USA > California > Mendocino County > History of Mendocino County, California : comprising its geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber > Part 40
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But Standley had his ears always open to catch stray reports that would lead to anything like a clue. At last he heard that Brown had a brother-in- law somewhere in the vicinity of Nimshew, Butte county, and knowing that the track of them was lost in that neighborhood, he surmised that they
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were located near there somewhere. Acting on this supposition he and Moore again set out on the chase, going to Butte county. On the morning of December 5th, Sheriff Moore, J. M. Standley, C. A. White, of Nimshew, and a Chico stage-driver named Messer, surrounded a cabin on Butte creek. About one hundred yards from the cabin the men took their positions so as to command the place; White above the cabin, Standley near the ravine, Moore commanding the ravine in one direction, and Messer in the other direction. White and Standley had Winchester rifles, and the others had shot-guns loaded with buck-shot. After they had waited a few moments Billings came out with a gun and ax, evidently intending to chop some wood to cook their breakfast with, as this was very soon after daylight in the morning. When about seven feet from the cabin Standley called to him to throw up his arms. Instead, however, he sprang back into the cabin, where- upon Standley fired, the ball striking him in the shoulder. On hearing the firing Gaunce and Brown dashed into the brush, White discharging four shots at them as they ran. He then turned and saw Billings trying to get his gun leveled at him. When Billings saw that he was discovered he ran into the cabin again, but came immediately out. White then fired, the ball striking Billings in the knee, bringing him partially to the ground. While in this position Billings again tried to aim and fire at White, who continued to shoot at him till he fell dead. He fell about thirty feet from the cabin, face downward with his gun under him. He only gasped once after he was reached by the officers. His body was carried into the cabin and a Coroner sent for, and an inquest held, after which Sheriff Moore started for Ukiah with the body. By this time it was night again, but the officers started out into the dark, using a lantern to show them the trail. About one hundred yards from the cabin the trail divided, one of the parties, Gaunce, going south-west down the creek, and the other, Brown, had gone up the creek. After pursuing Brown perhaps a mile and a half, they concluded that as he was lame, he could not elude them so well as Gaunce, so they returned and started out on the trail of the last named. They followed the tracks down Butte creek three or four miles, and then the trail made a square turn and led them to within a very few rods of town where it was lost. It was now about midnight, and the pursuers had been at work fully twenty-four hours without an hour's sleep or respite, hence they went to the hotel and retired. In the morning the irrepressible Standley was out bright and early, and as eager for any new clues as he ever had been. He soon learned that a gen- tleman had lost a buggy robe during the night, and rightly guessed that Gaunce had taken it for a blanket, and that he had spent the night close by. The buggy stood in a shed adjoining a vacant cabin, and naturally enough they searched that building first, in one of the rooms there was an old cup- board, and, stowed away behind that, they found the culprit, who was worn out, exhausted, and broken down in spirit as well as body, Standley took him
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in a buggy, and drove to Chico, where he overtook Moore, and turned Gaunce over to him to bring to Ukiah.
We will now return to Brown and follow him through the devious wind- ings of his path from his escape from the cabin to his arrest, for be it here recorded that all the gang were finally brought to Ukiah and lodged in jail. After leaving the cabin where Billings was shot he went up Butte creek, on into Conchow valley; thence due east, vp the slope of the Sierras to the snow line; here he stopped all night with an Indian; thence, starting on the morn- ing of December 8th, he crossed the north fork of the Feather river, staying all night at Last Chance; he then crossed French creek to the Mountain House, on the road from Oroville to Susanville; thence on the main road to Bidwell's Bar ; here he took to the shrubby foot-hills and traveled to Wyan- dotte; he then turned towards Rice's crossing, on the Yuba river, and thence to the vicinity of Bidwell's Bar. On the evening of the 10th, Standley and White arrived at the last-named place on horse-back and in the morning scoured the country, warning everybody to look out for Brown. Sheriff Sprague of Yuba county joined them at this time. Some time during the day the offi- cers met two men-Thatcher and Ryan-who had Brown in charge, they having apprehended him about a mile ahead of the officers. Standley arrested Brown and returned to Ukiah with him at once.
