USA > California > Mendocino County > History of Mendocino County, California : comprising its geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber > Part 38
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Following is Standley's own sworn statement :- " When I went up to John Ketchapaw, and got within four feet of him (I had my hand on the horn of the saddle at the time), I said to him 'John, stop; I want to see you a minute.' When I said that he caught his coat with his left hand and caught his revolver with his right hand, and got it part way out, the cylinder being outside the scabbard. I then drew my revolver and cocked it as I drew it. Then John started in the lead, and I started after him and came to where Wash. Higgins was. When I saw Mr. Higgins I took my eyes from Ketch- apaw. I said to Wash., 'Excuse me Wash., I am not shooting at you.' I then looked and saw John with his revolver presented at me, and he fired at me. I then started my horse from where I had stopped and went towards where John Ketchapaw was, and then we both went around the barn together."
It was proved to be a case of self-defense, and the defendant was found not guilty.
People vs. Henry Fairbanks .- On Friday, December 13, 1867, Henry Fairbanks shot and killed George W. Knight, in Arena township. The statement made by Fairbanks is, in substance, as follows :- On the morn- ing of the 13th he and his boy found some cattle in bis pasture, which they thought were Knight's, and they drove them out into Knight's pasture. The two men met, and some harsh words passed between them. Fairbanks and the boy then went to work at getting out some rails from a fence over which there was a dispute between the two men. Knight came down to where they were at work, and, with oaths, told them to stop taking up the fence, and attacked the boy. Fairbanks, who had a rifle in his hand, fired, the shot taking effect in Knight's leg. Knight had a pistol or revolver in his hand when he was coming down towards them, but he did not fire it.
Knight died in an hour or so. Fairbanks gave himself up to the Justice of the Peace of Anna township, who committed him to await the action of the Grand Jury. On the 4th of March, 1868, that body found a true bill against him, but on the trial he was acquitted. Some time afterwards Fairbanks was assassinated while sitting in his own house, but by whom it is not known. No arrests were ever made.
People vs. Calvin Stewart .- About 10 o'clock on the night of July 18, 1868, Calvin Stewart killed Irving R. Wright, in Big River township, under the following circumstances :- J. Dodson, Constable, had a warrant for the arrest of Wright, and, failing to find him, had got some of the neighbors to help hunt for him, and among them was C. Stewart. They hunted all day for him, and after dark they went to a barn in which some of them thought he might be, and after hunting around for awhile they found him in the straw. When discovered he was coming towards Stewart, who told him to stop several times, but he kept on coming towards him, and said,
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"G-d- you, what are you doing here?" Stewart said, "Stand back!" to which Wright replied, " I'll blow your G- d- brains out!" Wright still came towards Stewart, repeating the above, when Stewart fired, the shot going through Wright's body, killing him instantly.
The Grand Jury found a true bill against him at the September term, 1868. He was tried for manslaughter in November of that year, and on the 8th the jury returned a verdict of guilty. The next day a motion was made for a new trial by R. McGarvey and Thomas L. Carothers, attorneys for the defendant, which was granted by the Court. District Attorney, T. B. Bond, appealed from the order of the Court to December 1st. Remitti- tur from the Supreme Court sustaining the lower Court in the granting of a new trial was issued April 6, 1869. The second trial was had in April, 1870, at which the following verdict was rendered :---
" We, the jury, empaneled in the case of Calvin Stewart for the crime of manslaughter do find the prisoner not guilty.
HENRY D. LEY, Foreman."
People vs. James Thornton .- September 5, 1870, the Grand Jury found a true bill against James Thornton for the killing of Jacob Bolling. The murder was committed June 20, 1870, by a pistol shot in the breast; and the shooting was done in Big River township. The murdered man was a native of Ireland, and about twenty-three years of age. The testimony of P. Rutledge was as follows: " At a few minutes before 10 o'clock on the 20th day of June, 1870, Bolling came to work on the road, and had been at work but a few minutes when James Thornton came up to him and spoke, but I do not remember what was said. Did not hear Bolling speak. Do not think he spoke until after he was shot. Thornton had a small revolver. When spoken to about doing the shooting he said he did not care. Bolling died the next day at 6 o'clock, P. M."
