Napa County
Death Records
HOMICIDES
Murder of Joseph Warren Osborne
Murder of Joseph Warren Osborne—He was killed by Charles Brittian April 18, 1863, on his own premises, now known as the Woodward estate, near Oak Knoll station, under the following circumstances: Brittian had worked for Osborne on his farm as a laborer, and for said services he received a check on a bank in San Francisco for the sum of two hundred and sixty-five dollars. On presenting his check payment was refused on it. He then went to see Osborne, who promised to settle the matter within a few days. Brittian then returned to San Francisco, and after a few days procured a revolver at a store, and started for Osborne's place. On his way up to Napa on the steamer he stated that he was going to have his money or that he would kill Osborne. Arriving at Oak Knoll he proceeded to the house of his victim and inquired for him, and was told that he could be found in the orchard. Thither he went on his ghastly errand, and began a conversation with him. No one was present to hear the language used by either party, but parties at a distance soon saw by the motions being made that there was some trouble between them, and saw some aggressive motions made by Brittian. Osborne then picked up a rock, and at once Brittian shot him, and he died in a few moments. Brittian was arrested and lodged in jail, and indicted May 18, 1863, and the trial was called June 1st of that year, when the prisoner plead not guilty. The jury in the case was composed of the following gentlemen: Robert Greenlaw, Charles Drew, Charles Thompson, J. H. Gooch, L. H. Murray, C. Musgrave, D. Manuel, R. T. Lane, G. N. Cornwell, H. M. Allen, A. S. Knapp, and William Greenleaf. A verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree was rendered by the jury. A motion for a new trial was made and overruled, and on the 12th day of June, 1863, the Judge passed the sentence of death by hanging upon him. On the 7th day of August, 1863, he expiated his crime upon the gallows, being the first man ever hanged in Napa County under the sentence of the law. When the day of execution came he marched boldly upon the gallows, refusing all counsel or consolation from friend or priest, and faced his death with a fortitude worthy a nobler cause.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), pages 145-146.
Murder of Patrick O'Brien
Murder of Patrick O'Brien—This foul murder has some elements of horrid hellishness about it which are not to be exceeded in the annals of crime. An old and peaceable man was living with his daughter, a young girl of some seventeen summers, on a small farm in Wild Horse Valley. A young man, not yet thirty years of age, came into the neighborhood, and seeing the circumstance, at once begins to plan his fiendish plot. He conceived the idea that if he would kill the father he could step in and befriend the girl in her affliction, marry her, and thus secure the property. Accordingly, on the 20th day of January, 1864, he set about to consummate his hellish design. On that morning the father, little dreaming that his days were numbered, went to work as usual in his field. The murderer, J. Gilbert Jenkins by name, went to the house of a neighbor, Mrs. Sanders, and borrowed a rifle, stating that he wished to kill a deer. In two or three hours he returned the rifle. This was on Wednesday. Time passed and the father did not return, and the daughter became alarmed. The neighbors were aroused and a thorough search was instituted, but without avail. Queries began to be rife as to the cause of his disappearance. Suddenly Mrs. Sanders remembered the incident of loaning the gun to Jenkins on the morning of the disappearance of O'Brien. This face she communicated to the people, and on the strength of it Jenkins was arrested. But he understood the loops of the law too well to remain long in custody, and was released on habeas corpus, there being nothing to prove his guilt or connection with the affair except the incidental borrowing of the rifle.
And so matters continued until the Tuesday following the disappearance of the murdered man, when the search for him was rewarded in finding his grave, which was located about three hundred yards from his house. It was about two feet deep, and was covered with leaves, so that it eluded discovery until that time. Jenkins was again arrested. It appeared that when shot, O'Brien was in a stooping position, and the ball entered near the back bone, between the fifth and sixth ribs, ranged upward, passing through the left lung and windpipe, and lodged in the butt of the jaw. The Coroner's jury returned the following verdict: "The deceased was about forty-six years old, and came to his death by a gunshot wound; and that said killing was the act of J. Gilbert Jenkins."
February 6, 1864, Jenkins was arraigned for the commission of the deed. The following named gentlemen composed the jury: Wells Kilburn, M. N. Haile, P. Hunt, H. T. Barker, B. F. E. Kellogg, Wm. Edgington, Edward Evey, E. A. Mount, A. J. Stark, F. Westorn, B. H. Gordon and J. D. White. When the matter was submitted to them they retired, and in just fifteen minutes brought in a verdict of murder in the first degree. The judge passed sentence upon him, setting March 18th following as the day of execution. The prisoner took the matter very coolly indeed, proving how hardened a wretch he was by saying, "I wish it was to-morrow; I don't want to wait so d----d long." The day of execution came, and found him cool and collected; and he ascended the gallows with a firm tread, meeting his fate with a nonchalance that any Indian might well envy. At seven minutes past three o'clock P.M. the trap was sprung, and his soul, which, according to his own confession, was steeped in the blood of eight victims, was launched into the presence of the Great Judge of the Universe. "And he went to his own place." His confession states that, beside imbruing his hands in the blood of eight men, he had committed innumerable robberies in almost half of the States of the Union. He was a native of North Carolina, and was only twenty-nine years of age at the time of his execution.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), page 146.
Killing of Turner G. Letton
Killing of Turner G. Letton—This occurred in Napa City, Monday evening, January 23, 1865, at the American House, under the following circumstances, as brought out in the testimony: Letton had, until within a few weeks previous to the homicide, been in the employ of T. Frank Raney as barkeeper, but Raney had discharged him. He afterwards heard that Raney had stated that the ground for his discharge was dishonesty. On this day he became intoxicated, and was going about town using threatening language against Raney, and went to the American House twice during the day, becoming very much excited, and using violent language to Raney on both occasions. The latter succeeded in pacifying him without serious trouble both times, and he went away. In the evening he came into the bar-room of the hotel again, accompanied by three other men: Robert Boley, Elias Hamlin and A. A. Edgar. Boley was also a discharged barkeeper, and the man who had told Letton that Raney charged him with dishonesty. The other men were only casual acquaintances. Both Letton and Boley were intoxicated. They first called for something to drink, but did not take it. They then began to talk to Raney, and to walk violently up and down the room, becoming more and more excited. At last Boley took off his coat and threw it down, and Letton advanced to the passage leading out from behind the bar, thus hemming Raney up in the space between the counter and the shelving of the bar. Raney then drew a revolver, and ordered Letton three several times to leave the house, and upon his failure to obey him Raney fired, or attempted to. The cap exploded, but the revolver did not shoot. Letton then seized a tumbler from the counter and threw it violently at Raney, but missed him. Raney then fired three shots at Letton, and finally struck him over the head with the weapon. The first ball entered Letton's breast, the second struck him in the jaw, while the third passed through his cheek into his mouth, knocking out a tooth. Letton did not speak after the first shot, but in a few seconds fell dead behind the bar. It appeared in evidence that the deceased when sober was a peaceable man, but when under the influence of liquor inclined to be violent. He came to California from Lexington, Missouri, in 1860, and was about twenty-six years of age. Raney was arrested and examined before Justice Hunnewell, J. E. Pond and W. W. Pendegast appearing for the People, and Henry Edgington for the defense. March 9, 1865, a bill was found against Raney for manslaughter by the Grand Jury. In June of that year he was tried, and the jury found for the defendant.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), pages 147-148.
Killing of a Chinaman
Killing of a Chinaman—May 13, 1865, James Keeley killed a Chinaman, name unknown, under the following circumstances: He owed the Chinaman a wash-bill, which he had failed to liquidate. The Chinaman became enraged finally, and, in company with some of his countrymen, undertook to collect the bill by force, or, at least, to frighten Keeley into the payment of the amount due. Keeley grasped an axe handle, and, using it for a bludgeon, struck and killed the first one that came within reach of him. He was arrested and discharged.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), page 148.
The Jonathan Davis Murder and Suicide
The Jonathan Davis Murder and Suicide—On Saturday evening, August 5, 1865, a most tragic affair occurred near the western limits of Napa County, and almost due west from Napa City. A man by the name of Jonathan Davis lived with his wife on a farm in this locality. Both of them were addicted to the vice of drunkenness, and when under the influence of liquor they were very quarrelsome. On the night in question Davis returned home from Napa City at a very late hour, and began at once to quarrel with his wife, who, it is stated, had also been drinking. The noise awakened a servant girl and two men who were sleeping in the house, but nothing was thought to occur of a serious nature, as it seemed to be the old story over again of a rabid war of words. The noise increased, however, and it became evident that a struggle between them was in progress. At length the woman screamed for help, which so frightened the servant girl that she escaped from her room through an open window. Davis then went to the barn and awakened a young man, and told him to go to the neighbors and tell them that he had killed his wife, and would himself be dead within five minutes. On his way from the barn he discharged a revolver twice, one ball passing through his hand, and another entering his head. It was found that he had thrown the woman upon the floor, and stamped upon her breast with his heavy book, crushing in her whole chest, breaking seven of her ribs, the fragments of which entered her heart and lungs, and caused instant death. He lingered along for a few days and finally died. He left a note, stating that he had killed his wife, but asked his neighbors and friends to lay it to the charge of liquor. They were both natives of Wales, and had been married for some years.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), pages 148-149.