The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1913-01-09
PAPERS MISLAID
WITH MANY OTHERS
Children of Pioneer May De
mand Return of Personal
Books, Sold Together
With Manuscripts-Story
of Thrilling Incident of
Olden Days Recounted
From History of Events

After reposing for more than half a
century in the bottom of an antiquated
tin dispatch box where they had been
carelessly dumped with lot of old
deeds and mortgages, papers have been
found which at one time precipitated
one of the gravest situations in the
history Of San Francisco.
The papers referred to contain the
prison record Of James P. Casey. who
shot and killed James King of Will
liam May IA. 1856, after the latter had
published the facts of his early life
in the columns of his paper. Fortu-
nateIy they have been preserved in
their entirety, and among them is
copy of the pardon issued by Hora-
Ito Seymour then governor of the
state Of New York. to Casey after he
had served IS months OF his two year
sentence.
QUESTION SETTLED
The old documents settle positively
for the first time the long mooted
question Of whether the charges made
by King against Casey were actually
warrant in publishing the assertion
that Casey had served time in Sing
Sing. They show that King had the
proof to back his charges had he lived
10 produce it.
James King of William was the four-
der and publisher of the Evening Bul-
letin and bitterly opposed to the po
he
privately believed to be q crock. On
the first hint of Casey's supposed in
generation King sent to Sing Sing fer
the facts of the case, and upon receiv-
ing them printed an expose of the New
Yorker in his journal
From then on events marshaled them
selves with dramatic swiftness. Casey
called at the B"lletin office the same
afternoon and demanded a retraction,
which was not forthcoming. Later,
about o'clock, he waylaid King in
Montgomery street and shot him. He
was Immediately hustled over to the
police station, but fearing for his safe
~, because the shooting had aroused
the citizens to a frenzy. the sheriff re-
moved him to the county jail.
LYNCHING OF CASEY
It was from here four days later
that Casey was taken by the vigilance
committee, that dreaded Instrument
of early pioneer justice, which had re-
organized to meet the Imperative de-
mand of the outraged people. Twenty
six hundred strong the vigilance COM
mittee marched from its headquarters
in Sacramento street to the old county
jaH in Broadway. 1t was probably one
of the most dramatic scenes in the
history of all California.
"As the troops with glistening bayo-
nets marched up Sacramento street,
the immense body of spectators who
. were attracted to the spot by the
movements of the committee" says a
writer in the old Alta California Of
that date, pressed along through the
crowded street with the armed force,
and the whole living throng moved
forward with scarcely an audible voice
save that Of the officers in command.
A solemnity and stiffness pervaded the
whole party that was at once signi-
ltNShL VI e4iC iA'6Ih anu pOHSI III lUOS6
brave hearts and willing hands.
Through all the streets where they
passed, the doors and windows of the
buildings were filled with persons
whose curiosity was excited by the
novel scene. AS the mass moved on
its numbers were augmented and per-
sons were seen hurrying from all
~ tho Saf1
HANGING WAS SUMMARY
Pending the outcome OF Kings
wound. Casey was held prisoner in
the committees rooms. Upon the death
Of the stricken editor he was brought
to trial and summarily hanged Two
hours after the lynching the committee.
which had been recruited from among
the foremost and wealthiest men of
the city, stacked arms, and its mem
bers passed out of the clubrooms to
mingle once more with the world at
large
Upon the death of King the greater
part OF his library went to his son,
Charles James King. and with the
many rare old books went the little,
old tin box in which. unknown to every
one, rests the historic documents.