The New York Herald Newspaper, August 14, 1851, Page 2

the strong arm of might, a4- | car the measured of drilled battalions. Oa Fin, justice which has 80 long been oe came, and on oulean bonne me in tee @emied them by the proper tribunals. The Vigt ML og Goath, Thees’aasn ance Commitice of San Framcisoo, compowd of | walked proadly tal ih in their hearts the inde- i nine hundred o! table dence of well- labor. They borealoft a geome eight or f the most respec! pen req! Gitizens, have accomplished more good, in the de- | st Regeeetel liken Seen ae ewe 5x the testion and punishment of crime, than would have | memory of the boatm: ‘Near the contre of the | been accomplished by the courts and police in a life- time. Guided by sound discretion, they have steadily and perseveringly progressed in their efforts to rid our city and California of the hord of eonvicts from Sydney, and finished villains from every other quarter of the globe. My last despatch gave to the readers of the Herald an account of the hanging, at midnight, of a man named Jenkins, by the Vigilance Committee, for stealing $200. A similar scene was witnessed om the 12th inst. A man named Jim Stewart, a Sydney convict, the leader of a gang of desperadovs, was arrested by the committee for robbing a house, and, tanding the officers of the law at- | livelihood, , it seoms that the line is inter- pa oey ve conalon of him, he was kept in| minable. Just now jet black steeds were prancing ey runt trled, convicted, and seatenced to be | by; behold ! these are snowy white—there come the hang the same day. The signal bell was sounded, and | iron grey, and far away in the rear, the lo id tthe populace rushed by hundreds to the building of | honest progeny of donkey the first, are Glompre a the committee. At the hour appointed for theexecu- | Yes, these must be the draymen—for behold that tion, Stewart was brought, strongly pinioned, and | car with boxes, and drawa by that tan- guarded by about 500 members of the committee, | dum of mules! Away they go! the walking eight abreast, cach armed with arevolver. | wooden-paved, hollow streets, echoing the firm He was taken to one of the public wharves, fol- | tread of their like the distant bellowings of Jowed by thousands, a rope adjusted to a tackle and | 9 summer cloud. erane erected tor hoisting goods, and in less time But here comes a sileat band—what a sober set than I have been occupied in describing the scene, he was swung between heaven and earth, in full view of the assembled multitude. So solemn was the scene, that each head of that immense throng was involuntarily uncovered. No attempt was made to rescue » Dor was there any other feel- img manifested than that of entire concurrence. The execution took place about two o’clock in the afternoon. Previous to paying the forfeit of his misdeeds, Stuart made a full confession of his crimes, and ce abriefhistory of his life. The details estab- she fact that he was the leader of the most des- erate gang of villains that has ever preyed upon mmunity. Highway robbery, housebreaking, t picking, and murder, were prominent in the ue of crimes which have characterized the rations of the gang for the year past; and im- in the commission of these offences were members of the city police, id othe:s who had | maintained a respectaole sending in the commu- nity. Their was to point out the operation to be accomplished, and share the Huskie a the | ice officer more desperate. Already one ” at Jeast, well knowa in New York, isinthe hands of | But they have passed by, and left nothing but the Vigilance Committee; and pursuit is being | dust and memory behind—! must go too. welve made several residents mentioned inthe con- Session of Stuart. San Francisco is not the only mary justice is meted out— 1 prompt. A man named David Hill alias Jim Hill, ‘was arrested for stealing a horse—tried by Ce | I s jury—and, although subsequently rescu Bear wor was forcibly —— int where sum- nora is equall: rom him by | the populace, after a hard struggle, and hung to a | tree, in the main street of thetown. The thief ‘was from Courtland county, New York. But the | tragedy which has excited the mest attention and | sympathy, was the hanging of a Mexican, woman | mamed Josepha, at Downieville, on the Yuba, by | the populace. Having had seme difficulty with a | miner the evening previous, on his visiting her eabin in the morning to settle it amicably, she | stabbed him to the heart with a butcher-knife. ‘The ple Mnmediately assembled, took her | into their custody, gave her a fair trial, and upon | eonviction, sentenced her to be huagintwo hours, Agim was erected on a bridge crossing the river | at lower end of the town, and at the cope | bour an immense crowd assembled, and after bidding edws and shaking hands with those immediatel: around her, she voluntarily ascended the scaffold, | adjusted the rope herself, releasing a luxuriaat | head of hair from beneath it, so as to permit [t te ffow free, and in a moment the cords supporting the scaffold were cut, and she hung be- | tween heaven andearts. Though she itted the Justice of the sentence, and a perfect willingness to | submit to its execution, and even aiding with her wn hands, such sights are revolting; yet stern ne- cessity demands that American justice should fall alike upon all. The indian troubles in California, especially in the more remote portions of the State, are not yet | ended. On the math river, the Indians are in | open war with the whites, and are murdering and | robbing ever an opportunity offers. Tne lo- dians have sent off all the squaws and children, fact indicative of their design to commence a gene- val war. On the 2th of Jane five men were mur- dered by them, and subsequently some three or four others were attacked, while returning from the mioes, and killed. It is understood thatthe [n- dians within the region of the Klamath, Salmon Seott, Trinity and rogue rivers, have confederated for the purpose of carrying on the war. Senator Gwin leaves in the up river steamer to day, for the Northern section of the State, with the view to cinvassing for the approaching State election. He has made himself quite active since his return from Washington, and may be regarded as one of the leaders, if not the leader, of tbe Cali- fornia democracy. A strong fight will be made by | whilst others agaia rose in majestis curve, and the two for the control of the Legislature, | burned a fiery rainbow on the brow of night. with a view to the election ofaUnited States Senator. But the plaza was the spot for fan and frolic, and ‘Whichever succeeds, a new man will be named for | danger, too. Koman candi di ‘ged into the position. Mr. Fremont is soarcely mentioned, | the doors and windows of every house in sight; ser- in connection with the office, on the democratic | pents whizzed about eve: ‘8 ears, and pop side; and Thomas Butler King, on the whig, stands loded in eve: ybody pockets. The fa & better chance of boing struck with lightning in About midnight, they set a & fair day, than of securing an election. Mark my i ore bright rod" glare ilumi- words: neither of the men named will be sent to | nated the entire city, bay highlands. Wash in that capacity. Let the politicians | seemed to be the grande finale; and, with the rest of who look to the Herald for reliable intelligence, in esicwating the chances, set that down as a“ fixed The lier Monumental City, from Baltimore, arriv at ten da: ee ; and the steamer | Independence, from N. to ran in Vander- bdilt’s line, a week ago. The Nicaragua route is attracting much attintion, and when once estab- lished, be extremely popular at this end of the | Busivess has been a little more active since the sailing of the last steamer; but the immense quan- tity of goods forced upon the market, at auction, keops prices very low.