McGowan, Edward

Narrative of Edward McGowan, including a full account of the Author's Adventures and Perils while persecuted by the San Francisco Vigilance Committee of 1856.  San Francisco: Published by the Author, 1857



12mo (7  1/4  x 4  1/2  in.; 184 x 115 mm).  7 full-page woodcuts; light browning on a few pages.  Original printed wrappers with woodcut portrait of the author; some soiling and creasing, spine and lower right corner of front cover renewed.  Half brown morocco gilt slipcase. 

Graff 2611; Howes M103; Streeter sale 2822; Wheat, Books of the California Gold Rush 132; Zamarano 80 54

First edition. "[O]ne of the rare pieces of Californiana ... published in pamphlet form by 'Ned' McGowan, one-time justice of the peace in San Francisco, and an ex-convict from Pennsylvania, as a vindication of his conduct in absconding after being accused of complicity in the murder of James King of William .... The book is unique inasmuch as it gives a picture of the Vigilance Committee's action from the viewpoint of the 'persecuted' (Zamarano 80).  Graff refers to McGowan as "a prime rascal, one of the truly colorful characters in California."