Monday, December 30, 2019

APParition Distorts Real Preston Castle History




With the latest film that came out, APParition (2019) there has been a flood of misinformation that has been spread about not only the history of the Preston School of Industry, but that of Anna Corbin, a victim of a heinous murder that took place there in 1950. This blog is to sift through what has been spoon-fed to you by way of Hollywood, and what the real facts are, so that you can make an informed opinion about the real history of Preston.

First and foremost, The Preston School of Industry had gained a bad reputation over the years that it was open. There is no doubt about that. In fact, my blogs that I initially published on my "Dreaming Casually" blog site exposed a lot of the true stories that took place there that no one had written about since the events had taken place, some in upwards of over 100 years or more.

Later on, I moved my blogs over to this blog and also published my books on Preston's history. Had I not published these stories in depth on my blogs or in my two books, most people today wouldn't even know about these stories in the first place. Even the people who took over running Preston as a tourist spot weren't aware of most of the real facts behind most of these stories. Besides myself, John Lafferty (former Preston Librarian and author) and Scott Thomas Anderson, a crime reporter/journalist, there really hasn't been many people out there willing to do the research into the history of the school or events that took place there.

After my first book, "Behind The Walls" came out in 2012, even some of the docents that worked there figured out much of the stories they had been sharing with the public were not factually correct and a few of them started using my book as a means of sharing the facts with their guests to make sure they had the stories right. I have since published a follow up book, "If These Walls Could Talk: More Preston Castle History, which has even more information and forgotten stories from Preston's past.

You see, most people over the years had heard rumors about deaths or knew names, but that was about it. They had sensationalized ideas passed down to them from friends or family members, but no one had actually researched and shared these stories with cited sources.  Many of the stories I cover in my two books were not even mentioned in John Lafferty's original Centennial History book. When I was finding the stories, I went to the library in Jackson with a list of stories I had previously uncovered and went through his book to see if he had written about any of these stories so I could reference them. As it turned out, most of the ones I had found earlier on in my research were stories he had not written about, so I was excited to share newly found stories that had been lost to the annals of history. The incidents that Lafferty had covered in his book, that I had also found in my research and put on my list, were in chronological order in his book, mostly with brief mentions of the events in short paragraph form.

For the record, Lafferty's book is a great source for a timeline of events going on from the start of the school until it closed, and his research is invaluable to anyone who wants to get a run down on the school's history. He has been a great support over the years and I have gone to him many times for advice in my research on Preston. In fact, without Lafferty's help no one would have figured out the exact location Anna Corbin had been found. I always knew that she was found in a larger store room in the basement based on witness testimony, but which room it was I was uncertain of. I always knew it wasn't the closet "cubby hole" that everyone else has tried to insinuate, and I have published that time and time again on my blogs and in my books. But thanks to John Lafferty, for transcribing the testimony of Goula Wait, we now know that the store room was the room with the plunge bath.

Going back to my work, when I decided to publish my research, I wanted to do something different with my books than anyone else had done. I wanted to take the time to write in more detail about very specific events, and  I wanted to make sure I did a thorough job detailing every part of each person's story that I possibly could so that these stories would be told with respect but most importantly with accuracy.  I took such care into researching these stories because I knew that for the most part, no one had ever read about them before since they had made headlines at the time the events took place. I also wanted my work to be easy to read and concise, so that my readers could be engaged in the story and not feel like they were reading a boring history book from school, but one that made Preston's history come alive.

This blog post is to go step by step with you to explain that what you saw in the movie APParition is not based on facts. Yes, they took the name of a person who died there but they twisted and distorted the history in such a way that there is nothing left of the real story and all that is left is the fabricated one pushed in the film.

