"
"Then," Sherman told them, "you cannot defend this jail against a well
planned attack. Perhaps they'll not resort to force," he added
hopefully. "The Governor's coming down to talk with Coleman."
CHAPTER XLIII
GOVERNOR JOHNSON MEDIATES
On the second day after the shooting, Governor J. Neely Johnson arrived
on the evening boat. Mayor Van Ness had sent him a panicky message,
imploring him to drop all else and hasten to San Francisco. The Mayor
and William K. Garrison met him at the dock. They almost pushed the
Governor into a carriage which was driven hastily to the
International Hotel.
In his room, behind closed doors, the Governor spoke a trifle irritably:
"What the devil's all this row about, Van Ness? The town seems quiet
enough. You spoke of civil war."
"Coleman's organized another Vigilance Committee," Garrison took it upon
himself to answer. "You know how impulsive San Franciscans are. They're
in for anything. Two thousand have already joined. They've bought all
the arms in town except a few that Sheriff Scannell seized in the
militia armories. Scannell's sent out a hurry call for deputies--"
"But," broke in the Governor, incredulously, "you say Coleman's doing
this.
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