YUBA COUNTY OBITS
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SIMPSON, JAMES
The National Democrat – 9/8/1859, p2 – A Serious and Bloody Affray – The news came into town, yesterday, at about half past eleven o’clock, that a bloody affray had occurred, a short time before, at Landis’ Ranch, about two miles from this city. One of the parties wounded in the difficulty, Joe McGee, was brought into town in an express wagon and laid on the porch of the St. Nicholas Hotel. Doctor Gray was summoned to see him, and soon after he was removed to a room in the hotel up stairs. – As soon as we could obtain a mode of conveyance, we went to the scene of blood, and obtained from an eye witness of the transaction the following information. This witness states, that after the polls at the precinct at Landis’ Ranch were opened and a few votes cast, R. M. Turner, Benjamin Turner, Alfred Turner and Richard Thomas, and several other parties being present, besides the Board of Judges, James Simpson arrived, and as soon as he stepped on the porch to deposit his vote, R. M. Turner, struck at him with a large hickory stick. The first blow Simpson dodged. The second struck him on the head, when Simpson clinched with his assailant, and either threw him or forced him back into the door of an adjoining room. As soon as R. M. Turner struck at Simpson, the other Turners and Richard Thomas drew their weapons, and were aiming partly at McGee, who had come upon the ground from the city. Soon after firing commenced, but witness cannot say who commenced shooting first. McGee, who appeared to be a friend of Simpson, was out numbered and shot by some of the crowd, the ball taking effect in the abdomen. Then, Benjamin Turner ran into the room where R. M. Turner and Simpson were struggling, Simpson being on top, and putting his pistol within a foot of Simpson’s side, fired, the ball passing through, entering his right side near the right nipple and coming out lower down on the left, lodging in the skin. Simpson exclaimed that he was shot, and asked the contestants to let him alone. R. M. Turner then got on him and commenced beating him. After much difficulty, R. M. Turner was taken off. In the meantime, most of the persons on the porch had left, two of them being wounded slightly, with mere harmless injuries of the skin. Turner remarked, after the shooting was over, that Simpson insulted him every time he met him, and that moreover he was the cause of the death of a brother of his (Turner’s) who was killed by Mike Gray in 1855, in Marysville. Seeing the bad condition of Simpson, R. M. Turner urged the sending for a doctor immediately. – During the melee, McGee fired four shots at Thomas and the Turners, none of which took effect, and was himself shot, as above recorded, in the abdomen, the wound being in the region of the pelvis bone. It is supposed that Alf. Turner was the one who shot McGee. McGee was also shot in the right arm – a mere flesh wound – and this may have been the cause of his wild shooting. – Women and children were screaming in and around the house, balls were flying, striking the posts of the porch and the gate, and going through the roof of the porch, as the pistols were knocked up, and a general scene of dire confusion prevailed. – The above is one account. Another is, that Joe McGee began the entire difficulty, drawing first, shooting first, and creating the impression that he and Simpson had come for a difficulty with the Turners, and intended to do desperate and bloody work. There are other statements again, conflicting with them, and it would be perhaps better for the public to suspend their judgment in the matter until a preliminary examination has been had in the case and the true facts have been sworn to as they occurred. – The cause of the difficulty, it would seem, is an old feud which has existed between Simpson and Turner since 1855. During that year R. M. Turner was running on the Know Nothing ticket for the Assembly. Simpson was resolved to beat him, and issued, we believe a handbill, affidavit or something of the kind, to the effect that R. M. Turner had put his (Turner’s) brand over the brand of Simpson on some cattle belonging to the latter and claimed them as his own. A brother of Turner’s during the former’s temporary absence, approached Mike Gray, who had reported Simpson’s story, and a fight ensued with pistols, in which Turner was killed by a shot from a derringer in the hands of Mike Gray. Ever since that time there has been no good feeling between the surviving Turners and the Simpsons, they, believing that Simpson was the cause of their brother’s death. – We left the scene of the difficulty at about 4 o’clock p.m. yesterday. At that time, Simpson was in great