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and murdered Mr. HAWTHORN . They then returned to the stable, telling the men what they had done, and that they intended to kill all the
Republicans they could. They took HAWTHORN's watch, double-barreled shot-gun, and 2 horses from the stable. From HAWTHORN's they proceeded to the house of Mr. ROBINSON . After obtaining a drink of water they asked Mrs. ROBINSON where her husband was. She replied that he had not yet come home from the election, but that a wagon was coming up the road and she thought that was him. They set out for the wagon. MASON first came up. He accosted ROBINSON with - "I am told that you said there was not a decent woman in the South. Did you say so?" "No, I did not," replied ROBINSON. "You are a liar, and I am going to kill you," said MASON. ROBINSON then jumped for him. MASON snapped his gun, which missed fire, and then fired with the other barrel, breaking his victim's shoulder and arm. ROBINSON then ran, but was pursued by McHENRY, who shot him twice, 1st in the hand and then in the back of the head, killing him. The murderers then told the man who was in the wagon with ROBINSON that he might go on to the house and tell who killed R., and moreover, what they did it for. MASON also told him that he was the man who had killed 2 soldiers at Fort Tejon and 1 at Camp Babbitt, and that MASON was not his real name; that he was after Republicans and intended to kill all he could. The murderers were well armed, having each a double-barreled shot-gun and 2 6-shooters. They did not appear to be influenced by motives of plunder, but solely by malice against Republicans. They have both for several months been around
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whiskers on the chin, redish color; small blue eyes, and have rather a glassy appearance; high, broad cheek bones. This man (MASON) lived at Fort Tejon about the year of '59 or '60, and says that he killed 1 man at that place; and says that his name is John J. MONROE. MASON is light complexion; front teeth are black or decayed; wearing new boots; blue overalls; check shirt; hat made of Cayote skin with tail standing in front; 1 6-shooter and butcher knife."
89:. By October, 1864, with the presidential election approaching and the Civil War in the East reaching a climax, Mason and Henry's gang quickly deteriorated into brigands but because they called themselves Confederate soldiers, they managed to have support among the Copperheads in the area. They threatened to kill every
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the three were in the same house, none went to sleep but in the early morning Mason lay down on his bed under a blanket, but was awake. Overton stepped out to look after his horse, then Mason tried to shoot
Mayfield from his bed. Mason's pistol tangled in his blanket, giving Mayfield the chance to shoot him first.
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MASON, the DESPARADO, KILLED -- Visalia, April 20 -- MASON, of the distinguished firm of MASON & HENRY, was killed a few days since in Tejon cannon , by some citizens. There appears to be but little doubt that this is the veritable MASON. It seems there were several of his clan together and they
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was riding to Fort Tejon from his mine in Lytle Creek in April 1866, Mason joined him on the ride and later tried to recruit him into his gang. When Ben
Mayfield refused, Mason threatened to kill him, and also threatened to take the horse of another man, W. H. Overton, and kill him. That night while
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and encountered Mason the next morning. As the bandit spurred his horse in a desperate attempt to escape, Lafferty fired, wounding Mason in the hip and felling his mount with a single bullet. Although the soldiers captured the outlaw's horse, somehow Mason managed to elude them. At six that evening,
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JOHN MASON - Thick set man; about 5 feet 7 inches in height; weight, 165 or 170 pounds; age 30 or 32 years; limps one leg, and has a rocking walk; scar on 1 cheek; hair light color and very long; has it cut short underneath, so that he can tuck it up and give it the appearance of being short; small
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On the evening after the election MASON and McHENRY went over to Dutch
Charley's, against whom they had a spite, and killed him. From his place they went to Mr. HAWTHORNE's, knocked at the stable, where 3 hired men were sleeping, and after cowing these men, obtained their pistols, went to the house
303:"Copperheads, Secesh Men, and Confederate Guerillas: Pro-Confederate Activities in Santa Cruz County during the Civil War, PART 3: THE MASON-HENRY GANG, by Phil Reader. Condensed from: It is not my Intention to be Captured! Copyright 1991 Phil Reader. Reproduced by permission of Phil Reader"
113:, had gotten drunk and had made certain remarks slurring all Southern women. Word of this insult reached the Mason Henry Gang, who were camped in the area. These crimes were described in the Stockton Daily Independent, for MONDAY, 14 NOV 1864:
170:, killing three men and vowing to "slay every Republican they would meet." Under the pretense of being Confederate guerrillas, the gang terrorized Monterey County and the nearby counties for the next several months.
