Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1851-08-01
Law and order i'll California.

Law and order in California.
The utter lawlessncss that p cyails in Cali
fornia cannot be better illustrated than by the
following from the Alta CGti ornian, received by
late arrivals The "accursrd thirst for gold
works, in that region, the same results that 1t
has always and every where since the founda-
ton Of the world.
Lynch Law in San Francisco.
Oar city on the night of the 10Th inst, was
the scene of one of the most appalling tragc-
dies that has ever been transacted within the
limits, an execution having taken place in the
public piazza, known as Portsmouth Square,
body of citizens acting rs juIges and cXecu-
TONERS and Il multitude aiding and supporting
them by countenancng the deed by their pres
encc and non-interercnce The CIRCUMSTANCES
connected with the affair are theso
Owing to the vast amount of crime which
has been perpetratcd for length OF time, and
the unposslbitv by due process Of law of pro-
curng the conviction OF the guilty, bestowng
ade luatc punishment when convicted, or even
kce plng them III safe custody, u number Of cit
izens resolved to take the law into their own
hands. They accordingly organized themselves
into detective and protective force, with
should tnl guilty of the commission Of any ie-
lonlous act. They accordingly procured quar-
ters in a building ON thg corner Of Sansomc and
Bush sts The numerous robbcrps, burglarlc
an acts of inccndIarlsm induced them 10 form
tn rlr determinations
About q o'clock on Tuesday night, a man
carving bag containing something apparently
quite heavy, attracted the attention Of the
Whitehall bootmcn at their station on Central
Wharf. He Jumped into boat with his bag
and pulled out toward the end cf the Wharf.
But few moments had elapsed before Mr.
Virgin, a gentleman who keeps shipping Of
fee on the wharf, came down to the boat stand
in pursuit of person who had just robbed his
o ice Of small iron safe, containing consd-
erlbe sum of money. The man with the bag
WIS at once suspected, and a number Of the
b lltmen started immediately in pursuit After
a sharp pull they oycrlluled him. when he
thew his booty overheard. After very severe
struggle one party Of bo,tmcn succeeded II.
| capturing hiu, while another ished up the bag,
) wAich proved to contain the stolen safe.
= lie WAS conveyed on shore and at once taken
/ po o.sesson of by some of the yigiIaut commit
te, no conducted him promptly to their head
: quarters. where h. was tried III presence G'
f about eighty members of the conclaye sitting
h, with closed doors, by them convicted and SEN
d fenced to be hung IN the Portsmouth Square
d that very night. The precise mode of trave
Y was OF course secret. During the time OF Ii
. p.orress the citizens had accumulated III large
e Numbers about the building ard in Portsmouth
/ 5 murc The bell on the Engine house at The
; latter locality having rung signal to appriS
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