Murder At The Defender Mine - Amador County History

Willard "Red" Shannon (Inmate 14663)

When you think of criminals on the run during the 1920’s and 1930’s, you may think of some of the fugitives of the past such as John Dillinger, “Baby Face” Nelson and maybe even the infamous pair of Bonnie and Clyde.  Sometimes, we as people romanticize the whole idea of being “on the run,” evading police at every turn.  The entertainment world has succeeded in callousing our minds into thinking that was an exciting era, full of danger, suspense at every corner and the ideology of “ride or die” thinking. Sadly, we do not remind ourselves of the victims of these "criminals" often enough. Most go on leaving a trail of blood and death and so many ignore that part, only choosing to remember the exciting parts.

When you think of California history during such an era, one would assume that we would not have too many stories in comparison to the Dillinger’s and the Bonnie and Clyde’s of that time period, or do we? 

Well, I have a story for you….one of deception and murder. This is a true story, one that would go on to make nationwide headlines and one that would seal the fate of one, Willard Shannon. A story, that after reading you won't soon forget.

The Man

Willard Shannon- (aliases: Willard Mead, Willard Webster, Walter Riley)

Given up at birth and placed in a foster home at the age of four months old, Willard Shannon had a rough start from the very beginning.  As a young man he served time in Eastern State Penitentiary and eventually was moved to Folsom Prison, where he was released in 1926. He knew only how to make a living the wrong way and became institutionalized in the worst way.

The Plan

Fixated on a scheme that would bring him great fortune, Shannon decided to set his sights on robbing several California mining men in Amador County. It took several weeks to plan but Shannon eventually convinced a automobile salesman by the name of Harold Lage to travel with him up to Amador County to purchase a vehicle. Perhaps, under the rouse of showing him his “mine” that he allegedly owned, Shannon lured Lage up to the area known as Defender.  It was obvious that Shannon was a liar. He went about telling people that he was in fact a wealthy miner who had plenty of money to go around.

There were two different stories printed in the paper in regards to where Lage was killed. One story  says that Shannon stated he and two other friends (unidentified) planned to rob Lage’s home in Stockton . They shot Lage in Lage’s own garage and then drove up to the mountains of Amador County to dispose of his body.  This is interesting because eye witness accounts stated that Lage was seen arriving to Jackson in his car and then leaving with Shannon up into the mountains. 

According to records, Shannon paid Lage for the vehicle with two counterfeit checks and it wasn’t until Shannon disposed of the body that he started claiming that he was in fact Harold Lage. Had he killed Lage prior, why would he identify himself as Shannon on his way up the mountain, stopping in Jackson?

It seems that either Lage caught him in a lie once they were up there or perhaps Shannon just felt it was better to dispose of Lage all together once he had him in a desolate area and once he had Lage's car.  Nevertheless, Shannon shot Lage and disposed of his body under the cover of thick brush and deep wilderness in the vicinity of Pioneer, California.  At that point in time, the area was known as Defender (previously Contreras) and it was close to the Defender Mine.  In fact, Lage’s shoes and socks were found near one of the abandoned mines in the area.  It took dozens of men searching the area before some local boys discovered Lage’s body, and the cause of death was then determined.

On December 31, 1926, Willard Shannon killed and disposed of Harold Lage's body.  Shannon then decided to take on the “persona” of Harold Lage himself. Once he was departing the area alone, he then told a resident of Jackson that his name was now Harold Lage.  It was only after giving the description of the man the witness saw, that authorities determined it was Willard “Red” Shannon, not Lage that the witness had spoken to.

At one point the Lincoln that Shannon had stolen from Lage was mired in the mud at Jackson Point. A young teamster was called to aid in the removal of the vehicle from the mud. The witness claimed that Shannon was alone. Once the vehicle was released from the muddy dirt, Shannon traveled down Highway 49 headed for Sonora.  He stopped to purchase some merchandise, using Harold Lage’s checkbook. When he learned that the roads past Sonora were blocked due to weather conditions and mud, he returned to Sonora and booked a room at the Hotel Victoria (later renamed The Sonora Inn).  In order to pay for his room Shannon signed over to the Hotel, Harold Lage’s Christmas Bonus check that was within his wallet. 

