The Portland daily press., 1896-02-22

| uomaHueu reGraotloD. Wnlcn Alng en-
phatioally refused to make, saying that
he had published the truth, and would
stand by it. Casey retired, and whom
King came out on the street from his
office shot him down. Then he got into
carriage which he had in waiting and
drove to the Jail. where he gave himself
into custody.
| That night the great triangle sent out
its summons and an indignation meet
ing was held on one of the main streets.
The next day there was another indigna-
ton meeting, but there was no intima-
tion from the Vigilance Committee as
to plans for retIibution. On Sunday
morning, while MI. Noble WAS on his way
to barber's shop to be shaved. he saw
hundreds of muskets with bayonets at
tached being taken out Of one Of the big
warehouses.
| 81 suspected at once that something
was going to happen, and soon after 1
met friend Of mine who knew what
was up He told me that the Vigilance
Committee were going to take Casey
from the jail. Before long the alarm was
sounded and the Vigilance Committees
forces came on the run from all parts of
the city. In very short time over T. 900
military column. Every man had q gun
and several rounds of ammunition, and
the column, headed by little fellow
named ST. John, who rode a white horse,
moved on the Jail When the forces
reached the jail they were drawn up in
line of battle surrounding the building,
and brass field piece, made by the
Ames Company in Chicopee, was brought
/ to the trout, loaded with solid shot, and
trained on the jail doors.
"Then St. John called out the Sheriff
and demanded that Casey should be sur.
rounded. The Sheriff was acoompsn MED
by Gov. johnson, who had hurried down
to San Francisco in the hope that he
could prevent trouble. The Governor
and the Sheriff refused point blank to
surrender Casey, and the Sheriff made
short speech entreating the crowd to dis
perse, and promising that Casey should
De fairly tried.
those DOORS" was the only reply that st.
John made. The Governor and the
Sheriff stood their ground, and st. John
retired without any further remarks and
rode down the line of men, who followed
his little white horse with their eyes, but
remained perfectly silent. st. John
again approached the Governor and the
Sheriff, and, taking out his watch. said:
"'You have two minutes to open those
DOORS.
"Then he, walked back to where the
field piece stood, and turned, holding his
watch in his hand.
'One minute he called in a clear
voice.
"Stll no movement from the Sheriff,
and the crowd was breath1ess.
Turning to his gunners with his eyes
still on mis- watch, St. John commanded:
Ready and the lanyard began to
tighten.
'tThen the Governor saw that resistance
was worse than useless, and he held up
his hand, indicating surrender. But he
was not many seconds too soon, for at
the end of that five minutes St. John
would have undoubtedly ordered his men
! to fire, and the demolition of that door
would have been a matter of few
moments. AS soon as the Sheriff opened
the door delegation Of the committee
men went into the Jail, took Casey from
his cell, and escorted him to the barracks
on Sacramento street. Then there was 8
short consultation among the leaders,
after which they returned to The jail and
demanded that Casey be turned over to
them. The demand was granted with
ala rity, and Casey was soon safe in the
fortress on Sacramento street. Then the
forces of the committee and the crowd
quietly dispersed, and everybody was
satisfied that justice would be DONE
Casey and Corey were given a short,
searching examination before the Vigi-
lance Committee, and, as had been the
case with Hetherington and Brace, were
promptly found guilty and were con-
demnod to be hanged. 1t was an
nounoed that the execution would take
place the following Saturday afternoon,
and every preparation was made to pre-
vent the possible interference Of the So
called claw and order'' element, who
were in the majority 80 far as the actual
holding of offices were concerned The
guard about the barracks where the con-
demned men were still confined was
heavily REINFORCED. But as was always
the case with the movements of the Vigi-
lance Committee, every thing was done
in quiet. determined, and skilful man
ner which showed the stern purpose of
the men who had sworn to see strict JUS
lice done. Carpenters were at work Sat-
urday morning building a little platform
at the level of the second story windows.
The platform was swung on heavy
| hinges, so that 1t would fall downward
when the rope supporting it was cut.
| Hours before the time set for the execu-
ton. the roofs and every point from
which the execution could be seen were
crowded, and the spectators thronged the
streets as near the barracks as they were