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Contrary to how some describe Vigilante Groups, most were not unorganized mobs made of drunks. In fact, reading the news clipping below, you can see that the San Francisco Vigilance Committee of 1851 was extremely organized.
There's a good reason for that, the 1851 San Francisco Committee of Vigilance is said to have had more than 700 members. While that's huge in itself for a city in the Old West, later the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856 would eclipse that number by having over 3,000 members.
The Committee claimed to work in parallel with the duly constituted city government of San Francisco which they saw as inept and corrupt. During its time, the Committee performed policing and actually conducted investigations. They were mostly interested in the thievery, assaults, crimes of violence, extortion, and arson going on in the city. And add to that their concern with disreputable boarding houses.
The Committee took a special interest in ships from Australia unloading criminals into San Francisco Bay. There were two reasons for this. First, the Australian government at the time had a policy of emptying their jails and prisons by sending their worst criminals to the United States by way of a direct voyage to San Francisco. Second, the criminal gang known as the "Sydney Ducks" was created when those Australian criminals banded together.
Simply known as "Ducks," they were killers, arsonists, robbers, thieves, con artists, and extortionists. One of their specialties was to prey on businesses by "selling" them "fire insurance." If a business didn't meet their demands and pay up, the "Ducks" would set fire to their business -- which would also spread and consume entire sections of San Francisco. "Ducks" were public enemy number one for that reason.
But, even though that was the case at the time, believe it or not, even though the "Ducks" burned the city and murdered the innocent, there are people today who will make it known that the Committee did not offer vicious criminals like the "Ducks" due process and the opportunity for bail. Of course, since the Committee was not a legal law enforcement agency, they didn't observe or provide criminals with the benefits of due process.
The Committee left due process up to the Courts to provide. Of course, if the organized law enforcement and the Courts had been doing their jobs in the first place, and actually prosecuting criminals, then the 1851 San Francisco Committee of Vigilance would not have had to form to rein in the lawlessness that engulfed that city.
As for the Committee, besides a public display of its weapons and its militia which they paraded in the city, the Committee also deported criminals attempting to immigrate to the United States, and hanged, whipped, and banished criminals.
Reading the newspaper clipping below from the Daily Alta California, Volume 2, Number 185, 13 June 1851, you can see for yourself how the famous 1851 San Francisco Committee of Vigilance was organized.
The Daily Alta California, Volume 2, Number 185, 13 June 1851
Whereas, It has become apparent to the citizens of San Francisco that there is no security to life and property, either under the regulations of society as it at present exists, or under the laws as now administered, therefore, the citizens whose names are hereunto to attached, do unite themselves into an association, for the maintenance of the peace and good order of society and the preservation of the lives and property of the citizens of San Francisco, and do bind ourselves, each unto the other, to do and perform every lawful act for the maintenance of law and order, and to sustain the laws when faithfully and properly administered.
But we are determined that no thief, burglar, incendiary, or assassin shall escape punishment either by the quibbles of the law, the insecurity of prisons, the carelessness or corruption of the police, or laxity of those who pretend to administer justice. And to secure the objects of this association we do hereby agree:
First, That the name and style of the Association shall be the Committee of Vigilance, for the protection of the lives and property of the citizens and residents of the city of San Francisco.
Secondly, That there shall be a room selected for the meeting and deliberations of the committee, at which there shall be some one or more members of the committee, appointed for that purpose, in constant attendance at all hours of the day and night, to receive the report of any member of the association, or of any other person or persons whatsoever, of any act of violence done to the person or property of any citizen of San Francisco. And if in the judgment of the member or members of the committee present, it be such an act as justifies the interference of this committee, either in aiding in the execution of the laws, or the prompt and summary punishment of the offender, the committee shall be at once assembled for the purpose of taking such action as a majority of the committee, when assembled, shall determine upon.
Thirdly, It shall be the duty of any member or members of the committee on duty at the committee room, whenever a general assemblage of the committee is necessary, to cause a call to be made, by two strokes upon a bell situated ———, which shall be repeated with a pause of one minute between each alarm; the alarm to be struck until ordered stopped.
Fourthly, That when the Committee have assembled for action, the decision of the majority present shall be binding upon the whole Committee, and that those members of the Committee whose names are hereunto attached, do pledge their honor and hereby bind themselves to defend and sustain each other in carrying out the determined action of this Committee, at the hazard of their lives and their fortunes.
The Daily Alta California, Volume 2, Number 185, 13 June 1851
Organization of the Vigilance Committee.
Whereas, It has become apparent to the citizens of San Francisco that there is no security to life and property, either under the regulations of society as it at present exists, or under the laws as now administered, therefore, the citizens whose names are hereunto to attached, do unite themselves into an association, for the maintenance of the peace and good order of society and the preservation of the lives and property of the citizens of San Francisco, and do bind ourselves, each unto the other, to do and perform every lawful act for the maintenance of law and order, and to sustain the laws when faithfully and properly administered.
