John Devine's alias was "The Chicken." Some say his alias was also "Chicken Devine." With a handle like "The Chicken," you wouldn't think he was the notorious character that he was. But in San Francisco in the early 1870s, "The Chicken" was considered a desperate criminal. One of the things that made him such a hard-nosed criminal was his over 70 arrests. Another thing was that he associated with other criminal sorts in, and could be found in any of the seedy saloons and gambling clip joints on that city's waterfront, yes, the dreaded Barbary Coast of San Francisco.
Born during the 1849 California Gold Rush, the Barbary Coast was San Francisco's original vice district. Its name, Barbary Coast, was coined in the mid-1860s. It was inspired by the Pirate reputation of the North African Barbary Coast. It was a lawless 40-square-block area notorious for extreme depravity, crooked gambling, violence, and kidnapping. The Barbary Coast of San Francisco was world-famous for its lawlessness and "shanghaiing," which was the practice of kidnapping intoxicated or drugged men to serve as crews on merchant ships. For nearly 70 years, the Barbary Coast in San Francisco remained a unique criminal enclave where "every vice known to man" was readily available.
In 1869, John Devine, alias “The Chicken,” was mentioned in the newspaper as having been held to answer in the County Court for burglary with his bail fixed at $1,000. In 1871, John Devine was in the news again. That was when he was charged with first-degree murder for willfully killing August Kamp. He was caught, charged, tried, and after some court procedural problems, found guilty, retried, again found guilty, and sentenced to hang.
Reading the news story below, you may find it very interesting that The San Francisco Bulletin paints a serene picture of a man who found religion before being made to pay for what he did. That article stated that Chicken Devine's last escapade was when he invited August Kamp to accompany him to the southern part of the city, and upon arriving at a hill, he murdered Kamp. I found it interesting that the writers at The San Francisco Bulletin left out almost any mention of Devine's victim other than his name and where he was from.
The San Francisco Bulletin newspaper published the following report of the legal hanging of John Divine, alias "The Chicken," on May 14, 1873:
THE DEATH PENALTY
The Execution of John Devine for the Murder of August Kamp
This day has been marked by an event of signal import in the history of this city, wherein the slow hand of justice, after a lapse of many years, has overtaken one of the class of reckless criminals who have reveled in rapine and bloodshed, bringing reproach on the fair fame of San Francisco, and red-handed murder has expiated its guilt by the righteous penalty of ignominious death upon the scaffold.
Whatever may be the abhorrence of capital punishment commonly experienced by a portion of the people, while contemplating the events of the past few years, the tardy and uncertain sway of justice, a sense of satisfaction and increased security will be inspired in the whole community by the announcement of John Devine, “The Chicken,” has met the fate which the law prescribes for the destroyer of human life, and there is one murderer less in San Francisco.
From the infamous character of this man, and the terror which his deeds of violence excited through a long course of comparatively unpunishable crime, ere consigning him to oblivion, the public will be interested in a brief sketch of the
Career of the Murderer.
The man who has now paid the penalty of his last dark crime, leaves a record which has no parallel among the many depraved wretches who have figured in the brief but terrible criminal history of San Francisco, and perhaps the half has not been told.
The police officials considered him the most dangerous and unscrupulous criminal that infested the city, and hint at mysterious deeds of blood, never unravelled by the minions of justice, with which he is believed to have been connected. In truth, he was a fellow by the hand of nature marked, quoted and signed to do a deed of shame — apt, liable to be employed in danger with neither pity, love nor fear.
Devine was a native of Waterford, Ireland, where he was born in the year 1840, and was accordingly 33 years old at the time of his death.
He was of medium size, sharp features, dark-blue eyes, a low forehead, and a generally repulsive expression of countenance. He arrived in San Francisco in the year of 1863, as a seaman on the clipper ship Young America. On the voyage hither, he distinguished himself as a quarrelsome fellow and was frequently confined in irons to restore the discipline of the ship.
After squandering the wages he received in a short spell of carousing on shore, he was driven to the sea again and made a voyage to China, returning in the spring of 1865. He then obtained employment as a runner for sailor boarding-houses, in which capacity he perpetrated innumerable deeds of ruffianism in the “shanghaing” of sailors and citizens on outward-bound ships. Shortly after engaging in this vocation he received the title of
“The Chicken.”
Which was endearingly conferred by one of his fellows, as significant of his prowess in a prize-fight. Devine had four notable encounters of this order, in the city and vicinity, and displayed remarkable endurance and determination, though not always successful.