For one, Anna Corbin (whom the character of Anna Collins was inspired by) was never involved romantically with the Superintendent. He also was never called a "Warden" either. He also didn't kill her. Anna did not live at the Castle, and she did not have a baby there either. Anna was in her 50's when she died. She was not found in a closet under the stairs, she was found in the basement store room where the plunge bath is located. At that time period the plunge bath had not been in use for decades, and that room became a store room for supplies. The pool part had been boarded over long before Anna came to work there. Anna was not a cook, she was the head of housekeeping. Anna did not witness any boys being abused or mistreated. She allegedly walked in on two wards, Eugene Monroe and William Mercer in the middle of an "act of sexual perversion" (what it was considered back then), and that was alleged to be the reason Monroe later killed her, to keep her from talking about what she saw. Did she really witness this act? There is no way to know for sure, but according to ward William Mercer during the trial, he claimed this was true.

Anna took her job seriously and proved to be a motherly influence on the boys at the school. So much so, that after news broke out about her death, many of the wards there said that if they found out who killed her they would take revenge themselves for her death. Had she witnessed staff abusing the wards there, there is no doubt in my mind that she would have said something or done something about it. She kept a daily journal of her life and there has never been any mention that she ever accused the school of abusing its wards during the time she was employed at Preston.

As far as the abuse and mistreatment of the boys goes in the film, there were times in Preston's past that there was documented proof that staff mistreated the wards. There were some deaths that can be blamed on the staff, but the place was not a "murder house." There were no boys beaten to death, no boys burned to death with acid, nothing like that.

Going back to the late 1890's with Superintendent O'Brien, he was a real tyrant and there are affidavits that prove that he abused wards. Did he kill any of them? We will never really know that, so we cannot definitively accuse him of murder.  We do know that he beat a ward, A. Ascensio very badly, and he hurt another ward Nicholas Hamilton (ward # 170), who did in fact die 6 months after the news got out about O'Brien's mistreatment to him, but documentation always insisted he died of tuberculosis. O'Brien even threatened a young boy who lived in Ione, who came up to visit the school (since back then it was an open-campus, meaning there were no fences). There were a few other Superintendents over the years who had been accused of using harsh corporal punishment on the wards as a form of disciplinary action, but there were never any accusations that the boys at Preston were being beaten to death.

As far as the deaths during an escape, Joseph Morgan was shot in Sheldon in 1899, after having escaped, although the guard in charge told the other guards not to shoot, they did it anyway.  Herman Huber was shot wantonly in 1911, and this is one of the few instances that I truly believe the guard who shot him, did it in cold blood. Why he did it, no one knows. Maybe he just didn't like Huber. But there was a witness to the murder who once paroled went straight to the Governor's office to tell him of what happened. He also admitted that at that time period the staff was abusing the wards, whipping them on the back and he showed the Governor the lash marks he had on his back from his multiple punishments. Sam Goins was shot in 1919 at the Thornton Ranch after he failed to surrender and continued running. He tripped over the fence (as witnesses stated in the inquest records) and as J. Kelly went to shoot his leg to stop him,  because he was in mid-fall, the bullet penetrated his back. He lived long enough to admit to everyone that he knew it was his own fault for being fatally injured.  Another example of negligence on the part of the staff.  Then in 1924, there was the death of Ray Baker, who in attempt to escape he fought with guard Tom Dooley, choking him nearly to death. During the tussle, Dooley was able to reach for his pistol and shot Baker, fatally wounding him. That was a classic case of self-defense, and Dooley was exonerated for any wrong doing.

Any other deaths of the wards that took place at Preston were either accidental, suicide or caused by illness (natural). The only two staff members that I could ever find who were murdered were Anna Corbin (1950) and James Wieden (1965). For the record, although he was attacked on the farm property of the school,  James did not die at Preston. He passed away at the hospital.

I hope that with this short but concise blog out there for people who are earnestly seeking the facts, you will be able to decipher between Hollywood's fakelore and the real facts surrounding Preston Castle.

Happy History Hunting!

(Copyright 2019 - J'aime Rubio, www.jaimerubiowriter.com)

For more information on Preston Castle and it's complicated history, please check out this blog or either one of my books on the subject which can be found on AMAZON here!

PURCHASE YOUR COPIES OF "BEHIND THE WALLS" OR "IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK" HERE! 

