This book offers an insider's perspective on the infamous San Francisco Vigilance Committee of 1856, an extralegal group that sought justice and order in a rapidly growing and often lawless city. The anonymous author provides a vivid and detailed account of the Committee's work, as well as an overview of key events that shaped San Francisco's history during this tumultuous period. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of law, order, and civic life in the American West. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.