And so was ended one of the greatest man-hunting expeditions on record, and it is doubtful if indeed it can be excelled in all the annals of crime. No one can begin to have a just appreciation of its magnitude, and what they were called upon to undergo and endure until he has traveled over those chemessal mountains, going through places where scarce a grizzly bear would attempt to force his way. Let any one take a map of the State, and trace out the route traversed, and he will be amazed. Great credit is due to all who were in any way connected with the pursuit, but to J. M. Standley, Sheriff Moore and Jerry Donohoe, the burden of the honor falls due for their untiring energy and determined zeal. The last named was on the road sixty- one days. When Standley arrived at Ukiah with the last of the outlaws, great excitement prevailed, and the stage was surrounded with a great crowd of eager spectators, desirous both of getting a glimpse of the captive and of paying a just tribute to the captor. Upon Standley's arrival at Little Lake quite an ovation was tendered him. Anvils were fired, Rev. A. O. Ross delivered a speech of welcome, and the grand rejoicing was fittingly closed with a dance.
On the night of November 30th, Wheeler, in company with James Anthony, made his escape from the jail by the aid of a false key made of Babbitt metal. The guard of the jail had stepped out for a few moments, not think- ing but that his prisoners were safe under lock and key, and when he came back the birds had flown. They went to a livery stable and appropriated two horses to their use, and fled northward toward the mountains, but were
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both captured near Calpella not having gotten a dozen miles away. They were successful jail-breakers, but not so much of a success in eluding re-cap- ture in the muddy, rainy days of mid-winter.
In April, 1880, Wheeler, Brown and Gaunce had their trials, Carr, the main witness for the people, giving the most of the foregoing facts concerning the intentions and movements of the gang up to the time of the shooting, and Wheeler's complicity with them. Judge J. G. Pressly, of Sonoma county, was on the bench. Following is the text of the sentence of Wheeler: "John F. Wheeler, you have been charged with the highest crime known to human as well as divine law, and of this charge, after a fair and full trial, you have been convicted by a jury of your countrymen, sworn to try the case and to render a verdiet in accordance with the proof. You have been very ably defended; your counsel have been persistent; have, with pertinacity and skill, contested every point made against you. The same laws which you have broken gave you the means of presenting anything in the way of defense or exculpation that would tend to establish your innocence or extenuate your acts. After hearing all that you have offered in your defense, a jury of intelligent and unbiased men have found you guilty and another proof of cir- cumstances which divests your crime of the glamour which surrounds a bold and daring robbery and murder, is that you remained in the background, and had your work done by confederates. If the circumstances detailed by wit- nesses are true, and the jury have found them to be so, you were the master spirit in one of the most diabolical conspiracies which has, perhaps, ever been entered into within the limits of this county.
" A man who had not harmed you was to have been robbed. and the funds intrusted to him by virtue of his office, taken away and divided among you and your subordinates in crime. In order to carry out your nefarious pur- poses you compassed the death of any citizen who might attempt to interfere with your plans. The result was the death of an estimable citizen of this county-a young man in the prime of life and vigor of manhood, cut down without a moment's warning, and that by men under your command, cow- ardly secreting themselves and shooting from ambush. The fate which has at last overtaken you, is but the just deserts of the act, sbown by the testimony, to have been done by you. Your present condition is but another proof of the truth of the scripture which says that ' the way of the transgressor is hard.' I do not desire to harrow up your feelings, or inflict more pain upon you than my duty, as one of the ministers of justice, requires me to do. I will not prolong this, to me, painful scene, further than to advise you to prepare to meet the awful fate which will surely overtake you. I have endeavored to give you a fair trial. I am not now aware of any errors committed by me to your prejudice. I am glad to know that if I have committed any, and if you have been deprived of rights, there is a tribunal to which you may take your case if you so desire. I hope no human being will ever, by
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any mistake of mine, be ushered into the presence of the Great Judge, who will finally award to everyone the just deserts of his deeds, and that without possibility of error. I think you need not look to any power short of Omnipotence for pardon of the crime of which you have been convicted. I advise you to dismiss from your mind all hope of human aid, and look alone to Him who, 'though your sins be as scarlet, can make them as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, can make them white as wool.' Your sentence and the judgment of the Court is that you be, by the Sheriff of Mendocino county, on Friday, July 2, 1880, hanged by the neck until you are dead, and may God have mercy on your soul."
