The Shot Heard ’Round the City - Revision history

Ccarlsson: Protected "The Shot Heard ’Round the City": finished essay [edit=sysop:move=sysop]

2009-01-02T23:23:36Z

Protected "The Shot Heard ’Round the City": finished essay [edit=sysop:move=sysop]

← Older revision	Revision as of 16:23, 2 January 2009
(No difference)

Ccarlsson: PC and protected

2009-01-02T23:22:44Z

PC and protected

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:22, 2 January 2009
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			'''<font face = Papyrus> <font color = maroon> <font size = 4>Historical Essay</font></font> </font>'''

			''by Dr. Weirde''

	[[Image:Downtwn1%24ft-gunnybags.jpg]]		[[Image:Downtwn1%24ft-gunnybags.jpg]]

	'''"Ft. Gunnybags," the headquarters on Portsmouth Square of the 2nd Vigilante Committee''' ''Photo: San Francisco History ~~Room~~, SF Public Library, San Francisco, CA''		'''"Ft. Gunnybags," the headquarters on Portsmouth Square of the 2nd Vigilante Committee'''<br> ''Photo: San Francisco History Center, SF Public Library, San Francisco, CA''

	May 14, 1856: The nation was gearing up for the Civil War, and San Francisco was divided between the secessionist and unionist factions. James King of William, editor of the Daily Evening Bulletin and a Union loyalist, wrote an editorial condemning James Casey, rival editor of the Weekly Sunday Times, a pro-South stalwart. King of William made a point of saying unflattering things about Casey--not a terribly difficult task, as Casey was a notorious hothead who had served eighteen months in Sing Sing. The same day the editorial was published, Casey approached King of William at the corner of Montgomery and Commercial Streets, whipped a concealed pistol from beneath his cloak, pressed it against his rival's chest, and squeezed the trigger.		'''May 14, 1856''': The nation was gearing up for the Civil War, and San Francisco was divided between the secessionist and unionist factions. James King of William, editor of the Daily Evening Bulletin and a Union loyalist, wrote an editorial condemning James Casey, rival editor of the Weekly Sunday Times, a pro-South stalwart. King of William made a point of saying unflattering things about Casey--not a terribly difficult task, as Casey was a notorious hothead who had served eighteen months in Sing Sing. The same day the editorial was published, Casey approached King of William at the corner of Montgomery and Commercial Streets, whipped a concealed pistol from beneath his cloak, pressed it against his rival's chest, and squeezed the trigger.

	The city fell into a frenzy. Tens of thousands of hard-drinking San Franciscans poured into the streets, frothing at the mouth and howling for lynch law. The cavalry charged through the streets, but was unable to scatter the swelling mob. Mayor Van Ness stood in front of the jail and spoke in favor of the rule of law, but was met by a torrent of verbal abuse and rotten vegetables. The mob threw its weight behind the [[Vigilante Committees\| Vigilance Committee]], an extralegal paramilitary force that had been dispensing vigilante justice since 1851. In the next two days, 2,600 men joined the Vigilantes and were quickly organized into companies of 100 and armed with knives, pistols, shotguns, and cannons. On Sunday the 18th, as King of William lay dying, the Vigilante mob sur-rounded the jail and pointed a cannon at its door. Sheriff David Scannell and his outgunned deputies quickly handed over Casey. James King of William died on Tuesday. On Thursday, May 22, just as tolling bells signaled that funeral services for King of William had ended, the Vigilance Committee hanged James Casey at their homemade “Fort Gunnybags” ~~(now Sacramento Street between Davis and Front~~.)		The city fell into a frenzy. Tens of thousands of hard-drinking San Franciscans poured into the streets, frothing at the mouth and howling for lynch law. The cavalry charged through the streets, but was unable to scatter the swelling mob. Mayor Van Ness stood in front of the jail and spoke in favor of the rule of law, but was met by a torrent of verbal abuse and rotten vegetables. The mob threw its weight behind the [[Vigilante Committees\| Vigilance Committee]], an extralegal paramilitary force that had been dispensing vigilante justice since 1851. In the next two days, 2,600 men joined the Vigilantes and were quickly organized into companies of 100 and armed with knives, pistols, shotguns, and cannons. On Sunday the 18th, as King of William lay dying, the Vigilante mob sur-rounded the jail and pointed a cannon at its door. Sheriff David Scannell and his outgunned deputies quickly handed over Casey. James King of William died on Tuesday. On Thursday, May 22, just as tolling bells signaled that funeral services for King of William had ended, the Vigilance Committee hanged James Casey at their homemade “Fort Gunnybags”.

