USA > California > San Bernardino County > Ingersoll's century annals of San Bernadino County, 1769-1904 : prefaced with a brief history of the state of California : supplemented with an encyclopedia of local biography and portraits of many of its representative people > Part 37
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O. P. Sloat, Captain Commanding: Wm. C. Seccombe, First Lieutenant ; Arthur F. Halpin, Second Lieutenant ; First Sergeant, J. D. Mathews ; Quar- termaster Sergeant, W. A. Rowntree; Duty Sergeants, W. G. Bodkin, C. S.
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Rollins, B. W. Allen, D. W. Strong; Corporals, D. L. Noble, A. J. Rogers. F. J. Atkinson, J. P. Doyle, A. B. Gazzola, J. L. Whitlock, I. S. Martin, John Hall, E. I. Cleveland, E. L. Barrows; Wagoner, H. N. Peck; Artificer, N. S. Young; Musicians, D. S. Brown, C. A. King ; Privates, J. Q. Adams, John Averill, Frank Baker, L. R. Barrow, S. G. Batchelor, W. T. Baxter, A. J. Beattie, C. E. Binckley, Arthur Brill, Leonard Brooks, N. N. Brown, D. P. Butler, L. A. Coburn. J. I. Cole, P. B. Conant, W. S. Cooper, C. C. Corkhill, Riland Cox, Andrew Craig, J. E. Cram. C. E. Crawford, W. P. Davies, H. G. Davis, E. L. Davis, J. P. Dolan, W. H. Dubbs, Starkey Dun- can, A. A. Eshelman, A. D. Frantz, R. A. Gremlin, R. B. Glaze, Cuthbert Gully, R. T. Hawley, G. W. Hendley, Jas. Hospelhorn, E. H. Horton, E. L. Howell, B. L. Hauck, M. E. Johnson, V. T. Johnson, Harry Johnson, A. H. Keller, Grove Ketchum, Edwin La Niece, Wm LaRue, G. E. Lauterborn, C. H. Lefter, J. A. Magill, J. B. Mann, Chas. Miller, L. E. Mitchell, T. G. Mort, C. K. McDonald, W. M. Morton, H. Mourning, Robt. Nelson, C H. Nichol- son, G. G. Osborn, L. W. Plants, R. C. Powell, John Purcell, W. H. Ralston, J. O. Ramirez, Chas. Reat, T. G. Ritchie, F. W. Scott, D. H. Sibbett, F. W. Singer, K. E. Smith, J. W. Stoliker, J. A. Storm, G. W. Swing, T. H. Tarbox, Clyde Taylor. E. B. Tyler, W. F. U'Ren, Arthur Walton, J. L. Wever, T. G. Weed, J. C. Weil, L. G. White, G. E. Whitlock, C. A. Williams, W. B. Williamson, J. Worley, J. W. Young.
] = MAJ. A. B. GAZZOLA
The following is a list of the officers in com- mission since organization :
Captains : William J. Wilsey, afterwards Lieutenant Colonel and Aide de Camp on the staff of the Governor; George L. Bryant, afterwards Lieutenant Colonel 9th Infantry ; N. A. Richardson ; Isaac Benjamin, previously Major 7th Infantry; Earl M. Ducoe, Alex E. Frye, W. A. Ball, T. H. Goff, Orin P. Sloat.
First Lieutenants: George L. Bryant, Al- bert Lee Brown, N. A. Richardson, George W. Thomas, Earl M. Ducoe, Fred Muscott, H. La V. Twining, afterwards Ist Lieutenant Company I, 7th California Infantry, U. S. V., and Captain and Adjutant 7th Infantry, N. G. C., O. P. Sloat ; William C. Seccombe, after- wards Major 7th Infantry, N. G. C .; John D. Matthews, Byron W. Allen.
Second Lieutenants: Myron W. Littlefield, George W. Thomas, Earl M. Ducoe, Fred Muscott, Charles L. Allison, O. P. Sloat, W. C. Seccombe, D. C. Schlott, E. L. Barrows.
Members of the company have been otherwise commissioned as follows:
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Sergeant A. S. Guthrie, Captain Company H, 6th Infantry, U. S. V .; Cor- poral W. A. Varney, Ist Lieutenant Ist California Infantry, U. S. V., now Ist Lieutenant Heavy Artillery, N. G. C .; Sergeant Donald W. Strong, 2nd Lieutenant 35th Infantry, U. S. V., now 2nd Lieutenant Artillery Corps, U. S. A .: Private Harvey E. Higbey, Ist Lieutenant and Battalion Adjutant 7th California Infantry, U. S. V., Captain Company G. 7th Infantry. N. G. C .; Sergeant James E. Mack, Ist Lieutenant and Quartermaster 9th Infantry, N. G. C .; Sergeant George C. Fox, Ist Lieutenant and Battalion Adjutant 9th Infantry, N. G. C.