People vs. Elisha Cain .- On the evening of November 21, 1869, he killed Owen Cuningham. A warrant for his arrest was issued November 25, 1869. The testimony of William Jackson, who was present at the time, was as follows: "On the night of November 21, 1869, I was at the house of Benjamin Doyle, and saw Cain and Cuningham there at the same time. They got into a quarrel, and Cain ordered Cuningham to leave the house. Cuningham, who was at the time cooking his supper, refused to go. Cain then made an attempt to put him out of the house. Cuningham then turned on him and they clinched, and Cuningham threw him to the floor. Cuningham then desisted and returned to cooking his supper. I then saw Cain get up from the floor and seize a beetle or maul that was lying under the bed in the house, and strike Cuningham with the same on the head from the effects of which he died. Cuningham . was a native of Ireland, and forty-five years of age."
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The Grand Jury found a true bill against Cain December 8, 1869. April 15, 1870, he was tried and the following verdict rendered :-
" We, the jury, find the defendant, E. Cain, guilty of manslaughter. JAMES H SAY, Foreman."
Motion for a new trial filed the next day, which took place in July, 1870, and on the 26th of that month the following verdict was rendered :-
" We the jury, find the defendant not guilty.
J. C. TINDALL, Foreman."
People vs. John Armstrong .- The Grand Jury found a true bill against Armstrong for the murder of A. Washington, in Arena township, by shoot- ing him with a gun, on the 5th day of June, 1871. A change of venue was secured, which removed the case from the courts of Mendocino county.
People vs. George W. Cleveland .- The Grand Jury for the March term, 1873, found a true bill against George W. Cleveland, which sets forth that he killed James V. Crowey, December 15, 1872, in Anderson valley. He had his trial August, 1874, at which time the jury brought in a verdict of manslaughter. On the 4th of that month sentence of imprisonment for the term of fifteen years was passed upon him.
People vs. John Coates .- At the March term, 1872, the Grand Jury found a true bill against John Coates, setting forth that he killed Samuel Besse, on the 1st day of February, 1872. In July of that year he had his trial, and the jury brought in the following verdict :-
" We, the jury, find the defendant, John Coates, guilty of manslaughter, and recommend him to the mercy of the court.
S. G. NEECE, Foreman."
Motion for new trial filed July 22, 1870.
People vs. Robert M. Darr .- The Grand Jury at the March term, 1875, found a true bill against him, which sets forth that on the 23d day of Feb- ruary, 1875, he killed Avhla McNeill. In July of that year he had his trial, and on the 22d a verdict of guilty of manslaughter was brought in by the jury, and on the next day a sentence of imprisonment for fifteen years was passed upon him.
People vs. Daniel and W. Lynch .- At the March term, 1875, the Grand Jury found a true bill against the defendants for the murder of Ah Foo, in Ukiah, February 15, 1875.
People vs. E. Marks .- The city of Ukiah was thrown into an intense state of excitement on the morning of April 3, 1879, by the announcement that Mr. L. Landecker had been stabbed to death by E. Marks. The two had sustained the relation of merchant and clerk, and some differences having sprung up between them, Marks was discharged from service the day before the homicide. On going to the store on the morning of the murder, and
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finding Marks in his accustomed place, an altercation occurred, which resulted fatally to Landecker. At the June term the Grand Jury found a true bill against Marks, charging him with murder. His trial came up in August of that year, and on the 13th of that month the following verdict was rendered:
" We the jury, find the defendant, E. Marks, guilty of murder in the second degree. THOMAS ALLPORT, Foreman."
Two days later he was sentenced to hard labor in the State prison for the term of twelve years.
Murder of Jerry Cain .- About the 20th of October, 1863, Jerry Cain was murdered in Sanel township, the particulars of which, as follows, are gleaned from the Herald :- " Jerry Cain, living three miles from McDonald's place in Sanel township, was found dead in his cabin by an acquaintance of his who had made arrangements to go with him on a hunting expedition on Thursday the 22d, and who had gone to the cabin on Wednesday evening to stay all night with Cain. Not finding him in, and the door being locked with a padlock, he waited till dark, and then broke the door in and cooked his supper. After awhile he went into the bed-room to go to bed, when he found the bed-clothes on the floor. In taking them up, he was surprised to find the body of Cain under them. He found that he was shot in the back and near the heart. Some bruises are also said to have been found on his head. The following circumstances seem to point to a clue to the murderer: Some two or three weeks before the inurder, he had sold a sheep ranch on Sanel creek, after which he had moved to this place near McDonald's, and he was known to have some $300 or $400 in money. Sunday or Monday before the murder, he hired a stranger to work for him. On Tuesday morn- ing, early, this man passed through Cloverdale riding Cain's horse."
