Saturday Nov. 19, 1855, between 5 and 6 o'clock, the community was
startled by the report that General Richardson, United States Marshal,
had been shot dead by a gambler. The shooting occurred on the south side
of Clay street, about midway between Montgomery and Leidesdorff streets.
The fatal shot was fired from a deringer pistol by Charles Cora. Cora
was a gambler, yet he did not look the character. He was a low-sized,
well-formed man; dressed in genteel manner, without display of jewelry
or loudness; was reserved and quiet in his demeanor; and his manners and
conversation were those of a refined gentleman. I first saw him at the
Blue Wing, a popular rendezvous for politicians, on Montgomery street,
east side, between Clay and Commercial streets, and my impression then
was that he was a lawyer or a well-to-do merchant. General Richardson
was a morose and at times a very disagreeable man. He was of low
stature, thick set, dark complexion, black hair, and usually wore a
bull-dog look. He was known by his intimate friends to be a dangerous
man as a foe, and he always went armed with a pair of deringers. The
Thursday night prior to the shooting General Richardson and Col. Jo. C.
McKibben, afterwards member of Congress, were at the Blue Wing in
company. After midnight Richardson went out for a moment on the
sidewalk. A man passed him, made a jocular remark and entered the
saloon. Richardson followed him in, and asked of Perkins his name. He
had been drinking heavily. McKibben prevailed upon him to start for his
home. It was on Minna street, near Fred Woodworth's, just above Jessie
street. Jo. accompanied him most of the way. Richardson spoke to him of
an "insult" he had received from "that fellow Carter"--as he seemed to
think the name to be--and declared his purpose to make him answer for
it. McKibben knew Cora, and that Cora was the man to whom Richardson
referred; but he likewise knew enough of Richardson to not correct him,
and let him believe that "Carter" was the name, in the hope that, in his
condition, he would either not think of the occurrence the next day, or
would not be able to recognize Cora if he did. The following Saturday
afternoon a party of us--Jo. McKibben, John Monroe, Clerk of Judge
Hoffman's Court, E. V. Joice, Pen. Johnston, Josh Haven and myself were
in the Court Exchange, corner of Battery and Washington streets.
Richardson came in while we were there, and was in drinking humor. He
became sullen and, as we all knew his nature, it was quietly agreed
among ourselves that we would leave and try to get him away. He was
devoted to his wife, whom he married in San Francisco. McKibben and
myself accompanied him on his way home, as far as the old Oriental
Hotel, within a few blocks of his residence. There he insisted on a
"last drink," and we left him--he to go straight home. It turned out
that he did not. He brooded over the "insult" of Carter, as he still
called him, and made his way to the Blue Wing to find him, Unfortunately
he found Cora there. He called him out, and, as one man wilt lead
another by his side, walked with him around the corner into Clay street,
halting just in front of the store of a French firm--I do not remember
the name--and so managed as to put Cora on the iron grating, of the
sidewalk inside, with his back to the brick wall of the store. Cora had
not the slightest idea that Richardson had taken offence at his remark
on Thursday night--for it was in no light offensive or insulting but
simply a bit of ordinary pleasantry, and therefore, he was not aware of
Richardson's object in asking him to come out from the saloon. But many
of Richardson's intimate friends, who felt his death keenly, and were at
that time disposed to the extreme penalty of the law upon the man who
shot him, after due reflection and deliberation came to the conclusion,
that under the circumstances, standing as he was placed before
Richardson, who stood with his hands in his pockets, and a deringer in
each pocket, pressing his demand on Cora, the latter had one of two
things to do: either to kill Richardson or allow Richardson to kill him.
There were not many on Clay street, near the fatal scene, at that hour,
but the discharge of Cora's pistol soon brought several to the spot.
Richardson's body was carried through the side-door entrance on Clay
street, into the drug store then on that corner of Montgomery street,
and there hundreds viewed it. Cora was taken in charge. Dave Scannell
was Sheriff. That excitement over, the feeling increased every hour, and
many urged the summary hanging of Cora. Scannell had duly prepared for
all this, and order was preserved, although several hundred men formed
in line and proceeded to the County Jail to force their way in, seize
Cora and hang him forthwith. Sunday morning the excitement had
diminished in spirit of violence, but had increased in volume and
disposition to bring Cora to justice. Eminent lawyers, the personal
friends of Richardson, had already volunteered to assist in the
prosecution of the man who shot him. The application of Cora's friends
to several of the most noted criminal lawyers in the city, to defend
him, was in many instances declined. Cora had one to his support,
however, who proved more successful in engaging counsel in his behalf.