Members of Company K, who subsequently performed duty in the Phil- ippines in the United States Army: D. W. Strong, Ira S. Martin, E. I. Cleveland, H. N. Peck, D. P. Butler, C. E. Crawford, R. Nelson, John Pur- cell, William H. Ralston, D. H. Sibbett, Theodore H. Tarbox, L. G. White, C. A. Williams, Harry Johnston, L. W. Plantz; in Naval Militia, Spanish war, T. B. Robertson ; in U. S. Navy, C. O. Hoyt.
Death Roll.
The following members died at San Bernardino: Corporal John Bryant, May 20, 1888; Private A. J. McDonald, September 22, 1890; Private S. W. Roach, January 8, 1892. At the Presidio of San Francisco: Sergeant Cur- tis S. Rollins, July 22, 1898, pneumonia ; Private William H. Dubbs, July 24, 1898, pneumonia. In the Philippines: Sergeant Don L. Noble, 18th U. S. Infantry, Iloilo, Panay, smallpox; Corporal Theodore H. Tarbox, Com- pany L, 43rd Infantry, U. S. V., Sept. 16, 1900 Alang-Alang, Leyte, typhoid ; Leroy W. Plantz, 4th U. S. Cavalry, north line Luzon, boloed, body thrown in well.
COMPANY G, 7th INFANTRY, N. G. C.
The Redlands Guard was organized on Friday evening, June 10, 1892, at Society Hall, in the Feraud Building, at the corner of Orange and Water streets, Redlands. On the Friday evening following, J. Wallace F. Diss was elected Captain; Frank C. Prescott, First Lieutenant, and James F. Drake, Second Lieutenant. Drilling began regularly on Thursday nights, and uniforms were soon provided. One of the stores in the brick building, where the Casa Loma was afterwards built, was used as an armory. In August, 1892, the company went to Camp Butler, at Long Beach, under command of Lieutenant Prescott, Captain Diss being there during the camp as a guest of the National Guard. Here Adjutant General Allen entertained a plan, whereby state Springfield rifles were stored with and used by the company. The membership at this time included the following: First Ser- geant, Harvey E. Higbey; Sergeants, Musgrove, Steele; Corporals, E. J. Underwood, E. E. Raught, J. W. Edwards, John F. Byrne, Charles Howard, Musician Huff : Privates, C. A. Wise, Charles Roberts, J. F. Dostal, Herman
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Yorker, T. S. Holliday, Ruggles, John Rundberg, Chapman, Young, Holli- day, F. N. Chevalier, Charles W. Lehr, B. R. Sheldon, J. A. Weitzel, A. C. Fowler, J. F. Sutherland, A. R. Welton, George S. Biggin, W. W. Dingwall, Fred Higinbotham, William Koehler, Will Bryan, L. A. Pfeiffer, Jacob Maier, John Carson, S. Kenady.
On June 3, 1893, the independent company, as Company G, was mus- tered into the Ninth Infantry, National Guard of California, with the fol- lowing membership: J. Wallace F. Diss, Captain; Frank C. Prescott, Ist Lieutenant ; Harvey E. Higbey, 2nd Lieutenant ; George S. Abrahams, Jr., G. D. Adams, Walter C. Aston, Fred Babcock, G. S. Biggin, P. N. Brown, Harry Cherry, F. N. Chevalier, O. D. Collins, Herbert Comer, Otto Comer, Frank Cook, A. A. Cronkhite, A. L. Dean, W. WV. Dingwall, Louis H. Dorr, Jr., John F. Dostal, James A. Doyle, C. E. Budley, H. H. Edwards, H. M. Forbes, A. C. Fowler, F. T. Gernich, F. H. Hunt, F. J. Hart- horn, I. M. Hough, James S. Haskell, C. E. Iveson, N. B. Irons, W. S. Johnston, S. E. Kan- ady, J. Kircher, Charles W. Lelir, W. S. Littlefield, J. A. Mack, Jr., J. D. Matthews, H. H. Maxwell, Andrew Muldowney, Jacob Maier, Harry D. Meacham, J. H. Niell, Jesse E. Norris, B. I. Norwood, Lonson H. Patchem, William T. CAPF. E. J. UNDERWOOD Phelps, C. H. Roberts. ]. E. Rhein, J. C. Reeder, E. E. Raught, Henry B. Raught, Jr., E. J. Underwood, John J. Steele, Karl Schodin, R. E. Sargent, George M. Smallwood, Otto G. Suess, B. R. Sheldon, J. F. Suther- land, Thos. Sweeny, Lincoln Sherrard, Alexander A. Valdez, Marvin C. Van Leuven, J. A. Weitzel, Jesse A. Wooliscroft, A. L. Witwer, A. R. Welton, P. C. West, F. W. Wiedey.
