THE INFAMOUS VIGILANTE GANG

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"Then were the days of the Vigilance Committee, which alone restrained the passions of those utterly lawless men; an organization which was happily renewed in this very summer to redeem the city from the power of the mob.

Even yet men go armed about their daily work. As we passed down from the hotel along the street a crowd was gathered round a chemist's shop. Inside a man was breathing his last, shot 'on sight' with a revolver by a man with whom some trivial quarrel had arisen from a hasty push on leaving the lift by which both men had descended from their bedrooms to breakfast. But public opinion was against the murderer and he only escaped by suicide in the prison the doom for which he was surely destined."

JAMES P. CASEY AND CHARLES CORA

Were hung by the Vigilance Committee at precisely twenty minutes after one o'clock–the former for the murder of James King of Wm., and the latter for the murder of Gen. William H. Richardson. Both persons had been tried before the Committee, and found guilty. A promise had been made to Casey that he should have a fair trial, and be permitted to speak ten minutes. These conditions had doubtless been observed. Casey was informed on Wednesday afternoon, that he had been condemned to be hung. While under charge of the Vigilance Committee his spirit appeared to be unbroken. When awaken, after a sleep, he would frequently strike the floor with his hand cuffs, and swear fiercely at his fate. During the evening previous to his execution, the Right Rev. Bishop Alemany attended Casey, who had been educated in the Roman Catholic religion. During the night he was restless, and passed a portion of the time in pacing his room.

Cora attracted less attention, and conducted himself more quietly.

At eight o'clock, on Thursday morning, the General Committee was notified that Casey and Cora would be executed at half- past one, and ordered to appear under arms. During the morning preparations were made for the execution. Beams were run out over two of the windows of the Committee Room, and platforms about three feet square extending out under each beam. These platforms were supported next the house by hinges, and outside by ropes, extending up to the beams. Along the streets, for a considerable distance on each side of the place of execution, were ranged the Committee–more than three thousand in number– some on foot with muskets, and others on horseback with sabres. No outsiders were permitted to approach within a hundred yards. Beneath the place of execution were several cannon and caissons ready for use if necessary. The houses in the vicinity were covered with spectators; and in the streets were collected, probably, not less than eight or ten thousand persons.

At a quarter past one o'clock Casey and Cora were brought out upon the platforms. The former was attended by the Rev. Father Gallagher. The arms of both were pinioned at the elbows. The noose was placed around Cora's neck, when he stepped upon the platform and stood firm as a statue, a white handkerchief being wrapped around his head. The noose was placed around Casey's neck, but at his request removed, while he had some three or four minutes conversation with his priest. He then came forward and addressed the people as follows:

"Gentlemen, Fellow Citizens:–I am not guilty of any crime. When I am dead, when I am laid in my grave, let no one dare traduce my character or asperse my memory. Let no man exult over me, or point to my grave as that of an assassin. I am guilty of no crime. I only acted as I was taught– according to my early education–to avenge an insult. Let not the Alta, the Chronicle, and the Globe, persecute my memory; let them no more proclaim me a murderer to the world. Let them not insult me after death. I have an aged mother in the Atlantic States, and I hope that she will never hear how I died. I trust she will never know I am executed on a charge of murder. I am not guilty of any such crime."

Casey, after a moment's hesitation spoke again:

"Oh, God, pardon and forgive me. Oh, my mother! my mother! I hope she will never hear of this. On, God! have mercy on my mother; comfort her in her affliction. Oh, God, have mercy on my soul! Oh, my God! my God! I am not guilty of murder– I did not intend to commit murder."

Both prisoners being prepared, the signal was given, and, at the same moment, the souls of James P. Casey and Charles Cora were launched into eternity; and their bodies became an inanimate mass of corruption. Neither of them struggled much, Casey showing the most physical suffering.

From the time the prisoners appeared at the window until the drop fell, the immense mob of people stood uncovered, and the utmost silence was maintained, not a shout being heard or a loud word spoken. The bodies continued to hang for nearly an hour as they were executed.

Town Talk, Print.
San Francisco, 1856

See the San Francisco History Index for more about the Committee of Vigilance.

The Committee of Vigilance was a well armed and well heeled body of several hundred bankers, merchants and publishers who met in secret and made decisions such as the lynching above without any authority whatsoever, and, indeed, elected officials were often their targets. Casey, above, was an elected Supervisor. The majority of their victims were Roman Catholic and Irish and working class, although in their declarations, they were especially anti-Australian:

 'With the good emigration the bad have come also. From every part of the habitable globe, but more particularly from the British penal colonies, California has received large numbers of the most daring, depraved, and reckless men ever inflicted upon any community.' -Declaration of the Vigilance Committee

Below is an account from the sympathetic Alto California of their first lynching:

