The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-04-18
THE VIGILANTES.
HOW THEY QUELLED LAWLEss,
NESS IN SAN FRANCISCO.
An Army of Determined Men Who
Took the Law Into Their Own
Hands in Californfa's
Gold Fever Days.

OSueTal Tauk u. THU, VI DlOuhlSu,
was a member of the United Vigilance
Committee of San Francisco in 1855. In
the Brooklyn Eagle General Pinto says:
''The reign of lawlessness in San
Francisco at various distinct periods,
beginning with the discovery of gold in
1S49, is familiar to all. One of these
periods was in 1855 when a group of
desperadoes murdered, plundered and
stuffed ballot boxes and then relied upon
those whom they helped to put into
Office to SHE'D them from punishment.
At municipal election held at this time
a number of these desperadoes, includ
ing Yankee Sullivan, James P. Casey and
others, took possession of the precinct
Presidio, on the outskirts of San Fran
cisco, and made up their minds to return
whomsoever they chose. 1t was said that
a certain man had agreed to pay the
gang a good sum of money to
return him as supervisor, but not
coming to time with the cash it
was decided to return Casey, and this
was accordingly done. Casey was
notorious rough and the respectable por-
tion of the Inhabitants of San Francisco
were very much exasrerated that he
should be put in position of trust. Mr..
James King of William $50 called be-
cause there was another James King in
San Francisco) editor of the EUening
Bulletin, took pains to look up Casey's
record and found that he had been con-
vict in Sing Sing. He obtained affidavits
from the court officers where Casey was
tried and convicted, and of the keeper
at Sing Sing who had him in charge,
and these were published in the EOening
Bulletin. Casey and the gang to which
he belonged drew lots as to who should
shoot King and the lot fell to Casey. On
May ID, 1856, he met Mr.. King at the
corner of Washington and Montgomery
streets and, drawing revolver, inflicted
a mortal wound. This event still further
augmented the popular excitement.
Casey was hurried to the Jail, but the i'm
preston seemed to prevail that he
would escape punishment for the
brutal murder of which he had
been guilty. This condition of things
led to q revival of the Vigilance Com
mittee formerly in service, with greatly
augmented members. Drilling COM
menced at once, and in O short time so
much efficiency had been acquired that
the Nigilantes decided to demand the
surrender of Casey and another desperate
named Cora from the civil authorities.
Cne of the daily papers of San francisco
contained the following graphic de-
scription of this event: Sunday, May
IS, 1856, will long be remembered as a
day on which emphatically the people
arose and as one man in sentiment aud
feeling, in defiance of the officers of the
government, aided as these were by in.
Vulnerable gamblers, shoulder strikers
and ruffiaus of every description, struck
a blow that it is hoped will rid our COM
munity of all the pests of society which
have disgraced the community for the
past few years. Early in the morning,
parties of armed men were seen in every
direction, each marching to their dis
tinct rendezvous appointed by the
Vigilance Committee. At II o'clock,
everything being in readiness, the COM
mittee commenced forming in the streets
and soon after began their march. There
were twenty-four companies of 100 men
each, the great majority being armed
with rifles or muskets and bayonets and
rcvolvers. A large brass cannon was
placed in the street, pointing to the door
of the Jail. The gun was loaded and
ready to do execution at moments
notice. The Jail was surrounded, and
armed rifiemen were placed on the roofs
of the neighboring houses. A commit
tee of leading citizens entered the jail
and requested the surrender of Casey and
Cora, which was granted. The former
drew knife and made show of
resistance, hut soon saw the folly of
such q course. Both men were taken
to the headquarters of the committee
and closely guarded. On May 22d these
two men were hanged after having been
accorded fair trial. Casey was con-
victed of having killed James King of
William, and Cora of having killed
General William H. Rit harrison, 8
United States Marshal. Beams were run
out of two of the windows of the Vigil
ance Committees rooms, with platforms,
and upon these the execution took place.
Along the streets for a considerable dis
tance on each side of the place of eXecu-
ton were ranged the committee-more
than three thousand in cumbersome on
foot, with lnuskets, and Others on horse
back. with sabers. The houses in the
vicinity were covered with spectators,
and in the streets were collected not less
than ten thousand persons
"Yankee Sullivan had also been taken
in charge by the Vigilance Committee
and was in custody at the headquarters
of the committee. As he has made some
considerable stir in the world it may not
be out of place to here refer to his career
before he came to San Francisco: Yankee
Sullivan was born in Ireland; the prefix
of "Yankee" to his name came from his
having worn an American flag about his
waist in one of his prize fights in Eng
land. He escaped from Sydney, where
be had been transported for felony, and
arrived at Sag Harbor, l.. l., in the ship
Hamilton during 1889. He came to San
Francisco in 1850, soon after
his notorious prize fight with Tom
Hyer. The immediate Iuse of his arrest
by the Vigilance Committee was his
completely in ballot box stutfins. Gene
raj Pinto has in his possession illustrations
of the ballot boxes used on this occasion,
which consisted of movable sides, which
were hollow, thus conccaling large
number OF ballots placed there before the
voting commenced. Sullivan was in the
GU tody of the committee for six days,
during which time Casey was executed
by the committee. 1t was no doubt the
fear Of sharing the same fate that led
Sullivan 70 make the confession which
he did make and to finally take his own
life in the following manner: One morn.