Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-23
SHERIFF KILLED
BY INSANE MAN
HENRY SMITH OF UKlAH IS
THE VICTIM
Lunatic Fires at Judge White, but
Misses and Then Flees, Pur-
sued by Armed Posse,
and Is Captured
Rv Associated Press.


1rI<IAH. Dec. 22.-Frank Willard, an
insane man, shot and killed Sherin
Henry smith of this county in Judge
Whites chambers at a few minutes
sbefore 10 O'Clock this morning. Atter
sshootinq Smith he fired once at Judge
white. but missed him. The ASSASSIN
sthen rushed down the stairs leaulhs
from the judges chambers ana OUT W ol
the court house, shouting that ne
would shoot the first man VINO touui,su ,'
him Assessor Thomas, who heard the
noise and rushed to his door, had inc
pistol thrust in his face. Willard ran
through tte town and cut through
Stitt's lumber yard passed the lurnDer
~yard of Lucas Brothers and heaueu LOT
the Vichy Springs canyon. An armed
posse started in pursuit ilnmedlately
and came upon him just as he was
entering the canyon. 49,.
willard was running faster than the
ptlrsuers and was gaining ground on
Them when Rufe and Tom Lucas and
Deputy Clerk Ganter came up III a
wagon. They drove through the river
and kept on his trail, coming up 10
him in a few minutes. Willard empued
his pistol at the posse and the Lucas
brothers shot at him. When his pistol
was emptied he threw 1t away, COM
menced yelling for mercy and begged
the officers not to shoot him. ION
Lucas Jumped from the buggy and
went up TO him. The murderer was
quickly bound hand and foot and taken
into the wagon and the posse started
for town. When they were coming
up by the depot the crowd seized the
horses and attempted to take the pris-
oner. A hundred men were shouting
to hang him. and if it had not been for
the presence of mind of the guards the
murderer would never have reached
the Jail.
When they did start to take him into
the Jail the crowd was following and
another attempt was made to lynch
him. Auditor Caughey jumped on the
steps of the jail with double-barreled
shotgun and talked to the crowd, at
tracing their attention while the Jail
doors were closed. The crowd still
hung around and called for the pris-
oner to be lynched.
Willard was brought up from Hop
land yesterday to be examined for in
sanity and placed in the Jail. 1t seems
that he was not searched, as it was not
supposed that he was armed. Thls
morning he was taken before Judge
White to be examined by Drs. Dick
inson and Bond. They had made out
the commitment and Judge Mannon
and Attorney Weldon, Clerk MCGOWAN
r
court room had stepped out
Smith was talking to Willard and
trying to get him to give up his money.
He gave part of it to Smith and saiu
that it was pretty hard to take mans
money from him when he was commit
ted to the asylum. He started for the
door and Sheriff Smith called to him
and started after him. He then
wheeled, partly shutting the door i'll
front of him, and fired.
Willard is half Spaniard and has
been in the asylum before. About twen-
ty years ago he shot John Armstrong
McCabe. He succeeded in avoiding
conviction. He told the doctors while
he was being examined that he was
working for Gov. Pardee and that he
was to suppress rough characters who
had been numbering people He said
that if any one interfered with him he
would have to kill them.
Sheriff Smith was one of the mos,
11ouIll9r. men I'm the county