Behind San Quentin's Walls

lessening the expense of conducting the establishment considerably.”

Needless to say, this also fattened his bottom line. The Alta, in nearly a full-length column, complained bitterly that not only was this a monstrous return to a cruel past, but the state was now liable for all of the accrued debt for which McCauley had sued. “Tax-payers of the State at large,” wailed the Alta, “how do you like the position in which you have been placed through this lame and foolish course of proceeding?”

But McCauley would soon have much more than newspaper editorials to worry about.

On October 14, 1855, William “Pacing Bill” Scott, entered San Quentin as prisoner No. 755. It was a ten year sentence for grand larceny in Sacramento. A few years later he managed to convince Governor Weller that he was a changed man and received a pardon. He was released on May 11, 1858.

A room in Sacramento’s Forrest Theater building was entered on the evening of November 7, 1858, and some $2000 worth of jewelry was stolen. The jeweler, one L. W. Sheldon, was having a display and sale of his work the coming Saturday. Now he had to hustle to put together another show. At this time Sacramento was enduring a local crime wave of home invasions, burglaries, stickups in rural areas and robberies in the city’s streets and alleys.

After the Sheldon robbery, there was a roundup of local thugs and thieves and some “squealing” took place. When the Sheldon plunder was recovered it was mixed with other stolen loot and the officers realized the gang was larger than at first supposed. The pardoned Pacing Bill Scott was identified as one of the thieves. When he was spotted on the public square,

by Captain J. J. Watson of the Sacramento police, Scott Pacing Bill Scott was a thief, but a gunpulled a pistol and fired at the officer before retreating jewel man when necessary. up J Street. There was an exchange of shots between the Author’s Collection. officer and the badman, both men dodging in and out of various business places. When Scott’s pistol missed fire, Watson and several bystanders promptly took him into custody.

Nine burglars and robbers had their preliminary hearings on No-