On The Run

Shannon travelled through Yosemite and down into Southern California evading police the entire time. During the manhunt for Shannon, the newspapers mention that the main highways were being canvassed by deputies  armed with machine guns, ordered from Sheriff Lucot and other law enforcement throughout the state.  Can you imagine?

According to newspaper archives, Shannon made it to his aunt’s home in Santa Maria and also to visit a sister in Lompoc. He even gave his aunt a ride home where he slept over for the night, before leaving again the next day. He told her he was going to Oakland, but that was not the case.  He then went to the salesroom of another automobile dealership. He had planned to ditch Lage’s car and get himself another one.

According the man who may have been Shannon’s next victim, John Ross (an auto salesman in Bakersfield), Shannon tried to convince him that he was a wealthy miner with plenty of money. He also admitted that he was coming into more fortune in the coming weeks and that his money was in the form of gold, so that he just wanted to take a “test drive” on a new Chrysler. He explained that he had no intention of purchasing a vehicle that day, and that he would have to return to get it, but was adamant that he wanted to take it for a spin.  The salesman had suspicions about Shannon, and it was obvious that Shannon caught on to it.  Finally, Shannon retreated in a hurry.

Throughout his various travels Shannon would leave telegrams in Harold Lage’s name, even going so far as to send telegrams to Lage's wife hoping to avoid the authorities suspicion of whether or not Harold Lage was in fact missing or worse, dead. He couldn't do that for long though, since eventually Lage's body was found.

In a last ditch effort to rid his ties to Lage, Shannon sent a telegram at the Western Union, stopped to ask two Boy Scouts for directions to Los Angeles (as he was in a hurry) and ditched Lage’s car in Paso Robles, California. Boarding a train to Chicago, Shannon escaped out of California without one hitch and laid in hiding for several days. He then travelled to Butte, Montana and then onto Salt Lake City, Utah around January 29^th, 1927.

It was in Salt Lake City that he met an architect by the name of Walter R.Ware. Shannon was now completely penniless, so he begged Ware for a job at his company.  While he was there, Shannon stole checks from Ware’s office and attempted to purchase a ticket to Los Angeles. The ticket agent grew suspicious when Shannon asked if he could write him a check. The police where then called and Shannon was arrested upon boarding the train.

Once Sheriff Lucot of Amador County learned that Shannon was being held in Salt Lake City, on charges of forgery under the alias Walter Riley, he traveled to Salt Lake City to make sure this was the right man that he was hunting for.  As soon as he got there, it was confirmed,  Walter Riley was in fact the murderer Willard Shannon, and Sheriff Lucot was determined to bring him back to Amador County to face the consequences for the crime Shannon had committed. Once in Utah, the Sheriff had Shannon extradited over to California where the trial for the murder of Harold Lage began.

The Trial

Shannon had admitted to authorities in Utah, that he was involved in the death of Lage. He also claimed that two other accomplices were the real murderers and that he was just another witness. He refused to reveal the names of these two "accomplices" he claimed were involved. Of course, no one bought his story and the trial started quickly. According to the papers, the trial was one of the quickest of record at that time in the state of California. The trial started on a Monday and ended three days later. The jury was out for a whole thirty minutes before returning with a unanimous verdict.

On March 23, 1927 at approximately 5:15 pm, Shannon was found guilty of murder in the 1^st degree and Judge Vicini ordered that he be hung until dead.  The night before his execution, Shannon requested  that his last meal be toast, strawberries and chocolate. He also requested a phonograph to play the Shannon Quartet's song, “The Sidewalks of New York” over and over, while he sat impatiently smoking cigarettes awaiting his doom.  After three failed attempts of appealing the verdict, inmate # 14663, was hung on May 5, 1928 at 10:02 am at Folsom Prison.  It took Shannon 10 minutes to die and he was pronounced dead at exactly 10:12 am.

