The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-15

heretofore believed. but started In Ireland.
The original Judge Lynch was In reality
mayor. with judicial functions, and his name
was truly Lynch. but he lived In Galway, Ire
land. and not Lynchburs. Va. He was stern
old fellow. and had son who murdered a
SIsniard. ct the time . Eusst It the Lynch
home. The criminal was not only condemned
TO die by his father. but actually hanged 10
| Aont OF the Lynch door by the paternai hand
4 The inhabitants Of Galway sympathised with
thu son almost to man. and the father DE-
csrsd his purpose In hanging his son wAs
''to show a good example TO posterity."
Charles Lynch. a descendant Of Mayor Lyncn.
came to this country In the eighteenth oen-
tvry and settled near what 10 now Lynchburg.
When the revolution came be was an ardent
patriot and became q colonel In the conti-
mental army. He took great dslIght In pun
ish,ng 'tories," as colonists loyal to the king
were termed. the punishment generally being
inflicted under the famous tree mentioned.
The punishment was never capital however.
"thirty-nlne lashes on the bare back for Civ
irE Information to the British being the rule.
~
A UNSUITABLE series OF lynchings was carried
on by tho famous vigilance COMMITTEES organ
ized In San Francisco in 1885. The nrst San
! Francisco vigilance committee did its work In
1851. and there were then number OF smaller
organizations of the same general purport
Ia various places on the Pacific slope. These
earlier committees were called into being by
a remarkable epidemic Of unpunished crimes.
and the summary executions OF 1851 made lie
ara property safer on "the slope than they
had ever been before. BY 1885, however. there
+, was new order OF things. Taught respect
Z FOR tho law oy the vishants' the criminals OF
- -
= san FRANCISCO haa managed 70 get controi OF
: tn' law machinery py eiecuhs 'ner own
" sort as snerins ana lunges' unuer TINS new
~ regime no burglar murderer or h'snwaymsa
h needed 10 avoid. arrest rho jan was MS
/. saiest asylum inc way 10 iesai hoer'y anu
4. tho chance to DO more esii lay through the
A court room, with one exception, the news
a, papers OF san Francisco we're IN cnhoots Win
the rascals'
70 Tho exception was ths Bulletin, and James
- kins' Its editor, let hardly DAY pass with
N out ATTACKING the current administration OK
IA Justice so-eailou' Vh may ~ ne Puphsneu an
IA especially nltter attack on one James Casey,
!. Casey met King on the street and shot him.
A inhietins mortal wound friendly ny
IN stander LED the murderer quiety to tho jaii,
~ whero no believed he would be entirely saie
. from any DANGER whatever. The jailer would
y guard MIN, ana his friend tne Judge, wound
= release MIN In good time. THIS was all risnt
!, n theory. but It dld not work IN practlee'
~ The next DAY the chairman OF tho disbandod
vigilance committee OF 1851 called meeting
for the organization of new COMMITTEES. On
= May II. 5000 men had enrolled. and little
- later It's organization was openly perfected,
!, ~
- Then followed one OF the most remarkable
pc iods In the history of San Francisco. TIL.
"a vigilance committee was not only openly OF,
IN ganlzod but II secured headquarters in sacra-
A. mento street, main thoroughfarc, which Il
fortified under tho name OF Fort Gunnybags
Fort Gunnybags was soon thrown open Il
public inspection. whom It was seen that II
contained a reserve stock OF 1900 muskets, aot
rifles, more than 400 swords, IL cannon OF va.
rious sizes. etc The committees force o.
e0o0 men. consist,na OF one battalion foul
~ companies OF artillery. ono squadron, two
troops OF dragons and four regiments OF In
% ,artrv f,h,rtv-tyo companiesl. was well armeS
-, ara drilling was going on.
~ wu,am #. Coleman was the head OF THU
-. citizens movement 10 break tho letter Of tn,
rs law that its sprit might be observed, and fo
80 months he was more absolute autocrat II
:. SIM Francisco than ever tho czar Of Russli
~ WAS in St Petersburg. The vigilance com
~ u,ttee met with oppositlon. OF course. ant
FMS onnoa,tion came from the legally consti
80 tt,,od a,ithoritie, of the state Al lrst non,
Unused the rovernor OF the state soon exert
Cd bta nowers 10 the utmost through the Judi.
:, e,ary the notice and tho tniiitla. He formal.
i. proclaimed san Francisco in n state OF In.
:. anrrect,on ana annealed 10 Washington 10,
=. Federal interferenee
~
M. ars, v,o,,,o. =, ,ho v,y,iantss ware Nv,
m r,,rderers one hene Casey and the other 4
~ rnn named Cora The governor counselec
NJ. ,a,,sr "a glvn these man Nm and thew wer,
,so o,cortod tron IN. ,an "a Fort ounnybsx Is
,hers thev wsro execnted beforo n marchins
torce 81 ann vlpilaptes The royernor,a opposl
=. usr ~ ,ba ylelantss deyeloped soon after
,p. ward. and had his proclamation been heedet
No civil war must have ensusd and the street,
o. San Francisco must have run with blood
~ This governors name was johnson and b,
- nerfected an organization which he termes
the Law and order society. but which Ban
croft the historian. terms "a society for thu
sunpressiop of virtue; an organization for tn
,,o,notton ~ ,nurder