The Forty-Niners - A Chronicle of the California Trail and El Dorado by Stewart Edward White
page 145 of 181 (80%)
page 145 of 181 (80%)
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"Nothing will be done today."
This statement was received in silence. At last someone asked: "Where are Casey and Cora?" "The Committee hold possession of the jail. All are safe," said the Committee man. With this simple statement the crowd was completely satisfied, and dispersed quietly and at once. Of the three thousand enrolled men, three hundred were retained under arms at headquarters, a hundred surrounded the jail, and all the rest were dismissed. Next day, Monday, headquarters still remained inscrutable; but large patrols walked about the city, collecting arms. The gunshops were picketed and their owners were warned under no circumstances to sell weapons. Towards evening the weather grew colder and rain came on. Even this did not discourage the crowd, which stood about in its sodden clothes waiting. At midnight it reluctantly dispersed, but by daylight the following morning the streets around headquarters were blocked. Still it rained, and still apparently nothing happened. All over the city business was at a standstill. Men had dropped their affairs, even the most pressing, either to take part in this movement or to lend the moral support of their presence and their interest. The partisans of Law and Order, so called, were also abroad. No man dared express himself in mixed company openly. The courts were empty. Some actually closed down, with one excuse or another; but most of them pretended to go through the forms of business. Many judges took the occasion to leave town--on vacation, they announced. These |
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