A shooting occurred in Columbia on Monday, October 23, 1854. Thomas Allen was severely wounded in the head by a ball from a pistol shot by William Knox, but it was thought that he would recover. Allen fought the demon of death for a month before he lost the battle.
It was apparent that a challenge for a duel was made, and while on their way to the ground, a quarrel between the two men got even more heated. That is when Knox was said to have fired.
Knox left the ground uninjured, and he had not been seen or heard from until he was found in the town of Mokelumne Hill. He was arrested there and lodged in the Calaveras County jail to await requisition from Tuolumne County. Constable Conner traveled to the Calaveras County jail to take custody of him on November 11, 1854. At this time, Allen was still alive.
William Knox was examined on a Tuesday before Justice Chamberlain at Columbia and was committed to the county jail to answer the charge of attempted murder. C. K. Gillespie, Esquire, appeared for the prosecution, and E. F. Hunter, Esquire, for the defendant.
Mr. Allen passed away in the evening of November 23, 1854.
William Knox was tried before the District Court on Wednesday, February 21, 1855, on a charge of murder. After about 14 hours of deliberation, the jury came into court and asked to be discharged, as they could not agree. They were accordingly dismissed.
The rumor was that eleven jurors were for acquittal.
According to Tuolumne County history, William Knox did serve six months in the state prison for the crime. He may have been retried by another jury, and then sentenced by Judge Charles M. Creaner. Judge Creaner mainly practiced in San Joaquin County, but during the time of the incident and trial, he lived in Columbia, having recently arrived there from Calhoun County, Texas, with his bride, the former Rosanna Davis "Rosa" Beaumont.
It was apparent that a challenge for a duel was made, and while on their way to the ground, a quarrel between the two men got even more heated. That is when Knox was said to have fired.
Knox left the ground uninjured, and he had not been seen or heard from until he was found in the town of Mokelumne Hill. He was arrested there and lodged in the Calaveras County jail to await requisition from Tuolumne County. Constable Conner traveled to the Calaveras County jail to take custody of him on November 11, 1854. At this time, Allen was still alive.
William Knox was examined on a Tuesday before Justice Chamberlain at Columbia and was committed to the county jail to answer the charge of attempted murder. C. K. Gillespie, Esquire, appeared for the prosecution, and E. F. Hunter, Esquire, for the defendant.
Mr. Allen passed away in the evening of November 23, 1854.
William Knox was tried before the District Court on Wednesday, February 21, 1855, on a charge of murder. After about 14 hours of deliberation, the jury came into court and asked to be discharged, as they could not agree. They were accordingly dismissed.
The rumor was that eleven jurors were for acquittal.
According to Tuolumne County history, William Knox did serve six months in the state prison for the crime. He may have been retried by another jury, and then sentenced by Judge Charles M. Creaner. Judge Creaner mainly practiced in San Joaquin County, but during the time of the incident and trial, he lived in Columbia, having recently arrived there from Calhoun County, Texas, with his bride, the former Rosanna Davis "Rosa" Beaumont.
A shooting occurred in Columbia on Monday, October 23, 1854. Thomas Allen was severely wounded in the head by a ball from a pistol shot by William Knox, but it was thought that he would recover. Allen fought the demon of death for a month before he lost the battle.
It was apparent that a challenge for a duel was made, and while on their way to the ground, a quarrel between the two men got even more heated. That is when Knox was said to have fired.
Knox left the ground uninjured, and he had not been seen or heard from until he was found in the town of Mokelumne Hill. He was arrested there and lodged in the Calaveras County jail to await requisition from Tuolumne County. Constable Conner traveled to the Calaveras County jail to take custody of him on November 11, 1854. At this time, Allen was still alive.
William Knox was examined on a Tuesday before Justice Chamberlain at Columbia and was committed to the county jail to answer the charge of attempted murder. C. K. Gillespie, Esquire, appeared for the prosecution, and E. F. Hunter, Esquire, for the defendant.
Mr. Allen passed away in the evening of November 23, 1854.
William Knox was tried before the District Court on Wednesday, February 21, 1855, on a charge of murder. After about 14 hours of deliberation, the jury came into court and asked to be discharged, as they could not agree. They were accordingly dismissed.
The rumor was that eleven jurors were for acquittal.
According to Tuolumne County history, William Knox did serve six months in the state prison for the crime. He may have been retried by another jury, and then sentenced by Judge Charles M. Creaner. Judge Creaner mainly practiced in San Joaquin County, but during the time of the incident and trial, he lived in Columbia, having recently arrived there from Calhoun County, Texas, with his bride, the former Rosanna Davis "Rosa" Beaumont.
It was apparent that a challenge for a duel was made, and while on their way to the ground, a quarrel between the two men got even more heated. That is when Knox was said to have fired.
Knox left the ground uninjured, and he had not been seen or heard from until he was found in the town of Mokelumne Hill. He was arrested there and lodged in the Calaveras County jail to await requisition from Tuolumne County. Constable Conner traveled to the Calaveras County jail to take custody of him on November 11, 1854. At this time, Allen was still alive.
William Knox was examined on a Tuesday before Justice Chamberlain at Columbia and was committed to the county jail to answer the charge of attempted murder. C. K. Gillespie, Esquire, appeared for the prosecution, and E. F. Hunter, Esquire, for the defendant.
Mr. Allen passed away in the evening of November 23, 1854.
William Knox was tried before the District Court on Wednesday, February 21, 1855, on a charge of murder. After about 14 hours of deliberation, the jury came into court and asked to be discharged, as they could not agree. They were accordingly dismissed.
The rumor was that eleven jurors were for acquittal.
According to Tuolumne County history, William Knox did serve six months in the state prison for the crime. He may have been retried by another jury, and then sentenced by Judge Charles M. Creaner. Judge Creaner mainly practiced in San Joaquin County, but during the time of the incident and trial, he lived in Columbia, having recently arrived there from Calhoun County, Texas, with his bride, the former Rosanna Davis "Rosa" Beaumont.
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