The Aftermath

The victim, Harold W. Lage who suffered a terrible death at the hands of Willard "Red" Shannon (nicknamed for his auburn hair), was laid to rest at the Woodbridge Cemetery in Woodbridge, California.
( Address:  19071 Lower Sacramento Road, Woodbridge CA 95258). The internment for Harold W. Lage was on January 10, 1927. Services prior to that were held in Stockton with Leroy Johnson, a chaplain for Karl Ross Post of the American Legion performing the service. Also, a Practioner of Christian Science was there by the name of William Yarnold who spoke as well.  Pall bearers were fellow members of the American Legion.  He was laid to rest on Plot 3.4.

Harold was a native of Iowa. He served during World War I, having enlisted with the 23rd Engineers in 1917. He later settled in Stockton as an automobile salesman.  Harold was only 29 years of age at the time of his death. His wife, Avis Lage, was forced to raise two children on her own. His son, Harold W. Lage Jr and daughter Lois moved to Woodbridge in 1928.  Upon my investigating I learned that his son Harold Jr, went on to lead a productive and interesting life.

Avis, remarried a man by the name of Fred Burgstahler of Lodi.  Harold W. Lage, Jr. attended high school and graduated from Lodi High in 1943. He then served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, returning to Stockton after the war. Later, he moved out to Minnesota and onto Texas where he worked as a service representative for White Equipment Company in the late 1950's. He enjoyed hunting and fishing according to his obituary. Sadly, at just the age of 63, after an unexpected illness Harold W. Lage, Jr. passed away on January 30,1988.  He was buried next to his father Harold W. Lage, Sr. on Plot # 3.4 at Woodbridge Cemetery as well.

Although I am sure that Harold Lage’s family was never the same after his death, I would hope that his wife found some sense of closure after Shannon’s execution. The newspaper’s claimed that once Shannon had been apprehended in Salt Lake City that Lage's wife was ecstatic, claiming it had been so difficult for her knowing that he had gotten away with murder and continued to evade the police for so long. I hope that wherever Harold Lage’s family is today, that they were able to keep his memory alive and hold it dear to their hearts, not allowing Shannon to rob them of that, too.

Harold W. Lage's grave

To read an in depth account of Willard Shannon's time in Folsom, as well as his execution please check out the book "Folsom's 93" by April Moore. 

Copyright  5/23/2012- Republished 3/28/2018  -- J’aime Rubio, www.jaimerubiowriter.com 

Thank you April Moore for the photo of Willard Shannon and the interesting info about Shannon's last meal in Folsom! Also a big thank you about the info about Shannon sending telegrams to Lage's wife during his time on the lam.(www.folsoms93.com)

Sources:
Photo of Harold Lage's grave c/o www.findagrave.com
Amador County History (archived books)

Modesto-The News (1/7/1927)

Bakersfield Californian (1/3/1927, 3/28/1927)

Bakersfield Morning Echo (11/27/1927)

Lodi Sentinel (1/11/1927, 2/8/1927, 3/24/1927)

San Mateo Times (2/10/1927)

The Forgotten Town of Contreras - Amador County History

woodcut originally published circa 1860

Long ago, back in the days of the "Gold Rush," there was a small town founded and inhabited by a Mexican family in Amador County.  The name of the town was Contreras. Not many books mention it, as it has been long forgotten and left in the archives for many years. Most people don’t even know where the real Contreras once stood, but I believe I have figured out this mystery.

It is funny how this whole story began, as I stumbled upon this mystery at the Amador County Library months ago. I had come to the Library to view microfilmed newspaper archives but someone was already using the machine. I decided that I would kill some time by reading some of the old archived books.  I came across an old book, tattered and worn down that said “Amador County History.”

