USA > California > Sacramento County > History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1913 > Part 31
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Rising Star Lodge No. 8, Rebekah Degree, I. O. O. F., was organ- ized December 22, 1871, with seventy-one members. Its first officers were: P. G. William S. Hunt, N. G .; Mrs. Ellen Gilman, V. G .; Martha A. Hunt, R. S .; Mrs. W. Roth, P. S .; Julia Patterson, T.
Germania Lodge No. 38, Rebekah Degree, I. O. O. F., was organ-
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ized April 27, 1876, with charter officers as follows: A. Heilbron (P. G.), N. G .; Mrs. Anna C. Greisel, V. G .; Mrs. Julie Fisher, R. S .; Mrs. Fredericke Newman, F. S .; Mrs. Amilie Meckfessel, T .; also, C. F. G. Salle, P. G .; F. Fisher, S. Morris, P. G .; Mrs. Dora Morris, John Bolze, P. G.
Capital City Rebekah Lodge No. 160, I. O. O. F., was instituted September 3, 1890, by Grand Master John Glasson, with eighty char- ter members, eighteen of whom still retain their membership. The membership at present is two hundred seventy-five. The first officers elected were: Della Pettit, N. G .; Alice Seadler, V. G .; Mary Mur- ray, recording secretary; Mary Moore, financial secretary; Annie McCaw, treasurer. The present officers are: Mabel Gordon, N. G .; Emma Brady, V. G .; Emma Gregory, recording secretary; Mary Mills, financial secretary; Jennie Washburn, treasurer.
Sacramento Rebekah Lodge No. 232, I. O. O. F., was instituted March 29, 1898, with twenty-six charter members, and the member- ship at present is one hundred forty-two. The first officers elected were: Laura Label, P. N. G .; Rose E. Schmitt, N. G .; Rose E. Futterer, V. G .; Lavinia Broughton, recording secretary; Emma E. Reinersman, financial secretary; Katherine Futterer, treasurer. The appointed officers were: Annie M. Schmidt, Ward .; Carrie Gruhler, Cond .; Gustave Kortstein, O. G .; Josie Reinerman, I. G .; Mary A. Mayhen, R. S. N. G .; Amelia Meckfessel, L. S. N. G .; Carrie Popert, R. S. V. G .; Josephine Lakin, L. S. V. G .; Ida A. Olmstead, chaplain.
Oak Park Lodge No. 5, I. O. O. F., was instituted April 29, 1905, by D. D. G. M. David F. Fox, with Weeden G. Conklin, P. G .; James McDongal, P. G .; Frank L. MeGrew, William H. Dymond, W. A. Bird, William F. Cole, P. G .; Alexander Orr and M. A. Jenkins, charter members. The first officers elected were: James McDougal, A. P. G .; William E. Cole, N. G .; William H. Dymond, V. G .; W. G. Conklin, secretary; Alexander Orr, treasurer. Twenty-four candidates were initiated on the night of its institution. The mem- bership at present is one hundred.
Union Degree Lodge, No. 3, I. O. O. F., was organized October 7, 1853, with a number of members, but was discontinued some time during the '80s.
The Veteran Odd Fellows Association of Sacramento was organ- ized in 1873 by a call of several veteran Odd Fellows in this city. In order to be eligible for membership one must have been an Odd Fellow for twenty years and be a member of some lodge, in good standing. The Odd Fellows' General Relief Committee consists of three members from each lodge, to attend to the wants of transient members of the order who may be in need. The Odd Fellows' Temple Association was preceded by the "Hall Association," incorporated June 25, 1862, with a capital stock of $60,000, afterwards increased to $80,000, purchased the St. George hotel building at the corner of
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Fourth and J streets and fitted it up and kept it for several years as an Odd Fellows lodge and business block. July 26, 1869, the trustees of the lodges and encampment met and organized the present Temple Association and purchased a lot for the erection of a temple. The result was the erection of the fine four-story building at Ninth and K streets, which was at that time the finest structure in the city, with the exception of the Capitol. The Association also owns a fine plat in the City Cemetery, adjoining the Masonic Cemetery plat.