— Yours, Prawn. San Pranciseo, July 5, 1851 DN Fourth of July in San Prancisco — General Subilee— Magnificent Display of Fire Works Perbaps a truthful description of the ceremonies and sights, the sentiments and sounds whieh distin- guith an anniversary of American Independence, on | the shores of the Pacific ocean, would not prove an- | guteresting to your renders, or unentertaining to | yourself. If { am right in my surmise, you can | publish my letter; if wrong, why let it rest in the rabbish box, amid the ghosts of ite predecessors '— lam sure I shall be the last to complain, for if [ eannot write well enough for publication, | should have had better sense than to have made the at- tempt You must know, at the outeet, that two or three 5 | Peaes | procession has gathered. The noisy drum and | trasted, wit | the sxmmary execution of @ villain named James | Stuart, by the hands of the people of San Fran- | that this execution was not characterized by any | of the usual incidents of mob law, and was not per | | rest were banished from the State 2 tty little boys, regatta costum nok hellleg two oars in the row- locks. Quite ¢ number of flags were display. ed, on all of which appropriate mottees were em- blazoned—one of them, | remember, as it struck me for ia Calitarelanion, . It rum thus:— “ But the; session; wi horses! what basa men’ t their bronzed nd sua-tanued hands indicate the contempt and sunshine. Nor are these a iors, ualess he be atrue soldier who fights manfully for an honest of fellows. Yes, y d right—they are the “ Sons of Temperance.” Their nea, clean, pure re- galia, corres ponding so well with their motto, lazing ingold upon yon banner—*‘ Truth, Love, Parity They are all young men; resolution sits, like a god, enthroned upon their brows, and they have just been listening to an eloquence which coavinced them, that the sons of those sires who conquered others should have the courage to conquer them- selves. God go with you, young enthusiasts, and may your efforts be crowaed with success gain music sweils upon the breeze—again the measured footstep speaks of discipline. The rat- tling car in advance proclaims at once, that those who now approach are the firemen of San Fran- cisco. How Eroll a fire engine appears in @ procea- tion. I never saw one before, that did not appoar to be in agreat hurry. Here comes one, which, were it not for the flowers decorating every part of t, I should think, was going toa funeral It has a ubdued sort of look about it, as though it felt out of its element, and wanted to hear the ery that would set it in mt ger, and fill its empty sides with its favorite fluid. o’clock—aye, there is the opening gun. To the te plaza!—the world is gone before mo, ut I’m just intime. Thirty-two guns have boom- ed their thunders over the bay, and received the far- resounding echoes of Contra Costa in return. Around the plattorm, near the liberty pole, each iercing fife are silent; and, at a given signal, each fat ia *reneves, and the chaplain invokes the blessings of God upon the assembled mul- titude and the great ceuntry they call their own. He prays for the President and the cabinet, the soldier and the statesman, the legisla- tor and the judge. But his accents assume a more earnest tone, and his eloyuence a loftier range, as he invokes the God of Washington to shield the constitution, and spare the American Union. The Mayor, then, in one of the neatest, concisest, most eloquent-like speeches I ever heard, intro duced the reader of the Declaration to the audience. He spoke of the ruins aroand us on every side, of the repeated disasters, the city over whose coun cilshe presided had been visited—of the disorgan- ized seciety in which we lived. But then he con- admirable skill, the indomitable re- solution of the American character—the glorious | more than suspected of having four times burned thould be purged | hills which border the coast of California. wated offences. But, meanwhile, 3 ry form, was ram) our midst, and m ree vad rey, amongst ‘instinet 0: sroused, and it was seen our towns, and who were | it down, out from our midst. | Accordingly, more than a month ago, » number of our ent citizens organized themselves into a Committee of Vigilance, for the prevention, deteo- tion, and punishment of offences against life and | property. Thay waded to their numbers until the committee numbered upwards of 500; they organize 1 patrols of police; they established a ral, and numerous local police stations; they raived funds for their owa support, and havesince re- mained in tual session. Minor offenders they hand over forthe regularly constituted authorities. | Offenders of the most aggravated description, for whose condign punishment they adjudge the exist- ing laws to be inadequate, they reserve for their owa judication. The first exemplary villain who fell into their hands, was the man J @ notorious Botany Bay convict, who was caug! in the actual burglary of a safe with its contents. He was tried, convicted, and executed, as you are well aware. After this, numerous offenders of a lighter dye were arrested, and delivered over to the authoriti together with the evidence which had been collec! against them. But the committee assumed another jurisdiction, which has had the most healthy results. qt to notify men of notoriously bad character toleave the country, under penalty of the conse- quences. If it was ascertained that there resided here a Sydney eonvict, of notoriously bad charao- iting wv Srdiey crib, and without an: visibie means of support, he was forthwith notifie to leave the country within fivedays. This man- date was generally obeyed without resistance. Some half a dozen attempted to disobey it, but the committee took them into custedy at the expiration of the five days, and thipped them back again, to rejoice the hearts of their compatri+ts, in the next vessel bound for Botan: The commitiee also took the liberty of boarding every vossel which arrived from the same quarter of lobe, before she landed any of her passengers ; those who could not prove their good character, were po- litely ‘informed that they could not be permit to land, but must resume their v« e to the “right about.” Many a convicted thief, burglar, and murderer has thus been denied admission into the “land of pron.ise,” and has returned to Australia with but an unsatisfactory glimpse of the sandy As I have said before, this committee had been in full working organization for a month before Stuart fel] into their hands. At first he gave his name as William Stevens, and gave a pretended history of his life under that name; but as the proofs accumulated against him, he discarded his aliases, and, in a full confession, revealed his true name and | ter. I have taken the pains to ar- range his confessions and the testimony against him, which are semewhat tiniotanod. in the publica- tion made by the — mnittee, and which I transmit to you. [t became apparent to the com- mittee that y had in their custody the captain and chief villain of a band of ruffians, organized in our midst for purposes of SoOney> burglary, and murder, and whocoolly deliberated upon the burn- ing of our city, as ® mere diversion in their planus. By his own confession, he had committed no less than five burglaries, of such gery that each of them rved the punishment of death, for some of which innocent men had been already convicted on account of their singular re- semblance to him; and the committee were satisfied by other evidence, that he had murdered Moore, the Sheriff at Foster’s Bar, for which Burdue, upon the same resemblance, had just been convicted and sentenced to death, at Marysville. What to do with him was now the question. Should he be re- manded to the authori:ies here, who could only sentence him to imprisonment under the old law, or send him to Marysville for trial for murder, for the hopes awaiting our country in the future, and the long line of illustrious deeds consecrating the past. He placed his hand upon his heart, and testided, how utterly impossible i: is to curb the Ameri- can’s love of country, and assured us, what each one felt before, that no circumstances, how- ever untoward—no misfortunes, however dire, could blot from the American heart its memory of the Fourth of July. The oration followed, and fully vindicated the good sense of the committee in the selection they made for orator. For though | have heard far more eloquent speeches far betver delivered, yet I never listened to one more appropriate to the eocasion. As it will probably be published, I will not de- tain you by any attempt at an analysis. Sutffice it to say, that it was cheered and applauded through- out, and that the orator wound up in a perfect blaze of glory. Then followed the sentiments—then the dinners; and lastly, the fireworks. [I sawthe stars fall in 1833; but it was reserved for the 4th of July, 1851, tosend them up again. Oh, sir, you never beheld any- thing half so magnificently splendid as t! ight of tky rockets from Mount Aventine From every part of the city they rose into the heavens, and burst in lory at every point of the horizon. Some shattered emselves into brilliant stars, and gracefully float- ed by the side oft ter luminaries; others dis- solved into meteors “streamed along the sky,” the world, I retired by its light to my humble quar tere, and ina few moments more, | was traversing tbe brilliant promenades of New York and visit the scenes of my boyhood, forgetful alike of e: California, and the arth of July. W. H. San Fravcrsco, July 13, 1351. The Inefficiency of the Laws and the Vigilance Com mittee—Execution of a Botany Bay Convict named James Stuartjalias William Stevens, §e., §¢ , §c. The current steamer brings you the account of | as it will be undoubtedly proclaimed as a | notable instance of mob law, I give you the sub. joined statement of facts, by which you will sve | formed by the mob at all. About two years ago, the “hounds,” as a set of miscreants were termed, were tried at San Fran- cisco. Some were banged at Stockton, and the The gang was | broken up, and the strictest order prevailed for | many months. No thefts, no burglaries were com- | mitted; property was safe everywhere, and goods were secure if left exposed, over night, in the street oron the plaza. Sut during the long and rainy winter of 1549-50, @ new order of things arose. of the prints in this city came out in opposition to | The convict colonies of Australia vowited forth any regul bration of the “Gl yarth”— | upon us their hordes of certified villains, thieves, Pleading poverty, low spirits on, aches, | and burglars, who here met their follows of the seckloth, and ruin. ( af | same craf: from London, Paris, New York, and the complaint, of which Ch | Philadelphia. Robbery became frequent; bar- Widow M is glary common; and murder by dragging, the my it —"' Religion and wind.” te awe a lp pL ms wt mh | half deserved tome consideration, for y | time the Legislature, in’ the picaitade of ite. wie this be aware, that ughout the summer monthe @ cold north wester is the terror and the scourge of San Franciseo. But « few determin spirits resolved not to be so easily afrighted from all propriety—so a few ever as to the | Fourth, they sesembled « ‘ office, appointed a coma of arraugements, erator, « reader of the Declaration, and a « They drew ap, too, an order of prove bt ametion in whieh and patriotic 4 previ . | 1 he Coan oes Having arrived here just the great fire of May, aid witnessed that of » 1 confess I felt eome ma that the Fourth might be re- | Tionsly tempt ar display. | Then, a jind about me, was disaster. | felt @ natios | in the y, and looked upon it as | an old friend, ranet by big guns aad pop- | erackers, hy rocket chempagne, banners aod orations, from vb fearful, theret @ burlesque, or Never wae | nore dissapy ly deceived. Daybreak merry peal of every senor rise saluted by the adorned by @ #pler did by pyrotechnic d y woud stepa and rosy fo do honos to the day ne ou flags, foreign consuls dressed up in r women donned the a shawls; whilkt Pad John Ball and Brott hb “their live never to go to fisty ze nthe day, I took my # t very far from the (rand od the windew, aed prepared my i —and, if you a im ¢ to print ‘om Towards 10 o'clock, [ heard a drum and fife, and from 2 distance, in sofveped owdenge, fell uj oa wy | light of a transient cused persons, under pretence dian { adequate opperte d during which the f to “take n i ss ed “” Jom and power, adopted, as our code of crimiral urieprudence, the penal code prepared by the late | Edward Livingston, for the State of L aa, but | which that State had the good sense to reject, and | | which, although reported by the Commissioners of Practice of the State of Now York, bas not yet been | adopted in thet State. This code, however con- | sistent nd pessibly practicable in’ a settled, wall | dand highly moral community, w » where the mw ntly; every almost every one may proper! rogarded in the The country is building ie expeneiv have hardly het and we certainly have