I skimmed through the pages and came across the name “Contreras.”  I was surprised at first, as it mentioned that it was once a town in Amador County. I lived up there for a few years growing up, I spent some of my summers there as a teenager and had never heard anything about that town in its history before, so I became very intrigued.  

As I read it spoke about a man named Pablo Contreras who came to Amador County in the 1850’s to mine for gold. He was a well educated and  prominent man who purchased a large claim and mined successfully, adding to his already established fortune. He brought along with him, his family which included some very beautiful daughters.  So beautiful in fact, it mentioned that miners from all around the county would gather to Contreras on Saturday nights to attend a weekly dance at the town's Dance Hall, with the hopes of dancing with one of  Señor Contreras’ lovely daughters.

Contreras  had everything a western town during the “Gold Rush” might be assumed to have,  2 Saloons, a Dance Hall, Mercantile Store, Blacksmith Shop and Butcher Shop. It was said to have served up to 1,500 people at that time. Many times after a night of dancing on Saturdays, the crowd of drunken men became rowdy and fights ensued on the street.  There were rumors of shootouts just as you would see in any good western film. Most always the blame for their own vigilante justice was due to cattle rustling.  One night, during one of those many shootouts, a young boy from Sutter Creek disappeared and was said to have never been heard from again. I tried to look into archives to verify whether or not the boy had ever been found, but without knowing the exact date and his name, I was left at a dead end.

WHERE WAS CONTRERAS LOCATED?

Well my friends, that would be the mystery now wouldn’t  it? According to old archived books and stories it was between the Pioneer School House and the Mokelumne River at West Point. I also found an old mining ledger that stated it was 5 miles northeast of Pine Grove.  I also noticed that the old settlement known as DEFENDER was located in the very same general area, 5 miles northeast of Pine Grove and 5 miles east of Volcano. After going over maps and intricately researching the information I had found, I was dumbfounded when I realized that the general area in which both Defender and Contreras would have been located ,was none other than present day Pioneer, California. According to a recent contact I made with Bobby Keeling @ amadorgold.net , he states that the remains of the town of Contreras was recently located after going through old census maps. They discovered the site closer to the North Fork of the Mokelumne River, which is near Pioneer just off Defender Grade Road going towards West Point.  It amazes me to this day when I think about the fact that there once stood two very different towns right there in Pioneer, California and most people wouldn’t even know it.

BACK TO PABLO CONTRERAS….

Later on after the mines ran dry, Pablo Contreras and his family- including his beautiful daughters, moved back south towards Mexico. It was recorded that a few “enamored” American miners followed Contreras’ daughters when they left Amador County. Whether or not Señor Contreras eventually made it to Mexico is unknown, however I found some interesting information in regards to this history.

According to the 1852 Census it states only three Pablo Contreras’ for the entire state.  One lived in Mariposa, one in Tuolumne and the other in Calaveras County. Now remember, Amador County was not really formed until 1854, thus the same Pablo Contreras from the 1852 Census in Calaveras County could be the same Pablo Contreras from Amador County. Or could it? After looking over the records I see that Pablo, had he been the correct one, was only recorded to be 24 years of age in 1852.  Perhaps he was the son of the elder Pablo Contreras in Tuolumne?   That Pablo Contreras was 40 years old at the time of the census and could very well have been the father of the Pablo who was 24 years, given the time frame and age difference. Remember, Señor Contreras probably had many workers, including family running the mines for him, thus he could have lived in Tuolumne while owning the mine in Amador County.

By the time the 1860 Census came around there was no trace of any of the Pablo Contreras’, which would make one think they traveled out of state or back to Mexico.  I found a very interesting article about families from Sonora, Mexico who came to Amador County to mine for gold. What struck me was the name of one of the men, Antonio Contreras.  The article went on to say that he was from Magdalena, Sonora (Mx.) and that he came with his family to Amador County to mine for gold. It goes on to state that he may have taken a decent amount of fortune from the mine, enough to claim on the 1870 Census in Arizona that he had property valued at $5,500.00.  At that time in history, only five other residents in that area owned that much property.