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

New Film APParition Exploits and Sensationalizes Preston Castle History




I recently saw a post on Facebook promoting the new film APParition which is set to be released in theaters next month. Personally, I was hoping the movie would not get much attention due to the fact the premise of the movie is based on false history, yet their trailer claims it was based on real events. This sort of thing happens all too often and sadly unless a real historian gets in there and starts researching the facts, many false stories are taken at face value and the masses believe what they see on the big screen. Case in point, the movie “The Conjuring.” In that movie, that is supposed to be from  the case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the movie is set around the Perron family’s time  living in the old farmhouse in Burrillville, Rhode Island where they were allegedly tormented by a sinister spirit which the Perron’s and the Warren’s blamed on a lady by the name of Bathsheba Sherman. 

I successfully debunked the entire “backstory” to Bathsheba that was perpetuated not only in the movie, but in the books that have been published about the home, too.  You see, many times urban legends, folklore and just made up stories are accepted as fact without anyone questioning it. Sadly that happened in this case, and now millions of people believe that Bathsheba Sherman was an evil witch who murdered her baby as a sacrifice to Satan and haunted the home. This is FALSE. I have proven it, but again, when movies come into play sometimes the stories take on a life larger than you can imagine and many times, even people such as  myself who try so very hard to set the facts straight are faced with a daunting task.

Going back to the new film, APParition.  When I first heard of the movie being filmed there, I sought out the co-producer of the film to ask if the rumors were true that they were using a story that took place there as a part of their movie. He confirmed this, along with noting that they changed the person’s name (well last name anyway). I was saddened and disgusted by this, since they were taking bits and pieces of a true story and changing it to fit their own agenda.

I was also upset when I viewed the trailer because although Preston did have its stories of scandals, abuse of power and severe mistreatment to the wards, there is no record of them beating the boys to death. There is a huge difference between corporal punishment, flogging or abuse and actual murder! Yes, there were wards who died from illnesses, suicide, and some were accidental deaths. Examples of such cases of an accidental death was Tahema Vann, the boy who drowned in the swimming hole, or the two wards who were buried alive after a trench they were digging collapsed. And yes, there were a few wards who died after trying to escape. These two I considered as homicides: the shooting deaths of  Herman Huber and Joseph Morgan, which I place fault with the staff. While in other cases, such as Sam Goins', it appears his death was somewhat his own fault. Still, there is no smoking-gun evidence that there was a history of boys who were murdered there on a regular basis. 

There were a few more mysterious deaths that I have found over the years that I would like to have answers to, such as Nicholas Hamilton, and even Grant Walker, but unless we were there we cannot definitively say either way what really happened. Preston had its share of good and bad stories, but you cannot demonize the entire institution for a few events that took place over the entire 66 years* that the “Castle” (Administration Building) was in operation at the school. Not all the people who worked at Preston were bad, not all the wards that were there were good either.  I should know, I have written two books on the subject. Again, like I stated, there is no denying that there were periods of time that the Administration at Preston abused and mistreated their wards, there is plenty of documentation of that. But again, the place wasn't some murder house where boys came in and didn't leave. With the stories I have researched and written about, I have proven that yes, there have been some bad incidents that took place there at different times, but the school proved to be a place that helped many boys go on to live decent, upstanding lives. 

(*For the record, the school continued to run for many years even after the “Castle” was closed.)

Anna Corbin
The person whose story was “borrowed” for the film APParition, was none other than the head housekeeper who was murdered at Preston, Anna Corbin, but instead they changed her to Anna Collins and made her the “caretaker.” Just like they changed the name of the Superintendent to the “Warden.” 

I just want to warn everyone out there that anything you see in this movie relating to Anna’s story or even the stories about the boys at Preston is not factual and should not be taken seriously. Anna is not a ghost haunting the castle. She is not evil and does not want to seek revenge. She has never “possessed” anyone (like what Zak Bagan’s tried to claim during his visit to the castle), and she never lived at the castle either. When she died she was 52 years old. Her husband had passed away, her son had passed away and her daughter had grown up and was married. Again, anything you see in this film is a far cry from any sort of factual information. I am hurt to see that Anna Corbin’s story continues to be exploited over and over from one paranormal show to the next, and from one movie to the next. When will people let her rest in peace? When will people let those who passed at Preston rest in peace?

