“Not by fair means, no....  But that won’t stop them.  Yesterday Chief Justice Terry of the Supreme Court issued a habeas corpus writ for Billy Mulligan, Harrison came down today and served it.”

“What happened?” asked Benito, eagerly.

“Well, the hotheads wanted to resist—­to throw him out.  But Bluxome saw through the scheme—­to get us on record as defying Federal authority.  So he hid Billy Mulligan and let Harrison search.  Of course he found no one.  We were politely regretful.”

“Which settles that,” remarked Benito, chuckling.

“Not so fast, old boy!” the other Vigilante cautioned.  “Harrison’s no fool.  He couldn’t go back outwitted....  So he simply lied.  Wrote on the warrant, ‘service resisted by force.’”

* * * * *

On the following day Major General Sherman of the State Militia received the following document, dated “Executive Department, Sacramento, June 2d, 1856”: 

Information having been received by me that an armed body of men are now organized in the City and County of San Francisco, in this State, in violation of law; and that they have resisted the due execution of law by preventing a service of a writ of habeas corpus duly issued; and that they are threatening other acts of violence and rebellion against the constitution and the laws of the State; you are hereby commanded to call upon such number as you may deem necessary of the enrolled militia, or those subject to military duty, also upon all the voluntary independent companies of the military division under your command—­to report, organize, etc., and act with you in the enforcement of the law.

     J. NEELY JOHNSON.

* * * * *

Two days after the Governor’s proclamation half a dozen of the prisoners in “Fort Gunnybags” were exiled by the Vigilance Committee.  Each, after a regular and impartial trial, was found guilty of offenses against the law.  The sentence was banishment, with death as the penalty for return.  Under a strong guard of Vigilance Committee police the malodorous sextet were marched through town, and placed aboard the steamer Hercules.  A squad of Vigilantes remained until the vessel left her dock to see that they did not escape.  Thus did the Committee answer Governor Johnson’s proclamation.  The fortification of the Vigilante Headquarters went on.  Hundreds of gunnysacks filled with sand were piled in front of the building as a protection against artillery fire.  This continued for days until a barricade ten feet high and six feet thick had been erected with embrasures for cannon and a loop-holed platform for riflemen.  Cannon were placed on the roof of the building where the old Monumental firebell had been installed as a tocsin of war.