Killing of John Rector .- In April, 1867, a man by the name of Somers, killed John Rector, by striking him with the king-bolt of a wagon. It seems that they met at some place where Somers was fixing his wagon, and had the king-bolt in his hand, when Rector came up. Somers at once accused Rector of insulting his wife, to which accusation Rector deigned no reply, except to laugh at the charge, whereupon Somers struck and killed him.
The Little Lake Vendetta .- On the 11th of October, 1865, one of the blood- iest and most fatal affrays occurred at Little Lake that ever has occurred in the annals of the State of California. Two families, named Coates and Frost, resided in that vicinity, between whom a feud gradually grew into existence until it reached a culmination under the following circumstances, as recorded in the newspapers of that date : "On the day of the fight, Wesley Coates bantered one Mr. Duncan, a brother-in-law of the Frosts, to fight. They went out into the road and began fighting, when the following parties came rushing up and took part in the fray :-- on one side were Mr. Dun-
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ean and Martin Frost, Isham Frost and Elisha Frost-all brothers; on the other side were Wesley Coates, Albert Coates, Henry Coates, Thomas Coates, James Coates, Abraham Coates, and Abner C. Coates. Wesley, Henry and James Coates were brothers; Abner C. was the father of Albert and uncle to the three brothers ; Abraham was a cousin of all except Thomas, who was his uncle. All the Frosts and Duncan had Colt's navy revolvers; Dun- can, however, broke his 'in the fight with Wesley Coates, and he did no shooting. Wesley and Abraham Coates had pistols, and Abner C. Coates a double-barreled gun, one barrel of which was rifled, and one smooth for shot ; Wesley Coates also had a knife ; Martin Frost was seen to shoot Wes- ley, Abraham, and Henry Coates ; Isham Frost wasseen to shoot 'Thomas Coates; and Elisha Frost was seen to shoot Albert Coates. Abner C. Coates killed Elisha Frost with his shot-gun, both barrels of which were discharged at him and took effect. Abner Coates was shot through the shoulder, but by whom it is not known. James Coates received a pistol-shot in the abdo- men, and it is not known who fired it. Duncan was dangerously stabbed, and it is presumed that Wesley Coates did it, from the fact that a knife was found very near him, the blade of which was very bloody. Five of them were killed instantly and never spoke, except Albert Coates exclaimed -- ' My God!' Abraham Coates lived until noon the next day, when he ex- pired. The shooting could not have lasted more than a quarter of a minute; but in that extremely short space of time twenty shots were fired. Elisha Frost received four or five mortal wounds, and about forty others. Thomas Coates leaves a widow and two children ; Elisha Frost leaves a widow and five or six small children ; Abner C. Coates had a family, but all the others were single men. The dead were taken into the hall and laid out side by side, where they remained until they were placed in their coffins. As the coffins lay in front of the hall, just before the funeral procession moved away, there was a scene rarely witnessed in this day and age of the world. The parents, children, wives, brothers, and sisters of the slain and their slayers mingled their tears together over those who but a few short hours be- fore were grappling in fierce combat, but who now were cold and still, and lay peacefully side by side. The killed were as follows : Thomas J. Coates, native of Pennsylvania, aged sixty-three ; William Wesley Coates, native of Wisconsin, aged twenty-five; Henry H. Coates, native of Wisconsin, aged twenty-five ; P. Albert Coates, native of Wisconsin, aged twenty-one ; Abra- ham T. Coates, native of Wisconsin, aged twenty-one ; Elisha Frost, native of Missouri, aged forty-two."