Sacramento Lodge No. 2189, G. U. O. of O. F., (colored) was organized on July 14, 1881, with thirty-one members. The first officers were: F. T. Bowers, P. N. F .; E. Brown, N. F .; D. A. John- son, P. N. G .; B. A. Johnson, N. G .; R. J. Fletcher, V. G .; H. H. Williams, E. S .; R. H. Small, P. H .; Q. H. Guinn, W. T .; R. C. Fer- guson, W. C. The executive authority for this order was derived from the national body, under a sub-committee of management lo- cated at Philadelphia and acting in harmony with the order in Eng- land.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS
The Knights of Pythias erected a fine hall at the northwest corner of Ninth and I streets, which was dedicated July 4, 1889. It is 40x90 feet, four stories high, and fitted up for the lodge, drill and lecture rooms, and a banquet hall.
Sacramento Division No. 7, Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias, was instituted in October, 1882, with fifty-four charter members. The first officers were: James A. Davis, commander; John W. Guth- rie, lieutenant commander; Theodore Schumacher, herald; Frank H. Kiefer, recorder; George H. Smith, treasurer; George B. Katzenstein, sentinel; Joseph T. Keepers, guard; Charles E. Leonard, standard bearer.
Sacramento Lodge No. 11, K. of P., was organized December 2. 1869, with a large membership, the following being the officers: G. W. Wallace, C. C .; J. H. Sullivan V. C .; S. Pearl, Prelate; Frank W. Marvin, K. of R. and S .; R. W. Jackson, M. of F .; J. E. Goods, M. of E.
Columbia Lodge No. 42, K. of P., was organized April 21, 1877, with J. W. Guthrie, P. C .; A. J. Vermilya, C. C .; P. J. Spacher, V. C .; S. A. Wolfe, P .; John McFetrish, K. of R. and S .; O. H. P. Sheets, Jr., M. of F .; Robert Pettit, M. of E .; W. E. Lugg, I. G .; W. E. Oughton, O. G .; also, J. Stubbs, M. Odell, J. Goddard, William Neidhart and W. Kay.
Confidence Lodge No. 78, K. of P. was organized August 28, 1882. with officers as follows: J. F. Lucas, P. C .; J. A. Baker, C. C .; A. V. Boyne, V. C .; F. H. Kiefer, Prelate; A. J. Plant, M. at A .; W. B. Rodgers, K. of R. and S .; J. H. Smith, M. of E.
Three of the Sisters having heard that Mrs. C. L. C. Lawrence,
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S. M. of R. and C., would pass through Sacramento on her way to Los Angeles, where she was to institute the first Temple of Pythian Sisters, conceived the idea that as long as Sacramento was the Capital of the state, why not also have the first Temple of Pythian Sisters there. A committee met Mrs. Lawrence at the train and persuaded her to stop over and institute this Temple. This was on the morning of December 17, 1889. On the evening of the same day, the first Temple of Pythian Sisters in the state of California was instituted in this city, in Castle Hall, corner of Ninth and I streets. California Temple No. 1 had a charter membership of fifteen Sisters and eight Knights. Georgia Guthrie, who died July 22, 1909, was the first M. E. C. of the Temple and was also the first Grand Chief of the order in this state. Of those who signed the charter at the institution of the Temple the following are still members: Sallie Wolf, Della Pettit, Emma Schumacher, Mary Alvord Fitzgerald, J. J. C. Fitz- gerald and J. W. Guthrie.
California Temple has the honor of having had five Sisters elected to the highest office in the state, that of Grand Chief. They were as follows: Georgia Guthrie, Sallie Wolf, Wessie Katzenstein, Mary Alvord Fitzgerald and Maude Berry Sheehan.
I. O. R. M.
Cosumnes Tribe No. 14, I. O. R. M., was organized October 19, 1867.
Red Jacket Tribe No. 28, I. O. R. M., was organized October 7, 1869, with officers as follows: S. Pearl, Sachem; M. T. Brum, S. Sag .; F. Cushing, J. Sag .; W. T. Crowell, C. of R .; George A. Putnam, K. of W.
