On July eighth, not the seventh because the cemetery data declare, Patrick Henry Dillon was murdered whereas taking a nap below a tree on the outskirts of city. Some reviews declare he was handed out drunk, whereas others say he was simply asleep. Both case, whereas he was sleeping, a person by the identify of Vicente Valdez (different accounts identify him as “Rodriguez”) snuck up on him.
Valdez had went to the neighboring home of Mrs. Culp and brought an axe from her property. He then attacked the then sleeping Mr. Dillon, crushing his cranium with each blow from the axe. After the dastardly deed was executed, Valdez took the axe and put it again at Mrs. Culp’s home and took off with the cash he had stolen from Dillon’s pockets and the boots off of his ft.
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After getting away, Valdez tried to pawn Dillon’s boots at one of many vineyards, asking for a commerce for “Aguardiente” (a really robust alcoholic drink). Suspicion rose about the place the boots got here from, and Valdez fled. When the physique of Dillon was found, Deputy Sheriff Richard Barham took it upon himself to make it possible for the assassin was tracked down and delivered to justice.
On July 10, 1878, simply two days after the homicide, Valdez was arrested and delivered to jail. Based on the newspapers of the time, the city was hell bent on vigilante justice however Sheriff Braham, “eluded the vigilance of Choose Lynch, and lodged the prisoner safely in jail.”
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By August, Valdez pleaded responsible and was sentenced to life in jail by the District Courtroom. As for Patrick Dillon, sadly it appears that evidently he has been forgotten. No pictures of him exist to my data. Maybe some lengthy misplaced relative on the market has one someplace. He was buried within the Anaheim Cemetery at Part: CP Block: 6 Lot: 46 House: 1, however the Anaheim data and the Orange County data misspelled his identify as “Pabrict” for no matter motive. How they obtained Pabrict from Patrick is past me, however now his story has been discovered and informed.
I’ve contacted Findagrave to right his identify, in order that he could be remembered correctly. Though we might not know the place he got here from, we all know the place he had been, Anaheim. This city was the final place he referred to as residence. Why he was sleeping on the market below a tree within the vineyards will not be recognized. Maybe he labored there and was taking a nap. Maybe he was drunk and handed out. Who is aware of?!
However he did not should die the best way he did.
Relaxation In Peace, Patrick Henry Dillon. You aren’t forgotten.
(Copyright 2014- J’aime Rubio)
Sources:
Orange County Cemetery District Data
Findagrave
Sac Every day Union -July 8, 1878, July 9, 1878
Los Angeles Herald- July 10, 1878, August 17, 1878
Anaheim Public Library Archive Picture of Winery–