The city of Ukiah was thrown into a fever of excitement, on Saturday morning, May 15th, by the report that John F. Wheeler, one of the outlaws, had committed suicide. In an almost incredible space of time hundreds of people congregated on the outside of the jail, and in the hall-ways leading to it, anxious to gain the latest information from within. The door to the Sheriff's office was locked, and only a few were admitted, and when any of those who were fortunate enough to gain an entrance would retire, they were plied with all manner of questions as to the condition of the condemned man. The interest seemed to abate but little until death ensued, when most of the people silently betook themselves to their homes there to medi- tate over the drama just ended.
At half-past seven o'clock, on Saturday morning, the guard on duty in the jail spoke to Wheeler, who answered that he was all right, and half an hour after, on being spoken to, he made no response. A few minutes later one of the other prisoners looked into the cell and remarked: "The Doctor is lying flat on his back, with his mouth wide open and sound asleep." No notice was taken of this announcement by the authorities, as it had been custom- ary for Wheeler to remain up late at night reading and writing, and to sleep in the morning. At about a quarter to ten, his wife called to see him, and on going to his cell to bring him out, he was found stretched upon his bed in a comatose state. He was at once removed to the Sheriff's office and placed upon a mattress, where Drs. Dozier, Mason and King did everything in their power to resuscitate him, but without avail, and at 6:50 P. M., he breathed his last. The shackles were at once removed from his ankles and the body placed in the hall-way, where, after being encoffined, it remained until buried on Sunday afternoon .. It was visited twice by Mrs. Wheeler while there, once that evening, and again the next morning. On both occa- sions she manifested great affection for him, and appeared completely broken down with grief.
During the time Wheeler was lying in the Sheriff's office, under the influ- ence of the narcotic, two of his confederates-Brown and Gaunce-mani- fested a great deal of interest, by getting up to the grating between the jail and office a number of times, and peering into the room where Wheeler was
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lying. But the body was in a corner of the office beyond their vision, and they were unable to catch even a glimpse of the face of their late chief.
On searching the cell lately occupied by the deceased, the Sheriff found two packages of letters, a coat, in the lining of which, just over the right shoulder, had been secreted the fatal drug; five bottles, two of which con- tained a solution of chloral hydrate, two compound spirits of lavender, and the other cologne; a small satchel, a small lance-shaped knife, a photo- graph of his wife, and some books and magazines. The bottles containing chloral hydrate were found secreted in his pillow. On the back of the phc- tograph, in Wheeler's handwriting, were the words, " Whose little duckie is this ?"
Wheeler had spent a good portion of Friday afternoon and night in writing letters to relatives and friends. Previous to taking the poison he had dressed himself with scrupulous care, and in his letter to his wife requested that he be buried just as found, with the picture of his wife upon his breast, which was done.
Dr. Mason, County Coroner, held an inquest on Sunday morning, the jury consisting of C. S. Paine, Jule Brown, W. F. Whitney, O. H. P. Brown, E. B. Metzger, J. Blackie, L. A. Cole, Fred. DeCamp, and J. Ginochio. After viewing the remains, the jury retired to the Superior court-room, where Drs. King and Dozier testified that death resulted from morphia poisoning. Sheriff Donohoe and Under-Sheriff Potter were examined as to the discovery of Wheeler in an inanimate condition and the contents of his cell, when the jury returned the following verdict :-
" We, the jury impaneled to inquire into the circumstances of the death of John F. Wheeler, find that the deceased was aged about forty years ; that he was under sentence of death for complicity in the murder of William Wright; and that he died by his own hand, by morphine poison, taken with suicidal intent, and that said death occurred on Saturday, May 15, 1880, at about seven o'clock, P. M."
