Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-19
HOMICIDE.
DIR. H. A. SUMMERS OF WALNUT GROVE
SHOT DEAD BY B. BEcKLEY.

DIR. Il. A. SUMMERS OF WALNUT GROVE
SHOT DEAD BY B. BEcKLEY.
Beckley Gives Himself OPP after the Shoot
Statements as to the Cause
Testimony. Taken at the Cor
oner's Inquest.
On last Saturday afternoon, about ) o'clock,
shortly after the arrival of the stage at Wal
nut Grove, which was driven by Benson
Beckley, from Sacramento, shooting affray
took place, in which said Beckley shot and
killed DIR. I'll. A. Summers of that place.
They met prior to the occurrence and went
into Browns Hotel and drank together, hay
ing friendly social chat as they did SO.
After drinking they walked together toward
the door, when the Doctor said to Mr.. Beck.
ley. " Ben, let's go over to the wharf and
have little talk about that matter" They
then walked across the street together.
when the shooting soon after occurred,
as detailed in the testimony given below,
taken at the Coroner's inquest. There are
different statements as to the cause which
led to the shooting. The one generally given
is that the Doctor had made improper ad.
vances to Mrs Becllley, and a discussion OF
the charge was in progress between them
when the Doctor denied the truth of the ale
CATION, and made some derogatory statements
in reference to Mrs. b, whereupon
Beckley demanded its retraction, and the
Doctor refusing, the shooting took place.
Aaaa Nv Rpply.
ley surrendered himself to man by the name
of Wm Buterick, to whom be remarked
that he thought he was justified In doing
what he had done. Buterick delivered him
to Constable Hensley, and they went together
to Justice Knott at Isleton, who did not
deem an examination by himself necessary,
as the Sheriff had been telegraphed for.
They then returned to Walnut Grove. reach
ing there about the same time Sheriff He'll
bron, Deputy Sheriff Baker and District
Attorney Buckley arrived. The Sheriff and
Deputy then brought Mr.. Beckley to
the city and placed him in the jail, and
District Attorney Buckley remained to the
inquest. Coroner Vermilys went down yes
terday morning and held an inquest, aud
brought the remains to this city, where they
will be inferred.
Dr. M. +. Clayton held a post mortem ex-
animation, assisted by Drs. Randall and
Odell He found that the bail had taken
effect about opposite the outer third of the \
collar-bone, or clavicle, and about three
quarters of an inch below the clacicle
ranged inward and downward; it cut the
first rib, and as it passed out. cut the second
rib near the spinal column and lodged in the
muscles near the upper angle of the left
shoulder blade. In its course it cut the
suhclavian artery and went through the apex
of the left lung: He also found the left pelural
cavity was filled with blood. The following
is the testimony taken before the Coroner
yesterday at the inquest:
CHARLES E. PALMER,
Staten Island, was acquainted with deceased.
On the afternoon of July II, 1880, about )
o'clock, l was in the hotel kept by Dir.
Brown at Walnut Grove. [ heard loud talk
and looked across the river, and next thing |
heard was the report of pistol. l looked
over and saw DR.. Summers and Mr. Beck
ley, and l saw the doctor place his right
hand on his left breast and exclain imme
diately after the first shot, My God, am
shot," rushed over to the wharf, and, as I
was crossing the road, | heard another pistol
shot. | hallooed to Mr.. Beckley to stop
shooting. Before l got upon the wharf he
snapped his pistol again, and Is missed fire.
Then, after the first shot was fired, deceased
was standing to the south of Mr. Beckley,
FIVE feet from him. To the east of the PARTIES
were some bales of hay. Deceased ran
around to the east of the hay bales followed
by Mr. Beckley. Deceased stopped down
behind the bales of hay and cried . Murder"
several times. While deceased was STOPPING |
behing the hay Mr. Beckley reached his |
pistol over the bale of hay and shot at de-
ceased, but the pistol missed fire. BY this |
time Mr.. Beckley got around the bale of hay |
I I
and caught hold of the pistol. l was stand |
ing in the road about fifteen feet from the |
parties. As deceased caught hold of the pis- |
tol / jumped upon the wharf and caught hold |
of the pistol. Both parties also held the |
pistol. Mr. Brown, / think, by this time |
also caught hold OF the pistol. During |
the struggle for the pistol | pulled |
the chamber from the pistol and one |
cartridge dropped from the chamber |
upon the wharf | heard it drop. |
Mr.. Brown wrenched the pistol from the
contending parties. This pistol looks ike the
pistol used by Mr. Beckley. L can identify
this as the chamber taken from the pistol.
Mr.. Beckley walked away with Mr.. Butrick
About the time the pistol was taken from the
parties deceased leaned against the bale of
hay and exclaimed, lily God | am dead
man. Give me pillow" A pillow was
given to him and he laid down his right |
Sluc aC blc DlaCS HftIc bitc NOipuFf lDuHh
him. He laid down before he got the pillow. |
and when he got the pillow he laid more CD |
his back. did not see deceased draw any !
weapon or make any hostile demonstrations. |
Did not know OF any quarrel hasing been had |
by deceased and Mr.. Beckiey previous TO the
shooting. As Mr. Beckley walked away he
said, You may call me a liar as much as you
are a mind to, but no man can call my wife a
liar I'll shoot any man who calls my wife q |
-. ~ =,
any alteration between deceased and MIR. |
Beckley. Mr.. Beekley appeared excited |
after the shooting. Mr.. Beckley surrendered |
himself voluntarily He told me he thought |
he was justified in doing what he had done and |
was willing to give himself up, and was then |
waiting for team to take him to Sacramento. |
Just after the first shot was fred deceased |
was retreating in easterly direction on the |
wharf followed by Mr.. Bscl1ley. who fred a
shot at deceased. Deceased continued to re-
treat until he reached bale of hay, behind |
which he crouched.
ALEXANDER BROWN.
| keep hotel at Walnut Grove in this |
county. Was acquainted with deceased. |
About twenty minutes Of o'clock on the |
afternoon of July II, 1880, deceased and Mr..
Beckley came into my hotel walked up to |
the counter, and deceased said to Mr.. Beck
ley, "Ben., what viii you!' Mr.. Beckley |
said he would have glass OF beer, and de- |
ceased said he would have the same. They |
drank the beer and left the hotel together. |
As they were leaving the door deceased said |
TO Mr.. Beckley, "Ben, come over on the
wharf ard we'll have a little talk" In about |
ten minutes | heard some talk on the wharf.
looked over. and heard deceased say, It's
false" At the same time deceased uttered a |
scream, aud l saw Mr.. Beckley raise the pis-
tol and fire shot as the deceased turned to |
run Deceased Immediately placed his left |
hand upon his right breast or shoulder and |
screamed :" Murder !" ran around some bales I
of hay. first in a sousherly and thea in a
easterly direction, followed by Mr.. Beckley. |
As ran across the road / hallooed to Mr.. |
Beckley for Gods sake not to shoot. He con-
tiuued to follow deceased. / got upon the /
wharf before the second shot was fired. | |
undertook to close in on him to get the pistol. |
but he handled it SO recklessly that / was |
afraid to get near him. BY this time they |
had made one c;rcui. of the hay bales. De- |
ceased was at this time at the southwest cor
ner OF the hay bales, and Mr.. Beckley was
about five or six feet from him, and fired a !
shot at deceased. think he fired over the ]
top of bale of hay He fred in a southerly |
direction. Both parties were running. De. |
ceased ran around to the easterly corner OF I
ba bax h-fa avd ,,ro--chad bahinH hale NJ /