Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-06-28
TERRIBLE SCENES IN SAN FRANCISCO.
MURDER OF AN EDITOR.
REVIVAL OF THE OLD VIGILANCE
COMMITTEE.
THE CITY IN MOURNING.
GREAT EXCITEMENT AMONG TIIE PEOPLE. 81
SCENE AT THE JAIL.
TERRIBLE SCENES IN SAN FRANCISCO.
THE CITY IN MOURNING.
SCENE AT THE JAIL.
TOLLING OF THE BELLS.


l4th inst, the following account Of the recent
terrible excitement in San Francisco, growing
out of the murder of James King, Editor of the
Bulletin, by j. p. Casey. Editor Of the Sunday
Times. The letter to the New York Times is
dated May 20. Mr.. King, it appears was greatly
beloved and respected by all the people of San
Francisco, except the gamblers, rowdies, and
''shoulder strikers lie had devoted large
space in his paper to the exposition Of the vii
lainies of the officials and others who have lived
by plumber and fraud, and which drew upon him
the wrath of these gentry. The immediate cause
of his assassination an article charging
Casey with being Sing Sing convict:
THE MURDER.
On Wednesday afternoon last, Mt about FIVE
O'Clock. the whole city was aroused by the re-
port that James King, of William, hal been shot
dead in the greatest business thoroughfare of the
city, by james p. Casey, Sing Sing Convict.
Casey was known Il successful balOt-bOx
stutfer--alsO as the man who had been engaged
in n murderous affray growing out of one of these
political operations. His name was prominent
one among the many hundreds of gamblers and
shoulder strikers that have always ruled this civ,
and the house of every haro opened. as if by
mlgic, when his well known knock echoed
the ostcnsible editor of Sunday paper, the
Times, which had hundreds, aye perhaps thou
sands of influential supporters.
1t can scarcely be said that there was any
citement among the people. At least there was
no sudden outbreak--no ebu!ition of feeling that
would naturally follow such monstrous outrage
on citizen so deep in the affections of the pco-
pie. But every mans eve flashed when he spoke
of it, aal every mans countenance expressed II
fI,tl ,lntnr - nu1S
wrongs and the wrongs that have been heaped
upon this devoted city. Every man felt that the
time had come for action--all acknow leiged that
there were but two questions at issue p: Shall we
forsake this fair ty and deliver it up to the
gamblers. thieves aud murdc crS Or shall we
drive them to the wril?
The day after the assassination, the honest
men of the city, met in Connctl. Au Executive
Committee appointed, and the names of csi-
zens were enrolled for public protection. On
Friday evening several tnouSnnd names were
The i.s!. Ii known thlt the Sheriff had re-
fused to deliver up the criminal the Committee,
inat the I'll was filled, aud The adjoining houses
filled with armed men to protect him-th,t It holes
had been pierced in the walls of the Jail for mus
kerry and cannon, to bear upon the citizens who
were organizing to take him out Of prison and
execute him.
saturday evening the enrolling of names was
still gninS on. but out of the IN my thousands
who signed, none knew, save the Executive Com
mittec, what to he donr. They only knew
they were good men who composed this Commit
tee, aud that their part to obey orders.
Un Sunday morning, at 9 O'Clock. thc div isiOns
began to assemble III their armories. At III l-2
o'clock, lines of citizen infantry were marching
from different points towards Broadway, in which
the iail was situated. This force numbered
l.jDO bayonats. Pr, sently followed company
of rilcmen lC0 stron9, then the artillery and
part of IA company of horse. Five hundred men,
armed with reviewers, also pass, into Broad
way. Eight hundred men remained in the armo-
rics rs reserve. The spectacle n most
and imposing one. No bugle's blast or
he It of drum was heard no hing but the heavy
Tread of masses of armed men.
Sclrcel Il word was spoken by the thousands
of spectators who choked up the streets. The
people in few minutes covered all the stceples,
houses, and bills in the vicinity of the Jail.
The two thousand armed men were drawn mp
on every s!e of the bnil:inc, rs if for a siege.
The rides were posted on the roofs of the houses,
overlooking the prison. A heavy piece of ord
nance was planted, po ntel dead at the grel; iron
door, an loaded on the spot. \ man stood be-
SIDE 1t with n lighted match. Stones were deib
eratev c'rriel up the steps. and placed jn the
gun ports of the prison. When all was ready,
the u mand WIS made. The city military and the
guard of the sheriff having refused to act, there
was 10 remedy but submission.
Casey was taken from the prison, placed in
carriage, AMI guarded by detachnient of horse
and infantry to the headquarters of the Com
mittcc. The ma or part of the military remained
in pos around the iail. In one hour the
Committee again entered the Jail. demanded and
obtained possession of Charles Cora, the mur-
derer OF |. 5. Marshal Richardson.
At O'Clock, =. NJ, notice given that no
more proceedings would be had by the Committee
b,
their homes. Three hundred armed mon, who
were relieved every three hours, kept guard over
the city all night, to prevent rows or vengeiu
fires.
Tn Monday, everything quiet. The streets
III front of the Committee rooms were filed with
people, who were evidently expecting every mo-
mcnt the announcement that the prisoners were
to he executed that day. But rumOrS were in
circulation that Casey was making confessions
which would mplicate several well known men
in the conspiracy; and the opinion finally gained
ground that the execution would not be i'm
mediate.
Knots Of people were collect d in Mon .gom erv,
Sacramento, and other principal streets, readins
the announcements of Mr.. Kings situation, which
were hourly posted the bulletin boards, and
discussing the ll-absorbing topic of the rcsolu-
tion. At night the guards were posted about the
city. and strong detachncnts paraded in front Of
the doors of the military depotS.
One of the most remarkable things connected
with this assassination its bearing upon the
Press of this city. Mr.. Kings great success in
the newspaper l,nc had doubtlesSly created a
good deal of jealousy on the part of his brother
editors. 1t was known that netween him and
John Nugent, editor of the Herald, there was no
love lost. Mr.. King had often charged Mr.. Nu-
gent with bcing the friend of everybody who was
the enemy of the Bulletin, and frequently spoke
of the Herald with contempt. The Herald, with
the exception of the bulletin, was the best sup
ported Of any Press. The auctioneers, who oc-
cupy six or eight columns daily with their adver-
tisements, only patronize the Herald. The
morning after the assassination of MIR. King. the
Herald in short article denom;nated il 'affrav ,
but from motives of delicacy,' decl ned to com
men. upon it. 1T however coull not forbear,'
it said. 'to frown upon any organization of the
people TO redress the wrong, but hoped the mat
er would he left to the law
People were amazed and Indignant. Not indg-
nant that the Herald should counsel resort to
law, even though thew ali knew that it was coun-
telling that Casey should escape punishment
But they saw an Ill concerted enmitv to Mr. King
in his editorial, and as they thought sympathy
for Casey. In FIVE hous after the Herald ha.
been issued it had lost two hundred advertise $,
nearly all the auction e,s' business, and great
portion of its subscribers. At its next issue us
size reduced TO one-half, and it conta ne
! only four new advertisements Its income in n
single day fell off at the rate of $40, 900 year
| OF course it is as good as dead. Mr.. King du.