The morning call., 1894-02-15


Stevenson's courage and GOODNESS from what
might have proved serious accident, and
promised TO look after his interests When
elected Vice-President. Ex-Governor Tompkins
young Stevenson TO Washington as his private
seer tary. Here he remained till the death of
his patron i'll 1924. meeting all the prominent
IN d of That time.
In 1916 stevenson, who for twenty years had
held command of New York regiment, went
10 Washington, where remarh OF his, 10 the
effect that he would like TO raise q regiment of
volunteers TO proceed 10 California and conquer
and occupy that bright new land on he Pacific
Coast was conveyed to President Polk. Tie
President gave him permission To raise a regi-
MT MT of New York volunteers TO accomplish rs
purpose.
The idea was approved by General W. Scott,
General John A. Dix, and ON June 90 1876
Secretary of War W. l.. Marcy signed the OH.
ciai permit for tn raising OF the small army
The recruiting OF he seven companies was be-
gun and completed at he old State arsenal,
crulted from the State al large. The regiment
was mustered in on August 1, 1916, on lover.
nors Island, as The Seventh Regiment OF New
YORK Volunteers. The ships Thomas H. Per
kins, Loo Cnoo and Susan Drew were chartered
to try them round The Horn.
Thomas j. Sutherland, on being refused a
commission, brought Influence TO bear 10 have
Stevenson removed and then stirred up some of
the men who had been recruited and discharged
by The medical examiners TO bring suit against
the colonel for false Imprisonment, asking for
damages and intending TO deIain him under
Sherlf's writ Colonel Stevenson put mis- men
ON board on September "a, 1876 aud gave
orders that no SheIifs officer should be allow ed
TO board his ship. Every move of In Sheriff
was defeated aud on September 20 IL was
tOwed to sea.
On the way TO Rio mutiny on the Perkins
was queled by Stevenson, who told the captain,
who al first sided with the mutinrers: II sleep
over 100 barrels OF gunpowder. To that have
a train laid. The moment there Is any sign Of
mutipy l will not leave plank of this ship Tor
the mu ineers 10 save themselves upon"
The voyage from Rio 10 California was I'M
eyentful, and OH MAJ ch 2, 1S47, the ha Dor OF
san Francisco was entered. Colonel Stevenson
brought with him 727 officers and men, The
only women in The party being the wives OF a
few men, who acl ed as laundresses.
General Stephen w. keaTney 81 lit up the
regiment, sending four companies under the
colonel 10 Monterey. Thence h was sent TO
| Los Angeles TO resist the MeXicans under Gen.
| eral BuStamente. His powers of concii ton
| and tact won the Mexicans in the south and
| his little command was as safe as IL II had been
| In New York. He was kept apprised by Indian
runners OF every movement OF the enemy, who
| ultimately gave w the invasion.
Mustered out with his regiment in 1S49, be
organized the first school where English was
| taught in San Francisco ana hired Il tel cher
with his own funds. lie 81 ent $500 in having
X. Z. Hammond. James Blair and W. T. Sber-
man survey Suisun Bay, and, with his partner,
paid all the expenses of the first election held
| In this city.
COlonrl Stevenson crushed the conspiracy to
declare California Pacific republic In the days
4
| prominent >ecessionls;s, were ready TO seize
| the Qualifications. the Mint and the Custom
house. They asked Sheriff Charles p. Duane
TO lead them. Duane was loyal. detailed the
| plot 10 Stevenson and gave him list of the
cOn,piratOrs. The Colonel went TO Dave Scan-
nell Chief OF The Fire Department, and asked
him how many men h. could mus er in the
plaza when the alarm bell on the II all struck
| three times. In three hours David Scannell re.
ported that be could raise 1000 men fully
armed. Stevenson then summoned Ma r-Gen-
erai Johnston, in command OF the Pacific Mill
tary Department OF the United States, acting
Governor Downey ana Mayor Teschemacher to
consultation, and measures were taken to
defend the Government property. pro-
claimed openly that ne would hang the first
man who showed his hand To the nearest lamp
post That ended the conspiracy and Califor-
MIA was saved D the Union.
Colonel Stevenson gave bis first employment
| on board a steamer 10 Commodore Vanderbilt,
which led 10 the building up OF the great Van
derbilt fortune. lie was also the first Grand
Master Mason OF California.
His courage and determination be gets from
| his father, Matthew. who, impressed on boa d
the English ship Lapwing a gunner refused
to fire on brig that carried he stars and
stripes. THAT is tile fiag OF my country" he
said, "and l viii never be happy until IL waves
over the British Isles"
On January s, 1921. Colonel Stevenson mar
rled Miss Eliza Riley In New York City, OF
whom four children were born three daughters
and a son. In 1S45 his wife died, and IN 1851,
June "a, he married Mrs. Carnegie, who also
bore him four children, three daughters and a
son. Few years ago one OF his daughters died,
and on being asked by friend the cause of her
demise he said: Poor child! she died OF old
age"
He was appointed United States Shipping
Commissioners IN The latter part OF Grants C
ond term, and held the office under Presidents
Haye>, Garfield and Arthur. About ten years
ago he was elected commissioner of the Supe-
rlor Court OF the city and county OF San Fran