Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-02-05
PACIFIC COAST.
SAN FRANCISCO.
INVESTIGATION OF THE LATE
AGITATION.
The Gibbs Ordinance. or tae Gag
Law.
LENNIE MCCORMICK DEFEATED.
SAN FRANCISCO. Feb. 4.

The Legislative Committee, to in.
vestigate the agitation, is i'm session to
day. Frank Rooney, "A prominent
member OF the Woiingmen's %urganiZa-
ton, testified that the agitation had no
connection with the July riots, but
arose subsequently,; that It was polili-
cal in is nature, aud AIMED at a peace.
full solution of the labor problem; that
its object was to carry the State election
and drive Cinnamon out peacefully,
but just how, he did not explain. He
attributed the excitement in the CITY to
the action of the authorities, as also to
the riotous proceedings of last July.
ii. l.. Knight WAS next called. He re
ltera'ed the Rooney testimony, as To
the character of the movement and
said 1t was aimed against tie Chinese
and monopolisis; that the latter were a
standing menace to the community,
and that when the Workingmen came
into power they would get rid of them
by legal means. He proposed that, in
1880, land ownership should be limited
to ten square miles: III 1890, to four
square miles, aud in 1900, to one
square mile; any one holding more
would be compelled by law to sell;
money monopolisis would be brought
10 terms by a system oi graduated tax
alton. He gave MS his opinion that
from five to ten thousand dollars was
as much a any man ought to be worth
for comfort.
DR.. OiDonnell approved OF peaceful
measures at present to get rid OF Chi
namen, bu had recommended to plant
guns on Telegraph Hill. to prevent the
steamers from bringing Chinese to
this country. That they had no right
here. A number of witnesses were ex
amined tn prove that the meetings had
been of an orderly and legitimate char
acter.
C. Barbour, counsel for the agitators
in the recent trials, considered that the
Mayors proclamation was uncalled
for, and that he had no right to disturb
the meetings beforehand, unless they
proved TO be disorderly. He consid-
cred The movement of a political char
acter.
kearney volunteered information that
the Prosecuting Attorney, during the
recent trial. had sent letters to parties
on the jury, warning that il they
brought in "a verdict of acquittal, that
they would parjure themselves. A
further examination showed that after
the trial was over. one OF the jurors
had r%eceived, by post, a clipping from
the Alta, To the effect that one of the
jury was known as a partisan Of the
W"rkingmen's party, and would be
watched.
In the afternoon a delegation attend.
ed the meeting at the sand lots, where
5000 or 5000 persons were assembled.
A delegation took seats on the plat.
form and observed the proceedings. A
resolution vas passed that the Chinese
must 60; p~eaceabiy il they will, forci-
bly, II they must. A vote was called
for on the question condemnicg the
action OF the authorities during the re.
cent excitement, and Assemblyinsn
Tobin signitied his approval by hold
ing up his hand.
The sl'eechts were less ~incendiary
in tome than formerly, though sill
pretty rough. After the meeting was
over. "A collection was taken VI, Tobiu
passing round the hat.
The Legislative Committee, to jnyes-
iigate the agitation, to day examined
Judge Lake as to the legal ASPECT az
The Gibts ordinance. or Gag law, 50
called, M the Riot act.
District Attorney Murphy detailed a,
some length the events of the past six
months in the city. and the grounds of
Introducing represslve enactments in
the Board of Supervisors and the Leg
isiature. Some testimony was taken
concerning the clubbing Of people by
the police, while clearing streets and
breaking up meetings.
In the seduction case of Jennie Me.
Cormack VS.. Z. ;. Baldwin. the plain
titf. this morning. on the witness
stand. made so bad a showing herself
that her counsel made a proposition to
the attorneys on the other side for a
dismissal OF the suit. She testified
falsely according TO her own evidence,
denying that she had ever been mar
ried. On examination OF the records
of ID County Clerk of Alameda
county. IL was shown that She married
David p. Hickey on the 30th of Octo-
Der, 1877; 1t also transpires that she
has been guilty OF bigamy. About 2
o'clock the lawyers in the case held a
consultation. and the attorneys for the
defendant, w. II. L. Barnes and r.. II.
Lloyd. declined to accept a dismissal,
hut asked for the submission Of the
case To a jury. A; the close of the
conference the court. room was cleared
af all Rnoafofrro s.~l..l,- l~--~--