Napa County
Death Records
HOMICIDES
Killing of Jesse Hawkins
Killing of Jesse Hawkins—William P. Carter resided in Pope Valley, and had a daughter, between whom and Hawkins a mutual attachment sprang up. Carter was in Oregon at the time, and they proceeded with the marriage without the father's knowledge or consent. When he heard of it he was very wroth, and shortly afterwards returned home and set about undoing what had been done. At the end of three months he prevailed upon the girl to return home and leave her husband. Hawkins became enraged at this and threatened to take the lives of both if she did not return to him, going so far as to tell one man that Carter had just two more days to live. On the day before the homicide Hawkins left a note at Carter's gate addressed to his wife, asking her to meet him at the gate the next morning. In the morning of May 7, 1878, (the one designated in his note) he rode up to the gate. Carter was secreted behind a bush, and as Hawkins stopped he rose, and drawing a bead upon him said, "defend yourself," and at the same time fired at him, the charge taking effect in Hawkin's head and side. He fell from his horse with the exclamation, "Oh!" breaking his arm in the fall, and died almost instantly. Carter went to St. Helena and gave himself up and was tried before a Justice and acquitted. The Coroner's jury charged him with murder, and he was again arrested and brought to Napa. His case came up again for preliminary hearing before Justice Henning, by whom he was a second time acquitted. It was stated by Carter on this trial that Hawkins had tried to kill him once with a revolver. It was evidently a case of war to the knife, and he who drew first blood was the victor.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), pages 155-156.
Killing of Charles R. Rice
Killing of Charles R. Rice—Rice was a blacksmith at the Redington Quicksilver Mine, and worked in a shop at Knoxville. On the day of the shooting, June 3, 1879, Jacob Fuquar came into the shop with a mule which he desired shod. After the work was done he refused to pay for it, whereupon Rice said that the mule should not leave the shop until the work was paid for. Fuquar then became abusive, and Rice drove him from the shop. He went to a house near by and procured a revolver, and going back to the shop, shot Rice through the heart.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), page 156.
Killing of August Ruesch
Killing of August Ruesch—This occurred in the "William Tell" hotel, in Napa City, October 25, 1879. It appeared from the testimony adduced, that G. W. Crowey, and his sons John and William, were in the hotel on the night of the homicide, and got into an altercation with Ruesch, and finally a general melee ensued, in which the latter got pretty badly punished. He then went out into the yard, and was followed by John Crowey, who had a billiard cue in his hand. Here the fight was renewed, when Crowey struck him over the head with the cue, from the effects of which he died. All three of the Croweys were arrested, but the father and William were subsequently acquitted. The Grand Jury found a true bill against John at its session of December 4, 1879, and his case came up for trial May 3, 1880. The jury comprised the following named gentlemen: H. J. Lewelling, J. T. Cooper, S. R. Dickey, D. F. Whitlach, R. F. Montgomery, S. A. Garnett, C. Cutler, J. Forrester, W. J. Baker, Asa Spear, S. Newcomer, and G. W. Haynes. Their verdict was returned May 14, and was as follows: "We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of murder in the second degree, and recommend him to the mercy of the Court."
His attorneys moved for a new trial on the following grounds: First, the Court erred in refusing to grant the defendant's challenge to the panel. Second, the Court misdirected the jury in matters of law. Third, the Court erred in the decisions of questions of law arising during the course of the trial. Fourth, the verdict is contrary to law, and also to the evidence. The Judge passed sentence on him June 1, 1880, which was confinement in the State Prison for ten years, and on appeal it was taken to the Supreme Court, and the remittitur was issued September 28, 1880, for a new trial in the lower Court. The new trial came on October 19, 1880, with the following jury in the box: G. Hulse, C. P. Smith, H. Flynn, H. C. Neil, C. Walsh, A. H. Marsh, L. W. Speilman, J. Patterson, J. Hale, J. B. Bloss, T. B. Curtis and H. Roland. This jury disagreed, standing nine for conviction and three for acquittal. The case is still pending in the Courts.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), pages 156-157.
Killing of Isaac Wilson
Killing of Isaac Wilson—Quite late in the evening of September 19, 1880, three men, J. Hartshorn, and John and Ward Adams came to the house of deceased, at the northern end of Berryessa Valley. Hartshorn rode up to the house and engaged in conversation with Wilson and his family. Shortly afterwards, a noise was heard in the brush, and it was evident that some one was coming on horseback. Wilson took a gun and advanced to meet the horsemen, who proved to be the Adam's, and called to them: "Stop! go back! who are you? go back, or I will drop that horse from under you!" At this, one of the horsemen fired the charge taking effect in Wilson's leg. A rifle was then discharged by the other horseman which did not take effect. Then a second charge of buckshot was sent off and Wilson fired twice after them with a revolver. He died in a little over an hour. The Adams's were tried in Napa in February, 1881, and acquitted.
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), page 157.