The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-07-15

out. One of the compositOrs said: "Mv
Godl that's james King of the Bulletin.
Casey and his friends had planned
everything beforehand. As soon as ht
shot King, Casey gave himself up t.
his confederate, Sheriff Dave Scannell
and went to Jail. What King wrote O.
Casey was that he was an escaped con.
vict from Sing Sing. Well, the news
OF the murder went over the city like
wildire, creating intense excitement
everywhere. Business houses were closed
and merchants, mechanics. the best
citizens, came out in the streets. There
were men speaking at nearly every street
corner, urging that the time had come
for the people to take the law into their
own hands. A printer, named An
drews, and myself with others spoke at
the corner Of Merchant and Montgom-
cry streets. 1t was the first and only
speech | ever made in my life. AS
finished speaking man came up and
said he wanted Andrews and me. We
took several printers we knew and went
with the stranger to large warehouse
on SAMSON street, and were there told
that vigilance committee was form
ing. We registered our names, and
were each given number and went out.
My number was 1885. No man got into
that organization unless fully vouched
for as thoroughly reliable.
We met in large hall the next night
or two after initiation, and were put
into companies, electing our own off,
GERS and forming regiments. No man
was called by name; each had his num-
Der. We were armed at first in all sorts
Of ways-revolvers, knives, clubs, any
thing; but we soon provided ourselves
with muskets and ammunition. Our
force soon rose to 5000 men, and was
composed of cavalry, artillery, mounted
rifemen and infantry. Who was the
leaderP Inever knew any leader. All
our orders came from Thirty three,
secretary, by order of the committee
We took large building in SAMSON
street next, in which we made cells,
courtroom, storage rooms for arms,
and all necessary apartments. This
building was got in order with a dis
patch that rivaled the erection of Alad-
din's palace. 1t was thoroughly guarded
at every point. On the ground were
sand-bag embankments, and there were
four cannon upon the roof, while num-
erous projecting pieces of artillery
we're pointed down from the roofs of
adjacent buildings. There were 5000
stand of small arms and thirty cannon.
A large bell was placed on our quar-.
ters in SAMSON street, and when three
taps were sounded every vigilante was
to come instantly to the committee
rooms.
Governor Johson called this upraising
ofcitizens an insurrection, rebellion and
other harsh names, and issued pro-
clamation taking measures to put us
down. Then we had offers of help from
all parts of the State. Word came
from the mines and from the towns
everywhere. Sacramento offered thou
sands OF men. if necessary, to help us.
Many of the thieves and ballot-box
suffers took the alarm and fed. On
Sunday, May l6, 1855, three taps were
sounded on the bell on the roof of the
committee-rooms, and the vigilantes
came to headquarters, 5000 str ong.
They were completely organized and
fully armed. Everybody understood
what was going to happen as two COM
panies marched to the Jail. Sheriff
Scannell was on the roof of the Jail,
which was fiat, with posse, and the
demand came from the vigilantes for
Casey to be delivered up to them. Scan
nell replied that he would protect |
Casey with his life. The companies |
then fell back for orders, when bat
terry came up, supported by the entire |
5000 vigilantes, and was plan in
front of the jail. The man in command |
Of the battery then demanded the sur
render of Casey, and, drawing his
watch, gave Scannell three minutes to
consider the demand. Scannell par
leyed until two minutes of the time had
passed, and then came down and threw
open the jail doors. AS asquad of vigi.
lantes passed by Cora's cell with Casey
the former cried out, Jim Casey,
you've signed my death warrant"
Casey was put in carriage, surrounded
by the citizen soldiery, and taken to
the committee-rooms The vigilantes
then returned and demanded Cora, who
was Immediately surrendered and
brought to the rooms.
Casey and Cora were then brought to
trial in the courtroom of the vigilantes.
They were allowed witnesses and coun-
sel, and the trial was conducted with
fairness, except that all technicalities
wereruled out. No names were used in
This trial, the Judge, jury and all the Of
icers of the court being designated by
numbers. One OF the provisions of the
of the vigilantes was that
no person brought before the committee
should be punished without fair trial
md conviction. If arrested and tried
hieves, gamblers and dangerous men,
IS well as murderers, and in cases OF con-
fiction there lwere but two penalties
leath by the rope or Punishment. Dur
ng its short reign it tried and disposed
# over thirty cases brought before it
hundreds fled without waiting for trial
and of these, fourl were hanged. 1t
vas said that after Cora was taken from
he Jail the wicked woman who had in
tigated the murder offered 100000 to
ny one who would get him out of the
Iands ofthe committee. But there was