Standley v. Ketchapaw

Many Mendocino County residents have at least heard of Doc Standley, the fearless lawman of the last decades of the nineteenth century. Some may have read about Doc's son, William Harrison Standley, who was both a U.S. Navy admiral, but, also, ambassador to the Soviet Union during World War II. The Standley clan's history in California and Mendocino County goes all the way back to the 1850s when Doc's father, Harrison, traveled overland from Missouri by himself a year after the 49ers. He arrived in what was then called Hangtown (now Placerville) in August, 1850. He'd brought a team with him and he engaged in the teaming business for two years before he returned to Missouri.

In 1853, he again headed out across the plains to California, bringing his pregnant wife, five children, and 17 others with him in a small wagon train. Three births en route (one being his daughter Cynthia Standley) brought the total number of travelers to 27 when they arrived in Sacramento in mid-summer. After earning a living in the draying business in Sonoma County, Standley brought his family, which then included eight children, to Ukiah in 1858.

He established a store, most likely the first in town. Within a year and a quarter he sold $33,000 worth of goods. Using some of those proceeds, the following year, 1859, he constructed a hotel, the “Ukiah House,” on the southwest corner of what would become Main and Standley Streets. He ran this for approximately the same amount of time before leaving this enterprise in November, 1860.

Harrison Standley traded his Ukiah House Hotel for a similar establishment called the Fountain House in Sanel Township. There he lived peacefully until 1865 when a disagreement arose between Mr. Standley and John Ketchapaw. Exactly what issue set off the confrontation that ensued, whether a matter of an unpaid debt or cattle or horses procured without consent, is lost to history.

Nevertheless the two men did meet one day, on horseback. The only other person present was a man named G.W. Higgins, also astride his saddle. This is Mr. Higgins' court testimony of the events that followed: “On the day of the shooting [Harrison] Standley met J. Ketchapaw and me on the road coming towards Sanel, and when he had come within about six feet of us he drew his pistol and presented it at the head, or in the direction of the head, of John Ketchapaw, and said to him, 'Johnny, just a word,' and repeated it once or twice and then fired his pistol. Then Ketchapaw dodged down on his horse and ran by me on the gallop with the defendant following him. They ran a short distance, and two shots were fired, one by each, but I do not know who fired the second shot. In all five shots were fired, two of which were fired by Ketchapaw. Ketchapaw fell from his horse and died very soon.”

Harrison Standley followed Higgins to the witness stand, stating, “When I went up to John Ketchapaw, and got within four feet of him (I had my hand on the horn of the saddle at the time), I said to him, 'John, stop. I want to see you a minute.'

“When I said that he caught his coat with his left hand and caught his revolver with his right hand, and got it part way out, the cylinder being outside the scabbard. I then drew my revolver and cocked it as I drew it. Then John started in the lead, and I started after him and came to where Wash Higgins was [apparently G.W. in Higgins' name stood for George Washington]. When I saw Mr. Higgins I took my eyes from where Ketchapaw was. I said to Wash, 'Excuse me Wash, I am not shooting at you.' I then looked and saw John with his revolver presented at me, and he fired at me. I then started my horse from where I had stopped and went towards where John Ketchapaw was, and then we both went around the barn together.”

A verdict of not guilty set 51 year old Harrison Standley free. His acquittal was typical of the era. In the first 20 years of Mendocino County's history (1859-1879) there were approximately a score of killings/murders that proved worthy of prosecution. Only one resulted in a death penalty that was actually carried out by hanging.

After the trial, Harrison Standley lived another 21 years without any negative encounters with the law. At the time of his death his son, Jeremiah (Doc), was Mendocino County Sheriff.

(More on Doc Standley at: malcolmmacdonaldoutlawford.com.)