To read about the REAL FACTS surrounding this school, please read more posts on this blog. If you would like to know the truth about Anna Corbin's death please check out this blog: https://dreamingcasuallypoetry.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-life-and-death-of-anna-corbin.html

You can also read both of my books on Preston's interesting past, available on AMAZON here:


(Copyright 2019 - J'aime Rubio www.jaimerubiowriter.com


Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Exploiting the Dead On Television - Where Does It Cross The Line?



I have been researching the history of the Preston School of Industry for about 10 years. I have published many stories of former wards and former staff, some success stories but the majority have been about events that are not of the happy sort. I felt it was my duty as a historical investigative journalist to share with the world those stories I have uncovered so that the facts surrounding various events at the school were told accurately.

Some might try to say that by publishing a blog or my two books on the subject of Preston, that I myself am, in a way, exploiting the dead. And I guess to an extent anytime anyone writes about a deceased individual there is always a certain degree of attention the story will get. However, with the work I do, I strive to honor the memory of those deceased ones with love and respect, so their stories will not be forgotten, and I do not make it a practice to delve into the paranormal realm, so I personally do not feel my work exploits anyone.

But the real question is: When does others' storytelling cross the line into something bad?

With my writing I choose to stick to the facts and tell the history as it was. I prefer to steer clear of the paranormal lore that often follows these stories. By getting to the facts of the stories I research, I am able to present the accurate details of each case and in turn the reader is informed properly of the facts. With the ghost stories, 99% of the time the information is inaccurate and overly sensationalized, not to mention a complete disrespect to the dead. It is one thing to share the historical facts of a person that is public record, but it is entirely something else to perpetuate false stories or even insinuate their ghost haunts a particular place when we have absolutely no concrete evidence of such things.

Let's take the story of Anna Corbin for example. I have spent many years researching both her life and her death. I have published my findings in my various blogs and both of my books. Again, it is one thing to tell the facts, but it is something else to perpetuate her ghost is lingering at the castle and allow film crews to come in one by one and continuously misrepresent Anna's story. Not only has it been a disrespect to Anna herself, but to her family as well.

Back to "Crossing the Line"--  

Various television programs have been given permission to film at Preston over the years. And with each episode of each program came their own "version" of the paranormal activity that takes place at Preston. Starting from newest to oldest let's take a look at some of these television programs and movies that have been filmed at the Castle and the very sad exploitation of Anna Corbin's death. (I have links for you to click on each show to verify my findings).


1.    Lowe Files  (Season 1: Episode 1)  Aired: 2017

This program insinuated that Anna Corbin’s ghost still haunts the castle. The person representing the Castle not only tells inaccurate history of the school but also tells the wrong info on Anna’s death. When they do an EVP session with the spirit box they immediately try to claim it says “Corbin” and “Beat” as if she is talking to them through the box. Although I think Rob Lowe was sincere in his intentions, which is by far a lot better than the other shows, it still was a disrespect to the memory of Anna with the whole ghost “device” communicating scenes.-



2.    Unexplained Files  (Season 2: Episode 12) Aired: 2014

Halfway through the episode the television show airs an EVP recording of a woman saying “Please, Help Me” and the group tries to insinuate it is Anna Corbin. They go on to show a filmed reenactment of Anna Corbin working and being murdered there. They have a white male in a trench coat and hat strangling her with a wire (her murderer's name was Eugene Monroe. He was also black, and he was a ward at the school, not a film noir detective!) They also state the wrong room of where she was found, as always. The worst part of all is the fact they want to pin the voice to Anna Corbin’s story and insinuate that she is communicating from beyond the grave. The only good thing I found in that episode is that one of the team members tries to debunk the theory, thankfully. ---Another thing to mention, the person representing Preston that they interviewed on their program is not a historian although she was represented as one.




