The record-union., 1894-07-19

It was deemed by the puDIlc generally
that Governor Markham should be here,
| but while he apparently waited for such
| advice, no one in authority would ask
| him TO come. The committee wired him
on Sunday morning, July Sth, an urgent
request to come by boatit trains were not
available. On the following day, III re-
sponse to such telegram, the Governor
| started for Sacramento.
On the Governors arrival the commit
tee waited upon him. furnished him such
information as be desired as TO the situa-
/ ton, and took the liberty OF suggesting,
I first, that he invite the Sheriff, Mayor,
! Marshal and officer in charge OF the Fed
eral troops to a conference, and agree on
policy which would have the effect of
maintaining law and order, driving out
! of Sacramento the lawless element con-
gregated here; and second, that he offer
All additional reward-the railroad haV-
/ ing published its first reward-tor the
/ conviction OF the parties guilty OF wreck
ing the train at trestle No. ,.
Several days after the Governor having
failed apparently TO acquire sufficient in-
formation upon which he could act intel-
| ligently in the matter either of conference
| or reward an effort was made by the
committee with local authorities. The
/ Mayor, at the request and suggestion OF
the committee, issued an order to the
/ Chief OF Police to arrest as vagrants any
/ strangers in the city who could not. give
good account OF themselves. the sug-
/ gestion being that the first forty or fifty
arrested should be put To breaking rock.
! 1t was believed this course would cause
speedy thinning out of the undesirable
element which threatened the city's
| safety.
1t was found, however, that the Chief
of Police claimed that he could not
! ''round up vagsp with the force OF police
at his disposal, that the city's rock
| breaking ordinance had been repealed,
and would hardly be renewed by the
| present Trustees, and that the county au-
thorities did not 1avorably regard chaln-
gang plan under existing conditions.
The committee placed itself in COM
muncation at the earliest moment with
Marshal Baldw and Colonel Graham.
and the former official IS kind enough to
say that its services have been of the
| greatest value to him in the preserva-
| tion of law and order.
1t was at the committees suggestion
and request that arms and ammunition
were removed from the leading gun
stores OF the city; that a guard was placed
about the powder magazines on the
eastern limits OF the city. then entirely
unprotected; that the transportation
companies have closely scrutinlzed sus-
picious packages arriving i'll this city;
| that the theft OF the BerSaglie arms was
investigated; that guards were placed
! about the Water Works-Mr. Knox CO.
operating i'll such matter-because OF the
threats made, prior to the arrival of the
! United States troops, that the lawleSS
element would. if opportunity offered,
destroy the Wafer Works and gas works
in order that the town might be the more
readily pillaged: and in various minor
ways have the efforts OF the committee
| been directed at preserving law and
order. The Information as TO The storage
/ in,
this city was furnished by this COM
mittee, and the order for the searching
| of such places was issued by Marshal
Baldwin at IL o'clock on the morning OF
July Ilth i'll response to its request. and
the subcommittee did not abandon this
matter until the militia detailed to make
the search were under marching ofears.
THE ISSUE sQUARELY PUT.
When the Trustees of the city of Sacra-
mento, instead of offering the Federal
authorities every assistance in their power
/ in carrying out the Presidents orders
! and maintaining law and order, commit
| ted the gross dlscourtesy OF sending a
| committee to criticise the conduct of such
officials without learning the facts, our
! Executive Committee, following its
| policy of doing that which fearless and
competent officials should have done but
did not do, waited upon Marshal Bald
win and Colonel Graham and advised
them that their course in maintaining
law and order against those who had
openly defied and threatened the United
! States Government if it dared to oppose
them, was thoroughly indorsed by the
loyal citizens of this city. and that the
Trustees in making any statement to the
| contrary did not represent the loyal citi-
| zens of Sacramento. This statement in
no way carries any justification of any
unprovoked or unnecessary attack of
| soldier upon d civilian who showed him.
! self properly mindful of the Presidents
| proclamation and the orders of those in
| trusted with it's fulfillment; but we have
| failed to find corroboration oil any such
case, and are well satisfied that in any in
stance OF the kind Colonel Graham would
see that proper punishment was meted
out to the offenders.
ARE WE RIGHT OR WRONG?
For any and all of its acts-a few of
! which are referred to here-the Citizens
| Protective Association has no apology to
offer. The highest compliment paid it is
that on several different occasions gentle
men of executive ability thoroughly
! familiar with the situation, and having
the best interests of the city at heart,
have appeared before the Executive Conn
/ mittee, by request, to offer suggestions as
! TO steps that should be taken in the pub
lie interest There was no suggestion
/ thus offered-with a single exception
that had not already been foreseen and
acted on, and this single exception had
been considered and found impractica-
BILE.
If this association needs any indorse-
ment it finds it in the fact that the policy
which it has followed is that which has
been commended in loyal communities
throughout the Union, and, that the
harsh things now being said of this city
are said because it is currently believed
throughout the State that the sentiment
OF this community is in opposition TO the
declared principle. established policy and
| consistent acts of the Citizens Protective
| Association, as herein for the first time
| made public. We know that an injustice
has been done Sacramento in this matter
by outside opinion. II rests now with
our own citizens 10 prove that they have
been wronged.
The Citizens Protective Association and
its Executive Committee will continue It's
work while there seems to be any good
to be accomplished, or until it has been
absolutely proved that the evil things
said of the good people Of Sacramento
are true. In the meantime, it shall be
glad to have the commentator and CO.
operation of good law-abiding ana loyal
| citizens.
| CITIZENS PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION,
By Executive Committee.