His career from the time of setting himself on shore was one continuous round of crime, and he is well suspected of having a knowledge of the manner in which many a corpse found floating in the bay, with fractured skull and rifled pockets, yielded up i[t]s life. His record on the police register shows
Seventy-Nine Arrests! Up to May 16, 1871, when his final arrest for the crime of murder was made.
The charges against him embraced all manner of crimes, principally robberies and assaults with deadly weapons, it being his custom to assault his victims with slung-shot and brass-knuckles. His recorded crimes, however, are not supposed to embrace any near approach to the ull measure of enormities that were charged upon his guilty soul.
He was capable of the most savage treachery, and on one occasion attempted the murder of a prize-fighter named Tommy Chandler, by springing upon him from behind a door with a heavy iron bar. Being foiled in this, he subsequently shot Chandler, but not inflicting fatal injury, he got off with a short term of imprisonment on conviction of assault to murder.
A Characteristic Exploit.
On the 8th of June, 1867, about 6 o’clock in the morning, Devine assailed an aged German lady, named Mary Martin, as she was walking along Merchant street, near Battery, tore the pocket from her dress, and robbed her of a purse containing a check for [obscure] and $25 in coin.
For this robbery, he was arrested and released on bail, for, notwithstanding the character he bore, he was usually enabled to find friends to go upon his bond in a certain part of the city. When the case came up for trial, officers went in search of Mrs. Martin, who had resided at a house on Powell Street, as the important witness for the prosecution of Devine. The lady had disappeared.
What became of her was never known, but it was possible that Devine might have told. Passing over a list of comparative minor offences, such as knocking down and robbing people, the next noticeable affair in which this remarkable criminal figured was the
Attempted Murder of Miss McDonald.
On the night of the 9th, October, 1867, Miss Martha McDonald was standing in front of her place of residence, at the Mission, when she was suddenly seized by two men who were masked.
She was gagged by a handkerchief being forced into her mouth, and prevented from giving any alarm. In this condition, the men dragged her a distance of two blocks and a half, to the bridge which crosses Mission Creek at Sixteenth Street. One of the two then started, according to the directions of his companion to “get the carriage.”
Being left in the custody of one only, Miss McDonald made a desperate effort to release herself. The fellow attempted to chloroform her, but the drug being spilled from the bottle, he then endeavored to secure her with a strap.
At this juncture, the other man returned, and she heard the exclamation, “Kill her, kill her!” A moment after she was pushed off the bridge, and she fell into the muddy waters of the creek, while the two men who had abducted her ran away.
Slowly and surely, she was sinking into the muddy bottom, with no assistance at hand, until the water was about her neck. Fortunately, an alarm of fire started some person past the locality, and her cries of distress being heard, she was discovered and rescued.
Devine was arrested as one of the participants in this crime, and Miss McDonald positively identified him by his voice. Devine extricated himself from the affair by proving an alibi, it appearing that he was serving a term in the County Jail at the time of the attempted murder.
It subsequently transpired, however, that he held the privileged position at the County Jail of “outside trusty,” and was permitted to travel to all parts of the city at will in the performance of errands for prisoners in more restricted limits. And more than this, he was abroad at the very time the abduction of Miss McDonald was made.
The Loss of a Hand.
In the month of May, 1868, Devine was indulging in one of his periodical carousing spells, and often bringing terror to several of the resorts on his beat at the city front, he entered a boarding house kept by William Maitland, on Battery Street. Here he flourished a huge knife with the recklessness of a savage, and caused a precipitate retreat of all who happened to be in the place.
The proprietor had been asleep in the second story of the house, and hearing the uproar, came down for a reconnaissance. Devine immediately started for him when he made his appearance, but Maitland was not of so yielding a disposition as to be driven from his own castle, and closing with Devine, he succeeded in disarming him.
The latter then made an attempt to recover the knife, when Maitland with a powerful stroke cut him across the wrist. The blade, by wonderful chance, entered the wrist joint, and the completely severed hand fell to the floor.
Devine was appalled for once in his life, and hurriedly departed; but presently he returned and demanded his lost hand, which Maitland kicked out upon the sidewalk to him. Devine took the severed member and hastened to a drug store, where he implored a clerk to try and sew it on again. But the injury was irreparable.
Devine as a Merchant.
After a season of retirement in the County Hospital, Devine emerged as far repaired as medical science would permit, and being a cripple, his condition excited the pity of boarding-house masters and others at the city front with whom he had been associated. A contribution was made among them, amounting to $800, to enable Devine to establish himself in business by keeping a cigar stand.
