saw the farce of trial resulting, as every one knew it would, in
acquittal. At length, so confirmed and strengthened were villains by the
certainty of escape from punishment, that they did not even trouble
themselves to become assured of the identity of their victims. A worthy
citizen in going home through Merchant Street between eight and nine
o'clock in the evening was approached from behind by a person who,
pressing his arm over his shoulder thrust a knife into his breast.
Luckily the knife encountered in its passage a thick pocket memorandum
book which it cut through, and but for which, he would have lost his
life. The intended assassin undoubtedly mistook him for another person
whom he somewhat resembled. A few days after a gentleman passing by the
Oriental Hotel heard the report of a pistol, and was sensible of the
passage of a ball through his hat in most uncomfortable proximity to his
head. A person immediately stepped up to him saying, "Excuse me, I
thought it was another man."

The ally of the people in times of difficulty and danger, the Press,
seemed subservient from choice to this vile domination, or overawed and
controlled by it. Experience had proved that its conductors could be
true, bold, effective only at the peril of their lives. More than one
had suffered in his person the penalty of his allegiance to truth and
duty; until at length intimidated and desponding, they had ceased to
struggle with the spirit of evil ....

One man upon whom public attention was now turned, and whom the people
of the City and State began to regard as their champion and deliverer,
was James King of William, and he was no common man. He was born in
Georgetown, D. C., in January, 1822, and was therefore thirty-four years
old at the time of his death. Having received a common school education,
he was placed at an early age in the banking house of Corcoran & Riggs