not been able to raise, by di rect taxation, the means of building eocure prisons But #0 dittle wae the crim ode adapted to she actual condition of things, and eo purely theoreti. | cal a work was it, that, under semblance ofsecuriag | in the most perfect ner the rights of iodividuale, it permitted the most extraordinary delays to ac- of givi y%, er suceseded 'n epir wt hita, or they depa of their own accord; oF. J, the prisoner quietly bored hie way 0 »den cell in which he was o 1 etand his trial and ta 1 tho tolerably sare remody gh the pla a d after be i, ia I f * which, ina & | sense move many of g lawa, and to onact pro- the more speedy trial of offenders, and P she poumlty of dese for many of the | what p same offence for which anotherman had just been convicted ? After a long deliberation, the con- mittee, in a full session, decided that he ought not to live, and that no chance of prolonging life ought to be allowed to him. They had been eng iged is trial for above a week, and finally, in cool blood, itr me [ea a oe is nome any ex- citement, ry im to e /- sion was umncunesd to the asssmbled citizens; and thousands there present, with but three dissenting voices, approved the judgment. At two o’clock in ‘the afternoon, in the open day; and the clear” #tn- shine, the committee issued from their room, in ranks of ten abreast, closely locked arm in arm, and files of thi-ty deep, some three hundred in all. In their midst was the prisoner, manacled and closely pinioned; a well built, intelligent lo: man, lth dark chesnut hair, a broad, high, inte lectual forehead, and dark, bright eyes. He bore himself firmly and erect were men among his executioners whose features were overspread with a deeper pallor—and his sparkling black eye roved over fee multitude with an expression of curiosity, viously in the same com: as myself, the Rook Mini: Company, $8 20 for a week and ba- came tired the life; to sag alk winter, and commensed building a the one there, for boarders; did not finieh it; tho company to whenas 1 Lege | 300 never wid an they At bought of Daniel Casey, one ot company, the company had left; ne Y tneir the thi f house, I found a truak; the trunk was open and full of clothes; | took them; I wore part of the clothes dur- ing the remainder of my stay; one night afterwards I went to Mc. Dodge’s house and had a game of monte; lost, I s that night, §200; ocon- | sidered I was cheaied, nod tho pig tein uk Stee with them; sol stopped that night up at a tent, and saw him put his money in a chost; when they had got to sleep, went in and took the chest; pve the chest, found $4,300; had one piece worth about $1,668 ; another, $733; the rest in dust, and about’ $600 in silver; I took all this, and seoreted most of it in my ; I then went to work again as usual; worked about ten days afterwards; I was then apprehended for stealing the trunk; having bought all in te house, con- sidered the clothes belonging to me also; was ad- mitted to bail ia $500 to appear at Marysville for trial, and deposited the money; three er af- terwards was taken up for touting the $1,300; for that I was committed one to Marysville, on charge of grand larceny; the mob tha t night wanted to hang me; the judge swore in ‘about 60 men a Ly wenacteye the next iret cee Dodge, largest loser, came to me, and sai if I would give him the money he would let me go, and seo that I was not hurt; another party came tome and told me that his wife and family'were suffering at home, so I concluded to give it up, and all but about $150 was found; allow- ed I had this; remained with the Sheriff this afternoon, and then asked the Judge about selli: my things; called an auction, seld my things, ai gave my boat away to a friend; fay, ings brought about 3170; the Sheriff kept money in his possession (Edward Barr, Sheriff); went out at night to collect some of this money, and while gone, his cook came to me and said, “if he was in my place he'd go;” told him I couldn’t well go without mo- ney; he said I had better go without it; I conse- quently went; went about three miles that night, and took a mare; next night about 10 o’clock ar- rived in Sasramento; sold the mare the next day; stole the mare; had no money to buy one; stai in Sacramento about a fortnight; gt acquainted with two or three Americans and one Sydney man; they did nothing but steal horses and mules; I use to sell them for them; the cholera broke out in Sa- cramento; the names of the men are “Dab,” James Peate; Jol Griffith was getting away from rin brig with irons on, and was drowned; went jown to bail him out; a boy told Griffiths there was a brig in the river with a good deal of money on board—about $20,000; we went aboard of the brig and Bet all there was, about $200; went on board with Griffiths (dead), Edwards, Brown(dead); next day we agreed to come down to San Francisco; Edwards told us we could get some money out of a Vessel in the harbor; a man came with us called “ Jimmy-from-town,” (Burns); came down inthe New World; “ Jimmy-from-town” robbed a Span- iard board of thirty ounces in coin; “ Jimmy-from- town” was stowed away by me on boardof the Ten- nessee; he gave me the money, and it was divided among four of us; the same night we boarded this vessel in San Fran and robbed her; myself, Edwards, Brown and Smith accomplished the deed; the vessel was the J. Casket; had some hard fight- ing on board; the captain was desperate and we left him almost dead; in the fight his wife came out of the cabin with a sword in her hand; I took it away trom her; acted as cantain in that mob; loft the other in charge of the captain; we were all masked; I searched the cabin; his wife gave me up what morey there was on board; I then asked her if there were any arms on board; she gave me one of Allen’s ‘six-shooters, lar; size; I gave the money and the pistols to one of the party; do not remember which; the womas bonged me not to take her husband’s life; 1 said I did not want to do it if he would be quiet; I then looked in the cabin and saw that she had a splendid gold chronometer watch; she hoped | would not take it, ' as her motherhad given it to her; I said, ‘on these * conditions I will not take the watch;” kicked up a row for not takingi:; I told them I was master; a, had made me 80, and I would ast as I liked; tied the Poe meer hands behind him and shut him in the ; told his wife not to speak for two hours, as I should not leave the ship; also tied some boys who were on board at the timo, and then went ashore; supposed we should get $15,000 or 16,000, and only got $170; he advei @ loss % ; when his wife gave me the money, she sai she had sent it nearly all home in the previous ket, orwe should have got it, no doubt; stayed in San Francisco five or six days; tried to rob Grayson & Guild’s store; stopped in it all one night, and found I could not it; wanted nothing but the money, but could not get it; the safe was too heavy; three or four days afterwards I went to Sacramento alone; stopped in Moor’s house in L street; did incre but play cards, and won a good deal of mo- ney; sold mules and horses for others as they were brought in, in the name of Campbell; Moor died which faded into thi f inquiry, as if for rescue and help, and finally 8 = to a fixed expression of despair. Slowly, and with a measured tread, the eerried band took its way to the Market-street | wharf, where a block had been rove toa derrick | ured for tg! goods from vessels alongside, and | through this the fatal rope was passed. Arriving | here, the committee opened right and left, aad the | doomed man was brought forward. The rope was | d over his head and adjusted ; the realities of ith were before him, and he was heard to say— “ My doom is just ; [ am ready to die; my confes- sion is all true.” Being asked if he was ready, ho replied that he was. @ request was then made: * Hats off.’ The who ultitude with one movement are, and at ad ra rom — man hung struggling e air. r hanging half an hour, he ees ronounced dead, taken down, and delivered to the Coroner. Everything was done with the dee orderly solemnity. There was no and most urbance, no who ops the house; bought his wife out for $150; paid f 0 rent; all the things stolen in Sacramento were none to the house; John Grifiths, John Jones, big Bill Nelson and “Old Jack,” were board- ers ofmine; a few days afterwards, (iriffiths was ar- rested for picking a man’s pocket of $300 in an auo- tion store on J street; on Monday he was committed to the prison brig; was bailed ia the sum of $1,500; they were kicking up a row in Sacramento at this time, and would not gostraw bail; so I took a team, loaded it from my house with stolen goods, and started for Mormon Island; sold all at Mormon Island and Salmon Falls, and returned to Sacra- mento county; went to the Sheriff of Sacramento procured an order to goon board of the brig and see Griffiths; got on board, and found thatthe night before, in trying to escape, he was drowned; while [ had gone to the mines, some one rohbed my house of everything; did not think it worth while to open another house, and went to live ina small house nearthe burying ground; a few days after, was ar- heoting, no imprecations, no noise of kind. The men who did this deed were our wealthiest, our most prominent, and our most respectable citizens. | If there are some among them who are not favora- | Pixl bly known either here or at home, it is because this | this being an organization against “law and order,” — it is one in favor of law and order. The results | show this. Life, property, and all we hold mos: valuable, have become doubly secure since the or- ganization of this committee. Robbery has become rare, bur lary unknown, and murder er It would Ee “pee grossest injustice to our com- munity, and to the citizens who have patiently, la- boriously, openly and fearlessly done these acts, to characterize them as the results of mob law.” In the doings of this committee, the writer has neither act nor part. He differs from them in think- ing that the cour:s are inefficient, but places the origin of the evi deeper in the defect of the laws. He will not even pledge himself to approve the future action of the committee, but reserves his judgment for each ast as it takes place; but, as a calm and disinterested spectator, who looks upon wes before him for the sole Uys ged of en larging his experience, he feels bound to say that thus far, the action of the committee has done mw good, and bas wrought no practical injustioe to a ope; and thatif the committee now proceed to com- plete the jail with funds r: themselves, and + 4, to do, ook will have dote an ine f good. In no event | to show that ancisco, or that we li mob.” SrectaTor. ean their acts be ju t ‘The following is the CONFESSION. Left England at about 16 years of mitted forgery, and went to New South life ; intercession of friends p-oc from there to South some five years; two and a balf qeers knocking about the souther continent; finaliy reached Panama in the J. W. | Coffin, or went to Payta in the Coffin, and fron >; com- ales for j stayed t to Callao; was about thence to Panama in a law shipped in the Ten nesree, and came to San Francisco ; the day I ar- rived le ator; next day | went to 3 from sville to Foster's | Bar Mining Company, and went to work; 1 mnpany, and 15 employed in custing a race; worked in this company one month; I hired Sullivan, the witness who appeared against | me, to work in my place for one month; then went down the river about four mil nd worked for myrelf, mining; worked two weeks by myself; went up and hireda man to work in Sullivan's place, and took him with me; finished his month owt down the river, and for two days’ extra work paid him $20; we then went to F gether; I then bought another o company, and paid $300 fer it; bought a life boat | for €106; eubsoquently lent this boat to another | company, and they worked it on half shares as @ ferry boat; then went with Sullivan to Slate | Range, about eight miles higher up; we bought | pert ofa claim, and paid $50 each ; we worked this claim for half of a day; did not pay well enough ; | left Sellivan there and returned to Foster's Bar; | thoug' at I would return and work ia the | to work and fini lent the Mie ee; the day ther aim would not poy mor Lit; then went down th eter’s Bar to- m of the next | 2 per day from th then nard Feather, a German, and | Cymmpnoed etoge keeping im my Lowe; was pre- | the | all went Cg | jor | we jumped “age gy rested for housebreaking, and employed Mr. Pix- ley, he got me out of it by one of my men swearing false; old Jack swore false; I gave him $20, and Mr. 2, agreed to get me out of thescrape if I would give him $50 more; I told Pixley 1 was guilty; about society shares the impresations of all human sovie- | # week or ten days after, was arrested again for | ties; but it is o that these men find their | breaking into aheuse in ‘alumber ‘nate I very near | level there as they do elsewhere. Instead of | gotshot there, through my hat atallovents;gottaken and committed aboard the brig fortrial; previously robbed a house on Sunday night, corner of Front and K streets, clothing store, with Mat Hopwood; oes by name of Big Brummy, (3ydaey inan); got rom to $900 worth of property; about two days atter 1 wes on board the bri xploye 1 Mr. Pixley again and — him $50; ptid him $50 for Big Brummy, for robbin, woman; two days efter I had been on board the prison brig, a con- stable came down from Auburn and identified me #8 shooting the Sheriff of Auburn; two or three hours afterwards two more constables camo on board—one from F oster’s Bar, and one from Marys ville; the one from Foster's Bar identified me as the man having committed murder at Foster's Bar—one C! oore; one had a warra: on shore to J Sackett; he gave th to bring me ashore; took me to the Judge's office in J street; Mr. Pixley appeared for me, and would not allow the Judge to