Murder of Mrs. G. W. Strong .- Mrs. Strong and her husband lived on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, situated north of Sherwood valley a few miles, and distant about thirty-seven miles from Ukiah. Adjoining them were two men, partners, named Gieger and Alexander. Some time
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previous to the murder of Mrs. Strong, her husband had been arrested for killing a steer, and through the exertions of these men and the testimony they gave, he was sent to the State Prison. Their intention seemed to be to drive the Strongs away from their ranch, but Mrs. Strong was not to be driven in that way, and after her husband was sent to San Quentin she remained on the place and looked after her interests as best she could. Gieger and Alexan- der did all in their power to aggravate and annoy her, even to openly driving their stock upon her place. She would mount a horse, and with the assist- ance of a dog, drive the stock off; when they would meet her and use all manner of language towards her. So matters continued till about the first of February, 1874. The last time she was seen alive, Ed. Saunders, a stage- driver, was given an order for a bag of flour by her, about the last day of January. The next day on his return trip he brought the flour, but found her not at home. At the end of four or five days, not seeing her about as usual, he gave the alarm and the neighbors began to search for her. About a week after her disappearance Gieger swore out a warrant for her arrest for killing sheep, and sent a constable to the neighborhood to search for her in his official capacity. When he had done this, knowing that she was missing from home, suspicion began to rest upon Gieger and Alexander of murdering her. On the 16th of February, J. M. Standley, Deputy Sheriff, was sent there to investigate and work up the matter. The entire community was now thor- oughly aroused, and a band of Indians were brought down from Cahto to help in the search. At length her horse was found in a deep ravine, shot through the head, and that fixed the fact almost to a certainty that she had been foully dealt with as well. The search began now with renewed vigor, and every gorge and cañon were thoroughly explored. At last her hair- comb was found in a most dark and grewsome spot in the very darkest recesses of the almost midnight forest, close at hand a babbling brook sang its merry melody to the eternal stillness of the mountain glade, but in times of freshets from the winter's rains or the melting snow, it is a mountain torrent rush- ing down the steep descent with a tumultuous roar that well dissembles a stream of mightier proportions, and just here a shelving rock caused it to leap far out and strike the earth below with redoubled fury, until a large basin was burrowed out to a depth of several feet. After the horrid deed was done:
" I took the dreary body up, And cast it in a stream- A sluggish water, black as ink The depth was so extreme :- * * *
*
*
Down went the corse with a hollow plunge, And vanished in the pool; Anon I cleansed my bloody hands, And washed my forehead cool. *
L.M. Ruddich
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Heavily I rose up, as soon As light was in the sky, And sought the black accursed pool With a wild misgiving eye, And I saw the dead in the river bed, For the faithless stream was dry."
And so it was in this case, or so nearly so, that the dress was seen floating on the top of the water. It was found that the body had been put into this . hole, and sunk with a pile of heavy rocks on top of it, but the rush of the waters had removed the stones, and the water had then passed away leav- ing the dead body revealed.
The body was found February 22d, Standley at once arrested Gieger and Alexander, and rushed them off to jail in Ukiah, followed by a score of men who would doubtless have given the murderers their just deserts and saved the county all expense. But they were lodged safely in jail, and there remained till their trial. This was had on a change of venue in Sonoma county. They were tried separately, Gieger coming first. The jury returned a verdict of guilty, and he was sentenced to State prison for life, but he had friends who assisted him, and he escaped from the jail in Santa Rosa, and has never since been heard from. A technical point was raised then to the effect that there was no evidence to prove that Alexander was in collu- sion with Gieger in the murder, and the same testimony could not be used for his conviction, which point was sustained by the Court, and Alexander was released from custody. To the credit of the good people of Mendocino county, be it here recorded, that as soon as it was known that Mrs. Strong had been murdered, a petition for the release of her husband was signed by every man in the county who had an opportunity to do so.
