Lassen County CA Archives History - Books .....Hanging Of Snow, Edwards And Lucky Bill 1882
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Book Title: Illustrated History Of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

HANGING OF SNOW, EDWARDS, AND LUCKY BILL.

   In 1857 a Frenchman named Henry Gordier bought a band of cattle, and ranged
them on the ranch now occupied by Thomas Mulroney, near the head of the lake.
Early in 1858, John Mullen, Asa Snow, and William Combs Edwards, known here
simply as William Combs, began negotiating for the purchase of this stock. They
soon after took possession of Gordier's log cabin and cattle, and reported that
the Frenchman had sold to them, and gone immediately to Genoa, and from there to
San Francisco, whence it was his intention to sail at once for the East. The
neighbors thought such a hasty departure a rather strange proceeding, and wrote
a letter to the missing man's brother on Feather river, asking if he knew of the
intended departure of his brother. An answer in the negative deepened their
suspicions, and they began to search for the missing man. They found a place on
the ranch where there were evidences of a struggle, and upon raking away the
ashes of a fire near by, blood-stains were found and a metal button discovered.
A careful search of the river resulted in finding the body, which had been
placed in a sack and sunk with a large stone.

   While this was being done, Mullen and Edwards had departed, leaving the
property in the charge of Snow. The citizens arrested Snow, and put him upon
trial before an extemporized court, but before the end of the trial a mob took
Snow from the house of L. N. Breed (now owned by T. H. Epley) and hanged him to
the limb of a tall pine tree which stood upon the lake shore. Edwards had fled
to Carson valley, and placed himself under the protection of William B.
Thorrington, commonly called Lucky Bill. He owned much valuable ranch property,
and the Carson Canon Toll Road, and was one of the leading settlers of that
section. As to the part played by and the character of Lucky Bill there are two
opinions. The people of Honey Lake valley believe him to have been the leader of
a gang of robbers and cut-throats, and to have been an abettor of the murder of
Gordier; while the majority of the old residents of Carson and Eagle valleys,
where he resided, are as firmly convinced of his innocence. Lucky Bill claimed
that Edwards had assured him that he was innocent of the murder, and that he
therefore undertook to secrete and protect him.

   W. T. C. Elliott went down from Honey Lake, and played the part of detective,
getting into the good graces of Lucky Bill, and learning that Edwards was being
concealed by him. He also became satisfied that there were bonds of union
between a number of bad characters in that vicinity. Elliott was one of a
committee appointed to work up the case, the others being Junius Brutus Gilpin,
John Neal, Frank Johnson, and Charles Adams. When all was in readiness,
thirty-two men went down from Honey Lake valley, and were joined by settlers
from Washoe, Eagle, and Carson valleys, till they had a company of nearly 100
men. A night raid was made, and Lucky Bill and eleven others were arrested. Camp
was made on the ranch of Richard Sides, on Clear creek, between Genoa and Carson
City. The prisoners were confined in Sides' house, while the barn was used for a
court-room. Settlers congregated here in great numbers to attend the trial.
Three judges were chosen, John Neal from Honey Lake valley, and Dr. King and
John L. Cary from Carson valley. Eighteen jurors were selected, six of them from
Honey Lake valley. Elliott acted as sheriff. The judges, jurors, and spectators
sat in the court-room, armed with guns and revolvers. They first tried the
eleven men whom they had arrested, and against whom they could prove nothing
save that they were sporting men and undesirable citizens. For this reason they
were fined from $250 to $1,000 each, and banished from the settlements.

   Edwards was captured through Jerome Thorrington, the son of Lucky Bill, who
was told that if he would deliver up Edwards his father's life would be spared.
The result was, that Edwards was decoyed from his hiding place and captured. He
was placed upon the stand to testify against Lucky Bill. Of the trial, the
History of Nevada says: "The evidence under oath was written down by C. N.
Noteware, late secretary of state for Nevada; and the writer of this has read it
all. Not a thing appears there implicating Lucky Bill in anything except the
attempt to secure the murderer's escape. The absence of any knowledge on the
part of the accused of the guilt of Edwards is a noticeable feature in that
testimony; that party, after having acknowledged his own guilt, swore positively
that he had assured Lucky Bill that he was innocent, and no one else testified
to the contrary." The jury believed, however, that Thorrington was cognizant of
the murder, and convicted him. He was hanged on the nineteenth of June, 1850
[sic]. The same work says: "His son is now dead, and the widow is wearing out
her life in the Stockton Insane Asylum, in California."

   Edwards was brought back to Honey Lake valley, and placed on trial. He made a
full confession, and was hanged June 23, 1858, by the officers selected by the
settlers. John Mullen, the third murderer, was never captured.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

San Francisco: Fariss & Smith
(1882)

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/lassen/history/1882/illustra/hangingo135nms.txt

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