But we are determined that no thief, burglar, incendiary, or assassin shall escape punishment either by the quibbles of the law, the insecurity of prisons, the carelessness or corruption of the police, or laxity of those who pretend to administer justice. And to secure the objects of this association we do hereby agree:
First, That the name and style of the Association shall be the Committee of Vigilance, for the protection of the lives and property of the citizens and residents of the city of San Francisco.
Secondly, That there shall be a room selected for the meeting and deliberations of the committee, at which there shall be some one or more members of the committee, appointed for that purpose, in constant attendance at all hours of the day and night, to receive the report of any member of the association, or of any other person or persons whatsoever, of any act of violence done to the person or property of any citizen of San Francisco. And if in the judgment of the member or members of the committee present, it be such an act as justifies the interference of this committee, either in aiding in the execution of the laws, or the prompt and summary punishment of the offender, the committee shall be at once assembled for the purpose of taking such action as a majority of the committee, when assembled, shall determine upon.
Thirdly, It shall be the duty of any member or members of the committee on duty at the committee room, whenever a general assemblage of the committee is necessary, to cause a call to be made, by two strokes upon a bell situated ———, which shall be repeated with a pause of one minute between each alarm; the alarm to be struck until ordered stopped.
Fourthly, That when the Committee have assembled for action, the decision of the majority present shall be binding upon the whole Committee, and that those members of the Committee whose names are hereunto attached, do pledge their honor and hereby bind themselves to defend and sustain each other in carrying out the determined action of this Committee, at the hazard of their lives and their fortunes.
Fifthly. — That there shall be chosen monthly, a President, Secretary, and Treasurer, and it shall be the duty of the Secretary to detail the members required to be in daily attendance at the Committee room.
A sergeant at arms shall be appointed, whose duty it shall be to notify such members of their detail for duty. The sergeant at arms shall reside at, and be in constant attendance at the Committee room. There shall be a standing committee of finance and qualification, consisting of five each, and no person shall be admitted a member of this Association unless he be a respectable citizen and approved of by the committee on qualification before admission.
S. E. Woodworth, S. Brannan, E. Gorham, Fred. A. Woodworth, George J. Oakes, Frank S. Mahoney, Francis E. Webster, R. D. W. Davis, James C. Ward, Wm. N. Thompson, Wm. H. Jones, R. S. Watson, Clinton Winter, Edward A. King, Geo. Mellus, James B. Huie, W. H. Howard, J. D. Stevenson, B. Frank Hillard, Henry Dreschfeldt, Chas. R. Bond, S. W. Haight, James Ryan, B. B. Arrowsmith, George H. Howard, William Browne, S. E. Teschmacher, Caleb Hyatt, Robt. Wells, C. H. Brinley, Samuel R. Curwen, H. D. Evan, J. W. Salmon, James F. Curtis, John Y. Bryant, Benj. Reynolds, L. Hulsemann, E. Kirius, A. W. Macpherson, A. G. Randall, John S. Eagan, Thos. N. Diblois, J. C. L. Wardsworth, N. T. Thompson, Stephen Payran, William Hart, N. Reynolds Davis, C. Spring, George M. Garwood, Gabriel Winter, A. Wheelwright, M. B. Lucas, R. S. Lamott. James Shindler, B. F. Fourgeaud, Jesse Southam, J. W. Ryckman, H. Jackson McDuffie, Z. H. Robinson, W. L. Bromley, P. D. Hedley, George R. Ward, H. Ottenheimer, S. B. Marshall, C. L. Wilson, B. H. Davis, Hazen Hazeltime, Wm. H Tabor, P. Frothingham, W. Iken, Isaac Bluxom, Jr., G. E. Schenck, George D. Lambert, Lathrop L. Bullock, Geo. Austin Worn, John P. Haff, John W. Rider, E. Betteher, Jos. T. Hanem, Thos.W. Walker, Theodore Kulhman, Samuel Marx, J. Seligman, Joseph E. Dal, Dan'l J. Thomas, Jr., H. F. Von Leugerke, Julius D. Schultze, J. E. Farewell, J. C. Derby, J. Pratt Sevens, Jacob P. Leese, T. J. West, Thos. McCahill, Edgar Wakeman, Wm. T. Coleman, Wm. Peake, A. Wardwell, J. S. Clark, Jonas Minturn, Sam. H. Sloan, C. H. Clark, F. O. Wakeman, H. F. Teschemacher, J. Thompson Huie, John W. Jackson, W. L. Hobson, Wm. Meyer, Jos. R Curtis, W. H. Tillinghast, John G. McKaracher, Wm. H. Graham, J. F. Hutton, John