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Mason was described by The
Visalia 'Delta' of November 30, 1864 as one of two secession guerillas and murderers: "who killed ROBINSON and 2 other men the day after the late Presidential election:
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Daily Alta
California, Volume 18, Number 6032, 16 September 1866 — LOS ANGELES NEWS. THE CASE OF MAYFIELD IN LOS ANGELES. The Testimony of Mayfield in Relation to the Killing of Mason.
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where the local secessionists continued to shelter them as they made periodic raids up and down the San
Joaquin Valley. They held up a stage on the road from Watsonville to
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Mason seems to have led the Mason Henry Gang into outright criminality, three murders committed on
November 10, 1864, soon after the second election of
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and no longer shielded by "the cause", the gang came under pressure in
Central California. They moved into Southern California and split up.
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action=detail&id=54126 Stockton Daily
Independent Newspaper published in: Stockton, San Joaquin Co., CA; MONDAY, 14 NOV, 1864
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1st Battalion of Native Cavalry, California Volunteers, from Parajo Times (Watsonville), November 12, 1864. see note 20.
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who had reportedly killed several men in altercations. In the spring of 1864 the gang rode from Belt's rancho over to
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William B. Secrest, California Badmen: Mean Men with Guns, Word Dancer Press, Sanger, California, 2007. pg. 143-147
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Little is known about John Mason before he joined the Mason Henry Gang. He was Southern-born and a former stage
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Stockton Daily Independent, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1864 accessed from www.newspaperabstracts.com on June 21, 2011
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William B. Secrest, California Badmen: Mean Men with Guns, Word Dancer Press, Sanger, California, 2007. p.144
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Word of the murders spread, the newspapers named Mason and Henry "The Copperhead Murderers" and
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and settlement, George Robinson who ran the stage station, a strong Union supporter from
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Mason's death was announced in the Stockton Daily Independent, SATURDAY, 21 APR 1866:
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In April 1865, word arrived at San Juan that the Mason Henry Gang had attacked at
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sympathizers, to recruit more members. They returned without success to the
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Lafferty and his troopers returned to Camp Low with only the horse in tow.
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Newspaper Abstracts, Stockton Daily Independent, SATURDAY, 21 APR 1866
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1st Battalion of Native Cavalry, California Volunteers
105:. Following the voting, during a party held at the
45:, committing robberies, thefts and murders in the
338:see note 23, Alta California, April 12, 13, 1865.
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209:John Mason continued his criminal career in
122:and on Wednesday last, were seen near South
16:One of the leaders of the Mason Henry Gang
137:offered a $ 500 reward for their arrest.
162:. While in hiding, the gang frequented
154:After the murders the Gang crossed over
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221:with a $ 500 reward on his head. While
202:When the Civil War ended in April with
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392:California in the American Civil War
270:Secrest, California Bad Men, p.144
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412:Outlaws of the American Old West
177:. Captain Jimeno, in command of
30:organized by secessionist Judge
26:, was one of the leaders of the
402:Deaths by firearm in California
198:Gang breaks up, Death of Mason
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387:American proslavery activists
234:all got off except the chief.
204:Lee's surrender at Appomattox
61:and later in the counties of
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397:Criminals from California
185:lancers from Company B,
97:The Copperhead Murderers
22:(18??–April 1866), with
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93:they chanced to meet.
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34:. The group posed as
217:and in what is now
213:in the vicinity of
63:Southern California
382:American murderers
211:Los Angeles County
91:"black republican"
87:San Joaquin Valley
79:Santa Clara County
55:Santa Clara County
47:San Joaquin Valley
32:George Gordon Belt
175:Firebaugh's Ferry
59:Santa Cruz County
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39:partisan rangers
28:Mason Henry Gang
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150:Criminal career
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311:. Retrieved
307:the original
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223:Ben Mayfield
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191:Diablo Range
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156:Pacheco Pass
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377:1866 deaths
219:Kern County
164:Watsonville
36:Confederate
371:Categories
313:2010-09-30
239:References
215:Fort Tejon
183:Californio
160:Corralitos
83:Copperhead
69:Early life
20:John Mason
407:Fugitives
24:Jim Henry
179:Camp Low
132:Governor
124:San Juan
168:Visalia
75:hostler
43:outlaws
120:Gilroy
111:Maine
135:Low
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