Butte County
Biographies
W. R. RIDDLE.--A promising, likeable young man, and one much interested in, because he is well posted on, the historic past, is W. R. Riddle, the youngest sheriff in California, who was born six miles west of Biggs, on September 23, 1881. His father was William S. Riddle, a native of Pennsylvania, where he was born on April 14, 1837. In 1853, he ran away from home, forsaking the comforts and attractions of a good old family, and made his way across the great plains, finally landing in Stockton, in the same year. For a while he worked as a teamster, employed by others, and then he engaged in freighting for himself. He helped grade the first street in Stockton, and later worked for Oberheiser. About 1860 he came to Butte County with an influx of grain-farmers from the San Joaquin Valley, and settled in Biggs. He has a brother, David, who came with him as far as Pike’s Peak, Colo., and then turned back, and who is now a retired contractor in Chicago.
William S. Riddle followed grain-farming on a large scale, and at one time had six thousand acres. That was in the palmy days of grain-raising on the adobe ranches, and he was most successful where there are now great rice fields. In 1878, he married Dora E. Richardson, who was born in Diamond Springs, Eldorado County, the daughter of James Richardson, who had crossed the plains from New York in pioneer days, and worked as a miner when he arrived in California. Mr. Riddle owned fourteen hundred forty acres at Biggs, carried on grain-farming with a large and fine equipment, and prospered until May, 1889, when he was foully murdered eight miles west of Biggs, on his own ranch.
Although known as a fighter with strong likes and dislikes, and fortified with a fine physique, measuring up to two hundred twenty pounds in weight, Mr. Riddle had incurred the dislike and hatred of a family named Looney, which had a farm adjoining a half acre, that Mr. Riddle was accustomed to till and mow. After the latter had cut the grain for several years, Looney claimed it, and a dispute arose between the two men. Mr. Riddle had gone to a ranch of six hundred forty acres, and had in his buggy, on his return, a gun, which some of the farm hands wished him to take to the main ranch. He wrapped it in a gunnysack, and placed it unloaded under his wagon seat. Three sons of Looney passed by with a four-horse team and a wagon-load of hay, in which Edward Looney lay concealed, and without warning he shot Mr. Riddle through both hands and twice through the body, finally killing him. This was on May 19, 1889. A peculiar fact is that the gun used had the same caliber as that of the gun placed by Mr. Riddle in his wagon.
James Baynon, an Englishman and stanch friend of the father, went into Biggs, and old man Looney coming in, Baynon immediately attacked him, stabbing him in the neck for revenge, and another murder would undoubtedly have taken place if bystanders had not taken Baynon away. At the place where Mr. Riddle fell his faithful horse, Pete, remained, and the Looneys could not drive him away, though they tried, for the horse would return each time. The Looney who did the shooting rode to Oroville, gave himself up, and was arrested by the late E. B. Ward, who was then jailer. As public feeling ran high, Mr. Ward had to exert himself to protect his prisoner. Looney was admitted to bail, and the case came to trial in September, 1889. P. O. Hundley was then Judge of the Superior Court, Louis Freer was District Attorney, and the mother employed Grove L. Johnson, of Sacramento, as legal counsel, at one hundred dollars a day. Looney was defended by the late Judge John C. Gray, R. C. Long, of Gridley, and N. Green Curtis, of San Francisco. The case lasted two weeks, a verdict of manslaughter was brought in and Looney was sentenced to five years, but pardoned at eight months by Governor Waterman.
After the murder trial, W. R. Riddle and his mother struggled along on their land, which had decreased considerably in value. Finally they gave up farming and sold the property, the mother taking up her residence in Oakland, and the son becoming under-sheriff of Butte County, and then deputy county clerk. He also moved into town and bought a place adjoining the Oroville Hospital, and in this hospital the murderer of his father died of a horrible cancer on the side of his face, just twenty-three years and one month after the murder had been committed. The son has lived to see every member of the Looney family die, excepting one. This was in 1908, when Mr. Riddle came as under-sheriff to assist J. M. Chubbuck. Soon after the close of his term, on May 16, 1911, he entered the county clerk’s office as chief deputy and continued there until the day he took office, January 4, 1915, he having been elected sheriff at the preceding November polls. He is a member of the State Sheriffs’ Association, and at the San Diego meeting in May, 1916, acted as secretary. He is also a member of the International Association for Criminal Identification.
In 1910, W. R. Riddle and Miss Odessa M. Miller were married, the bride being a daughter of Harrison Miller, a pioneer. She was born at Live Oak, Sutter County, and is the mother of a daughter, Jimmie. Politically Mr. Riddle is a stanch Republican. Fraternally he is popular as a Mason, having been inducted into the order in Emmanuel Lodge, No. 318, F. & A. M., at Biggs, when he was twenty-one years old. Both Mr. and Mrs. Riddle are members of the Eastern Star. One sister of Mr. Riddle, Rachael, died in 1914. The father was a strong Republican and helped to build up the schools of the county, serving as a trustee. He was an Odd Fellow and a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Mr. Riddle is not a candidate for reelection, for it is his desire and plan to enter the service of the government upon the completion of his term as sheriff.
Transcribed
by Roseann Kerby.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1113-1115, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Roseann Kerby.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies