'SPIRITS OF ST. HELENA'
CEMETERY TOUR IS NOW HISTORY

The Society presented its fifth annual “Spirits of St. Helena” Cemetery Discovery Walk at St. Helena Cemetery on November 3. It was a beautiful, warm fall day and over 50 people enjoyed the tour. The gravesites were closer together this year, making it easier to walk from one to another.

Our actors this year were:

Lowell Smith as Jules Millet, Kathy Kernberger as aunt of Richard Fealy, Bill Savidge as Alfred Cook, Jeff Farmer as George Clark, Marilyn Coy as Victorina Sasselli and John Ponte as John Wright. Most of the stories involved a murder, which was more common in St.Helena in the nineteenth century when most people carried a gun.

Former St. Helena mayor Lowell Smith began the tour as Jules Millet, who had arrived here from France only three months prior to his murder with a wife and small daughter. Jules was the nephew of Germain Crochat, partner in the Franco-Swiss Winery in Conn Valley. He lived and worked at the winery, as did John Murbach (murderer).

One day the photographer R.E. Wood came to take photos of the winery. Whilst he was away from his wagonload of equipment, John Murbach stole several photographs and hid them. The theft was promptly noticed and Murbach was the only suspect as he was seen near the wagon. Incensed winery partner Fred Metzner extracted a confession, severely beat Murbach, fired him and ejected him from the property. Murbach returned one week later on November 26, 1882 with a gun, looking for Metzner and found the hapless Millet first. He shot Millet, who died soon after. At the trial Murbach was convicted of murder and sentenced to hang.

Historian Kathy Kernberger portrayed the aunt of Richard Fealy, who was in reality related to Kathy. Fealy was in trouble for much of his life, beginning with misbehaving at Liberty School and leading to committing arson to collect insurance money. At the age of 18 he was charged with assault.

In early 1915 Richard came up with a plan for a “mysterious” fire to burn down the house of his mother-in-law, who lived across the street from Grandview in St. Helena. She did not want her valuable furniture to be destroyed, so he agreed to remove it from the house. Neighbors and friends helped to move the furniture to a barn in Rutherford on his family’s ranch. Having emptied the house, Richard laid a trail of gasoline from a pile of rags to a burning candle. Then he, his wife, sons and mother-in-law went for a “picnic” in the dark.

Unfortunately for Richard, the volunteer fire department was having a dinner at Grandview (then known as St. Gothard’s Inn) across the street. Seeing the candle, they went to investigate and found the incendiary device. He might have escaped, but he filed an insurance claim. Richard was convicted of arson and insurance fraud, serving six years at San Quentin Prison.

Former city councilman Bill Savidge portrayed Alfred Cook, who was shot by Jesse Walters on January 8, 1899.

There was gunplay in Napa one morning and when the smoke cleared Alfred Cook, formerly a barkeeper in St. Helena and Oakville, was dead. Jesse Walters, at one time deputy sheriff in Yountville, had a bullet in his knee.

Sheriff Dunlap arrived at George McKenzie’s livery stable, he found the deceased Cook, who had been braiding rope in a box stall, lying on the floor with multiple gunshot wounds and holding a revolver with four empty chambers.

The first version of the affair was that Walters, seeing ex-sheriff Mackenzie in front of the latter’s livery stable, crossed the street to speak to him regarding a harness. Cook, who was in the rear of the stable, started shooting and that Walters returned the fire. The case took a sensational turn when the coroner’s jury brought in a verdict charging Walters with the murder of Cook, six jurors adding a finding that McKenzie was an accessory after the fact.

There had been bad blood between Cook and Walters for some time. Cook was known as the partying bartender, had been accused of forgery and other misdeeds. Walters had been heard threatening to kill Cook if he ever came back to Napa and he was true to his word.

In the end, Cook’s shot lodged in Walter’s knee and got infected. Whilst he was in jail after being arrested, his knee had to be amputated. Walters got sicker and on his deathbed confessed to killing Cook.

Jeff Farmer portrayed George Clark, who murdered his brother on January 19, 1898.

William Anderson Clark, 43, a railroad section hand who carried his lunch to work, found his coffee unduly bitter one day. He brought it to be analyzed by W.H. Smith, the druggist, who found it to contain 5 grams of strychnine (enough to kill several men). Clark purchased a new container for his coffee, but two weeks later had the same experience. He was unable to explain the matter.

On the fateful morning at 5am Clark was preparing his breakfast when there came a knock on the door. When he opened it he was shot with a revolver. William Clark left a widow with seven children. The man’s brother George, 35 years old, was suspected by Marshal Johnson and was arrested immediately.

