Project Gutenberg 2004-06-01 Public domain in the USA. 200 Webb, Stephen Palfrey 1804 1879 A Sketch of the Causes, Operations and Results of the San Francisco Vigilance Committee of 1856 Produced by David Schwan, and David Widger "A Sketch of the Causes, Operations and Results of the San Francisco Vigilance Committee in 1856" by Stephen Palfrey Webb is a historical account written in the late 19th century. This book explores the emergence and activities of the Vigilance Committee in San Francisco, which arose in response to rampant crime and corruption in the city during a period marked by the Gold Rush and a chaotic influx of settlers. Webb, who served as Mayor of San Francisco during the events he chronicles, provides firsthand insights into the societal conditions that led to the formation of this self-imposed law enforcement group. In this comprehensive recounting, Webb details the corrupt political landscape of San Francisco in the 1850s, including the violent crime sprees and public outrage that culminated in the assassination of newspaper editor James King of William. In the wake of his murder, citizens took it upon themselves to create the Vigilance Committee, which aimed to restore order through direct action against criminals and corrupt officials. The Committee administered its own brand of justice, including trials and executions of those deemed guilty. Webb emphasizes the moral complexities and justifications for the Committee’s actions, reflecting on the dire circumstances that pushed ordinary citizens to take drastic measures to seek justice when the established legal system failed them. Through a detailed narrative, Webb captures the tumultuous spirit of the time and the community's quest for security and equity amid lawlessness. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 50.3 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. en San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856 F850.5 Text Category: History - American Category: Law & Criminology 109191 2025-10-03T05:29:11.462163 text/html 103450 2013-02-09T10:38:48 text/html 158735 2025-10-03T05:29:17.394132 application/epub+zip 158331 2025-10-03T05:29:15.000157 application/epub+zip 97431 2025-10-03T05:29:13.758165 application/epub+zip 368020 2025-10-03T05:29:19.086162 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 359615 2025-10-03T05:29:16.633144 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 112611 2022-09-03T08:55:57.723174 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 95842 2025-10-03T05:29:11.221175 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 95680 2009-06-04T13:36:10 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 18506 2025-10-03T05:29:19.205123 application/rdf+xml 26649 2025-10-03T05:29:14.251147 image/jpeg 4952 2025-10-03T05:29:14.003168 image/jpeg 37618 2013-02-09T10:38:48 application/octet-stream application/zip 36320 2009-06-04T13:37:22 application/octet-stream application/zip 158311 2025-10-03T05:29:11.472169 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia