Page:History of Washington The Rise and Progress of an American State, volume 4.djvu/448

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342
OF AN AMERICAN STATE

own behalf, and warrants were sworn out for Judge Burke, Rev. L. A. Banks, E. M. Carr, Frank Hanford and David H. Webster, on a charge of shooting with intent to kill. The intention was to accuse C. H. Hanford, who was then assistant United States attorney, and had been among the foremost in upholding the law from the beginning of the agitation. He had been detained at the wharf in arranging some matter with Captain Alexander in regard to the Chinamen he had already taken on board, and did not reach First Avenue until the shooting was over. He then, at the sheriff's solicitation, did what he could with the others, to keep the crowd from pressing too closely upon the guards, and so provoking another volley. He describes the scene as one of intense excitement. Several of the rioters were doing their best to encourage others to make an attack, but not one of them offered to lead it. They were particularly ugly toward Judge Burke. “Look at him,” they cried, “with that double-barreled shotgun and both barrels cocked. He'll hurt somebody yet.” It was in fact extremely probable that he might hurt somebody, though it happened happily that there was no occasion to do so.

The five warrants which the mob had procured from a justice of the peace, were not served until the guards reached the courthouse. A single constable came to make the arrests, and he had considerable difficulty in finding the Hanford he was after. He met Judge Hanford, who had been stationed with a gun to guard the courthouse door, but did not recognize him, and finally selected a third brother, A. Elwood. This mistake was soon discovered and Frank Hanford, for whom the warrant called was arrested.

When the constable was about to start with his five prisoners for the justice court, it began to be apparent that he