East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-09-25

In the year 1855 "a man for breakfast" |
was the usual order of things. Crime
was rampant. James King OF VII
liam, prominent citizen. established
the Evening Bulletin. with the avowed
purpose OF exposing the conditions
that existed. and so vigorous were it's
attacks and scathing its denunciation
that the paper was read universally.
ond, naturally, its editor incurred the
dll-will OF the criminal class.
In November, 1855. United States
Marshal Richardson was killed by
Charles Cora. a gambler and notorious
character, in Clay street, near Leids-
dorff Cora was arrested near the
scene Of the murder. and taken to the
county Jail. When he was brought to
trial in the district court / was a
member Of the jury impaneled to try
the case. Owing TO the intense feel
ing throughout the city. Judge Nor
ton ordered that the jury be kept to-
gether during the trial, and conse-
quenuy We were boarded at a hotel
and kept away from our families for
eleven days. The jury disagreed, all
but one voting Guilty OF Murder in
the First Degree" We were all
aware that the one who held out had
been briSed. In commenting on this
miscarriage Of Justice the Bulletin said
II was not unexpected, a criticism we
felt keenly, for the pury was COM
posed. with one exception, OF some of
the foremost business men of the city
with renewed Ygor Mr.. King de-
nouDced the negligent officers Of the
law and the ballot box suffers. AT
the previous election James p. Casey
mad been chosen supervisor with the
aid Of the criminal element and the
manipulation OF the ballot boxes.
which were provided with false sides
and bottoms. as we afterward learned
The Bulletin OF May II. 1856. pub
hshod Casey's record as an ex-convict
from the New York state prison.
Casey went to the Bulletin office and
demanded of King the reason for at
tacking him. to which King replied:
Is it not true?"
What has that TO do with t?'' hotly
rejoined Casey; but Editor King
would not argue the matter with him.l
and showed him the door. Casey de-
parting in rage. An hour or so
later King left the Bulletin office in
Montgomery street, between Clay and
Merchant. and was proceeding toward
MS residence when Casey encountered
him near the corner OF Washington
street, and without warning drew
pistol and shot King in the breast
Some of Kings friends, who had fear
cd violence at the hands OF Casey.
heard the shot and hurried to Kings
assistance. Casey evaded them and
ran up Merchant street toward the
city hall, at kearny and Merchant
streets, where a hack was waiting for
MIN, and in few minutes he had TAX
en- refuge in the county Jail. the Off
GERS or which were his friends. The
news OF the shooting of King spread
ike wild-fire, and in a very short time
large crowd had assembled around
the jail and appointed a guard to pre-
vent the escape of Casey. The sheriff
also summoned all his available force
TO protect the Jail from possible as
sault. The multitude became greatly
excited, and bold proposals were made
to storm the jail and take Casey out
and hang him. Mayor Van Ness ap-
peared and addressed the people.
counseling peace, but the crowd was
yet mindful of the killing Of Marshal
richardson by Cora, and the failure
of justice in that instance.
There are too many hung iuries
and too few hung men, the crowd
shouted.
In the meantime some of the men,
pers Of the Pioneer Society had met
in their rooms on the corner of Wash
ingtcn and Kearny streets, and in less
than an hour large concourse was
on hand TO discuss the situation. Ii
was not long before 1t was decided to
form a Vigilance Committee, and Mr..
Coleman. president OF the Committee
of 1851, was summoned to be its ex-
ecutive officer. The agreement that
was drawn up pledged each signed to
stand by the others. News of the for
nation of the committee spread with
amazing rapidity, and men literally
streamed into the headquarters TO
sign their names to the roll 1t was
some time before learned of the ex-
lstence of the committee. and was
No. $50 on the roll, The following day
the list contained several thousand
names.
Anticipating strong OPPOSITION to the
committee. 1t was decided to arm a Sc
lect lot OF members, including n ma
jority of the military companies, whose
members had almost universally join
ed The committee, and within forty
eight hours after the shooting OF
Editor King there were two thousand
five hundred armed men, drilling,
principally at night. in the vicinity of
the committees headquarters, which
had been established in Sacramento
street, below Front street, where cells
had been prepared for the confine-
ment of prisoners. The entrance to
the building was protected by bags
filled with sand piled in semi-circle
six feet high, which gave II the name
of Fort Gunny Bags, and il was here
that the most tragic events in the ex-
istence of the committee were staged