3.    Ghost Asylum  (Season 3: Episode 7) Aired: 2016

I could hardly stand to watch it and cringed through the entire episode. Besides the Ghost Adventures episode which will be included below, this is probably one of the worst videos to date. Mind you, this was filmed and aired in 2016, not long ago. So in this episode, they have their “historian” who says that a lot of boys died from illnesses and that Anna Corbin was killed by two boys, and that her ghost haunts the castle. She goes on to say she has seen her ghost and communicates with her. 

The show goes on to insinuate that the teacher who also was attacked at Preston, James Wieden, that his ghost is there. For the record, James Wieden was killed in 1965, a whole 5 years after the old Preston school had closed. He did not die at the castle, in fact he died at the hospital.  He was attacked on the campus of the NEW Preston School next door.  

Then they try to say the ghost of Sam Goins is there. Again, for the record, Goins was not shot at Preston. He was shot 35 miles away from Preston on the Thornton Ranch near Walnut Grove. He died by the time they brought him back there, and because they didn’t get to a doctor in time. He was poor and he had no family to pick up his body, so he was buried at the boys cemetery out back. The people on the show claim they see a ghost of a boy, and think it’s Sam.  (Sam was just 2 months shy of his 20th birthday when he died, definitely not a child). 

They do an EVP session and bring devices into the little closet in the kitchen and based on their EMF machines going on and off, they determine that is where Anna was killed. That is NOT where she was killed, she died in the room with the plunge bath. Of course they were told the wrong information, as usual. They think that because their devices go on and off and flashlights go on and off upstairs that Anna's spirit is doing that. They continuously call out to Anna.  

Again, the person interviewed in this program is also not a historian but clearly represented as one. Many times people at Preston will adamantly deny that they say Anna’s ghost haunts there but as you can see from this video, this individual was happy to go on television and tell the world that Anna’s ghost is there, and she was the person chosen to represent Preston on national television. 




4.    Ghost Adventures (Season 2: Episode 1)  Aired: 2009

The issues I have with this particular episode was that the docent was promoting false information about Anna, her death and the history of the school itself, not to mention the haunted aspect of it. Anna did not live at Preston, so she did not have an apartment there.  She was not dragged down any stairs, she was not found in the kitchen pantry room either.  But the worst part of the whole thing is that the Ghost Adventures crew  went around trying to make contact with Anna and the other spirits alleged to be haunting there, and Zac pretends to be possessed by Anna. He even wanders up in the dark to the second level and goes in the room that the docent said was Anna’s apartment and he sits there acting strange on camera to make it seem as if he is being controlled by something else. It was so obviously faked, and again a complete disrespect to Anna and her family who believe she is resting in peace.

Watch the episode here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqicgz


5.    Ghost Hunters (Season 6: Episode 6)  Aired: 2010

I didn’t get to watch this episode though there is a summary typed about it online. It doesn’t look like much was said about Anna in this one, but unless I watch the video I can’t be certain.  Here is the link to the brief summary of that episode.




MOVIES THAT FEATURED PRESTON 


7.   MOVIE - “Haunting at Preston Castle” fka “At Preston Castle” (2014)

The opening credits try to insinuate the movie was based on real events which is completely false. The main scary character in this movie is a fictional ghost boy but they do briefly mention Anna Corbin as the "housekeeper" who was murdered there. Still I wish they would leave her story out of these horror films.


8.   MOVIE – “APParition” –  (to be released)

This horror movie is by TV and former radio personality Mark S. Allen. He wrote the script with director Waymon Boone.  I have confirmed with the director that part of one of the stories in the film is “loosely based” on Anna Corbin’s story but the name was changed to “Anna Collins.” I think it is safe to say that her story will be told inaccurately, as usual, and the murderer will not be what we expect either. Again, I wish these horror movies would leave Anna alone.


Here is the link to the IMDB pagehttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt6032704/?ref_=nm_flmg_prd_2


CONCLUSION:

I wanted to get this blog out there to talk about the blatant exploitation of the dead by various paranormal programs. I chose to focus on the many programs filmed at Preston given the fact that I have been researching and writing about Preston for many years and because Anna Corbin's life has been one near and dear to my heart for a very long time. 

