed by the crowd, with Stuart handcuffcd
and pinoned near their centre. There was no
noise, no ontcry no apparent excitement and there
was something awfully solemn in the measured tread
OF the procession on the panled street When the
procession reached Market street, and it was per-
ceived that they were about turning down, rush
was made to secure good places, and sometime be-
tore the prisoner arrived, every box bale and barrel
had Its occupants. The deck and rigging of the YES
sells lying around the wharf, were covered; and the
wharf itself was one perfect sea of heads. gal
lows OF plain uprights, and a cross beam had been
erected. block with rope in it, with the moose
ready made. On the way down, Stuart appeared
perfectly cool and collected, and not at all excited
When he reached the gallows, the rope was placed
around his neck, and, with the exception of slight
paleness, there was change in his appearance, no
trembling, no agitation.
| He appeared to feel as though he was satisfied
with his sentence and did not desire to live longer
The resemblance between Stuart and Burdue was
most striking, and it is not at all strange that one
should Rave been taken for the other. The immense
crowd remained breathess, and Stuart, when under
the gaows said, 81 die reconciled, my sentence is
Just" The rope was pulled, and in moment he
was dangling in the air. AS he went up, he closed
his eyes and clasped his hands together. He had
previously regTsssd A Rs aaf mht be severed
Was Oh the back Of his neck, appeared to be in but
little pain slight contraction of the lower limbs,
and strained heaving of the chest for a moment,
were all the sy mptoms of approaching death. After
hanging about minutes his hat blew off, and ex-
posed to view the CHASTITY features of the robber
When he had hung about 20 minutes, he was cut
down by Coroner Gallagher, placed in a boat, and
taken to the lst district police station house.
There was no attempt made at rescue by the au-
thorlies and many persons In the city knew nothing
OF the affair till oyor 1t was conducted with
the greatest order and quiet. Heaven grant that it
may have salutary effect. Stuart was arrested by
the Vigilance Committee about week since. lie
was found removing some stolen trunks, and was
tried before the Committee for the murder of Moore
and upon variety of other charges. 1t is said that
he has made disclosures that tend 10 criminate
number Of men in this city, whose characters have
previously stood fair, and that he has given the Com
nlttee clues that will enable them TO break up the
organized bands of villains in this State