Napa County Deaths

Katie Ennis

Contributed to this site by Regina Gualco

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          Killing of Katie Ennis (Indian)�Alonzo Davis, a boy only about 
thirteen years of age, shot and killed an Indian girl by the name of Katie 
Ennis, at the house of M. D. Markley, in Putah Ca�on, August 20, 1871, under the 
following circumstances, as brought out in the testimony: The Indian girl was 
living at Markley's as his housekeeper. Markley was away from home a great deal 
of the time during the day, and was often away for days at a time. It would seem 
that the girl got the idea into her head that the boy wished to destroy 
Markley's property during his absence, and she threatened to shoot him should he 
pass by the premises again. There were two roads leading by the place; one just 
in front of the door, and one up the hill a short distance. One day he passed 
along the lower road in com- pany with another boy, and he states, being 
corroborated by his companion, that she fired at them with a rifle, after they 
had got past the house some distance. The next day he got a small pistol, and 
having an errand that way, took occasion to go along the lower road, as usual. 
When the girl saw him she said: "I will shoot you, you s-- of a b----!" and 
started into the house. Just as she crossed the threshold, the boy fired, and 
the bullet entered the girl's brain. The body was found some time afterwards in 
a mutilated condition, rats and coons doing the work. The boy was arrested, and 
Justice R. C. Gillaspie of Yount Township, committed him to jail to await the 
action of the Grand Jury, on the 26th of August. That body found a true bill 
against him, September 6th, and he was tried October 5th. The jury in the case 
comprised to the following named gentlemen: David Edwards, James Dunhig, S. 
Winters, Asa Chapman, David Yount, W. H. Beagles, W. A. Haskins, J. G. Francis, 
E. K. Wood, Wm. Locker, J. B. Chiles and T. G. Rodgers. Their verdict was: "We, 
the jury, find the defendant not guilty." 

Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San 
Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), page 150.