	Historical note: Despite the two Vigilance Committees' fearsome reputation, they only hanged eight men during their five years of existence. When the Vigilance Committee arrested a man, they would put on what now appears to have been a reasonably fair trial before meting out punishment. (Some of their detainees were acquitted or released for lack of evidence.)		'''Historical note''': Despite the two Vigilance Committees' fearsome reputation, they only hanged eight men during their five years of existence. When the Vigilance Committee arrested a man, they would put on what now appears to have been a reasonably fair trial before meting out punishment. (Some of their detainees were acquitted or released for lack of evidence.)

	~~''--Dr. Weirde''~~

	[[Dr_Weirde_on_Dirty_Harry\|Prev. document]] [[Remember the Filipinos! International Hotel & the Dewey Monument \| Next document]]		[[Dr_Weirde_on_Dirty_Harry\|Prev. document]] [[Remember the Filipinos! International Hotel & the Dewey Monument \| Next document]]

	[[category:1850s]] [[category:crime]] [[category:downtown]]		[[category:1850s]] [[category:crime]] [[category:downtown]]

Ccarlsson at 05:03, 17 August 2008

2008-08-17T05:03:02Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:03, 16 August 2008
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	''--Dr. Weirde''		''--Dr. Weirde''

	[[Dr_Weirde_on_Dirty_Harry\|Prev. document]] [[Remember the Filipinos! \| Next document]]		[[Dr_Weirde_on_Dirty_Harry\|Prev. document]] [[Remember the Filipinos! International Hotel & the Dewey Monument \| Next document]]

	[[category:1850s]] [[category:crime]] [[category:downtown]]		[[category:1850s]] [[category:crime]] [[category:downtown]]

Ccarlsson at 23:24, 14 July 2008

2008-07-14T23:24:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:24, 14 July 2008
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	''--Dr. Weirde''		''--Dr. Weirde''

	[[Dr_Weirde_on_Dirty_Harry\|Prev. document]] [[Remember the Filipinos! \| Next document]		[[Dr_Weirde_on_Dirty_Harry\|Prev. document]] [[Remember the Filipinos! \| Next document]]

	[[category:1850s]] [[category:crime]] [[category:downtown]]		[[category:1850s]] [[category:crime]] [[category:downtown]]

Ccarlsson: new page

2008-07-14T23:24:19Z

new page

New page

[[Image:Downtwn1%24ft-gunnybags.jpg]]

'''"Ft. Gunnybags," the headquarters on Portsmouth Square of the 2nd Vigilante Committee''' ''Photo: San Francisco History Room, SF Public Library, San Francisco, CA''

May 14, 1856: The nation was gearing up for the Civil War, and San Francisco was divided between the secessionist and unionist factions. James King of William, editor of the Daily Evening Bulletin and a Union loyalist, wrote an editorial condemning James Casey, rival editor of the Weekly Sunday Times, a pro-South stalwart. King of William made a point of saying unflattering things about Casey--not a terribly difficult task, as Casey was a notorious hothead who had served eighteen months in Sing Sing. The same day the editorial was published, Casey approached King of William at the corner of Montgomery and Commercial Streets, whipped a concealed pistol from beneath his cloak, pressed it against his rival's chest, and squeezed the trigger.

The city fell into a frenzy. Tens of thousands of hard-drinking San Franciscans poured into the streets, frothing at the mouth and howling for lynch law. The cavalry charged through the streets, but was unable to scatter the swelling mob. Mayor Van Ness stood in front of the jail and spoke in favor of the rule of law, but was met by a torrent of verbal abuse and rotten vegetables. The mob threw its weight behind the [[Vigilante Committees| Vigilance Committee]], an extralegal paramilitary force that had been dispensing vigilante justice since 1851. In the next two days, 2,600 men joined the Vigilantes and were quickly organized into companies of 100 and armed with knives, pistols, shotguns, and cannons. On Sunday the 18th, as King of William lay dying, the Vigilante mob sur-rounded the jail and pointed a cannon at its door. Sheriff David Scannell and his outgunned deputies quickly handed over Casey. James King of William died on Tuesday. On Thursday, May 22, just as tolling bells signaled that funeral services for King of William had ended, the Vigilance Committee hanged James Casey at their homemade “Fort Gunnybags” (now Sacramento Street between Davis and Front.)

Historical note: Despite the two Vigilance Committees' fearsome reputation, they only hanged eight men during their five years of existence. When the Vigilance Committee arrested a man, they would put on what now appears to have been a reasonably fair trial before meting out punishment. (Some of their detainees were acquitted or released for lack of evidence.)

''--Dr. Weirde''

[[Dr_Weirde_on_Dirty_Harry|Prev. document]] [[Remember the Filipinos! | Next document]

[[category:1850s]] [[category:crime]] [[category:downtown]]