The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-07
A FRISCO TRAGEDY.
How They Hanged Jenkins in That
City.
a "Reminiscences Of the Reign Of the
Vigilance Committee.
IN. Y. Naval


end Of legitimate authority In the city of the |
Golden Gate.
But the elements of disturbance are now
twenty-eight years ago, the reign, absolute |
and terrible, OF the Vigilance Committee was |
inaugurated, to cease only when the spirit OF
crime was cowed and sssbdaed, and very near,
iy every criminal disposed OF, either by sum |
mary banishmeht, or the quicker and surer
ministration Of the rope. .-@.-
The shooting in those days was not done
exclusively by the gamblers, ronghs and out |
laws. Very respectable persons. lawyers.
editors and gentlemen of various honorable
calings, occasionally amused themselves by
pistol practice in the public streets making
targets OF each other at the slightest provo
cation. En- most cases some disinbarested by
standsr would be the victim, while the bel
ligerents would escape TO make up their
quarrel over bottle Of wine, or fight 1t out
at their leisure.
The plaza was ordinarily the scene Of such
encounters, and from the window Of my law
office In the "brown building" as 1t was
called, where Justice Ned McGowan's court
room was located, ! enjoyed q fair view OF
the frequently recurring pastime. But there
was no lying in ambush to take an enemy at
a disadvantages; no shooting from the win
dow of carriage. It was give and take, a
duel IN Arbe, In which, however, the seconds,
that is to say the passers-by generally, had
to take their chances with the principals.
That plaza saw a sight, and 80 did j,
when the Vigilance Committee entered upon
their fearful mission. 1t was their maiden
effort in the hempen line-the execution of
Jenkins. | remember as Of yesterday that
drama q 50 many years ago; part q which
was, and all u which / saw" Jenkins was
an EDglishman and professional thief,
pncky enough rascal. VINO went to his death
mi niaf ~ Of a
cause. He stole box OF coin from banking
establishment, was caught after dark, on the
bay, in a row boat, with his booty, and was
silently conveyed to the headquarters OF the
committee for immediate trial. Nothing was
there Of writs, of written process, OF the laws
delay, between him and his doom. He was
taken, so to say, in the act, his record was
against him, by midnight ne had been tried,
convicted and conference.-the death. No
habeas corpus there, no new trial, no appeal:
Between Judgment and execution theinterval
was more brief than that accorded to the spy
sentenced by drum-head court martial on the
eve of battle.
The tolIiug Of the death-bell broke upon the
stiffness OF the night. There WAS no attempt
to disguise the purpose OF the hour; no fear
OF interruption by the ministers OF the law;
the law was powerIess against that dread and
inexorabIe organization, or rather, the Vigil
lance Com mittee WAS the law.
I heard the murmur OF the crowd, mot lond
but deep as the procession moved slowly
through the GdTkueES 10 LIE piazza.
Thousands upon thousands Of excited and
yet undenonstrative citizens congregated In
the large open space, but through the dense
mass OF humanity path was opened for ~
condemned and his silent but determined es-
cOrt.
1t was gloomy. spirit-chilling night; the
moon struggled 10 vain to pierce the somber
clouds that sullenly rolled athwart the mid
night sky.
II for a moment pale beam shot through
an opening in the vapory vail, the passing
I light gave an aspect more vivid and terrible
/ to the scene.
Opposite my window, some fifty feet away
on the plaza, a liberty pole upreared its tall
/ and tapering wilderness against the black
| background Of night. When the condemned
reached this spot the cortege halted. Already
on his shoulders hung the hangman's moose
! of long rope: there was a noiseiess stir OF
preparation Don't hang him to the liberty
| pole" cried a voice In the crowd. The senti-
inent seemed to touch u respon i've chord and
| mo, no" was echoed from thousand
/ tongues. III indeed it had been the Intention
50 to desecrate the emblem, bh6 purpose was
! abandoned.
I Adjoining to the left, the brown building,
but extending beyond it some twenty feet,
! stood an old adobe structure used as d post
Office. A verandah in process OF construction
left a horizontal cross heam, supported by
uprights ON level with the second story.
/ Over this crosa-beam one end Of the rope
was flung, and two agile men climbed the up
I
a cooked revolverin his hand.
One of these two men was, by this arrange
ment so near where stood that NIGH. have
| touched him by leaning a little out OF the
| window.
It was close quarters. a front seat from
which to witness the thrilling tragedy.
! Meanwhile murmur, hoarse but subdued
/ arose from the parched threats OF the packed
multitude, quivering with excitement ana
4 suspense.
jenkins, the condemned, in his shirt sleeves
stood motionIess erect; his arms piniOned be-
hind his back; his attitude denoting the
strength Of utter hopeiessness rather than
bravado.
He was smoking cigar, and he held it be-
tween his lips until the moment OF actual VIC
lence forced 1t thence.
i Not less than fifty men grasped the end OF
the long rope that trailed within reach.
There were some who seemed fevef1shly
ambitious to he among the eXeeutoners.
1t is impossible to conceive the agony OF ex
pectancy that com presses the neart ana con-
tracts the throat OF the spectator, that 81.
preue moment when man, by the violence Of
man, is about to be launched into eternity
The moon pushed her way through cloud,
as II eager to gaze on the spectacle. ana Lht
innumerable human faces upon Whlch Inc
cold rays poured looked white and CHASTITY
In their rigid intensity OF mingled awe aud
tierceness.
For second silence as Of the grave, then
the loud pitiless word OF com m ana, rush
shot 10 into the air to within three feet OF the
cross-beani. His limbs were bound. and there
was not much struggling, only quiyerlnla
and q spasmodic upward movement OF the
knees and swelling OF the throat and bosom
Ny mind was for moment diverted from
the hideous sight by the noise OF a sudden
movement in the crowd. platoon OF police
men had entered upon the scene. Iney mace
no ATTEMPT at active interference, seeming
rather to expostulate than to threaten; ou
| their presence was exasperating to thu
rougher elements OF the assembiage ana the1
were hustled about, and, though not STRUCK, s.
rudely driven back that they were glad to seel
refuge In Ned McGowan's courtroom.
Their coming and their going occupied blu
few seconds, but within that time l wa
seized with an insane desire to be doing some
, thing to be in action, in movement, to b
. struggling IL necessary, with some one, any
thing rather than stand where | was and loo
at the writing form before me.
ran down the stairway to the door tina
4 opened upon the plaza. The crowd presse