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Adventures with Indians
Poindexter
nuptials
Fiddling from Donkey's back
The McCrory Episode
Morris-Shannon affray
STAPLEFORD - DEPUTY AFFAIR
One of the most bizarre and at the
same time most outrageous crimes known in the annals of any
county was committed in the summer of 1858. The heavy
villains were one J. D. Stapleford and William
Governeur Morris, known as “bloody” Morris, the
same gentleman who afterwards killed Shannon, the
editor of the Delta, and later became United States
marshal.
It appears that Stapleford, who hailed from
Stockton, had there, in order to defraud his creditors,
deeded his property, said to amount to $30,000 or $40,000,
to his uncle, William C. Deputy. Deputy had
handled this property for some time, selling and
reinvesting, and, as he claimed, repaying to Stapleford
such sums from time to time as to cancel the indebtedness.
Deputy, however, remained possessed of much property
and Stapleford demanded of his uncle that he deed all
his property to him, claiming that the old score remained
unsettled. Deputy refused and then Stepleford
offered a reward of $1,000 to anyone who would compel him to
sign an instrument to that effect.
There being no takers for this offer, Stapleford
caused Deputy’s arrest on a charge of swindling, and he was
confined in the old wooden jail and court house and chained
to a ring-bolt, fastened in the floor. Apparently fearing
that some attempt at the use of violence might be committed
on the prisoner, Sheriff Pointdexter placed two men,
Ed Reynolds and Frank Warren, on guard to
protect the old man.
On the 28th of July, a mob headed by
Morris, who was a lawyer and notary, broke into jail,
took Deputy to the outskirts of town, swung him up to
a tree by a noose around his neck until he was nearly
strangled, let him down, and then requested him to sign a
deed that had been prepared. Upon his refusal he was again
swung up and lashed by Morris with a blacksnake until
almost unconscious. He then consented to sign, but after
being taken back to jail, showed signs of renewed
stubbornness. However, after being chained again to the
ring-holt and threatened again with the lash, he did sign a
deed by which he transferred to Stapleford any and
all real estate of which he might he possessed in the state
of California.
This property included that on which the Visalia
flourishing mills are now situated, a tract east of town and
a hotel and ranch property in San Bernardino. The property
was immediately retransferred to a cover, the supreme court
held that there was no law empowering it to reinstate
Deputy in possession.
Stapleford, Morris and four others of the
principal men composing the mob that had committed the
outrage were later arrested on a complaint signed by many
prominent citizens. Morris was convicted and
sentenced to pay a fine of $500 and serve six months in
jail. Owing to secret influences of some kind, he
successfully evaded doing either one, and escaped scot free.
Source: History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California
by Eugene L. Menefee and Fred A. Dodge – Published by
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, Calif. – 1913 - Page
95-96
James M'Kinney's High Life
The Magana Butchery
Miscellaneous
Items
Crossing Streams in the '50s
County Scrip and Gold
Dust
An Indian Runner
VISALIA'S
FIRST BUSINESS DIRECTORY
The business
directory of Visalia in 1861 was as follows:
Saloons:
Cosmopolitan, Gem,
Fashion, St. Charles
Wholesale and retail dealers: H.
Cohn, H. Green,
Hotels: Exchange, corner Court and Main
streets; Visalia House, corner Main and Church
streets.
General Merchandise, etc.: Sam Ellis,
D.
R. Douglass, Reinstein & Hockett,
Sweet &
Jacobs, Weinshank & Sinclair,
M. Reinstein,
Stage lines: Hice & Wilson
Miscellaneous: Bossler & Townsend,
saddlers and harness makers; Knoble &
Kraft,
bakers and confectioners; G. W. Rogers, jeweler;
B. M. Bronson, gunsmith; John H. Richardson,
painter; Douglass & Magary, contractors and
builders; Samuel Dinely, barber shop and
bathhouse; Joseph H. Thomas, lumber yard; George
W. Sutherland, tailor ship;
Justices of the Peace: S. W. Beckham,
Robert C. Redd,
Attorneys: W. M. Stafford, A. J.
Atwell, Morris & Brown, S. A. Sheppard.
Physicians: Dr. M. Baker, Dr. J. D. P.
Thomason, Dr. W. A. Russell, Dr. James A.
Roberts, Dr. T. O. Ellis, Sr. |
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Second Courthouse
CEMETERIES
Tulare county's
first cemetery was started in Visalia in 1857, near where
the Tipton Lindsey schoolhouse is now situated.
The first occupant was a Dutchman who was drowned in Mill
creek and whose only known name was Pete. On
the rough pine box containing the remains was therefore duly
inscribed "Pete in the box." the same
inscription being placed on the headboard.
Among others whose bodies were laid to rest here and
later removed to the new cemetery were Jack Lorenz, Mrs.
Thomas Baker, Mrs. Nathan Baker, a man called
Salty.
VISALIA'S TITLE
Politics
Arrival of the Telegraphy
A Vigorous Protest
A Novel Engine
Flood Times
The Lost Mine
Some Statistics of 1870
Mankins' Party Arrival
No Fence Law
As Seen by Fremont
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