Napa County
Death Records
HOMICIDES
Murder of Mollie Williams, alias Swartz
Murder of Mollie Williams, alias Swartz—This murder took place in Spanishtown, Napa City, May 9, 1875. The woman had been in a house of prostitution, but had become enamoured with a man named Henry Pearce, and had become engaged to be married to him. She thereupon went to live with his sister. On the day of the murder Pearce got drunk and was going along the street in Spanishtown when the woman came to him and tried to induce him to go home. This he promised to do, but made some excuse for going further up the street, and they separated. She turned after proceeding a short distance and came up with him again, and begun her importunings, going so far as to put her arms around his neck, thus to persuade him to accompany her home. At this he out with a knife and stabbed her two or three times. She did not scream, but sprang over a fence and started across a lot, but fell in the middle of it. Parties who saw her went to her, but found that she was dead. The Coroner's jury charged Pearce with her murder, and his trial came up October 9, 1875. The jury found him guilty of murder in the second degree, and he was sentenced to the State Prison for a term of twenty years.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), pages 153-154.
Killing of Edward Paul Carron
Killing of Edward Paul Carron—This homicide occurred November 24, 1876, at a store in Pope Valley, under the following circumstances: Three men, E. P. Carron, Warren Adams and Charles H. Fitch, were sitting in the store talking on religious subjects, the two former being the principal talkers. Carron claimed to be a Catholic, while Adams said he was a Freethinker. The discussion was being conducted in a friendly manner, when suddenly, and without any provocation, Adams jumped up and used a very offensive epithet, at the same time producing a large size Smith & Wesson revolver, and fired at Carron. The ball entered his body about three inches below the left nipple and came out just above the hip-bone on the opposite side. Carron lived four hours, when he expired. The Coroner's jury charged Adams with the murder and he was arrested. The Grand Jury found a true bill against him December 4, 1876, and his case came on for trial February 26, 1877, with the following jury in the box: W. D. Owsley, R. S. Thompson, A. Van Aucken, Ira Kilburn, J. P. Lewis, T. C. Peterson, Josiah Sellers, J. Henning, J. Harnett, Wm. Edgington, J. H. Ray and H. C. Simmons. The trial began on Wednesday and the case was given to the jury on the following Saturday at 5 p.m. They remained out till 2 p.m. the following Monday, when they returned a verdict of guilty, but insane.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), page 154.
Murder of William Perkins and Guadalupe (Indian)
Murder of William Perkins and Guadalupe (Indian)—The murdered man Perkins, better known as "Dutch Bill," lived about four miles west of St. Helena, with a half-breed woman. The man Guadalupe was an old Indian who lived with Perkins. On the evening of July 11, 1877, two Indians, Andreas Mateo and José Maria Benigo, came to Perkins' place and desired to remain all night, which privilege was granted them. During the night they got to drinking and quarrelling, and in the morning Perkins joined the fray. He was jealous of the Indians on account of his half-breed woman, hence the part he took in the matter. At last Benigo started away, while Mateo remained and continued to quarrel with Perkins. Finally, Perkins caught up a spade and started after Mateo with it. The latter ran some distance, when he came upon a stick, which he picked up and struck Perkins with it, knocking him down. He then took the spade and battered Perkins' brains out, crushing his skull like an eggshell. He then took the spade and started back in quest of his hat, which he had lost in his retreat, and coming upon Guadalupe he proceeded to serve him as he had done Perkins. He then went on and overtook his companion, Benigo, and related what he had done. They went to St. Helena and told what had occurred, and were there arrested and brought to jail. They were tried October 2, 1877, and Mateo was found guilty of murder in the second degree for the killing of Perkins, with a sentence of twenty years to the State Prison. Benigo was discharged, as there was nothing to show that he was at all implicated in the matter. Mateo was then tried for the murder of Guadalupe, and the jury, after being out three hours, brought in a verdict of murder in the first degree, and affixed the death penalty. October 8th he was sentenced by Judge William C. Wallace to be hanged November 30, 1877. At three minutes before 1 o'clock p. m. of that day the drop was sprung, and the prisoner fell about four feet, and in twenty minutes he was dead. His neck was not broken, and death resulted from strangulation. He was executed on the same gallows that had been used in hanging Charles Brittian in 1863, and James Gilbert Jenkins in 1864, making the third and last man ever hanged in Napa County by legal process. Mateo's parents were members of the Yount tribe of Indians.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), pages 154-155.
Killing of Thodore1 Schurs
Killing of Thodore Schurs—Thomas Workover lived in a lonely and secluded spot on the Pope Valley side of Howell Mountain, and was engaged in raising stock. Schurs was a laboring man, and had been employed by Workover, but was discharged some six months before the homicide. Near nightfall on the day previous to the shooting, Schurs came to the house and asked for lodgings, which were granted to him. He had been drinking, and acted so strangely that Workover went to his barn and got two of his hired men to come and sleep in the house with him. Nothing of importance happened, however, that night. The next morning Schurs was told to leave the place and never return. He went to a wine cellar and drank very freely that day. About midnight of October 9, 1877, Workover was aroused from sleep by some one trying to force an entrance through the doors and windows. He looked out and saw that it was Schurs, and taking his shotgun fired through the window at him, the charge taking effect in Schurs' breast. He lived about an hour and a half. Workover gave himself up and was taken to St. Helena. The Coroner's inquest developed the above facts. He had his preliminary trial before Justice Haskins, where it was brought out in evidence that Schurs was a dissolute man. He had resided around Pope Valley for some time. Workover was acquitted by Justice Haskins on the ground of justifiable homicide.
1While the paragraph above lists the victim's name as "Thodore Schurs", in the index (page vi), the victim's name is listed as "Theodore Schurs."
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), page 155.