Owosso Tribe No. 39, I. O. R. M., was organized March 25, 1871, with sixty-six charter members. The first officers were: Matthew E. Johnson, Sachem; Ed. M. Martin, Sen. Sag .; A. C. Freeman, Jun. Sag .; Will J. Beatty, C. of R .; Daniel E. Alexander, K. of W .; George Y. Yount, financial secretary; George A. White, prophet.
Red Cloud Tribe No. 41, I. O. R. M., was instituted November 13 and 18, 1871, with over seventy names on the charter list. The first officers were: Thomas Sullivan, sachem; R. A. Renwick, Sen. Sag .; W. Harper, Jun. Sag .; J. J. Carter, C. of R .; William Huller, K. of W .; W. A. McNaughton, F. C.
Wenonah Council No. 2, Degree of Pocahontas, I. O. R. M., was organized in October, 1887, with forty-one members.
Juniata Council No. 5, Daughters of Pocahontas, I. O. R. M., was organized July 9, 1888, with twenty-nine members.
Sacramento Stamm No. 124 U. O. R. M., was organized October 18, 1888, with charter members and officers as follows: K. F. Wie- meyer, O. Ch .; F. Engehardt, U. Ch .; C. Schmidt, B. Ch .; R. Nobel,
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secretary; J. Suverkrupp, treasurer; George W. Derman, W. Kuhnle, Charles Sold, George Schmeiser, Charles Boettcher, and W. Braun.
A. O. U. W.
Union Lodge No. 21, A. O. U. W., was organized February 9, 1878, with thirty-eight charter members, and the first officers were: M. T. Brewer, P. M. W .; C. B. Kellogg, M. W .; T. W. Sheehan, F .; George T. Bush, O .; E. J. Gregory, R .; Felix Tracy, receiver; John F. Farns- worth, Fin .; Robert Frazer, guard. The lodge is a large and pros perous one.
Sacramento Lodge, No. 80, A. O. U. W., was instituted February 8, 1879, with a large list of charter members. The first officers were: John F. Farnsworth, P. M. W .; James M. Henderson, M. W .; Edward I. Robinson, O .; George B. Katzenstein, R .; M. R. Beard, Fin .; C. H. Stevens, receiver; John W. Guthrie, G .; W. H. H. Willey, I. W .; W. I. Wallace, O. W.
Lily of the Valley Lodge No. 11, Degree of Honor, A. O. U. W., was organized in 1882, with thirty-three charter members.
U. A. O. D.
Walhalla Grove No. 6, U. A. O. D., was organized August 10, 1866, and incorporated June 13, 1874. The charter members and officers were: Anton Menke, N. A .; C. H. Krebs, V. A .; Theodore Even, secretary; Jacob Keeber, treasurer; C. C. Hayden, M. Kestler and J. Acker.
Union Grove No. 6, U. A. O. D., was organized in 1885. Capi- tal City Grove No. 66, U. A. O. D., was organized April 14, 1887, with thirty-six members. Fidelity Grove No. 31, U. A. O. D., organ- ized in 1878, was consolidated with Walhalla Grove, May 1, 1888. Sacramento Druidie Circle No. 1, was a society for women, instituted April 7, 1872, but was soon permitted to dissolve.
N. S. G. W.
The Native Sons of the Golden West is an order originated by Gen. A. M. Winn in San Francisco in 1875. He had thought, while acting as marshal of a procession July 4, 1869, that a company of young Californians would make an interesting part of the procession. The idea was in harmony with the times, as the rapid growth of the order soon proved. It soon became an influential fraternal and bene- ficial society. The designation of each local organization is "parlor," indicating its refined and social character. The order celebrates an- nually the anniversary of California's admission into the Union. Its founder was the first mayor of Sacramento, and his body was buried in the Pioneers' plat in the City Cemetery, where a monument to his memory was unveiled on Thanksgiving Day, 1887.
