Plumas County, CA History

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta Jul 2009

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Illustrated History of PLUMAS, LASSEN & SIERRA Counties
with CALIFORNIA from 1513 to 1850, Farriss & Smith , 1882, San Francisco.

Historical Reminiscences


THE JACINTO ARRO CASE 
  
         
            On the morning of November 1, 1854, four Chinamen, on their way home 
from Elizabethtown to Marysville, were attacked by two mounted Mexicans near the 
head of Walker's plains, and three of the crawling inoffensive foreigners 
brutally murdered. The fourth one, severely wounded, succeeded in crawling into 
the bushes. A short time after, Peter O'Ferrell and Louis Wagner, packers, 
discovered the dead Chinamen lying in the road, and as soon as possible notified 
Sheriff Sharpe of the murder. About dusk of the same day the Mexicans rode into 
Quincy, and as suspicion had already fastened upon them, the sheriff and his 
deputies were on the lookout. Perceiving their danger, they put spurs to their 
horses and rode away, closely pursued by the sheriff's posse. When a half-mile 
from town, the sheriff had almost reached one of them, when the desperado turned 
in his saddle, leveled his pistol at Sharpe and fired. He missed his aim, but 
shot the sheriff's horse in the neck. Immediately after, the man was captured, 
but the other dismounted, and made good his escape in the bushes. In February, 
1855, a grand jury was convened and the first indictment for murder appearing on 
the records was found against Jacinto Arro, the Mexican. Bills were also found 
against him for highway robbery, and for assault with intent to kill. The case 
came on for trial in the February term of the district court before Judge 
Daingerfield. John R. Buckbee was prosecuting attorney, while P. O. Hundley was 
assigned as counsel for the prisoner.  He was assisted by M. H. Farley and Tom 
Cox. The jury returned a verdict of guilty. An appeal was taken to the supreme 
court and on the hearing before the body, a new trial was granted the prisoner. 
The case came up again, and a change of venue was granted to Yuba county, where 
the indictment was dismissed for informality and the prisoner given his freedom.