The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-23
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In lSfD no became tno CHOSEN leader
Of company OF adventurous young
fornia. Most OF his comrades went into the
Tor his labor and enterprise in selling supplies.
ssryiiie. and. in 1850. estaSiished the house Of
William T. Coleman X Co.. with which ne was
afx' GoS%nS VIII Se
chiefly because Of his connection with the
Vigilance Committees OF San Francisco. The
chant. in February. 1851. caused a popular
soutburst against the criminals OF the city.
Mr. JanScn's assaiants A crowd OF citizens
made an Intellectual effort on Feb. - to take
Later in NTH the day the @utRortes who fsarod To-
resist the power oil the indignant citizens.
up %Se Sg
responsibility Of prosecuting the men, and
Mr. Coleman appeared as the attorney for his
fellow citizens. lie had eNerted his immense
personal influence to It's utmost to secure an
orderly trial. and such trial was obtained.
tho identity OF one OF the accused. and both
men were returned to the AUTHORITIES: but the
possible 10 have popular justice madS orderly.
several months later tho spirit 81 lawless-
Committee was organized. Mr., Coleman was
the most Influential member of the executive
d,rs,speredoes and 9anishod a large number
King the srne %as rsssd
stronger Than ever; with MT Coleman At the
81 o1ms s0prG % the AdP Sam
francisco Efforts were made to. persuade
Mr.: Coleman and other Influential mem
srner Of SaiIiornis. NeSiy Crimson. and Cen:
the State militia, were amt nR those who Wis
tied Mr.; Coleman and reasoned with him un:
directed the execution Of four murderer, In.
Guiding Casey. who nssassinated editor King.
the united states authorties.
Mr. Coleman c9meto New York in 1871 and
sued here by, Persons who suffered by the
action of the Vigilance Committee. He assist
and orr"nseG The M after The V war r' 10
send aid to the southern sufferers
:, Ills public career closed when he saved San
Francisco from bowling sand lot mob. led by
a plain private citizen Coleman in all tho years
nont personality on tho Pacific coast. Ills name
was known wherever the great vigilance Com
r.. Sctnsor hsv a4N STIPULATED df for aSsous
power before he would ass ne the RESPONSE
niltics q tho position, lie gave his Who'll;
rencgades and criminals. and although he has
been accused Of undue severity 1t was due to
lynchsd the night that he thrust bowie knife
through the throat OF the committee's mar
CoIema an that you could get an idea Of his exec.
utve and judicial force, lie had a great disin-
cnation to pose before the pu bile. and IL was
only with extreme difficulty that he was in
duced to write a personal account OF the work OF
the Vigilance Committees for the CENTURY mag
azine, which formed the most valuable feature |
OF their gold-hunter series. IL his stories on
this subject could have been taken down In
short hand they would would form thrilling
chapter OF California history. lie prepared
youminous statement OF the inside workings
OF the committee. and II this could be pub
lIshed It would clear up many disputed points. |
II was in July, 1917. that the anti-t hinese |
excitement stirred up by kearney In San |
II was evident that kearney had SO strong a |
following that he would attempt to drive out |
the hInese and destroy the property OF all |
who were instrumental in bringing them into \
{ oIeman and ask cd him to organize q safety |
committee In twenty-iour hours he had |
five thousand mon SO equipped that they |
whipped the sand-lot mob In a pitched street |
battle and so terrorized Kearney that although |
he led his forces one night TO the top OF Mob |
I'LL he didn't dare to burn tho houses OF a
railroad millionaire as he had threatened. |
The secret II his weakening Was that Coleman
sent him word that he would he hanged with
in twelve hours OF tho time that lie began any
Nine years ago Mr.. Coleman. who was al
ways stAnch Democrat, was suggested by
THF SrN for President. Ills name was re-
ceved with favor, hut the plan fell through
Mr. Coleman. largely through the work OF
Euh0rdinRtes. After PAYING 40 cents on the
dollar 10 which the creditors agreed. Mr.. Cole
man spent his remaining years In settling the
completed this work. paving every, creditor
dollar for dollar. Many OF these creditors had |
really pTecipitated his failure by refusing to L
grant him needed time.