Evening star., 1897-03-05
SANFRANClSCO'SVIGlLANTES
"reminiscences by Washington Citizen Of
Some Stirring Times.
The Summary Justice Visited on
Thieves and Murderers in the Early
Days ON the Pacific Coast.

Mr.. r. H. Willet, one Of the few surviv-
ing members of the famous vigilance COM
mittee which did much TO bring order
out OF chaos in San Francisco in 1851. is
row a resident of Washington
MIR. Willet, although but a boy at the
time, was selected by Secretary of State
John NJ. Clayton to carry dispatches to
General Fersifer F. Smith. who in 1851
represented the government of the United
States on the Pacific coast. This was the
way Mr.. Willet found himself in San Fran
cisco in the troublous times above men,
toned.
Il was standing" said Mr.. Willet to a
Star reporter. ION the plaza in San Fran
cisco one evening when 1 saw a man ride
rapidly up the street. alight from his horse
and. going into the engine house. ring
the bell so that it would tap three times.
After he had done this he hurriedly jumped
on his horse and again rode out the street
in the direction OF the sand lots. which
have since become well known.
mo one in the part of the city where The
engine house was located seemed to know
why the bell had been rung. but in an
incredibly short space of time men began
to go in the direction the solitary horse
man had taken. and although the distance
was not great, a crowd of probably J,o0
had gathered at the sand lots by the time
l reached there.
Presently a man named Sam Brannan
came out of an Office near by and informed
| the crowd that he and some others had
caught man named Jenkins, who had
robbed a store on Long wharf of box of
money, which he had thrown IN the bay
after making a desperate effort to escape
| with it.
The crowd listened to the statement: the
man made no denial Of his guilt and, by
the vote of the multitude he was con-
demned to DEATH which sentence was car
ried into effect by men selected by Mr..
Brannan, the man being hanged to near
by lamp post.
There was considerable dispute as to
which of the party of eXecutionerS put the
rope around Jenkins neck. and the follow
ing day card signed by a Captain Wake
man. who was In the China trade, appeared
in the Alta Californian, stating that he
claimed the honor and would like to assist
in similar manner at the execution of a
good many more characters like Jenkins.
Plot to XIII.
AT once a plot was made to kill Cap
tain Wakeman. and when he next sailed a
party of his would-be murderers took pas
| sage on his vessel. The latter. however,
discovered the scheme. and put the Offend
ers in irons. in which manner he sent then,
| back to San Francisco on the first passing
vessel.
But the most thrilling scene 1 ever wit
messed was the execution of Whitaker and
Mckenzie. two of the worst men who ever
visited San Francisco. They had been
charged with various crimes and, after
| a great deal of trouble and the expenditure
| OF about 10000 for the salaries of detec-
| tives. they were captured and locked ur
at the headquarters of the vigilance COM
mittee. The sheriff of the city by some
| means. managed to get hold of them, and
| the vigilance committee made a raid on
| the Jail. recaptured the prisoners and
hanged them to beams I'm front of the place
where they had first been held as prisoners
| There were many other executions of
| criminals for various offenses during the
years lSal-52. but the hanging of Whitaker
! and Mckenzie may be regarded as the ac,
which put an end to mob violence in San
Francisco