Contra Costa County CA Archives History - Books .....Killing Of Edward Norris 1882
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com November 23, 2005, 12:10 am

Book Title: History Of Contra Costa County, California

   KILLING OF EDWARD NORRIS.—This tragedy took place at Conkling's Hotel, on the
road between Lafayette and Oakland, on the evening of Sunday, December 11, 1859.
The particulars as gleaned from the Contra Costa Gazette are as follows: A. H.
Houston of San Francisco was the owner of some five hundred acres of the
"Sobrante" claim, on the San Pablo creek. The property had been squatted on by
settlers, with all of whom, save one, Mr. Houston had compromised, so as to
obtain full possession. This one, a man named Edward Norris, had fenced in some
seventy acres of Houston's land, arid refused to give up possession. On
Saturday, the 10th, Houston went over to his Ranch for the purpose of making
some arrangement towards a peaceable settlement of the dispute. He visited the
house of Mr. Norris, on Sunday, the 11th, but not finding the latter at home,
left a request that he would on his return call at his (Houston's) farm-house
and have a talk with him before the hour necessary for him to start to take the
last boat that was to leave Oakland. Mr. Houston then returned to his house, and
after waiting as long as possible, he left word with his father-in-law, W. C.
Pease, who was in charge of the property, to settle the matter peacefully, by
paying Norris a reasonable sum to leave quietly. Norris, however, did not come
to the house, and in the evening Pease went over to the hotel near by, kept by
Conkling, for the purpose of getting supper. While eating, a crowd of men
arrived at the hotel, among whom was Norris. They were in the bar-room while
Pease was in the dining-room. The conversation of Norris and his friends was
upon the matter in dispute between the former and Mr. Houston. Pease, hearing
his name mentioned, in not very complimentary terms, stepped to the door of the
apartment in which Norris and the others were conversing, and drawing a pistol,
demanded to know who had anything to say against "Old Pease," at the same time
raising his pistol, cocking it, and threatening to shoot the first man who
raised a finder.

Norris, who was in the act of drinking as Pease entered, put his glass down on
the table. Some harsh words then passed between Pease and Norris; the latter,
who was unarmed, reached forward to seize the pistol, when Pease instantly
fired, and Norris fell dead, having been shot through the heart. Pease was tried
for manslaughter and, January 26, 1861, was acquitted.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA,
INCLUDING ITS GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATOGRAPHY AND DESCRIPTION;
TOGETHER WITH A RECORD OF THE MEXICAN GRANTS; THE BEAR FLAG WAR; THE MOUNT
DIABLO COAL FIELDS; THE EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT, COMPILED FROM THE MOST
AUTHENTIC SOURCES; THE NAMES OF ORIGINAL SPANISH AND MEXICAN PIONEERS; FULL
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY; SEPARATE HISTORY OF EACH TOWNSHIP, SHOWING
THE ADVANCE IN POPULATION AND AGRICULTURE;
ALSO,
Incidents of Pioneer Life; and Biographical Sketches
OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
AMD OF ITS TOWNS, VILLAGES, CHURCHES, SECRET SOCIETIES, ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO: W. A. SLOCUM & CO., PUBLISHERS
1882.


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