Napa County
Death Records
HOMICIDES
Murder of S. H. Sellers
Murder of S. H. Sellers.—Sometime during the year 1850 George C. Yount and Isaac Howell had a lawsuit which grew out of some trouble concerning their stock. This man Sellers was a Justice of the Peace and rendered a decision in favor of the Howell side of the case. A man by the name of Hugh McCaully, who was a relative of Yount's, met Sellers some time after the trial, in a store, and began to upbraid him for the way he had decided in the case mentioned above. Sellers was sitting on a barrel and was answering McCaully in a very sarcastic manner. Finally the latter became enraged, and whipped out a large knife with which he cut Sellers through the back, killing him almost instantly. McCaully was arrested, tried, and found guilty of murder in the first degree, and was sentenced to be hanged. His friends then set about to obtain a pardon for him, which they prevailed upon Governor McDougal to grant. Some Napa people chanced to be at the State Capital (Benicia) that day and learned what had been done. Captain T.G. Baxter chanced to be at Benicia with his little steamer, and these parties chartered him to bring them to Napa with all possible speed. He crowded his little engine to her utmost and reached the destination ahead of the party who was bringing the pardon, who came overland. The news was spread and the people determined to make short and quick work of the matter, but decided to wait if possible till nightfall to do it. The ferry was disabled so that when the officer came from the Governor bringing the pardon he could not be ferried over. Nobody would give him any assistance, and left him to get over the stream as best he could. He proceeded by way of the Trancas, but when he arrived in town everything was as still as death. He proceeded to hunt up the man for whom he had the pardon, and found him hanging by the neck, dead and almost cold. The building in which he was hanged stood on the south-east corner of Main and Second streets, and was shipped around the Horn, all ready to put together when it arrived here.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), pages 143-144.
Murder of Prieto
Murder of -------- Prieto. —This occurred in July, 1859, in that part of Napa City known as Spanishtown. There was a general row going on among the Spaniards and Prieto was stabbed several times, any one of seven of them being severe enough to have proved fatal. One Geralda Feliz was held for commission of the deed by the Grand Jury, but there is nothing further on record concerning the case.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), page 144.
Murder of George Ettenbrough
Murder of George Ettenbrough. —This occurred in Berryessa Valley, July 28, 1860, and the deed, which was said to have been a very cold-blooded one, was perpetrated by Thomas Lofton. The difficulty grew out of a dispute about a tract of land, and Lofton had a navy revolver with which he shot his victim. He had, besides this revolver, a rifle, and the citizens and officers were unable to arrest him, hence he made good his escape.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), page 144.
Killing of James Cummings
Killing of James Cummings. —Berryessa Valley was also the scene of this homicide, and, while the trouble grew out of land matters, as had the [murder of George Ettenbrough], the circumstances were much different. John See, the man who did the shooting, had a claim on a piece of land in the valley. He also had charge of a band of sheep, which belonged to another party. It became necessary for him to take the band of sheep to the lower end of the valley and to remain absent from his claim for some length of time. He left his place in charge of a younger brother and a man named Wood. The man, Cummings, who got killed, had the name of being a bad man, and as soon as See was gone set about making preparations to "jump" his claim. The first thing he did was to bribe Wood with forty dollars to leave the place. He then went to the house and, with threats and a show of firearms, frightened the younger See off the place also. He then proceeded to take possession by throwing See's things out of doors and installing himself as master of the domain. A few days later the older See came to the place in a wagon with a party of hunters, and, seeing his things cast out of doors, proceeded to the house to see how matters looked. Just then Cummings put in an appearance with a cocked revolver and ordered See to quit the premises. See went to the wagon and procured a gun, with which he shot and almost instantly killed Cummings. This occurred on the 24th day of November, 1860. See was arrested, or gave himself up to the officers, and was acquitted by the Justice of the Peace.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), pages 144-145.
Murder of Thomas Wilson
Murder of Thomas Wilson. —Wilson lived in a small cabin by himself in Wild Horse Valley, some five or six miles east of Napa City. On the 10th day of October, 1861, he was found in his house with a black silk cravat (handkerchief) tied around his neck, and it was evident that he had been strangled to death. No clue was ever found to the perpetrator of the deed.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), page 145.