Sacramento Parlor No. 3, N. S. G. W., is one of the oldest Parlors 17
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in the state, having been organized March 22, 1878, with the following officers and charter members: Benjamin O'Neil, president; John C. Luce, first vice-president; Edward B. Carson, second vice-president ; James P. MeGinnis, third vice-president; Edward R. Knox, R. S .; William Rider, F. S .; Clarence E. Parker, treasurer; David M. Mad- dux, marshal; Henry Steinmiller, Thomas W. O'Neil, and Martin Coffey, executive committee. Other charter members were: H. C. Chipman, Joseph Maddux, George Steinmiller, Thomas O'Brien, Wil- liam O'Brien, Joseph J. Maguire, Fred Kidder, George Adams and John Feeney.
Sunset Parlor No. 26, N. S. G. W., was instituted January 21, 1884, with forty members. Both Sacramento and Sunset Parlors are now large and prosperous. Calafia Parlor No. 22, N. D. G. W., was organized in November, 1887, with one hundred nine members and now has a large membership. La Bandera Parlor No. 112 and Sutter Parlor No. 117 were instituted in 1900.
OTHER ORDERS
California Lodge No. 1580, K. of H., was organized April 22, 1879, by Harmon Gregg, with forty charter members, the following being the first officers elected: Grove L. Johnson, P. D .; Edward F. Aiken, D .; Norman S. Nichols, V. D .; John N. Larkin, A. D .; Israel Luce, C.
Unity Lodge No. 2088, K. of H., was instituted March 1, 1880, with thirty-nine charter members.
Harmony Lodge No. 399, K. and L. of H .; Equity Lodge, No. 1219, K. and L. of H., and Olive Branch Lodge, K. and L. of H., were organized later.
Pioneer Conneil No. 54, American Legion of Honor, the first coun- cil in the state, was instituted December 18, 1879, with thirty-eight charter members. J. M. Henderson was the first commander and Mrs. N. S. Butterfield, vice-commander.
Court Capital No. 6742, A. O. F., was organized January 17, 1881, with forty-three charter members, Henry Longton, C. V. Court Sac- ramento No. 6861, A. O. F., was organized June 30, 1882. Court Sutter No. 7246, A. O. F., was instituted later. The Foresters of Sac- ramento were the first in the state to ereet a building of their own. It is located on I street between Seventh and Eighth.
Friendship Council No. 65, O. C. F., was organized February 21, 1882, with twenty-five members. Sacramento Conneil No. 96, O. C. F., was organized September 4, 1884, with about fifty charter members.
Division No. 1, Ancient Order of Hibernians, was organized Jan- nary 31, 1870, P. A. Murphy, priest. It was re-organized later. Di- vision No. 2, Ancient Order of Hibernians, was organized in the '80s, but soon discontinued.
The Young Men's Institute, Branch No. 11, one of the first to
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organize in the state, was started August 8, 1885, at old St. Rose's hall, where the present postoffice building stands. There were fifty charter members, which soon increased to one hundred. D. J. Long was president, R. E. Murray first vice-president, Joseph McGuire second vice-president, T. T. Wiseman recording secretary, Benjamin Neary financial secretary and James O'Reilly treasurer. Branch No. 27, Young Men's Institute, was organized in their hall May 7, 1886, with thirty-one charter members and T. W. O'Neil president. Young Ladies' Institute No. 17 has a large membership.
Etham Lodge No. 37, I. O. B. B., was organized June 23, 1859, by Grand Lodge Deputy Jacob Vogelsdorff, with Joseph Davis presi- dent.
The first organization of the Hebrew Benevolent Association was in December of 1851 and the society was incorporated in February, 1854.
Governor Leland Stanford Camp No. 11, Sons of Veterans, was organized July 11, 1887, with eighteen members. Among the first officers were P. H. Dodge, captain, William Kellogg first lieutenant and William H. Larkin second lieutenant.
The Veterans of the Mexican war were organized at the Orleans house June 5, 1876. The first officers elected were as follows: John Domingos, president; Fred Chamberlain, vice-president; Peter Mc- Graw, treasurer; and Joseph Sims, secretary. Joseph Sims is the only one of the charter members now living, so far as the writer knows.
The Sacramento Turnverein was organized June 2, 1854, with Theodore Steudeman, president; George Meyer, vice-president; J. W. Lehmann, secretary; Phil Kitz, treasurer; H. Lux, first turn leader; J. Knauth, second turn leader; R. Nobel, steward, and twenty- three other members. In 1859 the society erected a brick building on K street between Ninth and Tenth, costing $14,000 and known as Turner Hall.
