memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第31部分

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　them；　resulting　in　Casey　giving　King　notice　that　he　would　shoot　him　on　sight。　　King　remained　in　his　office　till　about　5　or　6　p。m。；　when　he　started　toward　his　home　on　Stockton　Street；　and；　as　he　neared　the　corner　of　Washington；　Casey　approached　him　from　the　opposite　direction；　called　to　him；　and　began　firing。　　King　had　on　a　short　cloak；　and　in　his　breast…pocket　a　small　pistol；　which　he　did　not　use。　　One　of　Casey's　shots　struck　him　high　up　in　the　breast；　from　which　he　reeled；　was　caught　by　some　passing　friend；　and　carried　into　the　express…office　on　the　corner；　where　he　was　laid　on　the　counter；　and　a　surgeon　sent　for。　　Casey　escaped　up　Washington　Street；　went　to　the　City　Hall；　and　delivered　himself　to　the　sheriff　（Scannell）；　who　conveyed　him　to　jail　and　locked　him　in　a　cell。　　Meantime；　the　news　spread　like　wildfire；　and　all　the　city　was　in　commotion；　for　grog　was　very　popular。　　Nisbet；　who　boarded　with　us　on　Harrison　Street；　had　been　delayed　at　the　bank　later　than　usual；　so　that　he　happened　to　be　near　at　the　time；　and；　when　he　came　out　to　dinner；　he　brought　me　the　news　of　this　affair；　and　said　that　there　was　every　appearance　of　a　riot　down…town　that　night。　　This　occurred　toward　the　evening　of　May　14；　1856。

It　so　happened　that；　on　the　urgent　solicitation　of　Van　Winkle　and　of　Governor　Johnson；　I　had　only　a　few　days　before　agreed　to　accept　the　commission　of　major…general　of　the　Second　Division　of　Militia；　embracing　San　Francisco。　　I　had　received　the　commission；　but　had　not　as　yet　formally　accepted　it；　or　even　put　myself　in　communication　with　the　volunteer　companies　of　the　city。　　Of　these；　at　that　moment　of　time；　there　was　a　company　of　artillery　with　four　guns；　commanded　by　a　Captain　Johns；　formerly　of　the　army；　and　two　or　three　uniformed　companies　of　infantry。　　After　dinner　I　went　down　town　to　see　what　was　going　on；　found　that　King　had　been　removed　to　a　room　in　the　Metropolitan　Block；　that　his　life　was　in　great　peril；　that　Casey　was　safe　in　jail；　and　the　sheriff　had　called　to　his　assistance　a　posse　of　the　city　police；　some　citizens；　and　one　of　the　militia　companies。　　The　people　were　gathered　in　groups　on　the　streets；　and　the　words　〃Vigilance　Committee〃　were　freely　spoken；　but　I　saw　no　signs　of　immediate　violence。　　The　next　morning；　I　again　went　to　the　jail；　and　found　all　things　quiet；　but　the　militia　had　withdrawn。　　I　then　went　to　the　City　Hall；　saw　the　mayor；　Van　Ness；　and　some　of　the　city　officials；　agreed　to　do　what　I　could　to　maintain　order　with　such　militia　as　were　on　hand；　and　then　formally　accepted　the　commission；　and　took　the　〃oath。〃

In　1851　（when　I　was　not　in　California）　there　had　been　a　Vigilance　Committee；　and　it　was　understood　that　its　organization　still　existed。　　All　the　newspapers　took　ground　in　favor　of　the　Vigilance　Committee；　except　the　Herald　（John　Nugent；　editor）；　and　nearly　all　the　best　people　favored　that　means　of　redress。　　I　could　see　they　were　organizing；　hiring　rendezvous；　collecting　arms；　etc。；　without　concealment。　　It　was　soon　manifest　that　the　companies　of　volunteers　would　go　with　the　〃committee；〃　and　that　the　public　authorities　could　not　rely　on　them　for　aid　or　defense。　　Still；　there　were　a　good　many　citizens　who　contended　that；　if　the　civil　authorities　were　properly　sustained　by　the　people　at　large；　they　could　and　would　execute　the　law。　　But　the　papers　inflamed　the　public　mind；　and　the　controversy　spread　to　the　country。　　About　the　third　day　after　the　shooting　of　King；　Governor　Johnson　telegraphed　me　that　he　would　be　down　in　the　evening　boat；　and　asked　me　to　meet　him　on　arrival　for　consultation。　　I　got　C。　H。　Garrison　to　go　with　me；　and　we　met　the　Governor　and　his　brother　on　the　wharf；　and　walked　up　to　the　International　Hotel　on　Jackson　Street；　above　Montgomery。　　We　discussed　the　state　of　affairs　fully；　and　Johnson；　on　learning　that　his　particular　friend；　William　T。　Coleman；　was　the　president　of　the　Vigilance　Committee；　proposed　to　go　and　see　him。　　En　route　we　stopped　at　King's　room；　ascertained　that　he　was　slowly　sinking；　and　could　not　live　long；　and　then　near　midnight　we　walked　to　the　Turnverein　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；　bu