These defenses were strengthened from time to time; and others ingeniously contrived were placed in the interior; so that, at length, in the opinion of an officer of large experience, a very large force of regular troops would have been required to carry it by storm. In the afternoon of Saturday, June 21st, the perfect quiet of the early part of the day was broken up by a tempest of excitement of rare occurrence anywhere. Between three and four o'clock, a Police Officer of the Vigilance Committee named Hopkins, being ordered with a party of men, to arrest a man named Maloney, having ascertained that he was then in the office of Dr. Ashe, Navy Agent, on Washington Street, entered the office alone, leaving the other officers in the street. A number of persons were in the room beside Maloney, amongst them Judge Terry, one of the three Judges of the Supreme Court of California. Hopkins was unable to make the arrest; and retiring from the room, collected his men, and kept watch in the street. The party in the room armed themselves and scattered into the street to make their way to the Armory of the San Francisco Blues. While passing up Jackson Street, Hopkins attempted to arrest Maloney. Terry opposed him with a double-barreled gun, which Hopkins attempted to or did, wrest from him, when Terry immediately struck him on the neck with a bowie knife, inflicting a terrible wound. Terry and his whole party then ran and placed themselves for safety in the Blues Armory. Hopkins was immediately taken into the Pennsylvania Engine House. The news flew with lightning speed over the City. The bell of the Vigilance Committee Rooms sounded; and instantly the streets were swarming with members obedient at all times to its summons. As the sound struck his ear, every man discontinued the work upon which he was employed. Draymen passing with loads, unharnessed their horses, mounted and rode off; engines in the great foundries were stopped, and employers and men started off on the run; builders, pressmen, shopmen, merchants, professional men, were alike hurrying to the Committee Rooms. As they arrived, they took arms, were formed in companies, and reported ready for duty. In a few minutes, a body of cavalry were thundering through the streets and surrounding the block in which was the Blues Armory. Then up every street poured companies of infantry at double-quick time, and took possession of every important point. So quickly was this done that only some thirty men of the so called "law and order" party had been able to assemble in the Armory. They were summoned to surrender, and alter some little parley, concluded to do so. Terry, Ashe and Maloney were placed in carriages and conveyed to the Committee Rooms. The other prisoners were then disarmed and they were kept in the Armory until evening, when they likewise were marched to the Committee Rooms.