I have never agreed with the fact that all of these film crews have been allowed to come and film at the castle for their paranormal programs, and I have often wondered why there isn't more of a push to promote the real history of the Castle? Why so much focusing on the paranormal aspect of it all? Is it because there is more money involved? Perhaps.

When you watch these programs be it about Preston or anywhere else for that matter, please take everything these TV shows say with a grain of salt, because it is a fact that they do not do thorough research beforehand, just take a look at these examples above. And because of their lack of concern for representing the history accurately, they in turn butcher the real history in the process. Anyone who is truly interested in researching or investigating various locations, please do your homework ahead of time, and do not, I repeat DO NOT believe everything you see on television.

(Copyright 2018 - J'aime Rubio www.jaimerubiowriter.com


Wednesday, July 25, 2018

The Death of Sam Goins

"One story you may have heard while looking into the Preston School of Industry's history, is the story of Sam Goins. Goins was an African-American inmate who was fatally shot by John Kelly or J.E. Kelley (also seen spelled as Kelly). Samuel Goins was born on June 24, 1899 in Iredell County, North Carolina. He had been transferred to Preston from Alameda, where he was originally serving time for burglary charges. At the time of his death he was only 19, about to turn 20. 
According to the Amador Ledger dated April, 19, 1919 entitled “Guard Kills P.S.I. Escape,” states:
“Samuel Goins, colored, an inmate of the Preston School was fatally shot by guard J.E. Kelley last Saturday. Goins escaped from the school the day before and the guards found him at the Thornton Ranch. He threatened to kill anyone who attempted to take him. Kelly , failing to halt him by command, fired to hit him in the leg, but just as he pressed the trigger, Goins stooped to go under a wire fence and the bullet struck him in the back.
He lived several hours, and before dying, exonerated the guard, declaring he alone was to blame for the affair. Kelly was acquitted by the coroner’s inquest held Tuesday. The funeral was held in Ione, Wednesday. Goins was a native of North Carolina, aged 20 years. He went to the school from Alameda County for burglary.”       
         Samuel Goins was just two months shy of being released when he attempted his third escape. It was reported in the newspapers that ward J. Lopez, who was with Goins when he died, testified on J.E. Kelly’s behalf at the inquest. However, the inquest records state that his name was actually Joe Acosta. Acosta claimed that Goins, “tripped going over the fence and he got shot after he tripped over.” Eight months later, a ward by the name of James Lopez  died from bronchial pneumonia. He is also buried in the cemetery at Preston. It does not appear that Joe Acosta and James Lopez are the same person. 

