Weekly Stockton Democrat
Stockton, San Joaquin Co., CA
Sunday, 31 Jan 1858
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HORRIBLE MURDER at SNELLING'S! 3 Men Killed!!
Stockton 'Argus' of Monday --
We learn from a gentleman who arrived in this city yesterday from the Merced, that a desperate fight occurred at Snelling's on Saturday, which terminated in the death of 3 men. The circumstances of this horrid affair, as far as we have learned, are as follows:

A party of men whose names are Charles F. BLOODWORTH, Dr. J.W. GOODIN and Benjamin WHITE, left Snelling's on Friday and went down the river some 6 miles, in quest of 3 men, named E.G. BARCLAY, Wm. STEVENS, and James WILCOX, for the purpose of settling a difficulty which existed between the parties, growing out of the late murder of Wm. S. SNELLING.

The first mentioned party were friends and relatives of the deceased, while the latter were friends of EDWARDS, the murderer of SNELLING. BLOODWORTH's party not meeting with the others, returned to Snelling's.

On the following day, BARCLAY, STEVENS, and WILCOX, while transacting some business in the Sheriff's office, at Snelling's, were attacked by BLOODWORTH, GOODIN and WHITE, who commenced firing with revolvers and rifles, and were fired upon in return by BARCLAY's party.

Some 30 shots were discharged, taking effect upon BARCLAY and STEVENS, both of whom died almost instantly.

While apparently in the agonies of death, BARCLAY raised himself up, and discharged the last remaining shot in his revolver at GOODIN. The ball passed through him, and he died in about 5 hours. GOODIN, (who was formerly a physician in this city,) received some 4 or 5 shots, none of which proved fatal until the last given by BARCLAY. BLOODWORTH and WHITE, strange to say, were not wounded.

WILCOX made his escape and had not been arrested up to the latest accounts. The fight was probably one of the most desperate that ever occurred, the
parties being in close contact. At the moment GOODIN was shot through, he was standing over BARCLAY with pistol in hand, when BARCLAY fired, and he fell before he had time to fix his aim.

The affair caused great excitement at Snelling's, where it was feared that others would take up the quarrel with similar fatal results. Most of the parties were old residents upon the Merced, and had taken prominent sides in the matter which terminated the life of SNELLING.

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THE LATE MURDER at SNELLINGS' -- We copy the following account of the fatal affray at Snelling's on Saturday last, from the Mariposa 'Gazette.' It embraces some particulars not hitherto made public, in connection with the affair:

"A man by the name of STEVENS, a friend of EDWARDS, had, since that occurrence, made some threats with regard to Charles F. BLOODWORTH, who was a friend of SNELLING. On Saturday, STEVENS, in company with several friends, came to Snelling's, and while sitting in the Sheriff's office, BLOODWORTH entered suddenly and addressing STEVENS, remarked with an oath that he, STEVENS, was the 1st man who had threatened to kill him, or something to that effect, at the same time drawing a single barreled pistol and shooting him in the breast. After this, STEVENS rose and attempted to
draw a revolver.

BLOODWORTH clinched him and drew his, shooting him again. STEVENS finally fell dead. While this was going on, a man by the name of BARCLAY interfered and struck BLOODWORTH with his revolver, the pistol at the same time going off. Upon this, Dr. GOODIN, one of BLOODWORTH's friends, drew a revolver and shot BARCLAY.

BARCLAY fired in return, and was himself finished by a man by the name of WHITE, who shot him and afterwards broke his skull with a pistol. Another
of STEVENS' friends, a boy by the name of WILCOX, shot several times at GOODIN, who finally fell, having received 5 shots. STEVENS and BARCLAY died immediately -- GOODIN lived about 4 hours. GOODIN was a man who was generally esteemed, both in his profession and by a large circle of friends
in private life. He leaves a wife and family, who are at present residing in some of the Atlantic States."

Transcribed by Dee Sardoch
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