Murder of Mollie Williams, alias Swartz

Murder of Mollie Williams, alias Swartz - This murder took place in Spanishtown, Napa City, May 9, 1875. The woman had been in a house of prostitution, but had become enamoured with a man named Henry Pearce, and had become engaged to be married to him. She thereupon went to live with his sister. On the day of the murder Pearce got drunk and was going along the street in Spanishtown when the woman came to him and tried to induce him to go home. This he promised to do, but made some excuse for going further up the street, and they separated. She turned after proceeding a short distance and came up with him again, and begun her importunings, going so far as to put her arms around his neck, thus to persuade him to accompany her home. At this he out with a knife and stabbed her two or three times. She did not scream, but sprang over a fence and started across a lot, but fell in the middle of it. Parties who saw her went to her, but found that she was dead. The Coroner's jury charged Pearce with her murder, and his trial came up October 9, 1875. The jury found him guilty of murder in the second degree, and he was sentenced to the State Prison for a term of twenty years.

Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), pages 153-154.

This record was transcribed by Regina Gualco and is posted on CAGenWeb with permission.

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Last updated August 5, 2006