1048

James King of William & Co. Billhead [134661]

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Paper Start Price:50.00 USD Estimated At:100.00 - 300.00 USD
James King of William & Co. Billhead  [134661]
SOLD
45.00USD+ (11.25) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2022 Feb 24 @ 08:54UTC-8 : PST/AKDT
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Very rare billhead. James King of William was the son of James King of William, the infamous SF newspaper publisher. This billhead is dated 1873 and issued to Virginia City, Nevada merchants M. Dellepaine & Co. Areas of heavy soiling. James King of William opened his own bank in San Francisco in 1849. On a return trip from New York from a meeting with his backers Corcoran & Riggs, King met Augustus Humbert, appointed to the newly formed US Assay Office at San Francisco. In March, 1851, King sent Humbert gold coins of Dubosq, Baldwin and Schultz & Co. for assay. King was outraged at the results, and sent copies of Humbert's letter to every newspaper in San Francisco. This caused him to earn the full distrust and disgust of many.. By 1854, King was bankrupt, which he blamed on the competition. His assets were sold to Adams & Co. in 1854. The next year he started a newspaper that was every bit as controversial as his Assay Office letter. He was a member of the first Vigilance Committee, but it didn't do him any good. King was assassinated on May 14, 1856 by one of the people he "accosted" with his newspaper writings. The Vigilance Committee grabbed the murderers and hung them in the public square.

Date: 1873
Country (if not USA):
State: California
City: San Francisco
Provenance: Bill McKivor Collection