This was the woman known as Belle Cora, the keeper of a notorious house,
with whom Cora lived. She was rich and possessed of indomitable spirit.
She was devoted to Cora. In this connection I will relate that which
Governor Foote imparted to myself and J. Ross Browne, on a trip to
Oregon, late in the summer of 1857. It was substantially this. Belle
Cora had gone herself to the law office of Colonel E. D. Baker, to
engage him as counsel for Cora, and had succeeded. The fee was to be
$5,000; one-half this sum was immediately paid to him. She then applied
to Governor Foote to engage him to assist in the case: He declined, but
assured her that he should not appear for the prosecution. In a few
days, on account of the intense popular feeling toward Cora, and also
because the law partner of Colonel Baker had strenuously objected to his
acting as counsel for Cora, as it would greatly damage their
professional business the community, Baker and their personal standing
in called upon Governor Foote and requested him to see Belle Cora and
apprise her that she must employ some other counsel; that he felt that
he must withdraw from the case--the $2,500 already paid would be
returned to her. To extricate his professional brother from his
unpleasant situation, Governor Foote consented to undertake the
disagreeable mission. The woman was immovable in her determination to
keep Colonel Baker to his engagement. And she intimated in terms not to
be misunderstood that she was determined that he should fulfill his
obligation. Colonel Baker was a man of dauntless courage in facing dangers
of human quality; but he was in constant fear at sea; and it seems there
was another quality of peril which overmastered his intrepid spirit.
When Governor Foote related to him the result of his mission, he advised
the Colonel to see the woman himself. Colonel Baker did go, Governor
Foote accompanying him. The Governor said he had never witnessed such a
manifestation of a woman's power and irresistible influence. Belle Cora
was inspired to the height of heroism, in her devotion to Cora, her
purpose to secure his acquittal and prevent his sacrifice. She first
appealed, implored, begged Colonel Baker to stand by his engagement. He
making no response, and seeming not to yield, she commanded that he
must, that he should. She would double his fee. She would have him
appear as Cora's counsel, if he did no more than sit in Court with Cora
near him, and speak no word at all. But go in Court and have it known
that he was Cora's counsel, he must. She was inflexible in this. And
when the day of trial came Colonel Baker did appear, together with
General James A. McDougall, Colonel James and Frank Tilford--as counsel
for Charles Cora, and it was on that trial that he made the most
eloquent and extraordinary argument and plea of his life in a criminal
case. It was not a packed jury in Cora's case. Care had been taken to
empanel only good, respectable citizens, some of whom, a short time
afterward, became members of the Vigilance Committee, and in great or
less degree participated in the seizure of Cora from the county jail and
in his condemnation and execution. Three of the jury were prominent
Front street merchants. Notwithstanding all the feeling against Cora,
the popular unrelenting prejudice, and the great preponderance of the
foremost legal minds of the San Francisco Bar, to his prosecution, Alex.
Campbell, General Williams and Colonel Sam. Inge, U. S. District
Attorney, to assist the public prosecutor, the jury disagreed, and of
the jurors who held out against a verdict of guilty of murder were three
Front street merchants and others of equal high standing in the
community. Cora was held for another trial, and it was while awaiting
this that he was seized by the Vigilance Committee, taken to their rooms
and hanged.
The excitement consequent upon the killing of Richardson did not
culminate in the formation of a Vigilance Committee, similar to that of
1851, but it influenced the public mind in that direction. It was the
piling of the combustibles which required only the next spark from the
electric battery to fire the heap to consuming flames. There were still
in the city a round number of the early Vigilance Committee which had
ridden San Francisco of the "Sydney thieves;" some who had also, in
1849, suppressed the "Hounds;" and they were prepared again to meet
violence and lawlessness with the stronger arm of organized force and
the quick, sharp vengeance of the lex talionis.
The occasion soon came. May 14th, 1856, between 4 and 5 o'clock,
afternoon, James P. Casey shot James King of William on Montgomery
street, at the corner of Washington, He fired only one shot. King was
facing Casey as he fired; he immediately staggered and fell. A crowd
gathered in a very few moments. Casey was taken into custody and Sheriff
Scannell hastened him to the county jail in a hack. The excited crowd
followed and clamored for his life; they wanted to hang him at once.