Upon the disintegration of the 9th Infantry, Regiment G. O. 17. A. G. O., Dec. 7, 1895, Company G was assigned provisionally to the Third Battalion of Infantry of the First Brigade, N. G. C., and two days later, G. O. 18, A. G. O., Dec. 9, 1895, retaining its old letter, was transferred to the First Bat- talion, 7th Infantry, N. G. C. Company G rendezvoused at Redlands, Mav 5, 1898, and was, with the rest of the regiment, mustered into the 7th Cal-
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ifornia Infantry, U. S. V., Independent Division, 8th Army Corps, U. S. A., on May 9, 1898, at the Presidio of San Francisco, with the following mem- bership :
George S. Biggin, Captain Commanding: George M. Smallwood, First Lieutenant : Lewis Palmtag, Second Lieutenant ; First Sergeant, G. E. Cryer : Quartermaster Sergeant, Frank Cook; Duty Sergeants, H. F. H. Brown. L. K. Brown, J. E. Hosking, Jacob Kircher : Corporals, E. S. Logie, W. H Fletcher, C. F. Ford, A. G. Reynolds, O. H. Burton, A. R. Welton, Chas. J Jolinson, Arthur W. Hunt, Geo. A. Weber, Jno. A. Mack, Harry C. Lock- wood, Will L. Fowler; Wagoner, J. G. Baldridge; Artificer, A. C. Sherman : Musician, Chas. Danielson.
Privates : Jos. Allen, J. H. Alder, W. E. Arnold, H. T. Arnold, F. L. Ball, W. W. Bender, J. H. Bickford, Peter Brooks, A. C. Brown, A. P. A. Brown, G. J. Butler, D. Carlson, W. G. Caldwell, J. C. Condit, C. Conklin, Waide Cook, F. T. Corbin. G. G. Cousins, Frank Cryer, Oliver Cummins, Frank Curless, E. Daniels, F. S. Dicks, Peter Dickie, W. W. Dixon, J. F. Earle, C. R. Ferguson, W. T. Ferguson, C. E. Foster, W. E. Foster, H. A. Fowler, O. A. Goth ,O. A. O. Goth, C. Craver, P. B. Greason, J. M. Gwin, L. B. Gwin, H. C. Gwynn, A. Hancock, C. Heidt, J. D. Hettman, S. H. Hinckley, C. A. Hunt, N. B. Irons, J. P. Johnson, J. S. Kincher, W. F. King. G. W. Knapp, C. A. Kline, O. Ladwig, C. Larbig, M. J. Lewis, E. B. Lukens, C. Lyman, Wm. Marske, H. H. McCormick, A. J. McGrady, F. J. Michaelis, Augustus Millard, T. J. O'Brien, Jno. O'Dea, Wm. H. Pettit, M. F. Pierce, F. C. Preston, W. H. Reece, Adam Reising, B. L. Roberts, W. H. Ross, A. J. Rhodes, C. L. Rucher, N. C. Scott, A. C. Sheppard, M. D. Sherrard, M. E. Shorey, C. F. Tilden, W. D. Timmons, F. Thomas, Jno. Toll, F. J. Valdez. H. F. Wallace, F. H. Weidey, G. Willett, O. V. Williams, E. M. Woodbury, L. J. Wood.
The following is a list of the officers in commission since its organiza- tion : Captains, J. Wallace F. Diss, June 3, 1893; Edwin J. Underwood. Feb. 21, 1806; George S. Biggin, Nov. 17, 1897; Harvey E. Higbey, Feb. 10, 1900. First Lieutenants : Frank C. Prescott, June 3, 1893 ; Harvey E. Higbey. October 19, 1893: Albert A. Welton, February 21, 1896; George S. Biggin, Feb. 10, 1897: George M. Smallwood, Nov. 17, 1897; Edwin J. Underwood, Sept. 12, 1900. Second Lieutenants : Harvey E. Higbey, June 3, 1893 ; Edwin J. Underwood, Oct. 19, 1893; George S. Biggin, Feb. 21, 1896; George M. Smallwood, Feb. 10, 1897; Lewis Palmtag, Nov. 17, 1897; Lewis K. Brown, Feb. 10, 1900.