He took the money, but instead of following the advice of his benefactors, he squandered the whole sum in a few weeks of dissipation, and again returned to the pursuit of crime with all his previous energy.
He was associated with a woman named Mary Dolan, as bad as himself, and who was punished by terms of imprisonment in the County Jail and Penitentiary. From the time of losing his hand up to his final arrest, he perpetrated numerous larcenies, some of considerable amounts, and was always busily engaged in thieving when not confined in jail.
A complete history of this man and his offenses would be one of the most appalling in the annals of crime. Such was John Devine, and rarely has the slow grip of justice overtaken a criminal more richly deserving of the severest penalty known to the law.
Murder of August Kamp.
The crime which John Devine has now expiated with his life was one of the most cruel and wanton ever recorded in a civilized community, and could only have been accomplished by one utterly depraved. It was in perfect keeping with the whole life and character of Devine, who had become callous to every impulse that elevates a man above the merest savage.
August Kamp was an unsuspecting young German without relatives in the country. On the 10th of May, 1871, he arrived in San Francisco from Antioch, where he had been employed, bringing with him his savings -- to the amount of about $120. He started immediately in search of employment, and while making his inquiries along the city front, he was met by Devine, who offered to procure him a situation on a fishing vessel.
Elated with this promise, young Kamp was persuaded to loan $20 to Devine, on the understanding that it would be repaid to him the following day. The money was not returned as agreed, and Kamp finally suspecting the true character of his debtor, importuned him earnestly for his pay. Devine put him off repeatedly, at one time pretending that he had nothing but greenbacks on hand, and again making some other excuse.
On the 15th of May, Kamp, having again demanded his pay, Devine told him that if he wanted the money very bad, he must go with him to his mother’s ranch, beyond Bay View. Accordingly, the two started for the imaginary ranch, walking as far as Long Bridge, when they boarded one of the Bay View cars. On reaching the terminus of the railroad, the two got off the car and walked along the road.
After passing the Five-Mile House, Devine pointed off to one side, saying that his mother’s ranch was in that direction, and by striking off across the fields instead of following the road, they might save a distance of one mile out of two. Young Kamp assented, and the two started across a lonely stretch of land, through vales and over hills, until a point was reached which the murderer thought sufficiently secluded for carrying out his design.
Kamp stooped down to crawl between the rails of a fence, Devine walking behind him, when the latter suddenly drew a pistol and fired the fatal shot, the ball entering Kamp’s skull behind the right ear. Devine then ran away, supposing he had effectually dispatched his victim, and was seen hastening back alone to the railroad terminus.
Kamp was shortly after discovered by a Spaniard, who was herding sheep in the locality, and being still able to walk, he was assisted to a saloon on the road, and from thence brought into the city and given in charge of the authorities. From the representations which the mortally wounded youth could make, and other circumstances, the police were immediately confident that Devine was his murderer, and measures were at once instituted for his arrest.
He was traced to various places in the city, where he had boasted of obtaining money by an easy method, admitted to several that he had shot a man and endeavored to dispose of a revolver. He was finally captured on board a steamer at Meiggs’ wharf, which was just about crossing over to Marin County, and the revolver, with two chambers discharged, was still in his possession.
At the City Prison, he was placed in the midst of fifteen or twenty persons, and Kamp, who was yet rational, readily singled him out as the murderer. He walked up and placed his hand on Devine, saying, “You are the man that shot me.” Kamp was taken to the County Hospital, and every effort was made to save his life, but without avail.
Just before his death, which occurred on the 5th of May, an effort was made to take his ante-mortem deposition, but unfortunately, the Coroner arrived too late, and the important evidence of the murdered man was not secured in the case.
The chain of circumstances presented in the several trials, however, made out a case against the accused as strong circumstantial evidence could be drawn, and a doubt of his guilt was hardily admissible.
The First Trial
Was brought in the Twelth District Court, before Judge McKinstry, on the 20th of February, 1872, and occupied eight days, resulting in a verdict according to the indictment of “murder in the first degree.” The Court sentenced Devine to be executed on the 25th of April, 1872.
Judge Tyler, counsel for the condemned, appealed to the Supreme Court for a new trial on mere technical grounds, his principal point having reference to a minor discrepancy of evidence of one witness as taken before the Coroner at the trial. Although the several points did not affect the merits of the case in the least, the appeal was successful, and to the efforts of most indefatigable counsel, the wretched man was indebted to an extension of his lease of life a full year.
The case was brought to a second trial in March last, in the same court. In the meantime, an important witness had died, and the prisoner and his counsel were exceedingly hopeful of finding complications on this circumstance equal to another successful appeal to the Supreme Court.
