The Contra Costa Gazette Martinez, Contra Costa County, California Saturday, 9 October 1875 ************************************* A YOUNG MAN named James Lord LANDIES, while out hunting in a skiff near Antioch last Wednesday, drew his gun to him by the muzzle, when the weapon discharged, the load entering LANDIES groin, killing him instantly. DWELLING BURNED - The but recently completed dwelling house of Peter G. LOUCKS, at Pacheco, was totally destroyed by fire last Sunday afternoon, together with nearly all the household effects and family clothing. The fire originated in one of the upper rooms from some cause not known. The room had been used as a sort of storage place but had been partially cleared for other use that day or the day before, when some little carpentering had been done there, of which the litter and shavings remained on the floor. It is possible that a match in this litter may have been stepped on and ignited by some one of the several members of the family shortly before in the room, without attracting attention at the moment and it is also possible that one of the little children may have got possession of matches and been amusing himself with scratching them there. Hanging in the room was a flask containing some powder and also, on a shelf, a canister partially emptied. The explosion of this powder was the firs t not ice of danger to the family below; and, on springing into the hall, Mr. LOUCKS found that the upper part of the house was filled with a lurid mass of fire and smoke. He had no more than got his sick wife and the children out in safety before the volumes of smoke became so suffocating below that nothing of consequence could be saved of the household effects. We have not heard an estimate of the loss by this disaster, but it can hardly be less in money calculation than $1500, if it does not considerably exceed that amount, and there was unfortunately no insurance. Where such misfortune falls upon a family it becomes neighborhoods and the communities to help lighten it; and we hope it will be done in this instance. HOODLUM THIEVES - We mentioned the fact last week that Mr. James NORCOTTs house, near Bulls Head, was entered in his absence and plundered of a silver mounted powder flask and shot pouch, and his boat stolen. A few days since the flask and pouch were offered for sale by some boys of rough reputation at Benicia, and word was sent over here to Constable GIFT, who went to Benicia and secured the arrest of 3 boys known to belong to a hoodlum gang which is under direction of a disreputable man, who is still at large, together with one of the boys implicated. One of the 3 boys arrested was dispatched at once to the Industrial School under a previous commitment, and the other 2 are held for examination here by Justice FORD today. Mr. NORCOTTs boat was found abandoned up in Montezuma Slough on the other side of the Bay. HONORED WITH CONFIDENCE - Mr. Thomas F. KERR, formerly of this county and a son of Judge KERR, of San Ramon, was elected a Supervisor of Kern county at the late election. PROBATE COURT - -In the matter of the guardianship of the minor children of William WOOD, deceased. The petition of Benjamin BOORMAN, paying for the appointment of himself as guardian of M.H. WOOD, Robert Goodacre WOOD, Richard Cross WOOD, Lucetta WOOD, Ann Elizabeth WOOD, Frank Goodacre WOOD, minor children of William WOOD, deceased, came on for hearing, and it appearing that the former guardian, Ann WOOD, has intermarried with the petitioner, Benjamin BOORMAN, and such marriage, having terminated her guardianship, the said children have no legal guardian and they are all minors, and the petitioner being the stepfather of said minors and legally competent, and there being no legal objections made, it was ordered that the petitioner be appointed guardian of said children on his giving bonds to each of said minors in the sum of $100. -In the matter of the estate of Peter PONS deceased. The petition of Caroline PONS praying to be appointed administratrix of said estate, came on for hearing pursuant to the previous order of this court and notice, and it appearing that notice had been given as required by law and the deceased died in this county and that he was a resident of this county and that the petitioner is the widow of the deceased and legally competent, it was ordered that she be appointed Administratrix of said estate on her executing and filing bonds in the sum of $1300 appraisers, viz: G.P. LOUCKS, William CREIGHTON and J.F. HARDING. -In the matter of the estate of E.S. SAYLES, deceased. The petition of Calista SAYLES, praying that the will of the deceased be admitted to Probate Court Calista SAYLES was appointed executrix without bonds as provided in the will Barney WEBB, Joel PLAYTER and James EAGAN were appointed appraisers. -In the matter of the estate of Henry BUSH, Sr. The widow of the deceased, filed a petition praying that the homestead of the deceased be set apart for the use of the widow and family of the deceased, and it appearing that the deceased had in his lifetime dedicated and recorded a homestead it was ordered that the same be set apart for the use of the widow and family. -In the matter of the estate of E.G. STRANAHAN, deceased. Mary E. STRANAHAN, widow of the deceased, having presented and filed her petition, praying that the homestead of the deceased by set apart to her as the survivor of her husband the deceased E.G. STRANAHAN and it appearing that the homestead of the deceased was dedicated and recorded as a homestead during the year 1863, and has never been abandoned, and that it has been appraised by the appraisers at $3000, it was ordered that the same be set apart to the widow praying that the personal property be set apart for the widow and 7 minor children court made an order directing that certain personal property of the estate be set apart for the family and that the sum of $50 per month for a period of not exceeding 1 year from and after the grant of letters of administration be paid to the widow for the support of herself and children. Transcribed by Dee Sardoch To see more old newspapers, visit www.newspaperabstracts.com/