Perhaps Antonio was related to Pablo in one way or another. Perhaps when the family parted their ways back to Mexico, Antonio decided to follow his own path to Arizona. Of course this last part of my story is speculation, although I am still trying to put the pieces together. I am sure we will never know the exact history of this exciting and mysterious story of a forgotten town from the “gold rush” days. However,  it is history seekers like you, the reader and myself who continue to dig up stories such as these and make them available to other people that keeps history alive, and that is truly a treasure worth searching for.

J’aime Rubio (Copyright 5/11/2012) Republished 3/28/2018
www.jaimerubiowriter.com 

SOURCES:

Amador County Library Archives
Thank you Bobby Keeling @ amadorgold.net for the additional info.

History of Amador County, California – J.D. Mason (1881)

Amador County History (Archived Books)

which sampled work by Margaret Joyce- (Amador County Library)

2/2/03-Frank Love (Yuma Sun Newspaper)

Sacramento Mystery: Hart Mansion Secrets

Aden C. Hart Mansion

One day when I was visiting downtown Sacramento I drove down a quiet street to admire the historical homes that were built in the "Merchant Row" of H Street. On the corner of 22 Street and H Street there sat a very stately mansion that stood out like a sore thumb. Now I could see how someone could mistake the old appearance as having a bit dark, almost Gothic style to it. But you have to remember that this house was built in 1907 and was probably one of the first, if not the first house built on that street.

I came back home with thoughts swirling in my mind about the house. I knew there had to be some sort of story behind its doors, good or bad. It was then that I wanted to know the history behind the house. I stumbled across websites mentioning 2131 H Street as The Martinez Home. Many sites claim that its haunted, and go on to state ridiculous rants that the original owner was a mad doctor who performed experiments on people and tortured them in his basement and even some claimed that he murdered his wife and that no one could prove it.

There were other claims of people having taken pictures of the house and seeing orbs and blue smoke coming from within the photograph. Even some others commented on paranormal websites stating that they had toured the home and witnessed apparitions of a Asian man and two children roaming the halls of the upstairs part of the house.

There were myths that the family patriarch suffered from a mental disorder and murdered his entire family. Others claimed that the 'unidentified' Martinez family lived in the house in 1973 and that the entire family witnessed ghostly apparitions and objects being thrown across the room or glasses breaking in the middle of the night. Some people claim to have seen a ghostly dog peering out of the upstairs window. Even one person mentioned that if you Google the address that Google maps photo of the house shows ghosts sitting on the front porch.

Yes, these Urban Legends are good for scaring and telling creepy stories to freak people out but really there are no facts to any of these stories and I am here to debunk all the myths you may have heard or read about this beautiful home.

I am a history fanatic, you could say. If there was a story to tell here I most certainly would have found one. I have dug through archives and books about the history of Sacramento and found nothing that would substantiate any claims of murder, torture, medical experiments or even one single death at that residence.

Uncovering the Truth- Debunking the Rumors-
Why do people call it The Martinez Home?

First and foremost, the home was never under the ownership or residence of any family with the name Martinez. In fact, I was fortunate enough to have spoken with the current owner of this beautiful home and he explained that the only possible conclusion as to how that rumor came to be is that when the house was on the market for a short time in 2002 there had been a family who had a "walk through" of the home to look inside, nothing more. He could not recall whether they were the Martinez's or not but he stated for a fact that the home has only had two owners since being built, Dr. Aden C. Hart and then his Grandparents who bought the home in 1942.

Who Actually Built The House?