After another tedious trial, the inevitable verdict of “guilty” fell upon the ear of the doomed man for the second time, and he was again sentenced to be executed on Friday, the 9th of May.
Hope was still buoyant in his breast, relying upon the determined goal of his counsel, until the 7th, when the announcement was made that the Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the lower court, and his fate was sealed beyond the further probability of human interference.
By the earnest intercession of the spiritual adviser of the condemned prisoner, the Governor was persuaded to grant a brief reprieve of five days, in the hope that the guilty wretch, with the certainty of speedy death before him, might finally yield to the ministrations of his anxious spiritual adviser, Rev. Father Spreckles, and meet his end in a penitential spirit.
During his long term of imprisonment, Devine manifested a bearing of bravado, never believing that merited retribution would finally overtake him, and on several occasions, he laughed to scorn kindly persons who ought to impress him with a realization of his terrible position, and turn him to preparation for another life.
By A Remarkable Coincidence
His execution occurred two years to a day from the commission of the murderous act that consigned him to death at the hands of justice, and in his case, it may be said, “God’s mills grind slow but sure.”
After receiving his brief reprieve from the Governor, Devine realized that no earthly interference could avail him further, and he relinquished all hope of life. At his own solicitation, all visitors were excluded from his cell with the exception of his spiritual advisers, and he gave himself earnestly to preparations for the awful change that awaited him in the few hours that still remained.
At times, he wept bitterly when exhorted to a contemplation of his guilty life and true repentance, and the consolations of religious faith seemed to reconcile him to his fate and enable him to await his end with fortitude.
On Monday, he received the Sacrament of Communion from Rev. Father Spreckles, and Archbishop Alemany conferred upon him confirmation in the Roman Catholic Church. ,On the succeeding days Devine assumed an air of cheerfulness. On Tuesday, he asked permission of the Sheriff to be shaved, which was granted, the precaution first being taken to bind him securely to guard against any suicidal designs. His ostensible wife, Mary Dolan, was in jail at the time of the execution, having been committed a few weeks since for her common offence of habitual drunkenness.
Parting With His Son.
Devine also had a son, a child of six years of age, whom he had not seen for several years, and he expressed an earnest desire to see him before his death. The Sheriff and his deputies were anxious to gratify this last request, and visited the various charitable institutions in the city yesterday, endeavoring to find the child.
Devine last heard of him at the Protestant Orphan Asylum, where he had caused him to be placed immediately after his arrest for murder, the mother, Mary Dolan, being unfit to care or provide for him in consequence of her continual drunkenness and frequent detentions in jail. The lad had been removed from the Orphan Asylum, but the Sheriff happily discovered him in charge of the Ladies’ Relief Society, comfortably provided for.
When the child arrived at the cell of his wretched father last evening, Devine was much affected and exhibited instincts of humanity he had never known before. He embraced his offspring tenderly, wept over him, and implored him to shun the evil ways that had brought his father to ignominious death, and when the lad was finally removed, he clung to him with convulsive throbs, as if parting with the only object that had ever awakened the emotion of affection in his breast.
Last Hours of the Doomed Man.
Devine retired at about 10 o’clock last night after devotion with his spiritual adviser. He slept soundly through the night until 5 o’clock this morning, when he was awakened by the Jailor. In reply to the inquiries of the officer, he said that he had enjoyed refreshing slumber, as one could who had a clear conscience. He dressed himself with care and gave much attention to combing his hair neatly and arranging his toilet, having been provided with a new black suit and a pair of slippers.
At 8 o’clock, he ate a hearty breakfast, and shortly after his spiritual adviser, Rev. Father Spreckles, Archbishop Alameney, and two Sisters of Mercy arrived. The doomed man devoted the remaining few hours of his life to fervent supplications for mercy.
As the hour for the execution approached, the wickets in all the cells were closed, and the “trustees” allowed the limits of the Jail were locked up. At 11 o’clock, the reporters of the press were admitted and allowed to inspect the preparations for the execution.
The Scaffold
Was laid across the railings of the upper corridor at the north end, the trap in the centre permitting the body to drop to the lower corridor within about three feet of the floor, the rope allowing a fall of six feet. The gallows beam was extended above under the skylights, the ends resting in the ventillating apertures on either side.
On the west side of the scaffold, an iron rod ran up, to which was attached a cord, secured to a ring in one of the cell doors, the slipping of which drew the bolt by a weight and allowed the trap to fall. The gallows was the same used in previous executions, the last murderer who had stood thereon being the Chinaman, Chung Wong, who was executed in 1865.
