Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-23


SUNDAY UNION reporter the other day,
when,the two met on boh-tail car.
When asked what it was he found, the
Pioneer continued: at is nothing less
than the copy of the prize poem on the
death of James King of William, who was
murdered by James P Casey in 1856. The
murdered man was editor of the San Fran
cisco Bltlletin, and that paper offered a re-
ward of $25 for poem. w. H. Rhodes,
known to the literary world as "Caxton,"
submitted this one and took the prize.
Read it."
The reporter took the clipping and
perused 1t with pleasure. 1t read as fol.
lows:
HE FELL AT HIS POST DOING DUTY.
The Patriot sleeps in the land OF his choice
In the robe of the martyrs all CORY,
And heeds not the tones OF tse world waking
voice,
That covers his ashes with glory
What recks he for riches, what cares he for
fame.
Or world decked in grandeur and beauty?
If the marble shall speak that records his proud
name
He fell at his post doing duty.
The Pilot that stood at the helm of our bark
Cnmoved at the tempests commouon,
Was swept from her deck in the storm and the
dark,
And sank in the depths of the ocean
But little he'll grisve Tor the life it has cost
If our banner shall still float in beauty
And smblazoned on its folds of the Pilot we
He died at his post doing duty.
The warrior chieftain has sunk to his rest.
The sod OF Lone Mountain his pillow;
For his bed California has opened her breast,
His dirge IN the Pacifc's sad billow.
Long as oceans wave signs on our Western
shore
And our valleys bloom out in their beauty,
So long will our country her hero deplore-
VINO died at his post doing duty.
Those must have been rather exciting
days in San Francisco" remarked the
newspaper man, when he had finished
reading the poem.
We'll, | should remark, said the vet
eran enthusiastically. There was no non
sense put up with in those days, and when
anything was not going right. the people
got right up and let the wrong-doers know
it. But in regard to that King of William
affair, | rather pride myself on my memory
OF the events prior to and surrounding that
eventful occurrence. The Vigilance Com
mittee was formed in 1850 Many pioneers
assert that IL was early in 1851, but am
positive that it was in so. Things had
been running wrong, and that organiza-
ton commerce d operations by hanging
John Jenkins on June 10, 1851, and on
the 18th of July another hard case named
Stewart was strung up. On the 24'h of
August Sam Whitaker aud Bob McKen-
ZIe were hung. This kept the vicious
classes quiet until 1856. In that wear the
Bulletin, of which James King OF William
was the editor showed up some big politi-
cal robs, and particularly the stuaiug of q
ballot box by James ?. Casey. who was an
Inspector of Election. % the same even
ing that this was published Casey waited
for King on the street, and meeting him
shot him before King could defend him
self. King of William died several days
later, and the Vigilance Committee lynched
Casey before the funeral procession had
reached Lone Mountain"
A notorious Chinese vender of lottery
tickets hoped on to J-street car to ride
OUT to his ''up, town" route, where ii is said
he sells coupons by the bushel.
Hello, Sam" sung out one of the pas.
sengers, who recognized the Mongol
'How's business ~
"Velly good, respond the acknowledged
individual, with a grin.
BY the way, Sam" went on the gentle
man, what are you going TO do when the
new Chief of Police gels imp
What's malta new Chief?"
Why, he's going to stop all the iotter-
les"
Another grin.
New Chief all light. Hab cgar?'
No, thanks. Too much leprcsy these
days. But you haven't answered my ques-
ton, Sam. How about those lotteries,
when the new Chief gets in?n
"Oh new Chief all right. Maybe he be
good man-we move lotteiy in Darkroom.
Maybe he be velly diam good man-then
move lottely upstairs. Sabe?'
President George Clark, of the Athletic
Club, was overhauied by reporter on the
cars Yesterday.
Haven't heard of anything particularly
new was the affabie athletes reply 10 the
scrihe's demand for an item.
by the way" he added, do you know
| have just been thinking very seriously of
late that the militia in this city has seen its
day, and viii soon be known only in an
Gent history"
"How's that ~
We'll, it will be demonstrated verv
shortly that their services will Pot be
needed in time of trouble The militia is
L
see we have a new instructor there now,
Professor Godefroy, who has introduced, as
one of the things each member mus: learn,
the art of manipulating cannon balls
throwing them great distances, juggling
them, etc. Every day and night you can
see squad of young men hurting these
deadly missiles about the gymnasium with
terrible force and effect Now, suppose a
foreign army should invade our fair CITY.
Before the militia could haul out its heavy
artillery and get in readiness the enemy
would be upon US. Not so with our boys.
Eacn man would simply pick up several
cannon balls, rush to the front, and the in.
vaders would be hattened out upon the
earth before they could say Jack Robinson
or Annie Rooney. Talk about noiseless
and smokeless powder-why, my friend,
they are useless inventions"
A gentleman who lives on NJ street, not
q great way from the corner of Sixth,
the passengers on an O-street car
yesterday afternoon by relating an Incl
dent that was enacted in his back yard
I'VE have several geese and some chick
ems" he said. Two of the ganders are
such belligerent birds tina. had to fence
them off from the chickens because they
kept row a-going all the time. Well, |
heard an unusual commotion out in the
yard this morning and stepped out to see
what was the matter. To my establishment
saw our pet terrier running around the
goose department like thing of evil with
those two ganders close at his heels, and
every now and then giving him nip on
the tail and legs that fairly made him
squeal l seized broom and ran to the
dogs assistance. After considerable ma
l got him out of the yard ali
right.
Just as l closed the gate nv favorite
game cock Ia half Jap which l have been
putting in condition to meet one of Ed.
Smlth's) hoped up on the fence,
aud, looking defiantly over at the
ganders, crowed vigorously as
if challenging them to combat. Well, it
happened that those ganders were just 10
for something of the kind at that moment,
and they Kissed and quacked him till be
flew down into their yard to do battle He
won't do it again. Quick as flash one Of
the ganders seized him by one leg and held |
him up in the air while the other licked |
the life nearly ont of him with his wings |
before l could rescue the poor bird
Everybody laughed, and said it was
good joke, both on the terrier and the |
game cock.
Yes" added the story-teller, but |
learned one thing by it that was we'll worth |
the experience. | learned that when it