Homicides of Napa County. Pages 143-157

Source:
History of Napa and Lake Counties
San Francisco, Slocum, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1881

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper 2011

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


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 Adams'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 crashing 
through Wilson's abdomen by the first horseman. They then rode 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.