examine me; then sent on board the brig again; the Judge then gave the Sheriff order to take me to Marysville; Sreritt came for me the next morning, and Mr. Pixley told him that the wartant was not legal, and he could not take mo; #0 he hadto go to Marysxille for another, | then ve Mr. Pixley my bag of gold dust to weigh out Seco, andan order for $130,which he told me he had Ft and would pay me next ; the same night made my escape from the bri waiked that day to Dry Creek—half way to Stockton; noxt day got into Steckton, disguised myself and came to San Francisco on « tteamer—som ewhore im the mid- dle of December; then went and stopped in Hd- ward’s boure in Sydney Valley; never went eut of the house during the day; during the night went to | Port Philip House, kept by McCormick and Whit- taker—Icaw. ‘ds did not know of my escape; Jan- ime lived next door to Whittaker's; et had got information of there being eight or nine thousand dollars ina safe ina butcher's kop in Broadway; myrelf, J. E anc rge Adams, went, took indow off, got the into the street, and could get it no further; t inturn’s, there were a great many in this mess; got this information from —— ——; bad gone several times during the three days pro- vious, to inquire aboat the money; he was acquaint- ed there; myself, wards, Edward MoVormick, eo. Adams, ————, Bob —wetook a boat with us, fall and tackle; ears to take with us, p feather bed in augers, saws, &o., to cut well armed; we managed to get inside three or four of us, and moved the safe some- what; made a few auger holes in the floor, and in- tended cutting the floor some one came to the door; a false alarm; we 3 Mackenzie apciled it by not knowing his instructions; we should not have stirred for one man or two, with i haul; Mackensie gay Whittaker, (Teddy) Whittaker, MeKe —— outside; let's rhop lowed that there wa thing wat a had examined; # pla said t g which he 1,000 5 we agreed to go aud get ved he aingd $10,000 or $i and ‘| and | Pixley an order for my money in the name of James | | Campbell; arrived at Foster's bar about the middle | | Dabb, Peet, and another name forgotten ; think | | | here as John Morris, and lives with briggs; i J.M. ‘edd, Monterey, 'y») been Jim ‘from Whine ese M’Cormick, ( qarde—all of us had into Jansen’s store first; the rest’ sto| road; Whittaker and myself stood att curing this time; I tho would get no money, not window ht he was too long and went in to help him; [ ot way up the sop behind the couater; heard fansen ask Morgan what he wanted there; Morgan told him that he wanted to look at some blankets; he turns round and sees me behind the counter ; also told him I wanted blankets; he stepped about two yards to show me some blankets; (we had cloaks on for s disguise); I hit him on the head with a s)ang- eh at knocked him down; | then left Morgan te take charge of him, whilst Tlooked m 3 lonly hit him once; opened a desk, and took outa shot bag containing money ; we then carried the money home to Sydney Valley; 1 carried the money; I counted the ‘money; there was $1,568 in gold coin; we divided it in eight parts, making $196 each; we then came down town again ; went into Mrs. Hogan's 3 stopped there two or three hours and then went home again; Mrs. Hogan lived on Sansome street; next day there Was quite a fuss about town; we did not commit more robberies while the men arrested for striking Jansen were under trial, as we did not wish them hung knowing they were innocent; we would have shot iy men rather than they should have been hung; we agreed that if the above men were bung, whi we expected they would on Sunday night, to burn down the town; a few nights after we agreed to rob a bank kept by Beebee, Ludlow & Co., on Montgomery street ; in this we were to be assisted by — and —; we tried two nights; opened the outside door by false keys; watched it two days, and concluded there was not money enough to attempt the robbery, as we observed the porter of the bank come each morning from Argenti’s with bags of money depo- sited the coming previous ; the next night we went to the bank next to the El Dorado, in Washington street; Morris Morgan help to build the money Vault, and gave us the information; went down the El Dorado steps; opened the door with false keys; entered and found two beds; discovered that thera were too many people sleeping about there ; consi- dered it too dangerous, gave it up; ——- —— was an accomplice with us ; there were eight in the Lan 4 —— was generally an outsider and done the watching; next night stole a smal) safe out of Emerson & Dunbar’s auction store ; it was Sunda: it; there was bot twenty-four dollars in thi safe; Adams seuped out at the time of Minturns robbery ; next night stole a safe from Gladwin & Whitmore ; took it up on the sand-hills; were dis- covered re we broken it open; I brought the safe down stairs; Morris Morgan and James Briggs were arrested by the police in this scrape; here we lost all our tools, which were worth to us; then wentto Mrs. Hogan’s house ; Bill Hews went home that ni ‘ht ; not liking to see men go to the watch-house, I wanted the rest to come and take them from the watch-heuse by force, but they refused; they bare ne by employiog Mr. Parburt and other lawyers they would be cleared; next day Morgan was acquitted and Brie it 3 next day I went to Gold BI . Allen 3 had twenty-seven ne b pangs to Trini- dad bay; I there saw Bob McKenzie, also saw Dabb, the horse thief, and the Jew Peet; they came from Oregon; they said that five horse thieves had taken about sixty horses from Sacra- mento City to Oregon, and ‘there sold them; I found Trinidad to be a bad place for me; I played cards with Dabb, and won all his money, about three hundred do! ; I then came back in the B. L. Allen, and paid the passage of Dabb and Peet to San Francisco; arrived in San Francisco on a Sunday; Dabb threatened to inform on me if I didn’t give him some money, 0 I gave him $50 ; I went ,to James Kitchen’s house, and sent bim on board the schooner for ‘my bed and blankets; the same Dabb and « policeman stopped me in the street; the policeman wanted me to go to the Re corder’s with him; I drew my pistol to shoot him, Ps stood off; there were many people about, gave him (the policeman) one hundred dol- lars gto quiet him; I then went to Kitchen’s, and stopped t night; 1 went and saw Mrs. Hogan; she told me there was a warrant out for Whittaker, and Long Charley, for robbing a man in her house of fifteen hundred dolla=s; she advised me to leave the town ; said the police were searching her house; said she had secreted Whittaker at the Mission next morning, I_hired a horse at a stable, and rode to bepey oo t this time, I had just taken the name of Gari ; previously, was 1d Camp- bell; the day i arrived at Monterey, the men were about to be tried for robbing Monterey Cus- tom-house; my things were left at Kitchen’s, and have been there ever since. I went to Monterey al ogee yd attend the