The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-04
THE MENDOC|NO TRAGEDY,
Mrs. White and Receiver Downs
Say LittIefield Was
Murdered.
" Wylackte John" Confessed to
Whites Ex-Wife That He Was
Hired Assassin.

Hired Assassin.
THE CALLS correspondent struck the
nail squarely on the head when he wrote
that the shooting and lynching of Jack
Littlefeld in Mendocino County Sunday
evening last was another chapter in the
White and anti White war.
Mrs. White, who is waiting for the Su-
preme Court to say whether she is to
receive the 500, 600 alimony awarded her
by the lower court, confirms this opinion
and adds much more that has an interesting
bearing on the case. Deputy Receiver
George Downs of 1902 Page street supports
Mrs. White in her view. Attorneys Bag
gett and Linforth also concur.
Mrs. White said yesterday afternoon:
1.-THE lynching of Littlefeld was the part
of plot, and it differed little from many
other tragedies of the same nature that
have occurred between the White and anti
White people. " hite gave Littlefeld who
was one of his tools, something like SIS 900
worth of stock when he began getting his
property fixed so as to avoid paying me
the $780, 600 which the court awarded me.
But when the time came for return of the
stock Littletield concluded that he would
play little game himself and he refused
TO give up.
"When learned that he had the stock l
told friend of mine from Mendocino that
he would be killed. I knew it as well as
though I had heard the assassination
planned by the hired tools"
The theory is that Vinton, the man shot
by Littlefield, was commissioned to kill
the latter, but his intended victim was too
quick. He "got the drop" and used it to
an advantage which proved fatal to him
self. Mrs. White believes this is the cor
rect version OF the affair.
IL know so much that l cannot think
otherwise" she continued. "You know
'Wylackie john who was killed a few
years ago? Well, he confessed to me some
time before his death that he had been
hired to kill certain man up there whose
name / cannot now recall. He went into
all the horrible details, relating how the
deed was done and the arrangements made
for substantiating plea of sef-defense.
Oh, but know how things are done up
there. White runs the whole county ana
has his minions in every corner of the
county. Personally he is a coward, but is
cold-blooded as lizard"
The "Wylackie John" referred to by
Mrs. White was killed by Mrs. Whites
brother, who had learned that John was
going to shoot him at the first opportunity
Another attempt was made to kill Lit
tleheld some time ago, and he was to have
been witness against his assassin in few
weeks.
During the proceedings in the White VS..
White divorce case, resulting in 500, 900
victory for the wife, Colonel W. T. Smith
was appointed receiver. The position was
generally conceded to be anything but
pleasant or healthy, and while looking
for man of good nerve and intrepid cour-
n Il
recommended to Colonel Smith. Mr..
Downs knew something of the situation of
affairs in Whites little principality and
also, as he expressed it last night, that he
was liable not to come back" He accepted
the position of deputy receiver, neverthe-
less, and started on his doubtful journey.
"When | reached Ukiah, he said, ''peo-
pie crowded to the station and around the
hotel to see me. was an object of curious
interest to them. [ don't know as visit
from the chief magistrate of the land would
have called out a larger number of people.
When 1 inquired the meaning of the de-
monstratlon they told me they wanted to
get a look at the man who had the nerve
to 90 up into Whites stronghold on such
an Grand Before l left there for the
mountains, several volunteered the cheer
full prophecy that would return in pine
box, if not in blanket on the bed of a
lumber wagon. | appreciated their solicit
tude, but was not deferred from making
the trip.
There are some things that would not
like to talk about, holding the position
do, but this much l can say: certainly
believe, and have good reason for the
opinion, that Littlefeld was murdered IN
stead of being murderer. He shot Vim
ton in self-defense; the latter, am posi-
tive, having been detailed to get rid of
him. Littlefeld was probably deserving
of his fate, as he was one of Whites tools,
the same as Vinton, at one time, but made
his last mistake by trying to outwit White.
There is no question that White domi-
mates nearly that whole county, and it is
an open secret that he has hundreds of
men ready and willing to do his bidding.
Mrs White is undoubtedly correct in her
theory of the affair, but both men are
dead, and the dead's testimony is that of
silence"