The San Francisco call., 1897-02-04
KILLED BY
A HERDER
Benjamin Henderson Slain
on His Mendocino
Ranch.
QUARRELED WITH ONE
OF HIS employees.
Stabbed Because He Would Not
" Meet a Demand for More
Wages.
[HIS SLAYER ONCE ARRESTED
\ FOR INSANITY.
The Culprit Claims He Was Attacked
and Compelled to Defend
Himself.
HIS SLAYER ONCE ARRESTED
FOR INSANITY.
The Culprit Claims He Was Attacked
and Compelled to Defend
Himself.

UKIAH, CAL, Feb. 3.-Benjamin Hen
derson, pioneer of this county and one
of It's wealthiest and most influential citi-
zens, was killed this morning by a Mexi-
can sheepherGer who bad been in his en-
ploy for some time. News of the affair
first reached here about IL o'clock,
when James Cleveland, a rider on the
Howard range, reported the murder at the
Sheriff Office.
A party, consisting of Sheriff ]. R. John
son, Under Sheriff Philo Handy, District
Attorney George A. Sturtevant, Coroner
J. H. Barker and several others, at once
= left for the scene of the tragedy, about
three miles northeast of Ukiah. The
Russian River bank was full and 1t was
. hardly deemed advisable to attempt to
ford it north of this place. therefore the
party crossed on Clark bridge, southeast
of town. Upon its arrival at the scene of
the affray the posse found an old Mexican
on the place. He had previously been de-
scrbed as the murderer and the officers
took him in charge. He was brought to
town and placed in Jail by Sheriff John
son and Under Sheriff Handy.
When the jail was reached there was a
large crowd surrounding 1t, and cries OF
Bring a rope" and Hang him. were
heard. This demonstration had been an
ticipated by the officers, and preparations
TO effect a speedy transfer of the prisoner
from the horse he was riding to the build
ing had been made. The man was hurried
into the Jail and placed where no one
could reach him. No danger of mob law
is anticipated at this time.
At the jail the prisoner stated that his
name was Gregorie Y barra. He had come
to this county three months ago from
Point Oxford, Or, and had for the past
four weeks been in the employ of Hen
derson, cutting. wood and doing chores
about the ranch. This morning. accord
ing to his story, he asked Henderson to
pay him some money that was due him.
The rancher stated that Ybarra would
have TO wait until he went to town to get
some money from the bank. A dispute
then arose as TO he price TO be paid for the
cutting OF some wood, Henderson claim
ing tnat he was 10 pay 75 cents for two
tiers, while Y Ybarra maintained that he
was to be paid that amount for each tier
OF wood cut. Later the dispute was re-
newed wien Henderson carried some of
the wood into the house. Ybarra de-
INJURED and hot words were exchanged.
Ybarra states that he was sitting down
peeling potatoes al the time and that as
Henderson came at him with three-foot
stick of wood he jumped up and, in self
defense, inflicted the wounds that subse-
Quently caused Henderson's S death. There
were, so far as can be learned at this
, time, one wound on he dead mans body
and one on the left side of the neck, ex-
.teRding from the left ear around under
the chin and severing the iugular vein.
Henderson, after he had been sta bbed,
ran toward the house, eighty yards dis
tant, and after addr ressing a few words to
a man who was present fell over on the
floor and expired.
William Owens, an employe on the
Henderson ranch and who was present
when the rancher expired, was an eye
witness of the killing. He tells substan-
kially the same story as the prisoner. I'm
Aediately after his arrest, however,
barra, in a statement to the Sheriff, de-
MED any knowledge of the affair.
Benjamin Henderson was a man about
70 years of age. and was we'll known and
respected throughout the county. He
was prominent mem Der of Abel Lodge
No. 146, +. and a. M, of this place. He
settled at Sherwood Valley in the north
eru part of this county in 1859, shortly
after his marriage al San Francisco. He
has accumulated large interests in the
valley and owns considerable town prop
erty. as we'll as tim Der land and sheen
ranges. Thirty thousand dollars would
probably be low estimate of the value of
his holdings. He has for the last thirty
wears lived alone on the ranch where he
was killed, he never having married after
he and his wife separated IN 1861. His
estate. by will executed some time since
is beoueathed to Robert McGarvey Jr and
Mrs. Victor McMullen, children of ex-
Superior Judge McGarvey of this county.
The prisoner, Ybarra, is stranger in
this part of the country. About two
months ago he was brought to Ukiah by
Deputy Sheriff Martin Hart from West.
port to be examined on a charge of in
sanity, but at that time after an examina-
ton he was pronounced sane and dis
charged. Shortly after his discharge he
entered the employ of Henderson. He is
Mexican, so years of age, very slight in
ftature, but extremely muscular. He
Epeaks very little English.
Countess CotCIey secures Decree.
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