In the accused’s room was found a box of cartridges with 5 shells missing and note purporting to be a suicide note from the victim. It said he was tired of life and that a bottle of strychnine could be found behind the clock and box of cartridges in the basement. In the margin was written “Tell George he is innocent”

While in jail in Napa George (who was very religious) was visited by a clever reporter from the Examiner, who asked him to place his hand on the bible and asked him to swear that he did not kill his brother. Clark finally confessed and related that he had been in love with his brother’s wife since he was a boy. He had a love affair with her over the last 14 years. He said she promised to marry him if her husband ever died.

When they lived in Pope Valley, George burned their house down hoping they would move to St. Helena. At the trial Mrs. Clark said she had known George since he was a child. She admitted to the intimacies between them. The officers built a strong case and George was found guilty of first degree murder and executed at San Quentin. Thus ended the family triangle.

Retired teacher Marilyn Coy portrayed Victorina Sasselli, who was murdered at the age of 17 on March 18, 1898. Victorina was the eldest daughter of Swiss-Italian immigrants, Joseph and Frederica Sasselli who arrived in the Napa Valley in 1888. She was born in Switzerlandi in 1880. Their property consisted of 92 acres and was located adjacent to of their dear neighbors and friends, the Anton and Caterina Nichelini family, on Sage Canyon Road.

Mr. Jules Bheud was a drifter and much of the time jobless.  He became obsessed with         Victorina and had come to the house to request that he be able to court her.  Each time he       was    turned away by her parents.

On the fateful day Victorina and her father were returning from a shopping trip in St. Helena when they came upon Mr. Bheud. He had rented a livery rig and had apparently driven to their home and, finding that Victorina was not at home, began to make his way back toward St. Helena.  Upon meeting Joseph and his daughter he made polite conversation and convinced them that he only wanted a short conversation with her and would bring her directly home.

As they approached Horse Shoe Bend, Mr. Bheud pulled a revolver and pleaded with Victorina to become his wife. If she refused, he would kill himself.  She tried to convince him that he had a whole life ahead of him and that there were many young ladies who would be available for marriage. But he suddenly turned the revolver toward her and shot her.  He then shot himself, dying almost instantly. 

The horses raced up the road with Victorina lying on the floorboards of the rig.  Her life was draining slowly away.  As the horses approached the home of the Nichelini family, Caterina Nichelini raced out to stop them, knowing something was terribly wrong.  Upon finding her, Caterina cradled Victorina in her arms as she took her last breath. Both Sasselli and Bheud are buried at St. Helena.

A note was later found addressed to her mother.  It read:

"Madame Sasselli:  I am writing to you for the purpose of demanding your pardon for the act that I have intention of doing.  I would rather die with her than be separated from her.  I love her too much to see her in the arms of another.Yours devotedly, Jules Bheud."

John Ponte portrayed John Wright, who was lynched and hung from the York Creek Bridge on May 5, 1888.

Robert M. “Budd” Vann was a son of a prominent St. Helena family. He was also a customer at the Pink Saloon, bar and brothel located in town. Budd was said to be a overweight, overbearing barfly. He was attracted to one of the “employees” of the saloon, who did not welcome his attention. One day he arrived loud and drunk when John Wright, brother of the lady, tried to prevent him from entering.  He forced his way inside. Wright shot and killed him.

Young 18 year old Wright appeared before Judge Elgin, with the district attorney examining him. He was without a lawyer to represent him and barely spoke. Twelve witnesses were called against him, but it was next to impossible to get anything out of them. Afterwards, Wright was locked in the jail by Constable McGee. Both the Constable McGee and Night Watchman York tried to tell District Attorney and  Judge Elgin that there would be trouble and that they should post extra guards - word even got all the way down to Napa and the Sheriff. Neither of them believed St. Helenans would do anything. 

The Constable had managed to slip the Judge the keys to the jail hoping he could keep them safe, but somehow Vann’s friends knew. A group of 15-20 masked men went to Judge Elgin’s home and demanded the keys. Night Watchman York found the jail broken into and me gone, but could not find out where.  In the morning Mr. Beringer came down and told them where to find the body, hanging from the York Creek Bridge.  It took an extra hour and a half for District Attorney Hogan to come by and have it removed. The St. Helena Star editorial condemned the rash act. The incident was reported all over the state and internationally. Both Vann and Wright are buried in St. Helena cemetery.

The “Spirits of St. Helena” Cemetery Discovery Walk takes place the first Saturday in November of every year. Watch for it next year.

"Since 1856 people from all walks of life have been buried at the Saint Helena Cemetery. They were famous, infamous and ordinary folk," explains Mariam Hansen of the St. Helena Historical Society. "We selected fascinating biographies of people from many eras who ended their life’s journey in St. Helena” she continued. ”Some of these stories are so amazing, you have to hear them to believe it" adds Kathy Kernberger, who did much of the research.

For photos from the tour see our NEWS page.