At twenty minutes to 12, the Sisters of Mercy took their leave of Devine, and shortly after, attended by the Sheriff and the priests, Devine was conducted from the No. 1 cell near the entrance of the lower corridor, which he had occupied since his fate became sealed, to No. 41 cell in the second corridor, which was located nearly opposite the steps leading upon the scaffold. He looked pale and haggard, but a smile rested upon his countenance as he passed the group of reporters at the foot of the stairway.
He ascended the stairway with a light, elastic step and seemed to look carelessly at the gallows as he tripped along the gallery. At half past 12 o’clock, an immense crowd had gathered in the street in front of the jail, and on all sides of the building where a position might be obtained to observe even the grim walls within which the dread scene of violent death was being enacted.
The Sheriff then admitted all those who had received permission to be present, amounting to about two hundred. The spectators included several Sheriffs from adjoining counties, members of the Board of Supervisors, physicians, city officials, and upwards of thirty reporters of the press, among the latter being representatives of some of the Eastern papers, and artists for the New York illustrated journals.
The reporters were assigned a position directly in front of the scaffold, in the west gallery of the upper corridor, and the physicians took their places within the line on the floor of the lower corridor. The prisoner remained in his cell engaged in his final devotions, while the tramping of many feet and the subdued murmur of voices without reminded him of the relentless hand of Justice, eager to close his career.
The corridors, above and below, were greatly crowded, while the side openings, below the skylights, in either direction, were completely occupied, their appearance suggestive of the private boxes of a public exhibition.
The Execution.
At a quarter to 1 o’clock, the Sheriff directed his deputies to their positions upon the scaffold, and immediately after, he entered the cell of the doomed man for a parting interview of brief duration. On emerging, Sheriff Adams mounted the scaffold and stated to the spectators that it was the wish of Devine that all should preserve silence and ask him no questions.
At two minutes before 1 o’clock, the Sheriff opened the door of the cell, and Devine emerged, carrying a crucifix in his hand, followed by Father Spreckles. He ascended the steps to the scaffold with closed eyes, manifesting symptoms of weakness, and though bearing up with great power of nerve, the expression of his countenance and the twitching muscles of his throat indicated the welling up of inexpressible agony of soul. While standing upon the scaffold, his eyes remained closed, while Father Spreckles, taking the crucifix, continued whispering the consolations of the Church in his ear.
The death-warrant was hurriedly read by Deputy Lamott, but Devine gave no heed thereto, attending closely to the ministrations of Father Spreckles and frequently kissing the crucifix with much fervor as it was placed to his lips.
At the conclusion of the reading of the warrant, Jailor McKenzie bound the doomed man with straps. One was passed round his breast and pinioned the arms at the elbows, another at the waist pinioned the wrists, and two other straps were secured about the knees and the ankles. The rope was then placed about his neck, the large knot of the noose fixed under the left ear.
Last Scene of All.
The murderer now stood upon the verge of the unknown. He opened his eyes for the first time upon the scaffold ere quitting the warm precincts of the cheerful day, and cast one longing, lingering look behind. The bright sunshine shimmered through the skylights into the gloomy corridor, and wrought the shadow of the gallows-beam before him. Loud laughter and the murmur of the thoughtless crowd without disturbed the awful stillness that reigned within.
Nerving himself for the last moment, Devine exclaimed with a loud voice, “Oh, my sweet Jesus, unto thy hands I commend my spirit. Amen.” He kissed the crucifix again, and the black cap was drawn over his head. The spectators awaited with bated breath.
A moment more, and a dull grating sound, like the swinging of a gate, broke the solemn stillness, and the soul of the murderer had passed out.
As the trap swung, Devine dropped about six feet, a sharp snap indicating that his neck was broken. A few convulsive throes succeeded for a moment with drawing up of the knees, and death resulted speedily with little pain. The physicians made the usual observations and pronounced life entirely extinct in less than 15 minutes. The execution was most successfully carried out in every detail.
The spectators commenced leaving the jail immediately after the fall of the drop, excepting the few whose presence was required to sign as witnesses of the due execution of the sentence. The large crowd lingered until the afternoon was well advanced, in morbid curiosity, discussing the death and career of the departed murderer.
-- end of The San Francisco Bulletin article.
What that article doesn't say is that John Devine shot August Kamp in the neck, and the young man lingered in excruciating pain for 10 days until he died from Devine's attack. In fact, in court, Dr. Edwin Bentley, Assistant Surgeon of the United States Army, who made a post-mortem examination of the body thirty-six hours after death, testified in reference to the wound, giving a full description of its extent.