About 9 o'clock on Tuesday night, June 10, a man carrying a a bag containing something apparently very heavy, attracted the attention of the Whitehall boatmen, at their station on Central Wharf. He jumped into a boat with his bag, and pulled out towards the end of the wharf. But few moments had elapsed before Mr. Virgin, a gentleman who keeps a shipping office on the wharf, came down to the boat stand in pursuit of a person who had just robbed his office of a small iron safe, containing a considerable sum of money. The man with the bag was at once suspected, and a number of the boatmen started immediately in pursuit. After a sharp pull they overhauled him, when he threw his booty oberboard. After a very severe struggle one party of boatmen succeeded in capturing him, while another fished up the bag, which proved to contain the stolen safe. He was conveyed on shore and at once taken possession of by some of the Vigilance Committee, who conducted him promptly to their head-quarters, where he was tried in presence of about eighty members of the conclave, sitting with closed doors, by them convicted, and sentenced to be hanged in the Portsmouth-square that very night. The precise mode of trial was, of course, a seceret. During the time of its progress the citizens had accumulated in large numbers about the building and in Portsmouth-square, the bell on the engine-house of the latter locality having rung a signal to apprise the citizens of the proceedings going on. The populace were very much excited, but more orderly than we ever recollect to have seen such a numerous assemblage on any similar occasion. Some disapprobation was manifested at the secrecy of the Committee's proceedings: but when the result was known, there was a very general approval manifested, although there were many who deemed the punishment of death too severe for the offence, and others thought he shouldbe executed in broad daylight. As soon as the sentence was passed, the beel on the California engine-house, near by, commenced ringing the prisoner's funeral knell. Capt. Benjamin Ray, of the police force, applied at the door of the committee-room,and demanded the prisoner, but was refused several times; and although others of the police were upon the ground, they saw it was no use to attempt a rescue.

"About one o'clock, Mr. Samuel Brannan came out, and, ascending the bank opposite, announced the result of the Committee's deliberations, stating that the man had been fairly tried, convicted upon the strongest testimony, and offered no defence except a denial of the robbery. He gave the name of John Jenkins, and professed to be a native of London. Mr. B. stated that he had been allowed another four hours to prepare himself for death, and that the Rev. Mr. Mines had been sent for to visit him. The crowd present promptly approved of the action of the Committee. From that time the excitement began to increase, and the matter was freely discussed by knots of citizens at the various street corners round the committee-room and the square. A very large majority were evidently in favour of the execution.

"The prisoner was perfectly composed during this time, and indulged in a cigar. The clergyman promptly responded to the request to pray with the prisoner, and remanined with him for nearly an hour. If we are correctly informed, his presence had no particular effect upon the condemned man, who doubtless confidently anticipated a rescue by the police.

"About two o'clock the doors of the committee-room were opened, and the condemned was for the first time presented to the populace. He was a tall man, of very great muscular developments, and with rather a forbidding countenance. He was smoking a cigar, and appeared rather pale but composed. His arms were pinioned and his hands tied behind him, while he wsa surrounded by a rope thickly manned by armed men, many others closing on them determined to prevent his escape. In this manner, followed by a large crowd, he was conducted to the public square. His arrival was announced with a shout and every description of vociferation - the wildest scene of confusion and excitement prevailing we have witnessed for a long time. The moon obscured by cliuds shed no light, and the picture presented was wild and awful in the extreme. Some person climbed the liberty pole to rig a block for the execution, but a loud shout of 'Don't hang him on the liberty pole' arose. Voices screamed out 'To the old adobe!' and a rush was made for that edifice, upon the corner of the square, formerly occupied as the Custom House. A rush was at once made of the end of the building, a block rigged and a long rope run through it. In the meantime a number of the police who were on the ground made several attempts to obtain possession of the prisoner, but they were roughly handled and prevented - had they persisted, they would have been riddled with balls. Several citizens denounced the execution and sought to aidthe police.

"The prisoner by this time was nearly dead with fear and rough handling, when a rush was made towards him, a noose thrown over his head, the rope manned by twenty ready hands, and the heavy form of the convicted felon swept through the air and dangled from the block. A few fearful struggles, a quiver of the hempen cord, a few nervous twitches - and the crowd gazed upon the lifeless corpse of him upon whom such speedy and terrible vengeance had been executed by an outraged people. As he swung to and fro, and turned round and round, a feeling of awe appeared to spread through the crowd, who could not be otherwise than impressed by the terrible occurrence. Slowly they dispersed, but when day broke there were still many gazing upon the swollen, purple features of the doomed man. At six o'clock, the Marshal Mr.Crozier, repaired to the spot, cut down the body and consigned it to the dead-house. Thus ended the first exceution which ever took place in San Francisco, where more crime has been committed than in any other city of the same population in the Union, without one single instance of adequate punishment. Of the guilt of Jenkins there was no doubt. He had been known to the police for some months as s desperate character from the penal colonies, where he had passed many years as a transported convict."-August 9, 1851

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