if any
could conjecture. His eyes were squinted, his mouth a monstrous
curiosity. Every feature seemed in revolt at that nose. It would have
struck awe to the spirit of an Ogre, Woolley was no doubt ready and
willing to do any crooked deed, but none who knew him would employ him
on any mission in which skill and fidelity were required. His banishment
had, perhaps, a good effect upon the unborn generation, whose parents
had not then entered the matrimonial state. Whatever other purpose it
subserved, except to show to other communities the "latest novelty" from
California, is the unfathomable conundrum. John Crowe was a noisy,
blatant, meddlesome fellow, the keeper of a livery stable on Kearny
street, and a fierce denouncer of the Committee. There was nothing else
to his discredit, so far as I could learn at the time. Reub. Maloney was
a compound character--a good deal of a knave, something of the man in
his fidelity to his friends, reckless of everything except his own
safety in any transaction calculated to damage the cause to which he was
opposed; indifferent to what might happen to an adversary, He was a most
valiant "brave"--with his mouth; the noble quality had never penetrated
his cuticle. His passion when bloviating was furious and terrible to
look upon; but there was nothing to it more than sound and pretense. His
face would redden to congestive hue, his voice swell to sonorous volume;
but the simple kindly invitation in quiet tone: "Never mind, Reub, come
and take a drink," would unbind him in a moment, and coming up relaxed,
smiling to "smile," he would gulf down the dram, and with stated manner
remark, "Well, boys, I said about the right thing, didn't I?" He was the
faithful henchman of General James A. McDougall; hated Senator Gwin, and
between the two preferred Broderick.

Maloney had been a drummer for a large importing house in New York, his
field of labor in the South. He had also been employed in the western
states, and endowed with good address, portly figure, much volubility,
unfailing check and invincible assurance, he successfully pushed his
way. He came to California during the fall of '47, located in Stockton,
subsequently in San Francisco, and took up "Politics" as his means of
support. To gain his point in a partisan deal, he would do anything that
was not personally dangerous. He cared for ends, and was utterly
regardless of means. He was ceaselessly putting up jobs to promote the
cause he advoc