Weekly Trinity journal., 1857-03-07
[From Putnam's Magazine ]
THE OLD ADOBE;
Or, San rancisc in 1870.

was the Old Adobe on the Plaza. Be
tween Rincon and Clarks Points were
many more slightly edifces but ! doubt if
any half so storid in stirring associations
With its sturdy brown walls, its low-descend-
ing roof, after the true rancho model, its
rickety porch with planks all adrift, its much
whitfield ratings and posts, its square-set
windows with their deep sills, and its dusty
door forever wide, hospitable by rust-the
Old Adobe seemed set in the midst Of the
Plaza, right over against the Parker House,
as sort of public shingle, contributed by
lazy, good-natured Yerba Buena to the
slashing but inventive jack knives Of Young
San Francisco.
Overlooking the Plaza from the verandab,
you had before you, across the midst Of the
open space, the Parker House, famous as
the first of California Hotels, fit to be so
called and next it, on the corner of Kearny
and Washington streets, the FL Dorado,
phoenix of many fires On your left, amid
ships in the North side of the square, was
the original AHa California Office, and adj
joining it, the Bella Union and Washington
Hall. infamouS-thc first as cut-throatS'
gambling house, resort of bowic-knitc, re-
volyer. and slung-shot braves the latter as
one of cheap prostitution. To your right, and
the first off, was the old City Hotel where,
as well as in Tammany' opposite, San
Roberts first mustered in his Hounds, para
ding them in chowchow of Mexican and
Chinese costume, and filing them through
the barroom, on horseback, to drink
Higher up, on the South side, was Sam
Brannan's office, where, later, that rcdoubt-
able Mormon millionaire arragncd those
same Hounds at the bar Of public justice,
and, revolver in hand, from the roof of his
saucy little castle made that reckless appeal
to popular Indignation to bring ont its hal
ters Quite near you, directly on your right,
and best seen from the South end Of the
porch, was the little white frame School
house, which soon breaking its carly prom
Use, became first concert hall for Steve
Massett'S entertainments, and afterwards a
police station for The entertainment Of bad
women and beasts Still nearer to you, and
interiacent as to the School-housc and the
Old Adobe, was the Alcalde's Office, where
rich and various assortment of California
justice was kept constantly on hand to be
Enthusiastically dispensed by Leaycn-
worth Or a Geary Right before you was
the original fag-staff-that BunkumeSt of
flag-staf'S whence foated Uncle Sans title
deed TO the land of Ophir
But the most interesting object of ALL
that which stood for moro that is purely
San Franciscan than any other thing in
town, was no further off than the South end
of the verandah you had but to walk that
far to lay your hand upon it. A rough but
substantial upright, glorifcd with many OF
the sonorous names Of Forty-Nine, now,
alas, lost TO the Custom-House and to his
tory, supported the spine of the Old Adobe's
roof, and beam, as rough and stout, cross
ing from rib to rib formed with cross that
once was put to a just but savage purpose
for from an arm Of that same cross, one dark
and dangerous night, the Vigilance Com
mittee, which had been but an idlers rumol
before, hung up the body of jenkins, for 4
sign and token that they were an actually
and deadly force.
How we'll / remember it all The Mon
umental's bell toled, till every second citizen
in hearing Of its Accusing voice confessed,
in whisper to his own soul, his Eugene Ar.
amness, and was seized with tend-instiga
ted impulse to go and give himself up.
" From its nailed cofiin-prson
The corpse had arisen,
And in all its shroud vcsturc,
With menancing gesture,
And eye-balls that stared at them,
Flared at them. glared at them,
IL ponted-it houted
Its slayers, and shouted,
In accents that thrilled them,
Those ruthless dissemblers,
Those guilt-strcken tremblers,
Are the villains who killed me 7 ~
remember how jenkins looked when he
was led forth from the Committees room
unto the street with the rope about his neck !;
he was smoking the cigar Sam Brannan
gave him when he was asked if he had
last request to make, and he replied No
-Yes-Sam, I'll take cheroot, if you've
got such thing about YOU | remember
how he looked under the Old Adobe beam,
when Sam gave the word for A long pull,
strong pull, and a pull atogether-let
every honest citizen be hangman for once
-Jenkens had let the cigar go out, for he
was dead And, we believe it is not gen
orally known as the newspaper phrase is,
that the first man hung by the San Fran
cisco Vigilance Committee was dead before
he was swung up, and the second, Stewart,
was alive after he was cut down.
But the Plaza was not utterly without
its cheerful aspects and the glass eyes of
the Old Adobe were gladened with grace
ful aud hopeful sight, when first they looked
upon the Lady of San Francisco.
There was not much Of her. She was but