TERRY STABS HOPKINS
The peace-makers took an early boat for San Francisco. They were
hopelessly alienated from the Law and Order Party. After some
deliberation they decided to call a mass meeting in front of the
Oriental Hotel. Thus they hoped to make the Vigilante sentiment
practically unanimous and request through popular acclaim, a withdrawal
of the Governor's proclamation.
Early on June 14, the day appointed, citizens began to gather at Bush
and Battery streets; by noon they blocked both thoroughfares and
overflowed into Market street. Each window, roof and balcony near by was
filled. Women in their summer finery lent gay splashes of color, waved
parasols or handkerchiefs excitedly at their acquaintances below.
Inez Windham called to David Broderick, who was passing, "There's room
for one more on our balcony. Come up." As he stood behind her in the
window, stooping a little, she looked eagerly into his careworn face.
"One might think it was a circus." He smiled.
"You remind me of champagne, you San Franciscans. The inherent quality
of you is sparkle.... Even if an earthquake came along and swallowed
you, I think you'd go down with that same light, laughing nonchalance."
Mrs. Stanley made a moue at him. "You find us--different from your
Eastern ladies, Mr. Broderick?" she asked expectantly.
He considered for a moment. "Sometimes I think it is the land more
than the women. They come from everywhere--with all their varied
prejudices, modes, conventions. But, after a time, they become
Californians--like you."
"That's what Benito says," returned his sister. "He's daft about San
Francisco. He calls it his Golden City. I think"--she leaned nearer,
"but you must not say I told you--I think he has written poetry
about it."
"Ah, yes," said Broderick, "he has that strain. And how is Alice?"
"Alice is well," he heard Inez say. Then a great shout from the street
silenced their converse. Colonel Bailie Peyton was speaking.
"We are here to consider principles of the first magnitude and which may
result in the shedding of innocent blood. One of the objects of this
meeting is to prevent so dire a calamity.
"The Vigilance Committee must be sustained or put down. If they are put
down it must be at the point of the bayonet. The question is whether we
shall appeal to the Governor to put them down in this way, or whether we
shall ask him to withdraw his opposition."
He looked up at the balconies across the street.
"The Vigilance Committeemen have the prayers of the churches on their
side, and the smiles of the ladies--God bless them."
There were cheers and applause.
Again his voice rose to crescendo:
"Let us show the Governor that if he fights the Committee he will have
to walk over more dead bodies than can be disposed of in the cemetery.
Let us indorse all the Committeemen have done. Let us be ready to fight
for them if necessary."
The crowd broke into wild huzzas. Volney Howard and Richard Ashe, the
naval officer, paused on a near-by corner, attracted by the uproar.
Howard scowled and muttered something about "damned pork merchants,"
but he looked uneasy.
* * * * *
The Vigilance Committee, undaunted by Governor Johnson's proclamation or
the efforts of the Law and Order element, continued quietly the work of
ridding San Francisco of its criminals and undesirables.
On June 10 the National Guard of San Francisco disbanded and Marshal
Hampton North resigned. Rumor had it that the Vigilance Committee's work
was finished. On July 4 they would disband with a great public
demonstration, it was rumored. Coleman did not deny this.
On July 19 came news that rifles and ammunition were being shipped from
Benicia; Wool was said at last to have capitulated. But it turned out to
be a small annual replenishment order of 130 muskets with a few rounds
of powder and ball. Later came the exciting rumors that John Durkee,
Charles Rand and a crew of ten men had captured the sloop carrying these
arms on the bay; had arrested Reuben Maloney, John Phillips and a man
named McNab. The arms were brought to Committee Headquarters in San
Francisco. On arrival there, perhaps through oversight, the prisoners
were released.
* * * * *
The Vigilance Committee made two serious mistakes. They fell into the
Law and Order trap by committing an act of technical piracy. From this
Durkee saved them by taking upon himself the legal onus of the seizure.
The second error, though a minor one, proved much more serious. They
sent Sterling Hopkins, a vainglorious, witless, overzealous wight, to
rearrest Maloney. Coleman was not responsible for this; nor were the
Vigilantes in a larger sense, for a few hotheads in temporary command
issued the order. Hopkins, glorying in the quest, for any errand of
authority made him big with pride, set out alone to execute it. He found
Maloney in the office of Dr. Richard P. Ashe, United States naval
agent. Ashe was companioned by adherents of the Law and Order faction,
among them Justice David S. Terry.
Pushing the doorkeeper rudely aside, Hopkins entered the room. "Come
with me, Reub Maloney," he commanded, "you're under arrest."
Maloney shrank into a corner. Ashe stepped in the constable's path. "Get
out of here!" he thundered. "As a Federal officer I order you
to begone!"
"And I, as a judge and a Southern gentleman, will kick you out, suh."
Judge Terry moved menacing forward. His eyes flashed. Several others
joined him. They took Hopkins by the shoulders and pushed him none too
gently out of the room. The door closed. He stood for a moment in the
hall, muttering in his outraged dignity. Then he turned and ran toward
Fort Vigilance.
"We've scared the dirty peddler," Ashe said, as they watched his flying
footsteps from a window.
"He's gone for reinforcements," said another. "Let's get out of here.
The Blues' armory is better." There was some argument. Finally, however,
armed with pistols, they sought the street, forming a guard around
Maloney. But they had not proceeded far down Jackson street when Hopkins
came upon them with nine men. Both parties halted, Judge Terry standing
in front of the prisoner; Hopkins, who was no coward for all his pompous
tactlessness, advanced determinedly. He reached around the Judge and
clutched at Maloney's arm. "I arrest you in the name of the Committee."
"To hell with your Committee!" shouted Terry. He struck Hopkins' arm
away and poked a derringer in the policeman's face.
Hopkins countered; the pistol went flying. Terry staggered back, while
Hopkins made another clutch at his intended prisoner.
Then occurred, with lightning speed, an unexpected thing. Terry,
recovering his balance, sprang forward, drew the bowie knife he always
carried and plunged it, with a vicious thrust, into Hopkins' neck.