Raynes, J. H Fisher, Horace Morrison, John H. Walson, Joshua Hilton, F. L. Dana, J. Quincy Coale, James Pratt, A. P. Sutton, George W. Douglass, Wm. G. Budger, A. J. Ellis, Chas. H. Vail, S. J. Stabber, Henry M. Naglee, Wm. Forst, Wm. J. Sherwood, Olin F. Sawyer, A. L. Tubbs, E. W. Travers, W. N. Hostin, N. D. Hill, Wm. Langesmen, Eugene Hast, B. E. Babcock. T. K. Battelle, L. Minturn, Herman R. Haste, J. C. Treadwell, Hartford Joy, Augustus Belknap, Wm. Barling, Jno. F. Osgood, Horatio S. Gates, Thos. N. Cazneau, E. Kemp. Jeremiah Spalding, William C. Graham, J. Meid Huxley, John M. Coughlin, Charles Minturn, Saml Morse jr, George Clifford, Howard Cunningham, C O. Brewster, Chas Soule jr, Chas L Case, Chas L Wood, Robert H. Belden, Chas Moore, Wm. Fell, N. Smith, Jas R Duff, Jas Dows, John O. Earl, E. M. Earl, E. W. Crowell, Randolph M. Cooley, J. L. Van Bocklin, A. H. Gildemeester, Chas H. Hill. Geo N. Blake, Saml S. Phillips, J. Neal jr, Dewiitt Brown, Chas Del Vecchio, F. A. Atkinson, Ed. F. Baker, Jos Post, Chas Millar, F. Argenti, James King of Wm.
The above, a portion of the Committee of Vigilance lately established in this city, for the preservation of order, punishment of vice, and for the purpose of meting out that justice so long withheld from criminals, unwilling that the names of a few of their associates should be selected by the Coroner's jury as the principal actors in the trial and execution of Jenkins, inform the public that they, with all the members of the committee, are equally responsible for the first act of justice that has been dealt to a criminal in San Francisco, since California became a State of our Union.
Our fellow citizens, remembering the escape of Withers, Daniels, and Adams; of Stuart, Windred, and Watkins, and the tardy manner in which the incendiary Lewis is being brought to justice, will see the necessity of the strongest measures we have adopted. This publication also informs those friendly to the cause that the Committee of Vigilance have nothing secret in their proceeding but such matters as would tend to defeat the object for which we are associated were they made public.
Preamble and Resolutions. — The following also emanated from the vigilance Committee:
A sergeant at arms shall be appointed, whose duty it shall be to notify such members of their detail for duty. The sergeant at arms shall reside at, and be in constant attendance at the Committee room. There shall be a standing committee of finance and qualification, consisting of five each, and no person shall be admitted a member of this Association unless he be a respectable citizen and approved of by the committee on qualification before admission.
S. E. Woodworth, S. Brannan, E. Gorham, Fred. A. Woodworth, George J. Oakes, Frank S. Mahoney, Francis E. Webster, R. D. W. Davis, James C. Ward, Wm. N. Thompson, Wm. H. Jones, R. S. Watson, Clinton Winter, Edward A. King, Geo. Mellus, James B. Huie, W. H. Howard, J. D. Stevenson, B. Frank Hillard, Henry Dreschfeldt, Chas. R. Bond, S. W. Haight, James Ryan, B. B. Arrowsmith, George H. Howard, William Browne, S. E. Teschmacher, Caleb Hyatt, Robt. Wells, C. H. Brinley, Samuel R. Curwen, H. D. Evan, J. W. Salmon, James F. Curtis, John Y. Bryant, Benj. Reynolds, L. Hulsemann, E. Kirius, A. W. Macpherson, A. G. Randall, John S. Eagan, Thos. N. Diblois, J. C. L. Wardsworth, N. T. Thompson, Stephen Payran, William Hart, N. Reynolds Davis, C. Spring, George M. Garwood, Gabriel Winter, A. Wheelwright, M. B. Lucas, R. S. Lamott. James Shindler, B. F. Fourgeaud, Jesse Southam, J. W. Ryckman, H. Jackson McDuffie, Z. H. Robinson, W. L. Bromley, P. D. Hedley, George R. Ward, H. Ottenheimer, S. B. Marshall, C. L. Wilson, B. H. Davis, Hazen Hazeltime, Wm. H Tabor, P. Frothingham, W. Iken, Isaac Bluxom, Jr., G. E. Schenck, George D. Lambert, Lathrop L. Bullock, Geo. Austin Worn, John P. Haff, John W. Rider, E. Betteher, Jos. T. Hanem, Thos.W. Walker, Theodore Kulhman, Samuel Marx, J. Seligman, Joseph E. Dal, Dan'l J. Thomas, Jr., H. F. Von Leugerke, Julius D. Schultze, J. E. Farewell, J. C. Derby, J. Pratt Sevens, Jacob P. Leese, T. J. West, Thos. McCahill, Edgar Wakeman, Wm. T. Coleman, Wm. Peake, A. Wardwell, J. S. Clark, Jonas Minturn, Sam. H. Sloan, C. H. Clark, F. O. Wakeman, H. F. Teschemacher, J. Thompson Huie, John W. Jackson, W. L. Hobson, Wm. Meyer, Jos. R Curtis, W. H. Tillinghast, John G. McKaracher, Wm. H. Graham, J. F. Hutton, John Raynes, J. H Fisher, Horace Morrison, John H. Walson, Joshua