The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-11-06
HOW KING WAS KILLED
THE INSIDE STORY OF "a IA
NOUS MURDER.
The San Francisco yigllantes' Rlso- How They
Hung Casey for Kings Assassination and
Laid Hands on this Late Judge
Terry or California. .

James r. King, OF New York, the
head OF the King Locomotive Works.
tells On interesting story Of the vigil
lantes who hanged Jim Casey for the
murder Of another James King in CAL
ifornia in the year 1856.
II was living in California in 1856. y
SAID Mr.. King, land was deeply inter-.
ested in the growth md prosperity of
San Francisco. Lawlessness prevailed
everywhere and the so-called law and
order party was composed Of men who
openly took the law into their own
hands. Ned McGowen was a Judge of
the district court and Judge Terry was
at the head OF the supreme court Of
| the state, and two more lawless men
than Terry and McGowen never lived.
james King OF William, so called
to distinguish him from another King,
man OF Importance in California, was
the editor Of the leading daily paper
in San Francisco, a man of character
and standing who, as an editor. was
| more fearless in his denunciation Of
wrong or injustice than Young, Of the
Chronicle, ever was in his best and
bravest days.
Jim Casey was gambler, tall,
dlgnliied looking person, Of local re-
nown. the intimate and confidential
friend OF Judge Ned McGowen BY
the way, the last1 heard Of McGowen
he was a dealer in a faro bank at
Saratoga. James King, OF William,
had been particularly bitter for
months in his paper in denunciation of
the ring robberies in San Francisco,
when the crowd Of laWless men domi-
mated over by Judge Terry and Ned
McGowen made up their minds that
the time had come to kill James King,
OF William. There was no other way
20 silence the paper save to kill the
owner and editor, for King was rich
and influential and man whose per-
sonal integrity was above suspicion.
Secret assassination was so com
i mon that it scarcely provoked COM
ment, for the law and order men
owned the courts and controlled the
mayor OF the city and the San Fran
cisco police. No one stood in with
the gamblers, and shielded them more
than Ned McGowen, of the district
court. He was one OF them. To him
Casey naturally went to air the com
mon grievance OF the dangerous
classes against King. whose Saracen
blade, welded in trenchant editorial
phillippics in his paper, cut like a
two edged sword
.'McGowen did not h estate "a mo-
| ment to go into the scheme to rid San
Francisco of the odious presence Of
Editor King. McGowen proposed that
he and Casey should draw straws, one
short and one long, and the man who
drew the short straw was to shoot
James King, Of William, on sight
This was satisfactory to Casey, in
whom the gambling instinct was pre-
dominant. At a celebrated tavern.
long since torn down, and now the
site OF a big bank, the friends of Nc
Gowen and Casey met to decide BY lot
who should kill the dauntless King.
After registering time, long after
midnight on q summer night, the man
who presided at the table held the
straws in his right hand.
He reached his hand out toward
Casey.
The gambler drew the L ng straw.
For McGowen was left the short
straw-and he must kill Editor King.
"The solemnity Of the event and the
uncertainty OF the result. as we'll as
the natural fear OF punishment for so
great a crime, made Ned McGowe \
white as ghost The sounds OF
revelry ceased and the conspirators
grew solemn as Judge MEG owen
pictured to the assembled toughs the
consequences to all Of them ii he. -
judge OF the district court, should
openly assassinate James King, Of
William, in the streets Of San Fran.
cisco.
''Ihe audience who sat around the
table grew sober as the seriousness Of
the situation dawned on Them con-
tlnued Mr.. King. IAN eyewitness Of
the scene told me years after the event
tn t rs Jim Casey rose up from the
tnble white as a sheet, with compress
ed lips, and began to speak. cold chills
ran down his spine. Casey said: j
take in the situation. MCGOWAN il
right He can't afford to kill jim
King. ] can and WILL Instant ap-
plause followed this utserance 81
Casey's. So powerful was the or CANT
cation Of tho so-called .law and order
men that they did not dream that the
conservative element in the city would
dare to invoke the lex talionis, ana
take life for life, with swift certain
ty. 55 s
Time wore on and the intensity
and bitterness Of feeling between the
champions OF law and those who lived