Benbow Lodge No. 229, Sons of St. George, organized in March, 1887, was designed to take the place of the British Mutual Benefit and Social Society, which had been organized in 1877, but had gone out of existence. The society admitted to membership Englishmen, the sons and grandsons of Englishmen. It was discontinued, as was Victoria Lodge No. 1, Daughters of St. George. They have been re- placed by Victoria Lodge, which is prosperous.
The Robert Burns Scottish Benevolent Association was organized in November, 1871. to relieve natives of Scotland who might be in need. It was succeeded by the Caledonian Society of Sacramento, incorporated in November, 1888, and which admits as members Scotch- men, sons and grandsons of Scotchmen.
The Independent Order of Good Templars found its way to Cali- fornia in 1855, a lodge being organized in Santa Cruz on the 22nd of February of that year. Sylvan Lodge No. 2 was instituted in Sac-
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ramento September 16, 1856, and in 1860 a convention was called here for the purpose of forming a Grand Lodge. It was instituted May 29, of that year. The order grew rapidly throughout the state and for many years the headquarters of the Grand Lodge was in Sacra- mento. The Rescue, the official paper of the order, was published here. Sylvan Lodge is now the oldest lodge on the coast. Capitol Lodge No. 51, I. O. G. T., was organized December 12, 1861, became extinct in 1876, but April 2, 1879, an entire new organization with a new charter was formed, which assumed the same name and number. The I. O. G. T. Bands of Hope (juvenile organizations) were formed in this city and known as Sacramento No. 56, Capitol No. 91 and California No. 163. Several divisions of the Sons of Temperance and a Father Mathew Total Abstinence Society also were organized here and flourished for some years, but were finally absorbed by other temperance organizations.
Sacramento Grange No. 12, Patrons of Husbandry, was organized December 4, 1867, with the following officers and members: W. S. Manlove, worthy master; I. N. Hoag, w. overseer; E. F. Aiken, w. lecturer; J. Holland, steward; G. F. Rich, a. steward; R. William- son, chaplain; A. S. Greenlaw, treasurer; William Haynie, secretary ; R. S. Lockett, g. k .; Mrs. W. S. Manlove, Ceres; Mrs. I. N. Hoag, Pomona; Mrs. E. F. Aiken, Flora; Mrs. J. Holland, lady assistant steward; the other charter members were Amos Adams and wife, T. K. Stewart, William Kendall and A. P. Smith. Sacramento Po- mona Grange was instituted about twenty-five years ago.
Almost every fraternal order and union are represented in Sac- ramento and claim large memberships. All are in a prosperous con- dition.
CHAPTER XXIX CRIMINAL RECORDS
In the earliest days of the country's history, when there was prac- tically no law to restrain the criminal element, and when the pioneer environment and training of many of those coming here were such as to make them value human life lightly, it was to be expected that crimes would be committed. During the period when the community was a law unto itself, it was naturally to be expected that crime would become rampant. As a matter of fact, in spite of the lack of legal restraint, the community at first was more free from crime than many older ones that were under the protection of the law.
In 1850, however, when the rush to the land of gold had assumed greater proportions, bringing with the other immigration a percentage of the criminal element, robbery and murder became more frequent and the operation of the law that had taken the place of self-govern- ment was so slow that people became exasperated by its delays; they
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arose to correct the existing evils and took the execution of justice into their own hands.
