The morning call., 1890-06-08
PION EER OFFICERS
OF JUSTICE.
Richard b. Richardson of Oak
land Township and City.

@ANE of the best and bravest of the
1&AI outdoor officers Of the eos was
eA Richardson, who took part in
many journeys after Mexicans, and who
lost his own life in the discharge of his
duty.
One of his early adventures was with
Morse in 1867, when Bob Hagan was capt
ured near San Pablo. He also helped to
arrest Morales at the New Almaden mines.
The cattle-thieves who formerly made their
headquarters in Moraga Valley and the
various gangs back of Monte Diabo on
Walnut Greek, around Sunol, and in other
parts of the bay counties. soon learned to
know him as a most efficient officer
One of his longest journeys, however, was
in 1866. when he went with the Sheriff OF Ala
media and the Sheriff of Contra Costa on
the first pursuit of Edward0 Gallego, or
Ghiargo. which extended without pause
to the mountains of Tulare, 800 miles from
the starting point Here their horses gave
out. and they were obliged to return. On a
second trip EdwardO was found in Mount
Diablo canyon. with party of thirty or
forty Mexicans who were about to start off
on a horse-stealing expedition. The officers
"waltzed n," however, secured him, and
had him between them covered with their
pistols before his companions had recovered
from their surprise.
VERDICT OF DEATH
Officer Richardson's violent death in
Oakland, October %. 1867, is still fresh IN
the memory of hundreds of CalifOrnians.
There was a negro named johp Thomas.
who came to Oakland about 1862 with his
wife. He seemed so lnoffensive and mlSer-
able that the family Of General Wright
allowed him to put up little shanty on the
block OF land bounded by Tenth, Ninth,
Castro and Brush streets. He appeared
about 60 years old and was very slender,
tall and feeble, quite lame and nearly blind
1t would have been hard to ind in all Oak
land a man who looked less dangerous
But il was afterWard discovered that lie
had probably murdered TWO men in Ell
Dorado County, escaping conviction from
lack of evidence, and was Thought 10 bs
guilty Of another murder, years ago, at the
Mission Dolores. His reputation in several
other parts of the State had been that OF an
extremely dangerous man.
The old negro stayed on General WrlghtS
block of land and cultivated small vege-
table garden there, until in the spring oil
1867 the tract was divided and sold to James
White, S. G. Crawford, John Meagher, E.
II. Clark and several others. Some months
passed and it was evident that the old man
would take removal hard" bat no one ex-
pected any serious difficulty. At last Clark
went to the block with a hired man and
some lumber, intending to build fence.
The old negro's S vile came out and threw
brickbats and ian iron kettle" at the un-
fortunate landowner, and John Thomas
himself came out with an old army musket,
which he aimed at Clark. The latter per-
formance was considered by those who
heard it as rather amusing; in fact, no one
yet knew the real character OF the old tel-
ow.
fellow to vacate the premises had been Is
sued by the County Clerk, and the
Sheriff was given the papers and started on
horseback for Oakland to serve them.
While he was on his way Clark went to the
police Office, swore out warrant, when
was given to Richardson, and he leaped on
his horse and rode to the place, arriving
there few minutes before Morse, of whose
errand, however, he had no knowledge.
THE NEGRos STORY.
Richardson tied his horse to the fence
and went to the door. No one knows
exactly what occurred. The negro's own
story was that his wife went to the door
and forbade Richardson to enter. He then
pushed his way in. 81 then" he continued,
"took my pistol and shot him.
"Where did you shoot himp
"Somewhpre in the neck.
The bullet had, in fact, cut the artery and
strHck the spinal marrow, causing instant
DEATH
The driver of groeerv-wagon passing
the place saw Richardson's body fallen
across the doorstep and reported it at once.
Constable Smith went there and arrested
Thomas. The Sheriff. riding down Broadway
on his way to serve his warrant heard the
news and met the officer with his prisoner.
A crowd rapidly assembled, determined
to capture and hang the prisoner. Officers
carried him out of the back door and into a
livery stable and had him on the way to San
Leandro before the crowd discovered that
he was gone. They had already procured
halter and meant business.
John Thomas died in Jail, and so the gal
lows was cheated, for there can be no
doubt of the result of a trial. The family
of Officer Richardson still live in Oakland
and his sons are we'll and favorably. known
to wide circle of people in that city.
G.. III. S.