In 1907 an Architect known as Alden Campbell designed the house for Dr. Aden C. Hart and his wife Alice. Hart was a founder of Sutter Hospital and the Sacramento Society for Medical Improvement. He was elected an honorary member of the American College of Surgeons and often traveled to study advanced medicine at both The Mayo Clinic and John Hopkins.

Dr. Hart and his wife lived in the home from 1907 until his retirement in 1942 when the property was sold to the Amaruso family. Dr. Hart and his wife then moved to San Francisco to live out the remainder of their lives together along with their family. The house has remained within the Amaruso family for nearly 68 years.

Why Was The Architecture So Dark?

Alden Campbell designed the house specifically according to Dr. Hart's taste. There is no doubt in my mind that the fact that Dr. Hart was a member of the Union Lodge of Masons, The Sacramento Commandery Knights Templar, Temple of the Shrine and Sacramento Chapter Royal Arch Masons played a role in where the masculine and almost Gothic influence came from.


Did Anyone Die In The House?

Sorry to disappoint you but the answer is no. Dr. Hart and his wife passed away in their late eighties in San Francisco. There is no record of them having children, however Dr. Hart's obituary reads that Mrs. Hart and her grandson Lloyd F. Chase Jr. were the last surviving relatives. It also states that his step-son was Lloyd F. Chase Sr. meaning that Mrs. Hart must have been married previously and gave birth to a son. Sometime later she married Dr. Hart. There are no records of them having any biological children together.

According to Peter Amaruso (the current owner) he stated to me personally that no one in his family has ever passed away at the home.

Is The House Haunted?

The house is old, there is no doubt about that. The house has a bit of a creepy vibe to it some people say. But is it haunted? No. There is no reason why it would be. Two families lived their lives together in that home that was built over 100 years ago. The first family lived there for 35 years until Dr. Hart decided to retire and move to the Bay area, possibly where his step son was since his grandson was said to have been from Palo Alto. The Amoruso family has had this home for 68 years and it doesn't seem as if they are planning to sell it any time soon. It makes no sense to conclude that any evil presence inhabits that home.

Why Do People Keep Creating Stories About The House That Are Untrue?

Personally I think people just want to believe in something scary and unreal. But I think it is shameful for people to create such slanderous stories about a man who contributed so much to the medical field and to the community of Sacramento, especially when there has never been any sort of evidence to prove any one of the ghost stories. Dr. Hart, a man who worked so hard to make a good impression on his patients and yet in death he is unable to defend himself against ridiculous accusations that seem as far fetched a horror movie plot. I even read a article where someone claimed that the home was similar to a house in the Harry Potter Movies.

This house is a part of Sacramento history. And the lives of the people who lived in that home are a part of history as well. It is wrong to start these urban legends about people who do not have the ability to set the record straight.

What Does the Owner Think?

I spoke with the current owner of the home, and frankly he is tired of everyone making up stories about the house as well. He was one of the nicest people I had ever met and remember that he didn't have to speak with me, but he did. I was intruding on his space, and yet he was so kind and willing to answer my questions. I know he could feel in his heart that I was searching for the truth, not far fetched paranormal fantasies that others bother him with. I wanted to show the history of this house and to reveal that there is no ghosts, no deaths, no murderous plots, no tortured souls in the basement, or ghost dogs peering out windows. The orbs people see, just dust (it is a old house you know).

Bottom line is that this house was special, to the Hart family and the Amoruso's. This is their family home, a place where they have happy memories. A place they called HOME. Remember that next time you hear a story such as this one and think about the real history not the lies. Although its easier to believe the bad things you hear, sometimes the good stuff is the real truth.

* I want to thank Peter Amoruso for being kind enough to speak with me about this subject and allow me to photograph the home.

(Original Copyright 6/5/2011 - Republished 3/28/2018- J'aime Rubio, www.jaimerubiowriter.com)

Some of my sources:
Sacramento Boulevard Park, Don Cox.
Sacramento Bee Archives
Peter Amoruso