The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1880-07-20


little brandy and water.
A little before one O'Clock Sam
Brannan came out of the committee
ipms. aud. ascending a mound Of
sand east Of the Rs>eite house. notified
the people that jenkins had been
found guilty, and. would be hanged
within one hour upon the piazza. He
then asked the people IL they approx
ed Of the action of the committee, when
shouts of Ave- hurst forth, mingled
with . few cries Of .No!"
Shortly before two o'clock the
committee issued from the building,
bearing the prisoner, who had his
arms tightly piniouei. along with
them. A procession was formed, and
the whole party proceeded to the
piazza. These in charge OF the execu-
ton then proceeded to the south end
Of the adobe building which. then
stoOd at the northwest corner of the
piazza. One end Of the rope Was. al
ready arnund the prisoners neck, and
the other Was hastily thrown over
projecting beam. Some Of the author
tiles attempted To interfere. hut were
civillv desired tn stand back. The
crowd by this time numbered upward
Of q thousand. Before the prisoner
had reached the building q score Of
person5 seized the loose end Of the ripe
and ran backward. dragging jenkins
along the ground and raising him to
the beam. There they held him until
he was dead nor did they let the
body 60 until some hours afterwards,
new vnl,.ntears relieving those who
were tired If holding the rOPe. Little
noise or confusion took place. The
prisoner had not spoken . word,
either upon the march or during the
rapid preparation for the execution.
At the end he was perhaps strung up
before he was aware Of what was
coming. He was q strung built,
healthy man, and his struggles were
violent for few minutes. Jenkins
Was one Of the ''Sydney coves." and
Was believed to he a desperate man.
A coroners inquest was held June IL
on the body Of the hanged man, and
the jury rendered in substance that
the man had been hanged by the
vigilance committee. and naming
Capt. Edgar Wakemau. William H.
Jones. James T.. Ward. Edward A.
King T. X. Bst,elle. Benjamin Rev.
nolds. John ). E,gan, j. G. Derby
and Samuel Brannan As parties direct
ly implicated by their voluntary
avowal Of participation in the act.
The committee Immediately there
after published full list Of their
member, with statement that they
were equal participants in the affair
with the parties above named. The
committee alan published resolutions
stating that there existed in the citv
limits a large hand of robbers and
ince1diaries. who were disturbing the
order Of society; that the police.
through csrelesslness Or convenience.
failed to take proper measures with
them therefore. TIE committee noti-
fed all criminals to leave this town
witain FIVE DAYS. and at the end of
that time they would be compelled to
leave or take the consequences.
The terrible example made of Jen-
kins. and the announcement of further
steps BY the committee, had already
frightened many Of the rOgues away.
The steamers Of Sacramento and
Stockton were crowded with them
@.,' ~,"-n .,asTsav-.ta characters remain
ell and unless the work was thoroughly
done the city would he in n bad a
state as before. So notices were
served upon all such persons rs were
known or reputed to be vicious char
acters tina. they instantly leave the
city. on pain Of being forcibly ex-
PEELED. These notices were ALWAYS
served in the presence Of three
members Of the committee. II the
person warned considered himself an
innocent or ill-used person. he was At
liberty to appeal to the committee
and have his cause reheard and. after
hearing the evidence, the committee
altered or confirmed their previous
judgment. When some Of the warned
refused to depart they were seized
nv force and imprisoned on hoard
ship until arrangements could be
made for their transportation abroad.
The next striking occasion when the
vigilance committee exercised its
power was on the 18th Of July follow-
ing. A person by the name Of
Stuart had been for some DAYS in the
hands of the committee upon various !
charges. He had been transported |
from England to Australia for forgery. !
and was desperate character. About
8 o clock on TIE morning Of the 1lth
the taps on the hell Of Monumental !
engine-house called the committee
together, and they considered Stuart's
case. He was found guilty and
sentenced to be hanged. Col. j. d.
Stevenson Sent outside and told the
people Of the verdict, and asked If
they approved IT IL. A loud shout
in the affirmative answered his
question.
The prisoner appeared quite reck-
less % his fate. and said, 1.-The bust
ness wss--tiresome." He begged q
piece Of tobacco. which be continued
to chew until he heard his doom.
After sentence he was allowed .
DELAY Of two hours tn frame his
mind to the solemnity Of the occasion,
although he seemed very Indifferent
about religious matters.
At the expiration of the two hours
The prisoner was led forth. still
and acloeely surrounded. The
rest Of the committee form a line
behind. In this order they marched |.
% Market street wharf, q great crowd
# citizens following. Up to this
line the prisoner had preserved much Z