Napa County CA Archives Obituaries.....Hawkins, Jesse May 7, 1878
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Regina Gualco rmgualco@yahoo.com August 3, 2006, 12:26 am

from History of Napa and Lake Counties (1881)

Killing of Jesse Hawkins---William P. Carter resided in Pope Valley, and had a
daughter, between whom and Hawkins a mutual attachment sprang up. Carter was in
Oregon at the time, and they proceeded with the marriage without the father's
knowledge or consent. When he heard of it he was very wroth, and shortly
afterwards returned home and set about undoing what had been done. At the end of
three months he prevailed upon the girl to return home and leave her husband.
Hawkins became enraged at this and threatened to take the lives of both if she
did not return to him, going so far as to tell one man that Carter had just two
more days to live. On the day before the homicide Hawkins left a note at
Carter's gate addressed to his wife, asking her to meet him at the gate the next
morning. In the morning of May 7, 1878, (the one designated in his note) he rode
up to the gate. Carter was secreted behind a bush, and as Hawkins stopped he
rose, and drawing a bead upon him said, "defend yourself," and at the same time
fired at him, the charge taking effect in Hawkin's head and side. He fell from
his horse with the exclamation, "Oh!" breaking his arm in the fall, and died
almost instantly. Carter went to St. Helena and gave himself up and was tried
before a Justice and acquitted. The Coroner's jury charged him with murder, and
he was again arrested and brought to Napa. His case came up again for
preliminary hearing before Justice Henning, by whom he was a second time
acquitted. It was stated by Carter on this trial that Hawkins had tried to kill
him once with a revolver. It was evidently a case of war to the knife, and he
who drew first blood was the victor.

Additional Comments:
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San
Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), pages 155-156.

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