The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-06-27
A CALIFORNIA HORROR.
HANGING OF TWO CoLD.BI. CODED ,1UI
# DERERS.

HANGING OF TWO COLD.BLn CODED MUR,
DERERS.
In 1878, Troy Dye was public ad-
ministrator of tho county Of Sacra-
mento, California, and az such was
entrusted with the management ard
settlement of the estates of such de-
ceased persons as had no heirs or rel
atives near at hund to administer.
The regular emoluments of the office
not being sufficient to satisfy Dyes
avarice lie conceived the bold and
horrible scheme Of inangnrating q
series of murders of those persons
whose estates by law would fall into
his hands. His first attempt was sue
cessful as fur as the murder was con-
cerned, but detection followed and
the murderer paid the penalty of his
crimes on the 29th Of May. The fol
lowing is history Of the crime:
Living on Grand Island, situated
where the Sacramento River flows
into San Francisco Bay, was an old
bachelor, A. NJ. Tnllis by name, who
had by industry and thrift accumu-
lated fortune of $4,000.
On the morning of August 2, 1878,
Tullis was found dead in his orchard.
There were four pistol shot wounds
in the body. 1t was evidently case
of murder. Various theories were
advanced in explanation of the crime.
AS Tullis had employed Chinese SER
wants it was thought he had fallen q
victim 10 the anti-Chinesc feeling,
which ran bigh at the time. 1t
was also known that he was very
severe on tramps, always hunting
them away from his place, and his
violent death was attributed TO 3
spirit of revenge on the part of some
tramps whom lie had roughly treated.
But these theories were far from be-
ing held as satisfactory by the pco-
pie. a reward was offered for the
capture of the mul derers,
The night previous two men we're
seen to 60 down the river in new
and roughly built boat. They land.
ed NJ Tullis' ranch and one of the
men asked Chinese Servant for the
boss. lie was directsd 10 the or
chard, and soon uftef Wei4 heard the
report Of shots, the shouting of men
and barking Of dog. Next morn
ing the tracks Of men were found
leading from where the murdered
man lay down to the river. Suspicion
pointed to the men who landed from
the boat as the murderers, and on this
clew the detective proceeded to work.
In The meantime troy Dye, as public
administrator, filed an application
that letters Of administration be is
sued to him on Tullis' estate. Some
days later portions of the boat in
which the two men were seen we're
found in the willows by the side of
the river below Tulis' place. On
one piece OF the boat was found fig
uring, which ultimately led to the
discovery that the lumber had been
lchascd by q man named Ander-
son and an unknown man from Wal
tons lumber yard, and had been sent
TO Dyes house, where the boat was
built. On the night of August II
the Sheriff Of Sacramento arrested
Troy Dye and Clark his partner in
the saloon business. Dye, who was
farmer and butcher and interested
in the saloon business with Clark,
up to that time borne an irreproacha-
BILE character. Anderson was butch.
er, had been employed by Dye at
the time of Tullis' murder and was
boarding in Dyes house. After the
murder he disappeared but was sub
sequcntly captured and lodged in
Jail at Sacramento to await trial.
In his confession Dye said Ander-
son, n man from the East, who had
done a deal of "work" there, and an
other man named Dick, proposed
that they should kill ali the rich men
for share of Dyes percentage on
tie estates he would administer.
Dye explained TO them the nature of
his office and the percentage he re-
received on the estate he administer
ed. About The goth of April, 1878,
Dye and Dick went down the liver