Marilyn - Here is some info I received when looking for George Erickson that also includes George Kunz. Janet From: "Bonnie Grant" <bonnieg@oldgrowth.com> Subject: Re: [NorCal] Trinity Co. - Natwick/Erickson family - murder case? Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 15:31:57 -0700 c Refe005301c33a5e$0994f640$7c594382@y5wh>rences: < GENOCIDE and VENDETTA by Lynwood Carranco and Estle Beard pg 235 "Industrious George Ericson, an honest Norwegian who was brave and a good shot, homesteaded a sheep ranch near Mad River in southwestern Trinity County. In 1882 and 1883, he acquired more land and soon became too big for George E. White. Ericson was soon subjected to every kind of abuse known to White's unscrupulous hirelings: his stock was run off, his fences were broken, and false charges of illicit distilling, sheep stealing, and misappropriation of wool were brought against him in the courts, which almost ruined him financially. But still he stayed and defied White and his henchmen. A man named Schappe was sent to shoot him but missed, and Ericson fired many bullets after the man, intentionally coming close to frighten him. Then Ericson was arrested on a charge of assault to murder, but the district attorney failed to "file an information," and the case was lapsed. Ericson refused to leave his claim thinking that he had finally outwitted White's gang." "In the early part of September, 1886, Ericson's riderless horse came out of the woods with saddle covered with blood. Some sheepherders who had heard shots found his body, which had been shot in the back from ambush. Ericson had friends, and Detective Lawson of San Francisco was employed on the case. He found evidence that John Norris, F. F. Torogdon, George Orr, Ben Arthur, and Deputy Sheriff George Kunz had subscribed $125 each to hire a man to kill Ericson. George Orr was selected, and the money was placed in Norris's hands, to be paid when earned. Orr and Kunz waited for Ericson on the trail, and Kunz killed him. Later, at the funeral, Kunz furnished the boards for Ericson's coffin and charged his family $250." "The men were taken to Weaverville, but only Kunz was held for the murder. In January, 1887, Kunz was sentenced to be hanged March 18, but his counselors appealed to the supreme court, which granted him a new trial set for August 1, 1888. In the new trial George Kunz was found not guilty of the murder of Ericson, and "thus ends the most important and costly trial($2500) ever held before the courts of Trinity County....and today his murderers walk the earth as free men." The newspaper's account of the trial ended with the following: "The two more monstrosities Orr and Norris confessed their complicity in the crime yet under the law the necessary amount of corroboration could not be obtained to secure a conviction. We do not usually advocate lynch law but we hope that if ever a similar case comes before courts that the people will take the matter into their own hands and not wait for the slow and uncertain process of the law." This is all I could find, hopefully someone else will have some information on the family for you. Good luck. From: George Rushton <george_richard_rushton@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [NorCal] Trinity Co. - Natwick/Erickson family - murder case?/new trial on appeal Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 18:40:24 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: <20030624194959.58960.qmail@web40310.mail.yahoo.com> Lars As you saw in Bonnie Grant e-mail, you some more information on the case. >From the San Francisco Call of Jan 24, 1887, it took the jury only 3/4 of hour to reach the verdict. >From the California Reports, #73, 1887 p313; the reason he got the new trial was bias of one of the members of the jury. George Rushton >> Date: 1/6/2010 8:11:45 PM >> Subject: [NORCAL] George Erickson >> >> In 1884 Ben Arthur had a run-in with a man named George Erickson who had > been stealing his sheep. Erickson was taken to Weaverville and tried for > sheep stealing. Although he was set free and warned not to return to > southern Trinity County, Erickson did not heed the warning and was found > dead near the Mad River Bridge on September 7, 1886. A man by the name of > George Kunz was tried for this murder, and Ben Arthur, along with several > other ranchers, was tried for conspiracy in the murder. As a result of > Ben's efforts to defend himself, the ranch was taken over by the German > Savings and Loan Society (now the Bank of Hibernia). >> >> This is an excerpt from "Trinity County Historic Sites" and is referring > to a ranch on South of Fork Mountain, near the Humboldt County line. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ----------------------------------------- >>