The following letter was written by Wheeler to his wife just previous to taking the fatal dose:
UKIAH, May the 14th, 1880.
My dear, dear angel of a Wife :- Why has your sad misfortune been thus ? You are the best and dearest little angel on earth, and dearer to me than my own heart's blood. God knows it ; you, dear wife, know that I am innocent-and it is that that will break your dear, pure, tender heart. If it is the will of the All-wise God to let such perjured villians swear the life of an innocent man away, that he, the deep-dyed sinner, might live, let it so be. But dear, good wife, it is too bad, too cruel, to know that you have to suffer on account of such horrible fiends. Dear wife,
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it was my desire, should you have died in San Francisco when you were sick, that I should be buried in the same coffin; for, after your death, life would have no charms for me. You are my heart, my soul, my all. I hope, dear little pet, that I have been kind to you; and if I have ever done you a wrong, that you will now forgive me. O yes, pet, I know, if such were the case, you would only be too willing to do so. We have both been so cruelly treated by many that we have been so kind to in life; but we have the con- solation of having a clear conscience, and we know we could not send an in- nocent fellow-man to the gallows. Now, dear, little, good wife, do not grieve, but think what a troublesome world this is. Oh, to have had you in my arms at the last moment of life, and to have known that you were leaving the world after the time allotted you to remain here on this cold earth, would have been all the blessing I could have asked; and I always calculated to follow you, if you should have been taken from me. But, dear wife, try to once more be happy, if possible. Do as you think best with all things. And we know that we soon shall be with little Jimmy and the rest of our dear friends, if there is such a thing as friends meeting in the spirit- land. 'Tis there that poor Dollard and Wright will know whether I am innocent or not. I am, thank God. I hope they are happy. Now, dear, dear, little wife, if I should leave this earth this night, please have me buried with my clothes on, just as I die. May the God of Heaven strengthen your dear heart to bear up under the trouble that has and will befall you. Dear, dear, good angel, do. I hope soon to be beyond the wicked hand of man, and to go where all are judged alike. I know there is not enough evidence to con- vict me in the Supreme Court; but rather than have you, my dear angel, suffer and be abused so long, I had rather die, and let poor little pet be tor- mented no longer. No, you have suffered too much. Oh, what can I say in this, my last hour, to cheer and console you ? O dear, dearest of wives, what can I say ? Alas! 'tis sad to die in a gloomy cell, an innocent victim. But perhaps, as we have read, some of the best of men have had to do the same thing. I now ask, from the bottom of my heart, the forgiveness of any one I have done an injury to in life, and I will try to forgive those who have wronged me. But to you, dear wife, dear wife, may God give me words of consolation to offer you. I am now looking at your dear picture, which I want buried on my breast-as next to thee, dear, little, good angel that you are. Now for the last words on earth : "Tis all in praising you, my dear little pet, for your goodness and kindness. You love true and fondly and faithfully. Oh, mercy on my poor soul ! May God help you and me, at the last moments of our troubles. To all dear friends, farewell. And to you, poor, dear angel, poor, dear angel, I will meet you again-I hope soon-in happiness. Now thy dear lips I kiss in the spirit. So, alas, farewell ! Good_ bye, good-bye ; dear angel, good-bye on this earth !
Yours in death, J. F. WHEELER.
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The trial of H. E. Brown occurred March 2, 1880, and he was convicted of murder in the first degree, and sentenced to be hung April 30th. George Gaunce was tried at the same term of court and the conviction was the same, and May 21st set for day of execution. Both secured a stay of execu- tion pending the decision of the Supreme Court in regard to a new trial.
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ANDERSON.
GEOGRAPHY .- This township is bounded on the north by Calpella town- ship, on the east by Ukiah and Sanel townships, on the south by Sonoma county, and on the west by Arena and Big River townships. There are no navigable streams in the township, and but few of any kind. Anderson creek extends through Anderson valley, while the head waters of several streams emptying into the Pacific ocean and into the Russian river are to be found here.
TOPOGRAPHY .- Mountains and valleys-this is the topography of the township in a nutshell, with more of the former than the latter. Anderson valley is the principal one in that section, which is a long, narrow strip of land lying between two chains of mountains, extending perhaps ten miles in a south-easterly and north-westerly direction.