Members of the company have been later commissioned as follows : Frank C. Prescott, elected Major 9th Infty., N. G. C., Major 7th Infty .. N. G. C., appointed Major 7th Infty., U. S. V., appointed Captain 43rd Infty., U. S. V., retired Major N. G. C., J. Wallace F. Diss, appointed Major and Inspector First Brigade, N. G. C., Ist Lieut. Cal. Heavy Artillery, U. S. V.,
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Captain Cal. Heavy Art., U. S. V., Lieut. Col. on staff Governor, N. G. C. Harvey E. Higbey, appointed Battalion Inspector 7th Infty., U. S. V., G. C. Thaxter, appointed Ist Lieut. Inspector Rifle Practice 7th Infty., N. G. C., H. Sinclair, appointed Ist Lieut. Inspector Rifle Practice 9th Infty., N. G. C.
Members of Company G who subsequently performed duty in the United States Army in the Philippines: Frank C. Prescott, 43rd Infty .. U. S. V .; J. Wallace F. Diss, Cal. Heavy Art., U. S. V .: John G. Baldridge, 43rd Infty. ; Charles R. Ferguson, 33rd Infty .; H. H. McCormick, 3rd Art., U. S. A .; W. D. Timmons, 43rd Infty .; F. J. Michaelis, U. S. A .; G. Willett, 35th Infty. ; F. J. Valdez, 18th Infty. ; Arthur L. Dean, U. S. Art .: Geo. Moseley, U. S. Art .: M. Royal, George J. Beasley, 43rd Infty. ; W. E. Foster, U. S. A. The following members died at San Francisco: Private Lindsey J. Wood, July 4, 1898; William C. Marske, July 28, 1898; W. T. Ferguson, July 31, 1898; Harry Wallace. In the Philippines : Frank J. Valdez, fever ; Arthur L. Dean, shot.
CHAPTER XIV.
CRIMES AND LAWLESSNESS.
From the days of 1856-7 when strong feeling between the Independents and Mormons began to manifest itself in quarrels and even in bloodshed, down through the sixties, the quiet and law-abiding citizens of the county, who were always largely in the majority, were constantly disturbed by a lawless element of some kind. Outlaws from Utah and Arizona, restless and reckless miners, bands of thieving Apaches or Pah-utes, drink-crazed Coahuillas, desperadoes who had drifted into the county from the north- especially during the years of the civil war, all of these elements combined to make and to keep things lively.
One of the most noted instances of disregard for right or law occurred in 1859 and is known as "The Ainsworth-Gentry affair." An eye-witness and participant describes it thus: "San Bernardino at this time had two physicians, one of whom was union in sentiment, the other a southerner. This fact, mingled with a feeling of professional rivalry and perhaps with other canses not made public, produced a rancor which finally led Dr. Gentry to attack Dr. Ainsworth with a horse whip. Dr. Ainsworth seized the whip and struck his assailant in the face. The next day, Gentry, on meeting his rival, fired his pistol at him. Ainsworth escaped the shot by dodging, and returned the fire-but no one was hurt. Gentry collected his friends and they began to make serions threats against Ainsworth. The friends of the latter determined to protect him and eight young men armed themselves,
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removed Ainsworth to an old adobe house on the corner west of the South Methodist church and there kept guard over him for two or three days The Gentry party sent word to El Monte that the Mormons had attacked them, and about fifty men from that settlement armed themselves and rode over to San Bernardino. On learning that the Ainsworth party were simply pro- tecting their man, the better class of these visitors returned home. But a few of the more lawless under the leadership of a desperado -- one Green, remained and paraded the streets, firing their guns, terrorizing the citizens and defying the authorities. They loaded the old cannon which had looked so formidable in the Fort Benson affair and hauled it into place, announcing their intention of burning down the house where Ainsworth was in hiding and shooting his guard. One of the guard succeeded in reaching the cannon tinnoticed and spiked it with a rat-tail file. When the attacking party be- came too aggressive the guard prepared to fire. Word was passed to "save fire and shoot low"-and the most of the attacking mob suddenly vanished. A few shots were exchanged, however, and one of the Ainsworth party, Bethel Coopwood, was wounded in the shoulder."
