Pescadero Memories

Hi June,

I ran across this story in the newly expanded California Newspaper Archives. Given that it probably was the second most famous murder ever to occur in Pescadero, I’m surprised it wasn’t there previously.  It involved a long running court battle and there are multiple related-story hits now. I suppose the fact that instead of 400+ hits when you use Pescadero for a Search term, there are now 4,000+, has a lot to do with it.

The Coburn murder, as you detailed in your excellent “Coburn Mystery” book, had a lot more mystery, and more wealth and power involved, and hence public interest and coverage, then this story. But, the events that were involved in this story, the murder of Harvey Green, stirred up the town enough that cries for a mass lynching were heard. The fact that a wellknown and well-liked Pescaderan, his wife, and three hired “gunsels” were all charged with the murder, caused people to take sides. The reality that the murder occurred in a shootout worthy of our TV-originated fantasies about how such things go down, with a Justice of Peace being present, gives us a detailed and fairly insightful look into this wild event in the frontier days of the Southern Coastside. A time when “We Don’t Need No Badges” was an unwise move on all parties’ part.

The story first appeared on the November 10th, 1873, issue of the “Sacramento Daily Union.” It was to be a year and a half before the court battles were over and justice was served, an unusual length of time in those days. Here’s the beginning. Enjoy. John

“A LAND TRAGEDY.— A dispatch dated at San Mateo, November 8th, gives this account of a fight about the possession of disputed property: A fearful tragedy occurred at Pescadero. About a year ago John Green and Charles Kinsey, proprietor of Lincoln Hotel at Pescadero. exchanged property. Green traded his ranch at Pescadero with Kinsey for land in lowa and other States. Upon Green’s going East he found that Kinsey did not own the land he represented to, and came back and commenced suit against Kinsey for damages, It also appears that Green’s wife had a homestead filed on the land at Pescadero; that she did not sign the deed, and on coming back went on her land and look peaceable possession of it four or five days ago, and was so living on it last evening, It is alleged that Kinsey hired a number of men, and together witb Mrs. Kinsey, they went last evening at 10 o’clock and attempted to oust Green’s family, take possession of the bouse or burn it. Green forbid tbem coming on the property and ordered them to leave. The attacking party, consisting of William Dow, Alexander McLean and Michael McLean, forced open the gate leading to the yard, and made a rush for the door. Harvey, Green’s brother, who was outside, they shot dead near the door. Green’s family inside, then opened fire upon the attacking party and drove tbem away. Dow and A. McLean were slightly wounded. John Green had one of his fingers shot off. Knowles, Justice of the Peace, hearing that there was likely to be a breach of peace, was on the ground before the attack commenced and tried to prevent it. They were all arrested soon after together with Kinsey, and sent to jail at Redwood City. This morning there is great excitement, and strong talk ot lymching some of the principal actors in the tragedy.”