California, 1849-1913 | Page 8

rooms after their removal there.

Fort Gunnybags.
Our headquarters and committee rooms were at the wholesale liquor
house of Truett & Jones, No. 41 Sacramento street, about a block from
the water front, and embraced the block bounded by Sacramento,
California, Front and Davis streets, and covered by brick buildings two
stories high. The name "Fort Gunnybags" was ascribed to it on account
of the gunnybags filled with sand which we piled up in a wall some six
feet through and about ten feet high. This barricade was about twenty
feet from the building. Guards were stationed at the passageways
through it as well as at the stairs and Committee by the members of the
Monumental Fire Engine Company No. 6, stationed on the west side of
Brenham Place, opposite the "Plaza." Our small field pieces and arms
were kept on the ground floor, and the cells, executive chamber and
other departments were on the second floor.
May 19th found Mr. King still suffering from his wound, but no great
alarm was felt as to his condition.

Death of James King, of William.
May 20th Mr. King's condition took a turn for the worse, and at 12
o'clock he was sinking rapidly, being weakened from the probing and
dressing of the wound. He passed away. Sorrow and grief were shown
by all. He left a widow and six children. He was born in Georgetown, D.
C., and was only 34 years old.

Trial of Casey and Cora.
Casey and Cora were held for trial May 20th, having been supplied
with attorneys and given every opportunity to plead their cases. The
Committee sat all night and took no recess until the next morning when
the trials were ended. The verdict of "guilty of murder" was found in
each case and they were ordered to be executed Friday, May 23rd, at 12
o'clock noon. While the trial was going on Mr. King passed away[3].

Hanging of Casey and Cora.
The Committee, for fear that an attempt might be made to rescue Casey
and Cora, arranged their companies, which numbered three thousand
men and two field pieces, cleared the streets in the immediate vicinity
and had had constructed a platform from out of the two front windows.
These platforms were hinged, the outer ends being held up by cords
which were fastened to a projecting beam of the roof, to which a rope
had been adjusted for the purpose of hanging.
Arabella Ryan or Belle Cora was united in marriage to Charles Cora
just before the execution.
About one o'clock both Casey and Cora, who had their arms tied
behind them, were brought to the platform and with firm steps stepped
out upon them. Casey addressed a few remarks, declaring that he was
no murderer, and weakened at the thought of his dear old mother. He
almost fainted as the noose was placed around his neck. Cora, to the
contrary, said nothing, and stood unmoved while Casey was talking,
and apparently unconcerned. The signal was given at twenty minutes
past one o'clock and the cord cut, letting the bodies drop six feet. They
hung for fifty-five minutes and were cut down and turned over to the
Coroner. We, the rank and file of the Vigilance Committee, were
immediately afterwards drawn up in a line on Sacramento street,
reviewed and dismissed after stacking our arms in the Committee room,
taking up our pursuits again as private citizens[4].

Yankee Sullivan.
James (or Yankee) Sullivan, whose real name was Francis Murray, had
been taken by the Vigilance Committee and was then (May 20th, 1856),
in confinement in the rooms of the Committee. He was very pugilistic
and had taken an active part in ballot-box frauds in the several elections
just previous. He had been promised leniency by the Committee and
assured a safe exit from the country, but he was fearful of being
murdered by the others to be exiled at the same time. He experienced a
horrible dream, going through the formality and execution of hanging.
He called for a glass of water, which was given him by the guard, who
at the same time endeavored to cheer him up, and when breakfast was
taken him at 8 o'clock that morning he was found dead in his bed, he
having made an incision with a common table knife in his left arm near
the elbow, cutting to the bone and severing two large arteries[5].

"Law and Order" Party.
On the 2nd of June, 1856, Governor J. Neely Johnson having declared
the city of San Francisco to be in a state of insurrection, issued orders
to Wm. T. Sherman to enroll as militia, companies of 150 men of the
highest standard and to have them report to him, Sherman, for duty.
The response was