The first victim of the aroused sentiment was a professional gambler named Frederick J. Roe. A quarrel arose at a monte table in the Mansion House, at the corner of Front and J streets, and he engaged in a fight with an unknown man. They were separated sev- eral times by the bystanders, but as often renewed the conflict. At length Charles Humphrey Myers, a peaceable and industrious man and a partner in the blacksmithing establishment of Joseph Prader & Co., again parted them and was fatally shot by Roe, the ball, which entered his head, not killing him immediately. IIe was carried into the shop, where the surgeons announced that his wound was neces- sarily fatal. A crowd gathered and the excitement became intense. Dr. Mackinzie, who was a member of the city council, mounted a wagon and made a vehement address, saying that crime had run rampant long enough and that the courts and officers did not seem able to prevent it. It must be stopped somehow, or honest and re- spectable people would have to leave the city; that the people had the remedy in their own hands, and they owed it to society that they should exercise it. David B. Milne and Ross and Taplin spoke to the same effect. A meeting was organized and Ross was chosen president. It was ascertained that Roe had been taken into custody and was in the station house, corner of Second and J streets, and the meeting determined to bring him out. A man named Everard addressed it, saying that if they ever intended to rid the city of the scoundrels infesting it, now was the time. He advocated the appointment of a committee to determine what should be done, and James Queen urged the selection of a jury to try the prisoner. The crowd fre- quently interrupted them with cheers and shouts of "Hang him."
City Marshal N. C. Cunningham addressed the crowd, saying that he had the prisoner in custody and that he could not escape, and asked them in the name of God and of Sacramento to let him be tried by the proper tribunal, the courts of the country. He was interrupted by the cries of "No, no; they have proved useless to prevent crime and punish murder." "If he don't get justice in the courts," said he, "I will help you to get it. I pledge my honor I'll resign my office and help you; but I am an officer of the law and cannot let you have him." His voice was drowned in cries of "Let the people have a jury." Queen spoke again, saying that he was in favor of having laws and supporting them, but they had proved inoperative. Let us have a people's jury as San Francisco did.
C. A. Tweed was called to the chair and said he believed the prisoner was a great scoundrel and ought to be hanged, but he wanted it done according to law. He was hustled out of the chair and a man named Scranton replaced him. Justice of the Peace Bullock pleaded for law and order, but his voice was smothered by cries for a jury.
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A jury was chosen and all accepted except F. C. Ewer, who said he was a newspaper man and must report the proceedings impartially and Dr. J. V. Spalding was appointed in his place. The jury retired to the Orleans Hotel on Second street, and Levi Hermance was ap- pointed foreman and George G. Wright secretary. A committee was appointed to guard the prisoner and see that the officers did not re- move him. The marshal and other officers pleaded, but it had no effect.
The privilege of a lawyer for the prisoner was proposed and was voted down. Committees were sent to the jury room to ask them to hurry up, as they were too deliberate to suit the crowd of twenty- five hundred people determined on lynching. The committee reported that the jury was acting fairly, but needed the protection of the people to keep the lawyers out, as they could elicit the testimony themselves. The lawyers were ordered out-and stayed out.
Tweed undertook to make the point that Myers was not yet dead, but the crowd would have none of it, and one man shouted that it was a deliberate murder that had made a widow and four orphans. "Blood for blood. He must die. All those in favor of hanging say 'aye'." He was answered by a storm of "aves." Dr. Taylor wanted men to go with him and take the prisoner, saying that if they had him they would know where he was. A large number stepped for- ward, but were stopped by a cry that the jury had agreed. The ver- dict was read from the balcony of the Orleans and was listened to in silence. It was as follows :
"We, the committee of investigation appointed by our fellow citi- zens to investigate the circumstances of the unfortunate occurrence that took place this afternoon, report that after a full and impartial examination of the evidence we find that at about 2 o'clock P. M. this day, Frederick J. Roe and some other person, whose name is un- known, were engaged in an altercation which originated in the Man- sion House, and that after said parties had proceeded to the street, and where they were fighting, Charles H. Myers, who was passing in the street, interfered with words requesting them to desist fighting or show fair play; and that immediately thereupon the said Roe called out, "What the devil have you to say?" and drew his pistol and without further provocation shot said Myers through the head. "John H. Scranton, W. F. Prettyman, J. B. Starr, H. H. Lang- ley, George G. Wright, Harrison Olmstead, John T. Bailey, Edward Cronan, D. O. Mills, F. B. Cornwall, A. M. Winn, L. Hermance."
These signers composed the entire jury except Dr. Spalding, who participated for some time, but withdrew in consequence of what he considered the undue influence of the people's committee sent to the jury. As soon as the verdict was read, there was a stampede for the station house. Dr. Taylor, who had from the first urged immediate action, stated that he had conversed with the prisoner and found him
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