Casey escaped up Washington Street, went to the City Hall, and delivered himself to the sheriff (Scannell), who conveyed him to jail and locked him in a cell.

Meantime, the news spread like wildfire, and all the city was in commotion, for grog was very popular.

Nisbet, who boarded with us on Harrison Street, had been delayed at the bank later than usual, so that he happened to be near at the time, and, when he came out to dinner, he brought me the news of this affair, and said that there was every appearance of a riot down-town that night.

This occurred toward the evening of May 14, 1856.
It so happened that, on the urgent solicitation of Van Winkle and of Governor Johnson; I had only a few days before agreed to accept the commission of major-general of the Second Division of Militia, embracing San Francisco.

I had received the commission, but had not as yet formally accepted it, or even put myself in communication with the volunteer companies of the city.