Who Was J. E. Kelley?
According to census records and Amador County records there were only two men named John Kelly in Ione at the time, and one was named J.E. Kelley or Kelly and the other was J.K. Kelly (who was his son). I spoke with the grandson of a J.E. Kelly who claimed he had no knowledge of his grandfather being involved in any shooting of an inmate at Preston or that he ever worked there. I also spoke to the Amador County Librarian, Laura, who found the same information as I did about the two men named John Kelly in Amador County.
 According to records, one J.E. Kelly was born in 1865 in Plymouth, CA. He was the Constable of Ione for a lengthy period of time according to the old newspaper archives.  Another Kelly, J.K. Kelly was only 18 years old at the time of this incident and there is no record of him working for Preston. When this escape attempt occurred, John E. Kelly would have been about 54 years old. It is quite possible that he had been the Constable and also maintained a presence at Preston for certain incidents such as an escape. This would not be unusual.  If you recall, in Chapter 4, when Superintendent O’Brien threatened a young boy from Ione, his guard Officer Phillips was also an Amador County Sheriff's Deputy.
 So you see, in Amador County at that time, the local authorities and Preston’s officers were basically intertwined. Regardless of which Kelly it was, there were only two possibilities in Amador County at the time, so it had to be one or the other. According to Guard John Kelly’s statement, he claims he meant to shoot Goins in the leg and that Goins had waved a hammer towards the other guard Mr. Hunter approaching him prior to his running and ducking under the wire fence. John Kelly went on to say:
 “I knew what he told me before, that the next time he ran away whoever tried to catch him would either kill him or he would kill the person that was after him. I seen him watching Mr. Hunter and holding the hammer and I knew he would strike him if he would get a chance. He was nearing a low fence, I should judge it was three feet probably. It was what they call ‘hog wire’ on the bottom, two barb wires on top. As he neared the fence, I thought he was going to leap over it because I seen him jump before. He was a good jumper. I raised my gun and was just in the act, when he either tripped or fell as he was about to make the jump, and as I pulled the trigger, that I calculated on him jumping over, he fell through the fence. 
We went down to where he was. Mr. Hunter was the first one to him. He went to where he was lying and he said, “Goins, are you hurt?” He said “Yes, sir.” I went up to the house to get some water. Mr. Thornton came with me. I asked Mr. Thornton where was the nearest doctor?  He first said Burson, but afterward he said Ione was as near. I wanted to get medical aid for the boy. He said “no.” We then laid Mr. Goins in the machine, proceeded to Ione, drove to the doctor’s office. The doctor was not in. We then went to the school and left him there at the school and the authorities up there sent for Mr. Gall at Jackson.”
  After Goins’ death, the school made sure his funeral was taken care of and even mentioned it in the local papers. Most of the time when other wards died at Preston, their deaths were basically unmentioned.
Many people speculate that Goins was shot with little to no regard for his life, but I believe that was not the case here. Think about it. He had escaped from Preston and was on the run. He was a fugitive who had escaped in the past and who had already made threats that he would not be taken alive again. He had also threatened that anyone who stood in his way would be taken out as well. Kelly was aware of Goins’ past threats. Upon seeing Goins with a hammer that he had retrieved from a shack on the Thornton ranch, Kelly felt that he had to protect his partner, Mr. Hunter.
        Testimony showed that Hunter’s opinion was that Goins wasn’t really that much of a threat to him at all. Hunter claimed that he was too far from Goins for him to have struck him with the hammer and that Goins was running in front of Hunter. From Kelly’s perception, Hunter and Goins seemed close in proximity. In the inquest records testimony, Kelly remained adamant that he didn’t mean to kill Goins. He claimed that he meant only to wound him in order to stop him.  

         Several witnesses claimed that they did see Goins trip and fall just as he reached the fence, meaning one of two things. He was either shot and fell on the fence, or Kelly was telling the truth about Goins fall. Perhaps, he did shoot at him while Goins was in the act of attempting to jump the fence but instead tripped and fell, causing the bullet to penetrate his lower back as opposed to the intended target of hitting him in the leg.

         Testimony of  Dr. A. M. Gall, who examined Goins’ body stated that the bullet  “entered the back, mid-way between the lower rib on the left right side and the upper border of the pelvic bone. Passed through, slightly upward and the exit was about two and one-half inches from the sternum and below the last rib.”

        Sam Goins later died from his wounds, after claiming that it was no fault of anyone involved, other than his own. He was later buried at the cemetery out behind the “Castle.” His story is one that will always cast doubts in many minds. Did Kelly purposely shoot Goins? Or was it just an accident? Did Kelly honestly feel that his partner was in direct danger? Or did he just want to catch Goins by whatever means necessary? We may never truly know."-- Chapter 8. from the book "Behind The Walls" by J'aime Rubio.  (Copyright 2012 - ISBN: 13: 978-1481075046)