Then followed the organization of the Vigilance Committee, mainly
directed by members of the Committee of '51. An Executive Committee of
forty-one members composed the head and governing branch; a military and
patrol department was organized, duly officered. The rank and file in a
few days numbered between 5,000 and 6,000 men, armed, drilled and
disciplined. The second floor of the Truitt brick block, southeast
corner of Front and Sacramento street, embracing half a dozen stores
below, was made the Committee headquarters. All around in front of the
block, nearly to the middle of the street, gunny bags filled with sand
were piled five feet high, and two pieces of artillery were mounted at
the ends, for offensive and defensive purposes. The name of "Fort Gunny
Bags" was given to it. Guards were constantly on duty inside the fort
and at the two narrow passageways to the doors on the lower floor, from
which the stairs led up to the rooms occupied by the Committee. At the
doors, at the foot of the stairs, midway on the steps, at the top of
each flight, before every door to every room, and in the passages which
led to the different rooms, guards were stationed, with muskets loaded
and bayonets fixed. Fort Gunny Bags was as a garrison in time of active
war. A very large triangle was hung from the roof of the block occupied
by the Committee to sound the signal-call to duty of every member, at
any time of day or night; also a bell contributed from Monumental Fire
Engine Company, whose leader was George Heossafros, (ex-Chief of the
Fire Department). The Executive Committee Court hall and rooms, the
rooms of the officers, the rooms for the guards, and the small, close,
crimped cells for the prisoners, were all upon the second floor--the
upper floor of the block. The entire place was thoroughly guarded.
Casey shot King Wednesday afternoon, May 14th. After the organization of
the Vigilance Committee, a number of prominent citizens who were opposed
to every movement of that kind and believed in due obedience to the law
and in submission to the constituted authorities under every
circumstances, likewise organized under the title of the Law and Order
Association. Impulse was given to the movement by an unlooked-for
incident. The Daily Herald had been for four years annually voted by the
guild of auctioneers the auction advertisements, which filled one whole
page of the paper. John Nugent was owner and editor. He had approved and
upheld the Vigilance Committee of 1851 in the Herald. It was expected
that he would approve the Committee just organized. He adopted the
contrary course. The Herald denounced the Committee in strong terms. The
merchants had generally approved and joined the Committee. That morning
every copy of the Herald was gathered, a pile of the papers made in
Front street, and burned. It was the significant rebuke which the
merchants made; but they did not stop at that--they erased their names
from the carriers' lists. Thousands of other citizens did the same. That
morning the Herald was a sheet of forty columns, with the largest
advertising patronage and largest circulation of any daily newspaper in
San Francisco. The next morning it appeared, a small sheet, not much
larger than a sheet of foolscap, of twenty-four columns. The Herald was
the favorite organ of the Democracy, of the anti-Broderick and Southern
wing of the party, particularly. The especial organ of that wing, the
Times and Transcript, had ceased publication a few months before, and
its patronage went mostly to the Herald. Nugent was opposed to Gwin, the
powerful leader of the anti-Broderick party, more than he was to
Broderick; but this was overlooked by many of Gwin's supporters. The
friends, of General McDougall were his warmest friends and backers, They
now rallied to his support and to the sustenance of the Herald. General
Volney E. Howard, J. Thompson Campbell, Judge R. Augustus Thompson, W.
T. Sherman, the manager of Lucas, Turner & Co.'s banking house here--now
General Sherman--Austin E. Smith, Sam. E. Brooks, Gouverneur
Morris, Hamilton Bowie, Major Richard Roman; and the solid old merchant,
Captain Archibald Ritchie, With hundreds others, stood steadfast by
Nugent, for Law and Order, and against the Committee. J. Neely Johnson
was Governor of the State, and controlled the militia. He was petitioned
by the Law and Order Organization to take action and issue a
proclamation requiring the Vigilance Committee to disband. Governor
Johnson came from Sacramento to San Francisco by steamboat on Friday
night, and was met at the wharf by a deputation of the Law and Order
body. Subsequently, up town, a committee from the Vigilance Committee,
accompanied by Col. Baillie Peyton, met him, and with them he held a
long conference.