Hilton, F. L. Dana, J. Quincy Coale, James Pratt, A. P. Sutton, George W. Douglass, Wm. G. Budger, A. J. Ellis, Chas. H. Vail, S. J. Stabber, Henry M. Naglee, Wm. Forst, Wm. J. Sherwood, Olin F. Sawyer, A. L. Tubbs, E. W. Travers, W. N. Hostin, N. D. Hill, Wm. Langesmen, Eugene Hast, B. E. Babcock. T. K. Battelle, L. Minturn, Herman R. Haste, J. C. Treadwell, Hartford Joy, Augustus Belknap, Wm. Barling, Jno. F. Osgood, Horatio S. Gates, Thos. N. Cazneau, E. Kemp. Jeremiah Spalding, William C. Graham, J. Meid Huxley, John M. Coughlin, Charles Minturn, Saml Morse jr, George Clifford, Howard Cunningham, C O. Brewster, Chas Soule jr, Chas L Case, Chas L Wood, Robert H. Belden, Chas Moore, Wm. Fell, N. Smith, Jas R Duff, Jas Dows, John O. Earl, E. M. Earl, E. W. Crowell, Randolph M. Cooley, J. L. Van Bocklin, A. H. Gildemeester, Chas H. Hill. Geo N. Blake, Saml S. Phillips, J. Neal jr, Dewiitt Brown, Chas Del Vecchio, F. A. Atkinson, Ed. F. Baker, Jos Post, Chas Millar, F. Argenti, James King of Wm.
The above, a portion of the Committee of Vigilance lately established in this city, for the preservation of order, punishment of vice, and for the purpose of meting out that justice so long withheld from criminals, unwilling that the names of a few of their associates should be selected by the Coroner's jury as the principal actors in the trial and execution of Jenkins, inform the public that they, with all the members of the committee, are equally responsible for the first act of justice that has been dealt to a criminal in San Francisco, since California became a State of our Union.
Our fellow citizens, remembering the escape of Withers, Daniels, and Adams; of Stuart, Windred, and Watkins, and the tardy manner in which the incendiary Lewis is being brought to justice, will see the necessity of the strongest measures we have adopted. This publication also informs those friendly to the cause that the Committee of Vigilance have nothing secret in their proceeding but such matters as would tend to defeat the object for which we are associated were they made public.
Preamble and Resolutions. — The following also emanated from the vigilance Committee:
Whereas, The citizens of San Francisco, convinced that there exists within its limits a band of robbers and incendiaries, who have several times burned and attempted to burn their city, who nightly attack their persons and break into their buildings, destroy their quiet, jeopardize their lives and property, and generally disturb the natural order of society. And whereas many of those taken by the Police have succeeded in escaping from their prisons by carelessness, by connivance, or from the want of proper means or force to secure their safe confinement, therefore be it
Resolved, That the citizens of the place be made aware that the Committee of Vigilance will be ever ready to receive information as to the whereabouts of any disorderly or suspicious person or persons, as well as the persons themselves when suspected of crime.
Resolved, That as it is the conviction of a large number of our citizens, that there exists in this city a nucleus of convicts and disorderly persons, around which cluster those who have so seriously disturbed the peace and affected the best interests of our city, such as are known to the Police of the city or to members of the Committee of Vigilance, as felons by conduct or association, be notified to leave our port within five days from this date, and at the expiration of which they shall be compelled to depart, if they have not done so voluntarily within the time specified.
Resolved, That a Safety Committee of thirty persons be appointed, whose sacred duty it shall be to visit every vessel arriving with notorious or suspicious characters on board, and; unless they can present to said committee evidence of good character and honesty, they shall be reshipped to the place from whence they came, and not be permitted to pollute our soil.
Resolved, that all good citizens be invited to join, and assist the Committee of Vigilance in carrying out the above measures, so necessary for the perfect restoration of the peace, safety, and good order of our community.
-- end of report in the Daily Alta California, Volume 2, Number 185, 13 June 1851.
The 1851 San Francisco Committee of Vigilance was dissolved by 1853 but resurfaced to take control of San Francisco in 1856 with over 3,000 members when the city's crime was again out of control.
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