The sheriff, R. V. Herring, was finally compelled to call upon the citizens generally to aid him in restoring order, and the intruders were driven out and sent home.
The political campaign of 1860 was a sharp one. C. W. Piercey was nominated for Assemblyman by one party and W. A. Conn, who had already served a term, by the other side. After a bitter contest Piercey was elected -it is claimed by bare-faced fraud. It is stated on good authority that the polls at Temescal were kept open for three weeks, and whenever more votes were needed by Piercey they were furnished by his henchman, Greenwade, from this precinct.
During the contest in the courts which followed this election, a lively encounter took place in the court room between two young lawyers, H. M. Willis and Bethel Coopwood, over the depositions in the case. One of theni drew a slung shot and the other a revolver. The sheriff interfered, but not until Coopwood had received a slight wound. The Los Angeles Star reports : "Both the combatants were put under bonds, but the indications are that trouble is not over. Last night a rowdy gang took possession of the town. They smashed Jacob's bar and demolished signs of nearly every Jew store in town and broke into two stores. No arrests."
THE PIERCEY-SHOWALTER DUEL.
"In 1861, a sharp contest arose over the election of U. S. Senator. In the course of the contest a quarrel arose between Daniel Showalter, assem- blyman from Mariposa county, and C. W. Piercey, assemblyman from San Bernardino county. It appears that Piercey, who was a Union Democrat, had been in the caucus that nominated John Nugent, but afterwards an-
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nounced that he would not vote for him because he found that he was not sound on the Union question. Showalter, who though born in Pennsylvania, was in favor of slavery and secession, took exception to Piercey's declaration. Subsequently Piercey voted for the Union resolutions and objected to Sho- walter's being allowed to explain his vote against them. The result was that Showalter insulted Piercey, and Piercey challenged him. The hostile meeting took place on Saturday, May 25, 1861, near the residence of Charles Fairfax, about three miles west of San Rafael, Marin county. The seconds of Piercey were Henry P. Watkins and Samuel Smith; those of Showalter, Thomas Hays and Thomas Lespeyre. The weapons were rifles at forty yards. The first fire was ineffective. Showalter. demanded another shot and on the second fire hit Piercey in the mouth and killed him. As in the Broderick and Terry duel and also in that of Johnson and Ferguson, the anti-chivalry man was killed. The fact occasioned remark. And on this account, as well also of an advance in civilization in California, this was the last of the po- litical duels in the state."-Hittell.
Showalter subsequently, a fugitive from justice, was concerned in an attempt to organize a secession force in the vicinity of Warner's Ranch, was captured by a troop of the First California Volunteers and was a pris- oner at Fort Yuma, until exchanged, when he joined the Confederate forces in Texas, and became an officer of the Southern Army.
BEAR AND HOLCOMB VALLEYS.
There had been a great influx of miners, speculators, gamblers and the riff-raff which generally collects about a successful mining camp at the newly-discovered gold mines in these valleys. Many of these people were secessionists, and being naturally lawless, gave free rein to their propensities during the unsettled condition of affairs brought about by the first breaking out of the war. Fights were the order of the day, and the respectable ele- ment was completely overwhelmed. At one time ten men, wounded in dif- ferent affrays, were reported in these camps. Another report announces that four horse thieves have been convicted and five more are on trial. In July, 1861, the court brought in ten convictions for grand larceny. It was claimed that the sheriff was powerless to handle the ruffian element, and a call for United States troops was asked for. (See Reminiscences of W. F. Holcomb.)
CRIMES.
The list of crimes is a long one. A large county, sparsely settled, with mountain fastnesses and desert stretches, a large transient population at all times, and a large element of Mexicans, half-breeds, Indians, desperadoes in hiding-furnished natural conditions for crime.
During the sixties a number of citizens were murdered upon the roads,
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presumably by outlaws and thieves. Edward Newman was thus murdered in 1864 about five miles from San Bernardino. A posse was formed to punish his supposed murderers, and after a hot chase killed Celestino Alipaz at the Santa Ana river. Another of the murderers was later hung in Los Angeles. It was supposed that Mr. Alexander Patterson was thus murdered, although no evidence could be produced.
In 1869 a cold-blooded murder occurred in Miller's Hotel. The bar- keeper. Warner, fired five shots at John C. Steadman, with whom he had quarreled over a board bill, and wounded him so that he died within twenty- four hours. In 1871 one Rafael Buteres shot and instantly killed the girl with whom he lived, at Agua Mansa. He was found guilty of murder in the first degree, but before his sentence, dug his way out of the jail, made his escape and was never recaptured.
December 16, 1873, Mr. A. Abadie, a Frenchman who had mined for a number of years in Lytle Creek and who was reputed to have taken out large amounts of gold from these mines, was shot whik on the road between Cucamonga and his home in Lytle Creek. He was shot in his wagon and the horses carried him to the nearest house, where he was found dead. No cause except malice could be assigned, as the dead man was not robbed, ap- parently, and the affair seems to have remained a mystery.
In 1874 a man named Brown was knocked in the head with an ax and killed instantly by a Mr. Bonner at the ranch of the latter in Holcomb Valley. Bonner was given a life sentence in the penitentiary. On August 16, 1878, the first white man was hanged in the county. This was N. M. Peterson, who had murdered a boy, George Barrett, in the most cold-blooded manner as the two were riding along the road near Banning. In 1879 a man named Mitchell blew out the brains of his wife during a dispute. He was arrested and placed in the county jail, from which he made his escape. Later the murderer was caught in San Diego and brought back to San Bernardino, but he again made his escape by overpowering the warden and walking out of the jail was never recaptured. In 1881, John Taylor, a miner from Calico, shot and killed his partner, John Peterson, at Brinkmeyer's corner in San Bernar- dino. After the dastardly deed he turned his revolver on himself and in- flicted a fatal wound.
March 28, 1884, William B. McDowell was hung by Sheriff Burkhart in San Bernardino for one of the most atrocious murders on record. As it was developed in the trial, McDowell and his wife came to Colton and then induced a young girl, Maggie O'Brien, with whom he had been intimate, to come from Los Angeles to Colton. He and his wife met her, took her into a buggy and carried her to a gulch at the foot of the mountains and killed her with some blunt instrument, afterward tying a rope about her neck. They hid the body in a hole in the side of the ravine. Nearly a month later, the wife sent for an officer and confessed, and McDowell was arrested. Ex-
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citement ran high and there was talk of lynching when the crime became known to the public; but the man was tried, convicted of murder in the first degree and sentenced to be hung July 10, 1883. An appeal to the Supreme Court was taken, however, and while awaiting its session, McDowell made his escape. A most exciting chase followed ; he was recaptured, his sentence sustained, and carried out.
In 1885 one of the most terrible deeds ever perpetrated in the county was committed. Thomas Stanton was attacked by four drunken Indians on the banks of Warm Creek, near the town, and was held over the fire which he had built to cook his supper and roasted so that he died the next day.
In 1887, George Farris was shot to death by Edward Callahan at a lodging house on Court street. Callahan acknowledged his guilt, gave him- self up to the officers, and was acquitted. In 1887, Katie Handorff was mur- dered at the Transcontinental Hotel in Colton by her husband, Springer. The couple who had just been married came to the city and took a. room at the hotel. The next morning the body of the young woman was found, her throat cut from ear to ear and her head crushed in by some heavy instrument. Large rewards were offered and every effort made to capture the criminal, but no trace of him could be discovered. Months afterward the body of a man, with a bullet hole through the head was found at Little Mountain, and on investigation this proved to be all that remained of the assassin.
In 1888 one of the most lamentable affairs ever known in San Bernardino took place. On December 15th, E. C. Morse, cashier of the San Bernardino National Bank, was approached by one Oakley, an insane man, who claimed that he had $3000 in the bank and wanted it. When Morse refused to deliver the money the man drew a gun and fired. Morse returned the fire, shooting three times, but he was shot in the abdomen fatally and expired in a short time. Oakley after a wild race upon the street was captured and was sen- tenced for life. Morse was an old and well-known citizen and one who was greatly respected and loved and the event was the cause of general sorrow.
In 1890 William McConkey, a hotel keeper of Redlands, shot and killed Edward Gresham in the old Windsor house and then killed himself.
In 1893 a Mexican, Jesus Furan, actuated by jealousy, stabbed William Golfkoffer and a Mexican woman, Francesca Flores, to death in the most brutal manner. April 17th a mob entered the jail, took possession of the fiend and lynched him-the first instance of lynch law in the county for many years.
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CHAPTER XV.
REMINISCENCES.
Marcus Katz.
My first visit to the Lugo Rancho dates back as early as May, 1851, before the immigration from Salt Lake set in. The Lugo Rancho was a vast pasture of live stock, consisting of mustang horses, horned cattle, sheep and goats, the property of the Lugo estate; and of unclaimed stock, brown and grizzly bears, mountain lions, wild cats, coyotes and foxes.
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