Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-05-25

6O GARY 10 De an 6A-COuNlCb lFOm OluS
Sing, N. Y, and that he had never been
restored to citizenship, and published
records from the Sing Sing prison to sub
stantiate his claim. Casey was so incens-
ed that he sought King out, and on the
evening of May Ia, 1855, shot him. Ca
sey fled to the building occupied by the
vigilance committee, and sought protec-
ton. King lived until the morning of
the goth, when he died.
Confined in the same building was one
Charles Cora charged with the murder of
George Richardson, a U. S. Marshal.
Cora had been tried but the jury did not
agree, and he was held by the vigilance
committee for safety. Following the
death of King came the immediate trial
of Casey and Cora by the committee, who
found both men guilty. At two o'clock
in the afternoon of the day that King
died, both men,were hung from the top
of the building in which they had bee n
confined, Walbridge being one of the
guard placed around the building. These
crimes aroused the people, and call was
made for the organization of vigilance
committee at once. Many responded to
the call, among them Colonel Walbridge,
who has now hanging in his home the
certificate given him soon after he joined
1t is engraved, a principal picture on it
being that of the headquarters of the Wig
lance committee, it also showing Casey
and Cora as they hung from it. The GER
tificate reads: COMMITTEE of Vigilance
of San Francisco. Re-organized 18th
May, 1855, for the mutual protection of
life and property. In the name of the
people. This is to certify that James II.
Walbridge, No. 5000, is member of the
Committee of Vigilance of the City of San
Francisco and is enrolled in Company II,
Doane guards, in the military organiza-
ton thereof. Signed VIM. T. Coleman,
president !; Isaac Bluxholm, Jr., secre-
tary; William Myers, deputy treasurer;
countersigned by Charles Doane, grand
marshal" The seal contains the words
around the outside, " Fiat Justitia ruat
Coclium,' no creed, no party, no section
al issues" These encircle an all seeing
eye under which reads, COMMITTEE of
Vigilance of San Francisco" This is
probably the only thing of the kind in
| Vermont. Soon after two men, Hether-
lngton and Brace were hung by the vigi.
lance committee, both for shooting men,
and Walbridge was one of the guard Sc.
lected to bring them from the jail to the
place of execution.
He was acquainted with Terry who
killed Senator Broderick in duel, and
at one time was guard over Terry while
he was confined in the Jail for stabbing &
man, one Hopkins, that belonged to g
military company, known as the Sar
Francisco Blues. 1t was reported at one
time that Hopkins was dead and an at
tempt was made to lynch Terry, but the
committee prevented. Col. Walbridge
says that Terry possessed the most nerve
of any man that he ever saw. There
were several other interesting incidents
told. With the efforts made by the vigi
lance committee and the officers of thu
law, crime decreased, and he was perma
nently employed in a newspaper Office
At the time of the earthquake, in 1866
he was running an Adams printing press
and his first thought was that some gear
ing had broke, but soon discovered hi
mistake and left the building with others
He remained in the city of San Francisc'
about five years, when he returned home
strongly imbued with the idea that no
only was Vermont a good place to b,
born in but a good place to die in.