The Progress., 1889-03-09
RIDING FOR DEAR LIFE.
An Adv enture in the Early Days
Of California.
A Thrilling Experience-John Neumann's
Narrow Escape from Being Lynclled
by Vigilantes-How His Innocence
Was Established.

"A InrullnS ExPerlence-JOhn Neumann'S
Narrow Escape from Being Lynched
by Vigilantes How His Innocence
Was Established.
In the primitive days of California
juries and courts of justice fell into dis
repute among the people for the lax
methods employed in the administra-
tion Of justice upon captured criminals
and outlaws At the time of the or
ganization of the vigilantes affairs had
reached a crisis, and young and old,
including many of the best citizens of
San Francisco, leagued themselves to-
gether and formed what is even now
remembered in the Golden State as
the strongest and most powerful Or
ganlzation of the kind ever known.
1t soon grew to enormous proportions,
and Its labors extended over a great
portion Of the State outside the CITY,
The most binding oaths Of secrecy were
exacted and they were always religi-
ously kept. At first there were those
who wanted to suppress the order,
but these soon learned for their own
health's sake to hold their peace,
and, finally, the vigilantes became so
bold that prisoners were carried with
out molestation from jails, crowded
court-houses and other places.
1t was early in 1858, in the palmi-
est days of the vigilantes' sway, that
John Neumann, now a gray-haired
veteran of about seventy, had the ad-
venture that he loves so we'll now to
talk about. There had been a series
Of stage rob5eries all around San
Francisco, and the favorite prey of
the robbers seemed to be the Sacra-
mento overland. This stage had been
stopped no less than six times in as
many weeks by three robbers, and all
efforts to capture them had met with
signal failure. Vigilantes, armed to
the teeth, accompanied the stage on
each trip, but every time they were
compelled either to hold up their
hands or to fight while under cover of
the highwaymen's weapons. On the
fifth day after the last robbery had
occurred, it became known that a
large quantity Of gold-dust was to
leave Sacramento for San Francisco,
and double guard was placed on the
coach.
On the morning following the day
on which the coach left, at just about
day break, three men with masks
drawn over their faces and mounted
upon handsome and well-trained ami
mails, appeared directly in front OF the
coach, and the cry Of {. Halt'' greeted
the ears Of the half-slum bering
guards. The driver, seeing three
rifles aimed directly at him, pulled
the horses back, and the coach was
brought to a stop One of the guards
raised rifle to his shoulder, but, be-
fore he could pull the trigger, he fell
back with d bullet through his heart
Then terrific fusillade Of firing be-
gan, which lasted for several mo-
ments. The guards won the day: one
OF the robbers was killed, and the
other two were beaten off. The driver
of the coach and one of the guards
were killed, and another guard was
badly wounded.
One of the yigilantes jumped to the
ground, tore the mask from the rob
ber's face, and to his great astonish-
ment recognized him as a prominent
a@l respected citizen Of San Francisco.
This explained in greet part why it
had been impossible to locate the
robber, for the robberies had doubt
less all been committed by persons of
this character One Of the other rob
bers rode q white horse, the third rode
a sorrel. Both wore wide brimmed
slouch hats and black clothes A pas
senger volunteered to drive the coach,
and the IS horses sped to the nearest
stage station, about four miles dis
tant, where relays Of horses were kept.
Two OF the guards mounted fresh
animals and started off as srapidly as
possible for San Francisco
About two hours later they reached
the city and reported the case at
headquarters. Fifty mounted vigil
lantes We're dispatched in all direc-
tlons in nearly as many minutes with
orders to bring back the robbers dead
or alive. The news Of the attempted
robbery and the fight spread like Wild
IRE throughout the city. Some one
said that John Neumann, wearing a
dark suit Of clothes and a slouch hat,
had left the city on the morning of the
preceding day lnoNhted on a white
! horse. and that he had rat,lrnad 3nnlv