trial; went to the watch- ouse and saw the prisoners; the second night, my horse was stolen from me; Dick Osman was first put on trial; Parburt went down from San Francisco to defend him, and I appetred as a wit- ness in his favor ; Whittaker was also at Monte rey; Kitchen arrived at Monterey in the steamer; Briggs was then in custody; we all knew the par- ties were guilty; fulthoug! by took thirteen thousand dollars down from San Francisco, all tha: was robbed was eight thousand dollars, though Randall said he Jost thirty thousand dollars; the fact is, that Parburt, ‘MeDonald, and Judge Merrit, were counsel for prisoners, and Col. Weller, Botts, and Wallace, for prosecution ; there was a reat deal of swearing falsely, and bribery; all the money wastaken from the prisoners; the court charges, amounting to one thousand dollars, were first taken out, and the balance of thirteen thou sand dollars, say tw thousand dollars, was equally divided between the prisoners’ and prose- cuting counsel; the’ prisoners then paid their own lawyers; Randall got one-half, and the prisoners the other half of the twelve thousand dollars; Mor- gan, Tom Quick, and Ryan, were in jail, but Os man was tried and consented to the division; Par- burt told me to let the prisoners out of and I broke the door down and let them 01 [ then started on foot from Monterey for t Southern mines; reached San Jose; in San Jose stole a horse, saddle and bridle, but was captured pear San Joaquin; got into a row with oleven Mexicans, who took my gun from me, stating that I had stolen their horse; they took back to Livermore's pass; | gave them my watch and chain to release me, and went on foot to Sonora; from there went to Sullivan's, and worked about a week; did not like mi en went to Maripo' worked there about fi ks; met there t A ans, who knew me; not think myself safe, avd left for San Francisco on foot; arrived here last Tuesday night; saw Kitchen in the El Dorado; went to his house where he used to live; then went to and Cay that night; Wednesday morning arose and went to the Mivcion to see an acquaintance, who lives at a bakery at the Mission; this same acquaintance previously wished me to ro paniard’s house at the Mission; I went to t robbing a jiard at the Mission; tl juaintance at the Mission is short; and had ona black hat. [It is knowa to our com- mittee who this friend is.] I went into the mansion house and looked at the safe, and told him I would see him again about it. I took the hills on the way back from the Mission | to avoid being seen, and was arrested on the sand = sions thing; I was on the way to North each. In coming from San Jose to San Francisco, last January or February, | came in the steamer New s th one Smith, who was afterwards shot in § to City, robbing a house; we went from San Francisco to San Jove on purpose to rob thi churches of the silver and gold images; we were told there was a gold image weighing ten pounds, | but we could not find it. | Got stuck on a mud flat en the in the | morning @ll hands were called in tie cabin, and told that a paseenger bad been robbed of $1,000 in gold | dust; ‘they took my gold dust, and tha: of anocher man & parsenger; but I did not rob it, and know nothing about it. On arrival bere, I advised robbing the New Star; I met Teddy McCormack and John Edwards, went down to the steamboat; | went on board, opened the window, and robbed the desk of about $250; knew Jenkins; knows Windred; thinks he hag = out of the country; knows Adams; does not now where he is now; knows Nelson and Wilson, horse thieves in Sacramento City ; when I landed | from the J. Caskie, went to Edward’s house ; John Edwards bas red whiskers; is an Englishnan; broke into Smith’s lumber yard about 8 o'clock at night; Jemmy-from-town stole a trunk from Mr. | A. J. Ettis’s house; Jemmy-from-town robbed | Dow's safe, and blew it up with powder; gave 's committed to in schooner B. of April; hired Sullivan, Hunt and Hews to work at Foster's bar; never committed more crimes at Foster's bar than | have stated ; Dodge & Co. kept & gambling house at Foster's bar; names of threo Americans and one Sydney man, horse thieves, know of every robbery committed in Sacramento when | was there; have worn a serape and rode on | horseback in San Francisco; | generally board at edwards’ house; some of my friends have boarded at the Port Philip House; John Morgan is known 50 years old; large, stout fellow, and weighs 16 stone ; have heard hundreds remark bere that the day would frown come when this country would be taken by the Sydoey we have had an un- de lo rol don ding with poli ne w Fisher, m nor full at ) Ryan was the only one that robbed the Custom House who rape any benefit; I ga | Pixley an order for ¢U2 om Lowe ; lives on }'rout atreet, Sacramento City; house has a bowfwindow- in it; ‘very tty house; money stolen from Janson was divided ia awards’ Louse, neat Clark's Point; a 4" i —— —— and Whittaker was cause use ¢! not equally divide the: money; we should cer: have fired the town in» three or four places, the men arrested for striking Jansen been hung; men who com- mitted the jewelry robbery here mare Gas Adams and Teddy Me! 3 1 have Angel Island ; generally stop at Daniel Wilder's house; think there are no robbers there; % Hogan’s hopes is > eit ioe noes. pers) 3 sho» wears m, uerreo! 5 she ws motions if Me Hogan ts innocent, at Ona Summary of E: ts. [From the Alta Valifornia July i) Since the departure of the mail steamer, en tho; first of the present month, the only event of momens which has transpired in our city has been the trial, conviction and execution of a felon, known as Jim, Stuart, by the Vigilance Committee, a body of citi- in: ae of the highest respectability and standing 4 In Stockton, and else~ ramento, Marysville, where, the citizens have felt theraselves compelled: to act in their own behalf, the laws hat Proved: 80 wary inadequate in themselves, and their ad~ maine ion, by the properly constituted authorities, . 