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

atty inflicted. on the Scth OF May
Mr.. King died. and the same day the
trial OF Casey was begun. cannot
say very much about the trial. for the
reason that there is little to be said.
l recall that IL was conducted in a dig
nified manner by the committee. and
every one OF us was deeply sensible of
the grave responsibility that rested
upon US. We felt that we were re-
storing law to the land OF our adop-
tion, although apparently We were
defying the constituted authorities.
There is no necessity for me to at
tempt TO justify our acts, for we all
felt that the vindication OF justice was
our greatest duty. and We did 1t un-
flinchingly. Casey was given fair
trial. The proceedings We're conduct
ed with the solemnity of a court-mar-
tial and the verdict of guilty was rem
dered on the morning OF the ED. the
} day appointed for the funeral of King
his victim.
The funeral services of the MUIR !
derei man were held in the Unitarian |
church, in Stockton street, in the pres |
ence OF a large concourse OF people |
: Preparations were under way to hang |
Cora and Casey in the afternoon of the !
: same day. A priest was with them |
for several hours preparing them for
: the end. A force of two thousand
: armed Vigilantes filled the street In
: front of Fort Gunny Bags. Members
of the Executive Committee were en-
gagged with the details of the solemn
: duty they had to perform. Planks
were laid through the main committee
room on the second floor of the head
e quarters. the ends projecting through
e two windows on Sacramento street.
The condemned men. hands tied be-
: hind them, attired in white robes and
n wearing white caps. were led forward
on the planks to the open windows
I where two ropes with nooses hung
e from beams swung out over the win
n dows, and the ends of the planks had
/ been fixed with hinges so they would
: drop when a weight was placed on
y them. For a moment Cora and Casey
q took last look at the sky above, and
. the waiting multitude in the street be-
low then the caps were drawn over
their faces, the nooses were adjusted
their legs strapped. and they were led
forward In a moment their bodies
were handging outside the windows,
and the thousands who had marched
in the funeral cortege looked up in
awed silence.
I The executions were especially try
ing upon the members of the execu-
tive committee. who were stationed on
either side of the planks as the men
a aFa 70 ont Y g..
own part did not desire to be such
close witness, but President Cole
man said: 1T is the duty of every
member to keep his post to the last.
The safety and security of all Cali
fornia depended upon our realization
OF stern duty. and IL was gratifying
that the actions of the committee had
a most salutary effect on eviI-doers
many of whom fled from the city.
Those who dared remain were watch
ed. and some of the more notorious
ones were arrested by the committee.
There were Charley Duane, Milly Null
iigan. Bill Carr, wooley Kearney, and
several others. These men were tried
and sentenced to banishment. and on
certain night, when a steamer was
ready to depart for Panama, a strong
guard was seen taking them to the
dock. Most of them were glad Il
escape, though they cursed the com
mittee and threatened vengeance 4
any of us went to New York. Ciyi
suits for damages were begun ther,
against Mr.. Coleman but never cam,
to trial.
About this time Governor Johnso,
4 issued proclamation calling on tn
committee to disband, which we re
fused to do. but replied, justifying ou
actions on the ground OF public wei
: fare, and pointing out that We ha,
: the full approval of vast majorit
: Of the people of the city as well a
Of the state.
: About the middle of June excite
: ment had subsided. business was be
. ing resumed and memb<rs were re
turning to their regular vocations
!: when David S. Terry. chief justice o
the supreme court Of California, cam
!: from Sacramento and issued a wri
: commanding the Vigilance Committe
: to bring before him Billy Mulligan.
: prisoner. The writ was refused an
> L 'NNNA htu " JuuBe leTTys lOlncl0ent
: ally the committee learned that on
: Maloney. who was wanted was at tn
: office Of r. p. Ashe, naval officer O
: the port and Sterling Hopkins, on
OF the police, was sent to arrest hin
: he found him in company of Ash
and Judge Terry. An alteration en-
sued. Judge Terry drawing a pistc
: which Hopkins seized whereupon Ter
. ry whipped out a bowie knife an
stabbed Hopkins in the neck. Hon
kins was taken to a hospital for treat
!: ment and Terry and Ashe retreate
: to the armory OF the San Francisc
: Blues. headquarters OF the Law an
: order Party. The Vigilance bell ran
: out an ominous summons to arms, an
the armory was surrounded quickl
and demand made for the surrende
Of Ashe and Terry. Finally Ash
; agreed they would surrender IL guar
: anteed safety while in the hands q
: the committee. Before the capitula
ton, however. our committee was pre
pared to act drasticaIIy hayIno ar,