The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-22
IN THE EARLY DAYS.
Relative to The First Vigilance
Committee in San Francisco.

In the month Of November, 1850, there
were eight primitive houses situated on the
extreme point of little peninsula far pro-
jecting into the bay of San Francisco. 1t
was separated from the surrounding country
by a rocky mountain range the eight
houses were occupied by an American hun
ter and seven French fishermen, deserters
from French man-of- war. On the opposite
was another French settlement of five
fishermen. All OF the cattle owned by
the two settlements was a single
goat. the loss OF which would have
proved a public calamity Its master
had brought it from France. around
Cape Horn. Besides the hunting and fish
ing people, there was, beyond these settle
mentS also, regular farmer called the Irish
Captain, although he was neither Irish nor
a captain. He was a Dane by bi rth and a
farmer all his life by occupation. he pos
sessed a valuable stock of imported cattle
a rare thing at that time. Farther into the
interior. on the other side of the mou ntain
range, was the COrnelia Rancho, a Califo r
MIA manor-house, constructed of rough
beams, and surrounded by mud and cattle
instead of gardens, parks, green grass and
flowers. COrnella was native grandee and
claimed the right TO 400 square miles of
territory. Although the invasion of her
country by the gOd-hunterS had swept
away the greater part OF her herds, yet
there still remained over thousand head.
In full dress, adorned with gold chains,
pearls and jewels. she looked very nagnifi-
cent, seated In large wagon drawn by tw o
oxen and sixteen mules roughing it over u
country without roads. This, however, was
upon sttte occasions and of rare occur
renee. Her home dress was an old broad
brimmed straw hat, leather boots, loose
white shirt, and Il short petticOat of coarse
red flannel She ruled over thirty Indian
servants besides her son-24 years of
age-and a homeless Portuguese ad-
venturer, who, seeking support, had
drifted TO that Eden before the rude gold
hunters dispersed the charm of silence
simplicity, and ignorance that reigned COM
plete everywhere. The Irish Captain was
not slow 20 perceive his advantage over the
sonora. He therefore proposed to her to
take charge OF her cattle and sell to
the best advantage, on condition that he
should have one-half of the sum realized,
which proposition was reluctantly accepted
by the sonora. The Irish Captain now
organized for the common defense by calling
general meeting, and binding each by a
covenant TO take care Of his neighbor's
property by armed force when necessary.
But short time thereafter a boat laden
with stolen beef from the senora's herds
was captured, and the cattle-t hieves
taken prisoners by the Frenc hmen
of Low Point The thieves were
tied, put under boat turned upside down,
and closely watched. The Irish Captain him
self escorted the pris oners to San Francis co
the following morning, and delivered them
into the hands of the civil authorities. In
stead of being punished for their awless
crimes. they were set at liberty by the civil
authorities. and Tetaliated upon the Irish
Captain by butchering and carrying off all
his mich cows. These thieves and this
system of robbery received the counte-
nance OF rich and influential butchers of
San Francisco, who furnished the means
for these predatory incursions, and the
money To retain influential counsel to de-
fend and acquit, through technicalities
of the law, such of the thieves as
should fall into the hands of the Irish Cap
tain and his cohorts. Canvinced that no
redress could be obtained from the civil
authorities at San Francisco, second gen.
eral meeting was held, and IL was unani-
mousiy resolved that the residents of the
peninsula should form themselves into
permanent committee, and assume all the
duties OF police and courts martial. No sus-
pected party should be permitted TO land.
Thieves and other criminals should be tried
before the committee. and, if found guilty,
executed on the spot. Thus was formed the
first Vigilance Committee that ever existed
within the limits of Caifornia.-From " The
NigilanteS of California, Idaho and Mon
taha," by j. II. Clampitt, in Harper's Mag