80 lax. Men have been executed for offences of a criminal: nati in this city and in Stookton. The recent execut of Stuart in this city, produced a tempo- rary excitement among those who en' opinions antagonistic to the action of the Commit~ tee; but it appears to be subsiding. His Honor: Mayor Brenham has issued a proclamation, de- siring all good citizens to withdraw from the igi- lance Committee, or associations of a like character, and Ji Jampbell, of the Court of Sessions, om. » charged the Grand Jury for the county that all those concerned in the execution of” Stuart had been guilty of murder, or were particepo criminis, The Vigilance Committee still continues: 'o exercise its powers, and is using its utmost en- deavors to rid the community of the villains who have so long infested it. Their acts are sustained. by a majority of the citizens. Capeeanees of ® similar character have sprung up in almost all the rominent places of California, and the courts have ae foreed, by the expression of public sentiment, to pay stricter attention to the admini on of w. aw. The Indians are still troublesome in Sacramento valley, and refuse to come in at the place specified . by Dr. O. M. Wozencraft, one of the Indian Com- missioners. Col. McKee, also of the commission, is at Benicia, preparing to prosecute his mission in the region of the Klamath and mes rivers. Colonel Barbour is in the vicinity of Los Angeles ete tovisit again the Indians in the Tulare Valley, w! havo recently exhibited a disposition to break: their treaty of peace and amity. The commission are to- tally without funds, and utterly unable to prose- cute their mission to a successful issue without ‘ad- ditional supplies. A rencontre took place on the Ist instant, between George F. Lemon, Gity Assessor, and William H. Graham, a young lawyer. Shots were exchanged, and Graham was shotin the mouth and left arm. Lemon aoa est | ere himself up; but his ad- versary having told him to draw and defend him- self, and suited the action to the word, the Recorder digahaggod him. Graham is out and doing well. The Fourth of July was not celebrated with any ‘eat pomp, in consequence of the calamity which a8 40 recently befallen the city. It was, however, observed by the firing of guns, parades of so- cieties, &c. waiad kik inst., in Spread In Sacramento City, « most robbery was committed on the daylight. Impatient of the law’s delay, the people, by their ani expression, induced the court an the lawyer: lected to defend the prisoner, to go into a trial immediately, and at glast accounts one of tho pel, was before the court on trial. i¢ Mormons are making a decided movement towards establishing @ direct communication from the Salt Lake to the Pacific. A large party, have recently arrived from Salt Lake through the Cajon Pass, about sixty miles from Los Angeles, with an expressed determination to settle in that sec- tion. They are said to be negotiating for the purchase of a very fine rancho ging to Senor Antonio Longo. The intelligence from the mines continues to be extremely encouraging, and a geveral spirit of con- tentment seems to ore among the miners. The effects of the late fire in this city are yet per- ceptible, but the energy and enterprise of our oiti- zens appear to bo unabated. The “burned dis- ~ trict,” although not entirely rebuilt, is pretty thickl; studded with tenements of all descriptions, ro 4 me building of the most substantial @ in process of erection in all parte. particulars of events which have transpired tince the Ist inst, we must refer to other portions of this day’s paper. Crime tn Caltfornia, L; d&e. {Prom the Ban Francisec Picayune, Jely 0} It is now fourteen months since the District Court went into existence, and during the period from April 20, 1850, to May 23, 1951, the whole number of persons committed for trial at that court amounted to one hundred and eighty-four. It is @ startling fact that of this number but nine remain now in custody, payiog the penalty of their offences. Seven have been discharged by the Grand Jury, six have died, and two have been pardoned. ~ Besides these nine, some few others of the one hundred and eighty-four are in prison awaiting trial; but of the whole number, nine only are in custody, under sentence. Forty hava been admitted to bail, and doubtlees never in heard of. Sixty-one have been acquitted dis- charged by order of the court, and twenty-one have escaped, and have not beenretaken. In order that our readers may see at a glance the state of the criminal calendar, we subjoin a tabular state- ment:— Court 184 Whole number committed for trial at the District from April 20, 1850, to May 23, 1851 . Of these, admitted to bail... Disebarged by the Grand Jury. Acquitted, aud discharged by order of the court Pardoped...... 0... 005.5 Escaped and not retaken... Of the number committed, y- arraigned, tried, and most of them convicted of se- rious offences, as follows:— yg jordero, grand Aug. regoire © ) Brand larceny, 1 * ose Haskins, Pi, 715 months, 16—Francis Murray, assault and battery, 1 year, 24—Francisco Kontido, nolle prosequsi. sept. “So ditan Cooper, rind laseons, It. Han Cooper, gran , 1 year. wf semee Mende having pod peter 9 months, ss ose Miguel, manslaughter, 6 month, I~ Pedro Logue, ® “ 19—W. MeGregrr, alias Billy Chapman, receiving stolen govds. nolle prosequi 20—Stephen iter 21— Wm Greenwood, grand larceay, proses: 21—Alex. Hamilton, forgery, bond forfeited. 21—Nicholas Gomez, assault with intent to kill, am bond forfeited. a 5 wes, robbery. T years, 27 —John Smith, grand larceny, 1 year. 27—J, Williams, aeswult with intent to kill, 7 years. 27—John Mitchel, grand larceny, bond forfeited. ¥7—Catherine Byrne, «nollie prosequi, 28—James Wilson, : ‘a 20—James Hamilton, robbery. 1 year. 29—Richard Hepburn, “ a Dee. 1, 2 Antonio Homaro, grand larceny, nelle roseyui, 1851 Jan, 20-—Wm. Welsh. grand larceny, 6 years, 29—Alfred Irwin, do, 4° do, Feb. Nov. t—Spiers and Williams, nolle proseyu,, 10—Thomas Brown, asewult with intent to kill, 3 years 10— James Minor, grand larceny, nolle presequi. 12—Philip Ester, rape, 16 years me 1—Wm. , assault With intent to rob, 1 years do. do. do. 16—Jean Baptiste, grand larceny, 1 your's impri- ronn nt, and afterwards a new trial granted qu. uit with intent to ill, 14 years, do. do, 10 do. 24—John Boughtis, grand larceny, nolle prosequi. June anon Watkins, burgiary 10 years. 21— Fran The following are the names of those of the above who are now undergoing the penalty of their of- — in prison: — 27—Jno Williams. shooting, intent to kill, 7 years 10-8 Nov. rickson, passing counterfeit money: Aug. 24—G. Cordero, grand larceny, 4 years, Sept. 9A. Cooper, “ 1 Nev. 27—John Smith, ° i 1861 Jan, 19M. G. Costa, grand larceny, 1 21—P Brier, receiving stolen goods, 5 youre. %—W. Watkins, burglary, 10 years Btuart aiias Burdue, assault with intent to " kill. 14 years, Now, we wish to know what has become of the others. Where are they? Why are they not io prison? By what process have they been enabled to evade the penalty of their crimes! We have at prerent no charges or comments to wake We submit the above figures to the public for their consideratio nd we ask, do they not furnich the mest convincing argument in favor of the action of the Vigilance Committes? Where such was the administration of crimioal joetioe, it is not to be doubted that some urgent aod extra- ordinary measures were necessary for the purnose of bringing criminals to justice On Mouday morning, says the Scernmonts Union, about ten o'clock, Col. O. P. B and O. V. Healy, his partuor, lett Mine Kelley's Bar, onthe N h Fork Af i- overtook them, aud a# Blackmar and flowy had bu one mule, the latter jumped int vagon, and rode on to Ihe ive mile of Ihnoigs town, Col. B. not arriving as 1 ad they ex pected, Healy carne to the conclusion that be bad stopped by the way to grave his mule and rest Alice waiting about two hows, » bypsamen rode