Napa County CA Archives Obituaries.....Ennis, Katie August 20, 1871
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Regina Gualco rmgualco@yahoo.com August 3, 2006, 12:16 am

History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (1881)

Killing of Katie Ennis (Indian).---Alonzo Davis, a boy only about thirteen years
of age, shot and killed an Indian girl by the name of Katie Ennis, at the house
of M. D. Markley, in Putah Caņon, August 20, 1871, under the following
circumstances, as brought out in the testimony: The Indian girl was living at
Markley's as his housekeeper. Markley was away from home a great deal of the
time during the day, and was often away for days at a time. It would seem that
the girl got the idea into her head that the boy wished to destroy Markley's
property during his absence, and she threatened to shoot him should he pass by
the premises again. There were two roads leading by the place; one just in front
of the door, and one up the hill a short distance. One day he passed along the
lower road in com- pany with another boy, and he states, being corroborated by
his companion, that she fired at them with a rifle, after they had got past the
house some distance. The next day he got a small pistol, and having an errand
that way, took occasion to go along the lower road, as usual. When the girl saw
him she said: "I will shoot you, you s-- of a b----!" and started into the
house. Just as she crossed the threshold, the boy fired, and the bullet entered
the girl's brain. The body was found some time afterwards in a mutilated
condition, rats and coons doing the work. The boy was arrested, and Justice R.
C. Gillaspie of Yount Township, committed him to jail to await the action of the
Grand Jury, on the 26th of August. That body found a true bill against him,
September 6th, and he was tried October 5th. The jury in the case comprised to
the following named gentlemen: David Edwards, James Dunhig, S. Winters, Asa
Chapman, David Yount, W. H. Beagles, W. A. Haskins, J. G. Francis, E. K. Wood,
Wm. Locker, J. B. Chiles and T. G. Rodgers. Their verdict was: "We, the jury,
find the defendant not guilty."

Additional Comments:
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San
Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), page 150.

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