Murder and Suicide .- One of the most horrible affairs, which it falls to the lot of the historian of Mendocino county to record, is the murder of Mrs. Reynolds by Joseph Caneza, and the subsequent suicide of the perpe- trator of the infamous deed. Mrs. Reynolds was a widow lady, and resided in Ukiah, having two children, both quite young. Caneza was a native of Chili, and made Ukiah his head-quarters. He took a fancy to the widow lady, and would call at her house at times and bring presents of shoes, etc., to the children. Not daring to offend the man, she could not refuse to accept these gifts. At length he became so persistent in his attentions to her, that she determined to leave the place and him behind her, and be rid of him. With that purpose in view, she took passage on the Lakeport stage, July 17, 1877, intending to go to friends in Lake county. About five miles east of Ukiah, they came upon Caneza lying on the side of the road under a tree covered with dust, and groaning, and apparently suffering from excru- ciating pain. The driver stopped and asked him what had happened, when he stated that his horse had thrown him, and had run down the road. He
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then requested the driver to let him ride to the next house, and at the same time, requested the only other passenger besides Mrs. Reynolds, to get out and run ahead and look for his horse, which he did. The driver then started along, but before he had proceeded far, he heard Caneza say: " this is what I got in here for," and immediately he discharged two balls into Mrs. Rey- nolds' head. He then jumped from the stage, and running about ten steps, placed the pistol to his head and fired, falling ‹lead instantly. It seems that he laid all his plans most adroitly, even to going to the stable and hiring a well- known fractious horse, and taking good care that the driver of the stage should see him ride out of town on that horse, so that his tale of being thrown, would not be questioned by him. The horse was found securely tied to a tree not far from where the tragedy occurred.
Killing of James Clow .- This was a difficulty between two boys at school, which, unfortunately, resulted fatally. The affair happened at the school-house in Anderson valley, August 19, 1877. It seems that A. E. Irish and John Clow became engaged in a quarrel ; and Clow struck Irish, whereupon the latter drew a knife and cut his antagonist. James Clow, a brother of John, then ran up to take his brother's part, exclaiming: " Boys, he has got a knife !" Irish retreated a few steps, but, when hotly pressed by Clow, turned on him and cut him above the hip, from the effects of which he died,
Murder of J. B. Owens .~ J. W. Burke killed J. B. Owens in 1874, and. was sent to the State prison for life for the deed.
Murder of A. J. Shrum .- A. J. Shrum was a peaceable, quict, inoffen- sive man who lived with his wife on the east side of Round Valley. On the night of July 11, 1878, he was called out of his house by one or more parties, and shot dead. Jesse and James Anthony, and the wife of the murdered man, were arrested for the commission of the deed or complicity therein. Jesse Anthony was first tried, in which instance the jury failed to agree, and he was let out on bail. James was next tried, found guilty, and sentenced to imprisonment for life. This was in May, 1879. The- attorneys for James took an appeal to the Supreme Court. Jesse peti- tioned for a charge of venue, which Judge R. McGarvey granted, but the District Attorney, A. Yell, entered his protest and carried it to the Supreme Court. Mrs. Shrum was put on trial in July, 1880, and on the 15th of that month the prosecution announced that they would consent to a verdict of " not guilty," on the ground that there was not sufficient legal evidence to convict the defendant; the admissions of Jesse and James Anthony, after the commission of the homicide not being admissible under the rules of evi- dence. The Court so instructed the jury, the verdict was rendered and the defendant discharged.
Killing of William McInturf-This occurred in Point Arena township,
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March 20, 1879. Robert Lindsay was the son-in-law of McInturf, and it seems that they had a joint interest in some stock, over which there was a disagreement. On the day of the killing Lindsay rode up to the house of McInturf, and, after some conversation concerning the object of Lindsay's visit, he (Lindsay) states that McInturf stepped into the house in such a way that he thought that he would use the door as a shield, and fire at himn (Lindsay.) Being impressed with this idea, Lindsay fired and killed the old man.
Lynching of Indian Charley .- One of the most dastardly deeds in the annals of crime occurred in Walker Valley, May 6, 1878. On this day a lady went to a neighbor's on a visit, and while eating dinner, an Indian was observed sitting in the yard whetting a very large knife. As he was well- known to all present nothing was thought of it at the time. Later in the day as the lady was on her way home, she was suddenly accosted by this same Indian, and forcibly dragged from her horse and into the brush which grew by the roadside. The lady screamed for help and struggled with might and main to prevent the Indian from accomplishing his hellish design. In the struggle the woman received several severe cuts from the fiend's knife. Suddenly her presence of mind came to her rescue, and she was able to accomplish by strategy what her feeble strength had failed to do. She sud- denly exclaimed : "Stop, or that man will kill you!" little dreaming that any one was in sight; but, fortunately, a man was passing along the road, and when the Indian saw him he fled, leaving his victim almost exhausted from her struggles and the loss of blood. She managed to creep back to the roadside and, finally, a wagon came along and she was taken back to where she had spent the day. A party at once started out to search for the Indian, whom they apprehended about 8 o'clock that night, and hung and shot till he was dead.
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