Napa County CA Archives Obituaries.....Letton, Turner G. January 23, 1865
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Regina Gualco rmgualco@yahoo.com August 3, 2006, 10:21 pm

from History of Napa and Lake Counties (1881)

Killing of TURNER G. LETTON.---This occurred in Napa City, Monday evening,
January 23, 1865, at the American House, under the following circumstances, as
brought out in the testimony: Letton had, until within a few weeks previous to
the homicide, been in the employ of T. Frank Raney as barkeeper, but Raney had
discharged him. He afterwards heard that Raney had stated that the ground for
his discharge was dishonesty. On this day he became intoxicated, and was going
about town using threatening language against Raney, and went to the American
House twice during the day, becoming very much excited, and using violent
language to Raney on both occasions. The latter succeeded in pacifying him
without serious trouble both times, and he went away. In the evening he came
into the bar-room of the hotel again, accompanied by three other men: Robert
Boley, Elias Hamlin and A. A. Edgar. Boley was also a discharged barkeeper, and
the man who had told Letton that Raney charged him with dishonesty. The other
men were only casual acquaintances. Both Letton and Boley were intoxicated. They
first called for something to drink, but did not take it. They then began to
talk to Raney, and to walk violently up and down the room, becoming more and
more excited. At last Boley took off his coat and threw it down, and Letton
advanced to the passage leading out from behind the bar, thus hemming Raney up
in the space between the counter and the shelving of the bar. Raney then drew a
revolver, and ordered Letton three several times to leave the house, and upon
his failure to obey him Raney fired, or attempted to. The cap exploded, but the
revolver did not shoot. Letton then seized a tumbler from the counter and threw
it violently at Raney, but missed him. Raney then fired three shots at Letton,
and finally struck him over the head with the weapon. The first ball entered
Letton's breast, the second struck him in the jaw, while the third passed
through his cheek into his mouth, knocking out a tooth. Letton did not speak
after the first shot, but in a few seconds fell dead behind the bar. It appeared
in evidence that the deceased when sober was a peaceable man, but when under the
influence of liquor inclined to be violent. He came to California from
Lexington, Missouri, in 1860, and was about twenty-six years of age. Raney was
arrested and examined before Justice Hunnewell, J. E. Pond and W. W. Pendegast
appearing for the People, and Henry Edgington for the defense. March 9, 1865, a
bill was found against Raney for manslaughter by the Grand Jury. In June of that
year he was tried, and the jury found for the defendant.

Additional Comments:
Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San
Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), pages 147-148.

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