pain, bleeding profusely, and suffering also from internal hemmhorage [sic]. His physicians are Doctors Watts and McDaniel, and Dr. Gray called in for consultation. It was the opinion of one doctor that the ball had passed through only one lung, while it was the opinion of the other two that it had passed through both. One of the doctors informed him (the wounded man) a short time before we left, that the chances were against him and that he would do well to prepare for death. He bore the information with fortitude, called his wife and children around him, said a few words to them and left some instructions to friends who were present, in relation to his worldly affairs. At the same time, he expressed a hope that he would survive the shock and recover. – Upon returning to the city, we ascertained that McGee was likely to recover from the wounds which he had received. The fact of his missing, every shot that he fired, is to be accounted for probably by the circumstance of his having been shot in one of the muscles of his right arm, in the beginning of the affray. – A considerable number of persons went out in carriages, to the place of the difficulty, upon the arrival of the news in town, and among them the Sheriff and his deputies, as well as the Marshal of the city and a portion of his policemen. Proceeding to the house of the Turners, the officers above named arrested R. M. Turner, Ben. Turner ad Richard Thomas, and took them into town, they offering no resistance. Alf. Turner was not arrested, not being at the house, or at least not being seen there. – The distress of Mrs. Simpson and her children, who were near the couch of th wounded man, was great indeed and most painful to behold. We sincerely pray that the husband and father may recover, but we confess that we have but a slender hope. – It may be proper to state here that Mr. Simpson was armed with a revolver and a derringer when he was upon R. M. Turner, but it does not seem to be stated, as far as know, that he attempted to draw or use either weapon. – We presume a preliminary examination will soon be had, and the facts will then all appear. – P. S. We were informed at a late hour last night that Mr. Simpson was rapidly sinking.
Daily California Express – 9/8/1859, p 2 – Shooting Affray – An unfortunate difficulty occurred yesterday, at the Landis House, in which pistols were freely used, and several persons wounded, two of them dangerously. It appears that an old grudge has existed for some years between the Turners and James Simpson. They met yesterday, at the Landis House, and, from some cause or other which we were unable to learn, the quarrel was revived. We are not familiar with the circumstances connected with the affair, and, besides, we think it is proper that no particulars should be entered into until after an examination is had before the proper tribunal. But it is known that the difficulty originated between the Turners and Simpson, in which pistols were used, and the mutual friends of the parties became involved. James Simpson received a ball in his side, which passed through the lungs, and was extracted on the opposite side by Dr. Watts. J. W. McGee, a friend of Simpson, also received a ball through the abdomen, inflicting a severe, if not fatal wound, and another through the arm. A Mr. Hinds, who was a mere spectator, received a ball through the fleshy part of the thigh, and Ben. Turner was grazed on the temple by a ball, which passed through his hat, and another gentleman was shot through the foot. The preliminary examination will take place this morning before Justice Singer.
Daily National Democrat – 9/9/1859, p 3 – Dead: Mr. Simpson, who was shot on Wendesday [sic] last in an affray at Landis’ Ranch, died, yesterday afternoon, at about 2 o’clock.
Daily California Express – 9/9/1859, p 2 – Died: At Linda, on yesterday, Capt. James Simpson, aged 50 years. – The friends and acquaintances of the family are invited to attend the funeral, from the Senate House, this afternoon, at 4 o’clock.
Daily National Democrat – 9/10/1859, p 2 – Funeral of James Simpson and James Sherwood – These well known and much lamented citizens of Yuba county, (the latter of this city,) were followed to their graves on yesterday, by a large procession of their friends and acquaintances. The Masonic fraternity, of which they were both members, and the Fire Department, of which Mr. Sherwood was a member, were in attendance, according to their respective relations to the deceased, and accompanied them to their last resting place. Many were the tears which were shed, and deep the grief of numerous surviving relatives and friends. Mr. Simpson leaves a highly interesting family.
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