Plumas County CA Archives History - Books .....Historical Reminiscences - Murder Of A. Z. Page 1882
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Book Title: Illustrated History Of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

MURDER OF A. Z. PAGE.

On the seventh of July, 1878, A. Z. Page was killed at La Porte by Roscoe G.
Shaw, who is now serving out a life sentence for his crime. Page was a rather
weak-minded man, about fifty years of age, and Shaw had been making him the
object of his ridicule during the day and evening, following him from place to
place, and annoying him continually, despite the remonstrances of the persecuted
man, until at last Page procured a stone to use as a weapon for his protection.
He went into Goailhard's saloon and sat down, holding the stone in his lap. Shaw
soon after entered the saloon, and made an offensive remark to Page, who jumped
up, raised the stone, and said, "Go away from me or I will put a hole through
you!" Shaw immediately left and went to Buckley's saloon, where his brother,
Charles H. Shaw, was playing billiards. The two brothers held a brief
conference, and when the game was concluded they proceeded together to
Goailhard's saloon, where Page was still sitting in a chair. They sat down a few
feet from Page, who soon observed them, and warned Ross to go away or he would
put a hole through him. At these words Ross seized an iron poker from the stove,
in both hands, and struck Page a blow across the top of the head. The blow so
disabled the victim that his head fell back against the wall, and he was unable
to rise from his chair. While in this position, Ross rained half a dozen blows
upon his upturned face and forehead, in the most brutal manner, while his
brother Charley stood guard with a long knife, to prevent any interference. One
who undertook to remonstrate with Ross was struck twice, and chased out of the
saloon by Charley, who flourished his knife, and took the occasion to remark
that no one could "get away with the Shaw family." Page died in a few minutes,
his skull literally smashed by the blows given him while hitting helpless in his
chair. The two brothers were indicted for murder, and were given separate trials
the following October. Ross G. Shaw was convicted of murder in the second
degree, and was sentenced by Judge Clough to imprisonment for life, the extreme
penalty allowed by the statute. On the trial of Charles H. Shaw, the jury
remained out all night and the next day, when they sent word to the judge that
they could not agree. They were not discharged, and about ten o'clock that night
they came in with a verdict of "not guilty." Both of these cases were prosecuted
by R. H. F. Variel, the district attorney, and defended by John D. Goodwin and
William W. Kellogg. 


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

San Francisco: Fariss & Smith
(1882)


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