Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-08-21
discerning His wife survived him but two years,
literally dying Of broken heart
THE MURDER

discerning His wife survived him but two years,
| literally dying of broken heart
THE MURDER.
On the night of the 23d and 24th of March, 1877,
between IL and l o'clock, More was killed at his
| ranch house in Ventura county Before the
coroner's jury Juan olivas, George Ferguson, Jim
Tot Chinese cook) A. J. Call, B. J. Robertson,
Alfredo Ramirez Ponciano Martinez and Santiago
Rival only were examined witnesses These facts
were elected: More, Ferguson, oliyas and Jim
Tot only at the house. About half past IL the
barn, 200 feet from the house. discovered on fire
by the cook, who aroused Ferguson and Oliyas
More was called, and all rushed out to save the
property The fire began on the west, or hay she'd
Ferguson Oivas, the cook and Ramirez (who slept
outside that night) were engaged in carrying out
harness and cutting the horses loose. More was
shot while outside the barn bearing out
harness, by two masked men, Ferguson
cried out, "Run for life" Olivas and More ran
from the north side OF the barn westerly
into the plain and over a corral fence. Deceased
then went southwesterly, and the smoke shut out
view OF him from 0livas. Ferguson and the others
ran southerly into the plain. Three masked men
followed More and riddled his body and head with
bullets The leader then said, Boys, let's 60
One employe three masked men, another
five, another five to seven. They came on foo. from
the north and returned the same way. One peculiar
track led near the house of Churchill One of the
three men who fred to More was taller than his
companions. One of the riasked men told the cook
to leave the barn-where he was going with knife
to cut the horses loose -and go to the house or he
Inn A ali II
rife was found the ground. Many footprints
were found, nearly all leading in the direction Of
Spragues house. The tracks of seven men between
the house and corral were found, and there were
fresh signs CT horses having been tied under an alder
tree half mile of, and less than that from the
Santa Clara river. One OF the marks was found
under cactus bush not far from the tree. One
track led up to near Churchips house. and was fol-
lowed because Of marks of of tacks in it. This
track was found to be just the size of McCart's
boots and he was arrested at once by citizens Sub
sequently McCart pulled off and threw away part Of
the halfsole Of his left boot Sprague and Churchill
EsPoUsED THE CAUSE
of Mozart and vouched loudly for his innocence
The Grand Jury ignored the charge against Mozart.
The morning after the murder the shell Of needle
near there had needle gun except Lord There
was found also the shell Of Spencer rife, and no
one near there had Spencer ri& except Lord and
that he had loaned some two wee before the muir
der to Sprasue. The impression I the hammer on
the shell corresponded with impressions on other
shells made by the Spencer rifle of Lord. 1t was
shown that Curlee and Young Jones were away from
home all that night pretense Of going TO a stock
ranch in Pole canyon, and that at that night they
were seen on horseback between Pole canyon and
going toward Spragues house, while Curlee said
they were there all night. 1t was shown that |
Sprague and Churchill had separately been to Cur
lees and held private interviews with him and Jones'
away from the house and the hearing of others |
Lord and Hunt out Of their houses that night
on the plea OF running depredating stock off their
land. Churchill went to Lords that day and had
private interview with him, and the latter told his
sheep herder not to to the house to sleep that
night, as usual Lord went to Mores sheep camp |
and stayed there till night and till More left
to go to the ranch.house. All in the settlement but
the seven suspected could give satisfactory ac-
counts Of themselves and their whereabouts that
night.
Early in 1873 Austin Brown and Curlee had a
Curiee's relation to the More murder Lord begged
Brown to keep still or he might involve innocent
men, and he would see Curlee and fix up the diff
Guilty. Next day Curlee apologized to Brown, but
the latter still angry and went to Henry More
and told him Of
A CONSPIRACY
Organized by Sprague Churchill and others to kill
T. W. More and made a statement OF all the details
precisely as afterward made in written statement
that not to be divuged till Brown could sell out
and leave. He traded his land for house and lot
on the basis value of 81, ,00o price it was fully
worth. F. A Sprague, j. S. Churchill, j. T. Curlee,
Jesse NJ Jones, l. D. Lord, H Cook and J. A. Swan
son were arrested warrants issued March 2s 1877
Mr.. Granger was selected as acting Prosecuting or
District Attorney, the regular officer being dsauali.
fed by engagement for the defense prior to his
election.
A CONFESSION.
March 31st it became known that N H. Kicker.
son who lived on his farm near Granger's and was
church member and respected, was dying, and had
said he must disclose fearful secret before he died
His affidavit was taken by his private attorney and
notary, and was complete revelation of all the
facts of the murder told to Hickerson by Sprasue
but the affidavit was to be suppressed until Kicker
son was dead. But Hickerson was persuaded to re-
veal to the prosecuting officers, and they took his
deposition April 6 and s. 1873 and it was found to
agree exactly with his former affidavit He made
the affidavit in the full belief that he was about to
die, and shortly after did die. He said that after
row between More and spragueon the ditch sprague
told Hickerson that be going to kill More and
asked Hickerson to join in it. Hickerson refused
nil AZ fha
of the burning barn Soon after Sprague
sent for Hickerson to attend meeting
of citizens at Lis house to denounce the murder of
More. Hickerson went, was elected Chairman with
Sprague as Secretary. Swanson, Churchill Sprague
and Hickerson were present Sprague said it didn't
matter if many were present nat, and then read
resolutions ready prepared and they were adopted.
Soon after, the occasion OF scare about sup.
posed attack the settlers by mob, Sprague told
Hickerson while they in the willows watchingfor
the supposed mob that himself, j. T. Curee j. Swan
son, J. S. Churchill, Charles McCart Jesse Jones
and l. D. Lord had met disguised themselves rode
to near Mores, crossed the river bed on foot and
fired tha barn. That when More and his men came
out and went to saving property, Ferguson called
out to run, and all Of the ranchmen did run Moro
was shot, but still ran. Sprague, Churchill and
Curlee followed and stood over him. More said,
For Gods sake, don't kill me-" Sprague said,
God d-n you, die," and then put rifle ball
through his head. The disguises consisted Of -four
sack, with holes for eyes, nose and mouth. This
was drawn over the head and gunny sack over the
body, with holes for the arms The party was
bound to secrecy by oah with the penalty OF death
for dvulging Hickerson was told that he must OBJ.
serve the same oath. But he did not take it nor
did he promise not to reveal.
Hickerson added that he had been one
of the grand jurors in June, 1877, and did not
make his knowledge Of the case known because
Swanson, one Of the implicated parties, was mem.
Der Of the same body, and he did not feel that the
time had come to reveal that there corrobor-
ating evidence to support his revelation As to Nc
Carts case before that jury and which was ignored,
while Hickerson satisfied, there was no evidence
before the jury to warrant holding him.
ANOTHER CONFESSION.
Jesse NJ. Jones, one of the defendants, was at the
time OF the murder aged %, but appeared to be
only 10, of ashen complexion, red HAIR small head,
milky leaden eye, feminine features, solid express
sion Of countenance, with an occasional interlude
Of sly cunning. He exhibited no emotion whatever
at any time under tbe most searching examination