People v. Milner

54 P. 833, 122 Cal. 171, 1898 Cal. LEXIS 552
CourtCalifornia Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 26, 1898
DocketCrim. No. 406
StatusPublished
Cited by95 cases

This text of 54 P. 833 (People v. Milner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Milner, 54 P. 833, 122 Cal. 171, 1898 Cal. LEXIS 552 (Cal. 1898).

Opinion

HENSHAW, J.

Defendant, tried for the murder of S. J. Darrah, was convicted of manslaughter. He appeals from the judgment and from the order denying him a new trial.

[172]*172The facts are presented without conflict upon any material proposition, and under them defendant’s counsel strenuously insist that the verdict is against the evidence.

Milner and Darrah were neighbors, living in Snow Creek canyon. Darrah’s was the lower ranch, and to reach his land Milner was obliged to pass through the land of Darrah. Milner had sold to Darrah this land, reserving in the deed a right of way across it, and reserving also from his water rights in Snow creek thirty inches for his own use. This water he was diverting, and had been for some years, by means of a flume and ditch, taking tEe water from Snow creek a short distance above his house. There is some slight evidence, but evidence of little consequence, of preexisting trouble between the two men. A witness testifies that about two years before he had heard the defendant say “that he had beat Darrah out of ten thousand dollars, and that he would beat the damned son of a bitch out of ten thousand dollars more before he got through.” The use of this language, however, defendant denies. There is no evidence saving this of any. antecedent difficulty, and there is positive evidence that the business transaction between Darrah and Milner was the sale by Milner to Darrah of his ranch for the sum of eight hundred and thirty-nine dollars.

Some little time before the tragedy other parties, with whom Milner was in no way connected, took preliminary steps to appropriate water from Snow creek. After having done so, they secured a bond or option for the purchase of Milner’s land and water right. Darrah seems to have conceived the notion that an attempt was about to be made to deprive him of the water rights which he claimed, and that Milner was aiding in the effort. A surveying party attempted to cross the land of Darrah by Milner’s right of way and was stopped by Darrah, armed with a rifle, and turned back, Darrah threatening to kill any of them that came upon his land. Darrah then threatened Milner’s life, denied to Milner a right of way, and ordered him off of his land. Darrah’s violent language and threats against the life of Milner are abundantly proven. Milner by all of the evidence seems to have maintained a pacific demeanor, and according to the testimony of one witness said that he dreaded having trouble with Darrah, because it could end in only one way, Darrah being excitable, and he, [173]*173Milner, always maintaining his coolness and temper, for which reason he, Milner, in the event of a deadly collision, would have a decided advantage. Milner, it appears, repeatedly told Darrah that they would settle their differences at law, and Darrah as repeatedly answered that he did not have to, or did not, or would not, settle his troubles that way. Milner went to town and procured the arrest of Darrah for disturbing his peace. That case was untried at the time of the tragedy. Again he went before the justice of the peace and swore to a complaint seeking to have Darrah put under bonds to keep the peace. Darrah with his lawyer came before the justice. The testimony of that officer is as follows: “We then asked Darrah—I believe I put the question to Darrah myself—that Milner had said to me he wanted to go to La Cueva ranch, the Snow creek ranch, that evening with his family, and that he was afraid that Darrah would injure him in crossing that land. He wanted to go that night. I then asked Darrah if he would have any objections to Milner crossing that land for that purpose. At first Darrah did not consent. He seemed to hesitate about giving his consent, but by Mr. Purington (his lawyer) talking to him, as well as myself, he finally consented to allow Milner to cross "the road without molestation from himself, excluding the power company from the permission, and I believe he named Barker. Milner objected to that kind of permission, said his brother might want to call and see him, and that permission would bar him from coming to his house. Hpon the suggestion of Mr. Purington, I think, the permission was amended to include anyone having legitimate business with Milner..... There was nothing said directly concerning any water disputes or water claims. When Milner first came into the courtroom Darrah presented him a paper, and asked him to look at it, and tell him whether he would pay it, an account of some kind. Milner picked it up and glanced at it, and threw it down again. .... To the best of my recollection at the very last moment Darrah again called Milner’s attention to this account, as near as I can recollect, in these words: ‘Milner, I want you to look at that paper, and .give me a definite answer whether you will pay it or not.’ Milner asked Darrah how much it was. He said it was seventy-five dollars. Milner then took the paper and an[174]*174swered: CI will not pay it until the court decides I have to/ Then Darrah made reply: ‘Then I forbid you taking any water out of that ditch. If you want water you will have to go to the head of the ditch and get it/ ” The bill for seventy-five dollars was for carrying water from the head of Milner’s ditch to his turnout. In making the deed Milner had reserved, as has been said, thirty inches of water in Snow creek ditch. His flume and turnout were in place and use. Milner had been using the water for four years.

Upon the morning of the tragedy, which was the next day after this conversation, Duvoisney, Darrah’s hired man, passed beyond the house of Milner, and proceeded, as he testifies he was under instructions from his employer to do, to tear out the flume from which Milner diverted water, and which was upon Milner’s own land. This same witness testifies that his employer had said to him about two weeks previously that if he killed Milner and Barker he would die happy. Milner noticed the change in the condition of the water flowing past his house, and walking up the canyon unarmed found Duvoisney engaged in the work. He protested against it, and Duvoisney ceased and went away, saying he would have nothing further to do with it. Hot long after Milner again noticed that the flow of water past his house was decreasing considerably, and concluded that Darrah was removing his flume. In view of Darrah’s threats, and of the fact that Darrah carried a rifle, Milner, when he went up to investigate, took with him his shotgun, both barrels of which were loaded with buckshot. He had three other cartridges similarly loaded in his pocket. Beaching the point of diversion of the water he mounted a small rock and there saw Darrah engaged in tearing out his flume. This was the tragic meeting, and, as there was no eye-witness to it, the account is Milner’s alone. Darrah was about thirty yards distant from Milner. Milner called to him in a loud voice to desist, holding his shotgun, both barrels cocked, in the hollow of his left arm, but not pointing toward the deceased. Darrah raised up, and, seeing Milner, answered: Shoot, you God damned, cowardly son of a bitch.” Milner-answered: "I won’t do it, only I want you to get off my property. I don’t intend to shoot if I can avoid it. I want you to get off my property.” On the bank was lying a wet piece of board, which, glistening in the [175]*175sun, Milner thought was Dar rail’s rifle. Darrah moved away, approaching the piece of board. Milner shouted to him not to pick up the gun. Darrah passed the board and disappeared behind a large bunch of grass. Milner was still standing on the rock when, from behind the grass where Darrah had placed his rifle, Darrah raised up and fired at him.

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Bluebook (online)
54 P. 833, 122 Cal. 171, 1898 Cal. LEXIS 552, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-milner-cal-1898.