SOIL .- The soil in the valleys is a rich alluvial, and well adapted to grow- ing vegetables, fruits, and cereals. The soil of the hill-sides and mountains is a coarse, gravelly composition, well calculated for the growing of grass and vines and fruits, but not cereals. To the east of Booneville, on the road, from that place to Ukiah, is to be seen a soil of a very peculiar nature and composition. It is evidently formed from the debris of a once active volcano, and much of the soil seems to be of a grayish composition very similar to ashes, while other portions of it is of a brownish red, and formed evidently from lava thrown from the crater of the volcano whence came the ashes. Where that volcano was, or when it ejected this volume of ashes and lava is all now unknown, but that it was ages ago is certainly true. It well repays the tourist and sight-seer to go that far out of his usual route to visit this very peculiar formation.
CLIMATE .- The climate of this section is the most delightful that can be imagined. It lies behind the chain of the coast mountains, so that it is per- fectly protected from the bitter blasts of the fog-laden breezes which prevail on the coast. The sun shines with unimpeded brilliancy upon the bosom of the valleys and the ridges of the mountains, casting a bright and refulgent light upon all, and making all to rejoice in its glinting rays. What more beautiful picture can be imagined than that which may be seen any day during the summer season from any of the heights which surround Anderson valley. We will suppose it to be a day in June, ere the grasses on the hill and mountain-sides begin to sere. The point of vision is the summit of the
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first range of mountains passed over as the traveler goes from Booneville to Point Arena. The bright and rosy hues of early morning still glow upon the eastern skies as he starts out upon his journey. He soon finds himself buried in the heart of a forest, and as he passes on, mile after mile, the rosy tints of morning deepen into the bright silver of midday. Up and up the traveler threads his way along the grade, coming out ever and anon from the depths of the forest shade upon some vantage ground, whence a good view may be had of the valleys below him. At last, when the sun has neared the meridian heighth, he finds himself upon the culmination of the series of ridges over which he has toiled with Herculean might; and what a panorama opens out before his astonished view ! He stands upon the summit of the divid- ing ridge between the mountain chain which separates the valleys from the coast-the summit of the real Coast Range-and the stunted growth of chemes- sal shows that he is high up in the world. Looking eastward, back over the track that he has just come, he sees the road winding, serpent-like, up the sides of the mountains, while at the base of the series of ridges lies the beautiful valley; its long, slender contour stretching, ribbon-like, for miles, dotted here and there with farm houses, and waving in emerald fields of growing grain, and here and there an orchard and vineyard. Beyond this, in gentle rolling swells, rise the ranges of hills and mountains which lie between Anderson valley and that most beautiful of valleys - the Russian River. This valley is hidden partially from view, but the glimpses one gets here and there show the true grandeur of that dale. Beyond this lies the range of mountains which separates Mendocino and Lake counties -the Coast Range proper, and then range and ridge, peak and crag, until the whole vista blends into one grand mountain view. Far away to the north-east the noble proportions of old Sanhedrim are reared far toward the zenith, standing head and shoulders above the surrounding brotherhood of peaks. Its poll is truly frosty now, not only on account of age, but from the fact that the last winter's snows still mantle its brow with a robe of purest white, while the whole range skirting South Eel river has still a vestige remaining of the storms which howled and shrieked in their fastnesses during the winter solstice. To the south-east, far away to the very south-west corner of Lake county, stands the proud old monarch, Mount St. Helena,- she with the romantic and beautiful legend concerning her name. As one stands and views the mighty peak, as it rears its monster head aloft, looking like a Titanic sentry standing guard over the destinies of the pigmies in human shape who are toiling and moiling in the valleys at her feet, and who have even dared to delve into her very bowels for the precious metals which those dwarfs so highly prize, he realizes how many, many leagues of moun- tains and valleys the intrepid Russian commander, Rotscheff, had to pass over before he reached its summit, and gave to it the name it still retains - St. Helena - which was given in honor of his wife, the beautiful Princess
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