The hydraulic press., 1861-02-09
For the Hydraulic Press.
Remini censes of Early Times in the
Region of Fosters Bar.


Region of Fosters Bar.
Truth stranger than Jfction-robb1y at Sa,,
Frdncisco-the Vigilance Communicable ar
rest Of Burdue-his prosecutions
If anything is wanting to convince man.
kind that "truth is stranger than fiction"
the story which follows, of the arrest per-
secutions and sufferings of Thomas Burdue,
must have that tendency. His close resem-
blance to the notorious Jim Stewart, aided
by no inconsderabe amount of hard swear
ing, nearly lost him his life at the hands oft
Vigilance Committee of 1851, and procured
his sentence to IA years in the Prison from
San Francisco forrobbery. His extrlcation
from all these matters by the arrest of the
real culprit, at San Francisco, only few
days previous to the day fixed for the SEN
tence of Burdue for murder. The arrest of
Stewart was providential circumstance, as
will be seen in the sequel.
Early in the commencement of the year
1851, owing to the frequent murders, rob
berries and arsons committed at San Francis
co, a Vigilance Committee was organised in
that city, and several parties who were
'proved to be guilty of various crimes, met
their death at the hands of the Committee
Soon after the organization of the Committee,
and whilst the greatest excitement prevailed
in that famous city, the following incident
occurred:
A man named Janson, the proprietor of a
dry goods store, was member of the Vigi-
lance Committee, and well known in the
city. One night in the month of March, 81 4,
If my memory serves me correctly, (for |
write entirely from memory two men en-
tered Janson's store and inquired for blan-
kets. While Janson stopped to produce
them from underneath the counter, one of
the two men struck him on the head with a
slung-shot, which knocked him speechess.
after which they proceeded to rob Janson's
desk of some So, 500 in money.
AS soon as Janson recovered his senses
he gave the alarm, and soon every member
of the Vigilance Committee was on duty.
Every part of the city was searched for the
assassins and robbers. Janson had given
an accurate description of the nam who in
9uircd for the blankets and no doubt was
entertained bat that he could be identified if
arresrc6.
On the day following this event, the Sher-
iff of Sacramento county, who had gone
down to the Bay the night previous, and
who knew Stewart well, in going ashore
from the steamer, observed man on the
wharf gambling with few urchins who sur
rounded him, at a game known as the ''string
game" The Sheriff took good look at the
man, and having no doubt as to his identity
advanced, laid his hand on his shoulder, and
said, "Jim Stewart, arrest you'll" He then
proceeded with his prisoner in custody, to-
wards the police station.
At this time the Sheriff was ignorant of
the robbery of Janson, which had taken place
the night before. The man arrested was
Thomas Burdue.
Soon it was noised abroad that Jim Stew
art had been taken--the tocsin was sound
ed, and the Vigilance Committee convened.
Janson was confined to his room, and unable
to appear as a witness. Burdue was there
fore taken to his room to be confronted by
him. Janson identified the prisoner as the
man who had asked him for the blankets,
and said he could not be mistaken. As soon
ns these facts were made known to the mob
there were cries of "Hang him! hang him ~
heard on all sides, and Burdue was TAX
en- to the rooms of the Vigilance Committee
for trial and sentence according to its forms
His coactctton had been determined on at the
conclusion of Janson's testimony.
On the trial before the Committee, an oh
stacle presented itself which eventually saw
ed Burdue. At the time of his arrest, several
citizens of Yuba county, who were person
ally acquainted with Stewart, happened to
be at San Francisco. Of course all these
men visited the prisoner, and were requested
to avow his identity. Of those from Fosters
Bar, two or three declared the man to be
Stewart, whilst others considered that there
was q close resemblance, and nothing more
These doubts thrown around the prisoner
caused him to be handed over to the civil
authorities, much against the inclination o.
q large portion of the Committee. Burdue
was thereupon duly examined before JUS.
tice of the Peace and committed to prison
to await his trial for the robbery of Janson
AS soon as these matters became known
Col. Prentiss, who had some loss in conse-
quence of the murder of Moore with other:
from the neighborhood of Fosters Bar, pro
ceeded directly to San Francisco, 1st, tc
identify the prisoner; and, I'd, if he proved
to be Stewart, to bring him to Yuba county
for trial on the charge of numbering Moore
Col. Prentiss asserted, that of the s., SOC
taken from Moore, $1,000 belonged to him
A few days subsequent to these events
Burdue was put upon trial for the robbery o
Janson. Col. PrentisS and several Others
testified unequivocally that the man wa:
Stewart Every doubt as to his guilt wa:
cleared up, verdict rendered, and SEN
tence of fourteen years to the State Prison
pronounced.
Subsequently Col. Prentiss, who had beer
duty deputised by the Sheriff of Yuba coun
ty, made application to the District Court o
San Francisco for an order permitting the
removal of Burdue to Yuba county for tria