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On a California lynching by the Committee of Vigilance, wth a print...
On a California lynching by the Committee of Vigilance, wth a print...
Item # 719062
November 15, 1851
ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS, England, Nov. 15, 1851 Pages 3 and 4 contain an article on a famous case involving the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance, headed: "Californian Lynchings". Included as well is a print captioned: "Lynching In San Francisco".
In 1851, San Francisco was a city in chaos, its population swelling due to the Gold Rush and its streets rife with crime and lawlessness. The official legal system was overwhelmed, often viewed as corrupt and incapable of maintaining order, which led a group of citizens to take matters into their own hands. They formed the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance, a vigilante organization determined to enforce justice outside the bounds of the law. This group conducted their own investigations, trials, and punishments, reflecting the widespread frustration and distrust many residents felt toward the established authorities during this turbulent period.
Among the committee's targets were Samuel Whittaker and Robert McKenzie, members of the infamous Sydney Ducks, a gang of Australian immigrants notorious for robbery and violence. Initially captured by the vigilantes for their alleged crimes, the two men were briefly taken into official custody when authorities, including Mayor John W. Geary and Sheriff John Coffee Hays, raided the committee’s headquarters and placed them in the county jail. However, the vigilantes refused to yield. On August 24, 1851, they stormed the jail, overpowered the guards, and reclaimed Whittaker and McKenzie. In a bold public spectacle, the committee hanged the two men from the rafters of a building on Battery Street, with an estimated 15,000 spectators watching. This event highlighted the deep divide between the vigilantes and the official government, showcasing the extreme measures taken to combat lawlessness in a city struggling for control.
Twelve pages, some minor margin loss near the spine, good condition.
Category: The Old West
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