memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第39章

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rein　Hall；　where　the　committee　was　known　to　be　sitting　in　consultation。　　This　hall　was　on　Bush　Street；　at　about　the　intersection　of　Stockton。　　It　was　all　lighted　up　within；　but　the　door　was　locked。　　The　Governor　knocked　at　the　door；　and　on　inquiry　from　inside　　〃Who's　there？〃gave　his　name。　　After　some　delay　we　were　admitted　into　a　sort　of　vestibule；　beyond　which　was　a　large　hall；　and　we　could　hear　the　suppressed　voices　of　a　multitude。　　We　were　shown　into　a　bar…room　to　the　right；　when　the　Governor　asked　to　see　Coleman。　　The　man　left　us；　went　into　the　main　hall；　and　soon　returned　with　Coleman；　who　was　pale　and　agitated。　　After　shaking　hands　all　round；　the　Governor　said；　〃Coleman；　what　the　devil　is　the　matter　here？〃　Coleman　said；　〃Governor；　it　is　time　this　shooting　on　our　streets　should　stop。〃　　The　Governor　replied；　〃I　agree　with　you　perfectly；　and　have　come　down；　from　Sacramento　to　assist。〃　　Coleman　rejoined　that　〃the　people　were　tired　of　it；　and　had　no　faith　in　the　officers　of　the　law。〃　　A　general　conversation　then　followed；　in　which　it　was　admitted　that　King　would　die；　and　that　Casey　must　be　executed；　but　the　manner　of　execution　was　the　thing　to　be　settled；　Coleman　contending　that　the　people　would　do　it　without　trusting　the　courts　or　the　sheriff。　　It　so　happened　that　at　that　time　Judge　Norton　was　on　the　bench　of　the　court　having　jurisdiction；　and　he　was　universally　recognized　as　an　able　and　upright　man；　whom　no　one　could　or　did　mistrust；　and　it　also　happened　that　a　grand…jury　was　then　in　session。　　Johnson　argued　that　the　time　had　passed　in　California　for　mobs　and　vigilance　committees；　and　said　if　Coleman　and　associates　would　use　their　influence　to　support　the　law；　he　（the　Governor）　would　undertake　that；　as　soon　as　King　died；　the　grand…jury　should　indict；　that　Judge　Norton　would　try　the　murderer；　and　the　whole　proceeding　should　be　as　speedy　as　decency　would　allow。　　Then　Coleman　said　〃the　people　had　no　confidence　in　Scannell；　the　sheriff；〃　who　was；　he　said；　in　collusion　with　the　rowdy　element　of　San　Francisco。　　Johnson　then　offered　to　be　personally　responsible　that　Casey　should　be　safely　guarded；　and　should　be　forthcoming　for　trial　and　execution　at　the　proper　time。　I　remember　very　well　Johnson's　assertion　that　he　had　no　right　to　make　these　stipulations；　and　maybe　no　power　to　fulfill　them；　but　he　did　it　to　save　the　city　and　state　from　the　disgrace　of　a　mob。　Coleman　disclaimed　that　the　vigilance　organization　was　a　〃mob；〃　admitted　that　the　proposition　of　the　Governor　was　fair；　and　all　he　or　any　one　should　ask；　and　added；　if　we　would　wait　awhile；　he　would　submit　it　to　the　council；　and　bring　back　an　answer。

We　waited　nearly　an　hour；　and　could　hear　the　hum　of　voices　in　the　hall；　but　no　words；　when　Coleman　came　back；　accompanied　by　a　committee；　of　which　I　think　the　two　brothers　Arrington；　Thomas　Smiley　the　auctioneer；　Seymour；　Truett；　and　others；　were　members。　The　whole　conversation　was　gone　over　again；；　and　the　Governor's　proposition　was　positively　agreed　to；　with　this　further　condition；　that　the　Vigilance　Committee　should　send　into　the　jail　a　small　force　of　their　own　men；　to　make　certain　that　Casey　should　not　be　carried　off　or　allowed　to　escape。

The　Governor；　his　brother　William；　Garrison；　and　I；　then　went　up　to　the　jail；　where　we　found　the　sheriff　and　his　posse　comitatus　of　police　and　citizens。　　These　were　styled　the　〃Law…and…Order　party；〃　and　some　of　them　took　offense　that　the　Governor　should　have　held　communication　with　the　〃damned　rebels；〃　and　several　of　them　left　the　jail；　but　the　sheriff　seemed　to　agree　with　the　Governor　that　what　he　had　done　was　right　and　best；　and；　while　we　were　there；　some　eight　or　ten　armed　men　arrived　from　the　Vigilance　Committee；　and　were　received　by　the　sheriff　（Scannell）　as　a　part　of　his　regular　posse。

The　Governor　then；　near　daylight；　went　to　his　hotel；　and　I　to　my　house　for　a　short　sleep。　　Next　day　I　was　at　the　bank；　as　usual；　when；　about　noon　the　Governor　called；　and　asked　me　to　walk　with　him　down…street　He　said　he　had　just　received　a　message　from　the　Vigilance　Committee　to　the　effect　that　they　were　not　bound　by　Coleman's　promise　not　to　do　any　thing　till　the　regular　trial　by　jury　should　be　had；　etc。　　He　was　with　reason　furious；　and　asked　me　to　go　with　him　to　Truett's　store；　over　which　the　Executive　Committee　was　said　to　be　in　session。　　We　were　admitted　to　a　front…room　up…stairs；　and　heard　voices　in　the　back…room。　　The　Governor　inquired　for　Coleman；　but　he　was　not　forthcoming。　　Another　of　the　committee；　Seymour；　met　us；　denied　in　toto　the　promise　of　the　night　before；　and　the　Governor　openly　accused　him　of　treachery　and　falsehood。


The　quarrel　became　public；　and　the　newspapers　took　it　up；　both　parties　turning　on　the　Governor；　one；　the　Vigilantes；　denying　the　promise　made　by　Coleman；　their　president；　and　the　other；　the　〃Law…and…Order　party；〃　refusing　any　farther　assistance；　because　Johnson　had　stooped　to　make　terms　with　rebels。　　At　all　events；　he　was　powerless；　and　had　to　let　matters　drift　to　a　conclusion。

King　died　about　Friday；　May　20th；　and　the　funeral　was　appointed　for　the　next　Sunday。　　Early　on　that　day　the　Governor　sent　for　me　at　my　house。　　I　found　him　on　the　roof　of　the　International；　from　which　we　looked　down　on　the　whole　city；　and　more　especially　the　face　of　Telegraph　Hill；　which　was　already　covered　with　a　crowd　of　people；　while　others　were　moving　toward　the　jail　on　Broadway。　　Parties　of　armed　men；　in　good　order；　were　marching　by　platoons　in　the　same　direction；　and　formed　in　line　along　Broadway；　facing　the　jail…door。　Soon　a　small　party　was　seen　to　advance　to　this　door；　and　knock；　a　parley　ensued；　the　doors　were　opened；　and　Casey　was　led　out。　　In　a　few　minutes　another　prisoner　was　brought　out；　who；　proved　to　be　Cora；　a　man　who　had　once　been　tried　for　killing　Richardson；　the　United　States　Marshal；　when　the　jury　disagreed；　and　he　was　awaiting　a　new　trial。　　These　prisoners　were　placed　in　carriages；　and　escorted　by　the　armed　force　down　to　the　rooms　of　the　Vigilance　Committee；　through　the　principal　streets　of　the　city。　　The　day　was　exceedingly　beautiful；　and　the　whole　proceeding　was　orderly　in　the　extreme。　　I　was　under　the　impression　that　Casey　and　Cora　were　hanged　that　same　Sunday；　but　was　probably　in　error；　but　in　a　very　few　days　they　were　hanged　by　the　neckdeadsuspended　from　beams　projecting　from　the　windows　of　the　committee's　rooms；　without　other　trial　than　could　be　given　in　secret；　and　by　night。

We　all　thought　the　matter　had　ended　there；　and　accordingly　the　Governor　returned　to　Sacramento　in　disgust；　and　I　went　about　my　business。　　But　it　soon　became　manifest　that　the　Vigilance　Committee　had　no　intention　to　surrender　the　power　thus　usurped。　　They　took　a　building　on　Clay　Street；　near　Front；　fortified　it；　employed　guards　and　armed　sentinels；　sat　in　midnight　council；　issued　writs　of　arrest　and　banishment；　and　utterly　ignored　all　authority　but　their　own。　　A　good　many　men　were　banished　and　forced　to　leave　the　country；　but　they　were　of　that　class　we　could　well　spare。　　Yankee　Sullivan；　a　prisoner　in　their　custody；　committed　suicide；　and　a　feeling　of　general　insecurity　pervaded　the　city。　　Business　was　deranged；　and　the　Bulletin；　then　under　control　of　Tom　King）　a　brother　of　James；　poured　out　its　abuse　on　some　of　our　best　men；　as　well　as　the　worst。　　Governor　Johnson；　being　again　appealed　to；　concluded　to　go　to　work　regularly；　and　telegraphed　me　about　the　1st　of　June　to　meet　him　at　General　Wool's　headquarters　at　Benicia　that　night。　　I　went　up；　and　we　met　at　the　hotel　where　General　Wool　was　boarding。　　Johnson　had　with　him　his　Secretary　of　State。　　We　discussed　the　state　of　the　country　generally；　and　I　had　agreed　that　if　Wool　would　give　us　arms　and　ammunition　out　of　the　United　States　Arsenal　at　Benicia；　and　if　Commodore　Farragat；　of　the　navy；　commanding　the　navy…yard　on　Mare　Island；　would　give　us　a　ship；　I　would　call　out　volunteers；　and；　when　a　sufficient　number　had　responded；　I　would　have　the　arms　come　down　from　Benicia　in　the　ship；　arm　my　men；　take　possession　of　a　thirty…two…pound…gun　battery　at　the　Marine　Hospital　on　Rincon　Point；　thence　command　a　dispersion　of　the　unlawfully…armed　force　of　the　Vigilance　Committee；　and　arrest　some　of　the　leaders。

We　played　cards　that　night；　carrying　on　a　conver