Jack & Dave Lett, CA 1855-1877

By genealogy.com user March 16, 1999 at 07:45:23

Shades of the Wild West!:

THE COLUSA SUN, Saturday 29 September 1877, p. 3

LOCAL MATTERS
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DESPERATE SHOOTING SCRAPE
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Jack and David Lett Supposed to Have
BeenKilled!
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News came to town on Thursday of the shooting and supposed killing of the Lett brothers, at their ranch in the Coast range, about fifty miles west of Colusa.At this writing we have been unable to get any statement but that of the parties who did the shooting.John L. Smith, a brother of Pete Smith, one of the parties who did the shooting, came to town and gives the following version of the difficulty:Lett Brothers lay claim to a large mountain range, and have held samefor some years.Pete Smith went on a small valley which the Lett’s have claimed as meadow grounds and put him up a cabin.On Tuesday Jack Lett came with a Henry rifle and presented it at Smith and told him to leave.Smith reasoned with him, and finally Lett became somewhat pacified, but told him he would give him until next Monday to get away.Smith then went to the house of his brother, John L., some miles away, to get someone to be present when Jack came back.A man by the name of Hersey who was working for John, agreed to go.They both took revolvers.Jack did not come as early next morning as the expected him, and Pete began to make some bread, while Hersey was lying down on his back.They then saw both the Letts approaching, each with a Henry rifle, cocked and presented.Jack ordered each of them not to move.Dave then laid his gun down and taking an ax got up on the house and commenced to chop it down – Jack all the while holding his gun cocked on Smith.Smith asked him to let the hammer down as it was not comfortable to stand before it in that condition.Jack said he would let him down.Smith grabbed for his gun, and as he got hold of the muzzle and turned it aside it went off.Smith then drew his pistol and shot-still holding on to the gun.He thinks he hit Lett about the collar bone.In the scuffle they went backward and both fell over a log.When the firing took place Dave got down off the house, got his gun and started to Jack’s assistance.Hersey then drew his pistol and started after Dave.Smith then raised up from behind the log and both he and Hersey shot about the same time, when Dave fell.without seeing whether they were dead or not Smith and Hersey got on their horses and came to Justice Gaither’s and gave themselves up.Mr. Gaither then summoneda jury and went to the scene of the conflict, taking Smith and Hersey with him.On hearing the news Deputy Sheriff Jamison and coroner Allen started out.
We have known the Lett brothers for over twenty years and have known nothing but good of them.They were illiterate and Jack may have been somewhat impetuous and apt to try to defend what he considered to be his rights, but as the above version came entirely from those who did the shooting, we should not make up our minds until we hear more

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Re: Jack & Dave Lett, CA 1855-1877
3/20/99