Saturday, July 14, 2018

The Escape Artist - Robert E. Byrd

Photo: courtesy of the Byrd family


"The story of former Preston ward, Robert E. Byrd started long before his stay at the Preston School of Industry. In fact, to understand why he ended up there at all, one would need to know his back story.  Robert E. Byrd was born on January 8, 1882 to parents Joseph Edgar Byrd and Helen M. Wilder. His father, Joseph, was a Confederate Veteran from New Orleans, LA, while his mother Helen had been brought up the daughter of a farmer and former Union Soldier from Forestville, New York.
As certain as the tales of Romeo and Juliet, it was also obvious that the pair were in love. They even went so far as running away together against Helen’s father’s wishes, later eloping in Covington, Kentucky. Helen’s father did not approve of her marrying a “reb,” as Joseph was from the South while Helen’s family was from the North. After marrying his love, Joseph became a traveling salesman, who represented cotton brokers, publishers and dry goods suppliers to retail stores, while Helen became a seamstress to make ends meet. They traveled a lot during their first years of marriage, going from Louisville, KY, Evansville, IN, and Nashville TN.
In 1881, due to the tiresome life of being a traveling salesman with a family, Edgar Byrd chose to become an entrepreneur by opening a tavern in Florence, AL, hoping to make roots there. Unfortunately, this choice proved more harmful that good. In late December, Edgar Byrd became entangled in a fight with the former Mayor of Florence inside of his own tavern. The fight broke out and took to the street where it ended in a shootout, leaving the former Mayor dead. Although Edgar was indicted for murder, the charges were later dismissed due to “self defense.”  After being subjected to extreme stress, Helen gave birth to Robert two weeks later. Eventually, the family sold the bar and moved their family elsewhere.

  Around 1884, while traveling for work, Robert’s father, all alone in his hotel room, died from malaria. Suddenly, Helen became the sole provider for her children which must have put a strain on her. She eventually moved back to her home county of Chautauqua County, NY. Once there, she bounced from boarding house to rented houses for many years, never being able to give her children the sense of stability she yearned for. After the death of her youngest son William, Robert seemed to have strayed down a path of delinquency. This was more than likely due to the lack of a father figure, unending hurt from the loss of his father and brother and also instability at home.
  By the time Robert was 12 years old, he had been in trouble with the law. In 1894, he was sent to the Burnham Industrial School in Eastern New York State (now the Berkshire Farm School) where wayward boys were taught to farm. He received a rigorous education there, until his release on March 1, 1896. He then when home to Fredonia, NY, only to get arrested again three weeks later. By March 26, he was sentenced to the New York Industrial School near Rochester, N.Y.  For two years he served his time in a manufacturing trade school environment not so different from Preston. By January of 1898, he was paroled into his mother’s care, moving to Buffalo, N.Y.
As the Byrd family story goes, while Robert was working as a clerk in Buffalo, he became “restless.”  He then ran away to California at the young age of 17. Apparently, due to the stories of endless opportunities out west along with the romanticized folklore of the “get rich quick” life during the gold rush, he traveled to the Golden State with dreams of making it big. News accounts of that time period even mentioned that Robert went west “on a wheel,” meaning he rode his bicycle from New York all the way to California. By the fall of that same year, Robert had made it to Gardnerville, Nevada and then onto Reno. After finding himself in trouble once again, Robert sold his bicycle and bought a train ticket to San Francisco.


How Robert E. Byrd Ended Up In Preston (Ward # 416)
       In November of 1899, Robert had made friends with a piano player, Jesse Russell. Eventually the two teamed up and decided to steal a horse and buggy rig in Oakland.  Driving the buggy to Irvington, they stopped to stay at the Irvington Hotel and skipped out on their bill. Leaving the horse and buggy behind, they left on foot onto San Jose down the railroad tracks, more than likely hitching a ride on the train as it rolled by. By the time Robert had made it to San Jose, he stole another horse, this time taking it from a livery. He had played the part of a potential buyer wanting take it for a trial ride with the full intention on purchasing it, however he never returned. He rode that horse all the way to Solano, CA.  He was then apprehended on November 16, 1899, being charged and tried for Grand Larceny in January of 1900 and sent to Preston for three years. 

Within two months of being sent to Preston, Byrd had become an ‘escape artist’, walking out of Preston undetected. He did so by making a false key and opening his way out of the building. Within three days he was captured. Once again in July he attempted to escape only to be caught again. By December, it was reported that Byrd had broken into an officer’s room and stolen his revolver, concealing it for weeks while the officer never noticed his gun was gone. I don’t know about you, but one would think that as an officer at a boy's youth reformatory, how could you not know that your gun was missing for weeks?
That information from the officer makes me think the gun was actually planted in Byrd’s room to get him into trouble. How convenient that one random day, the staff just decided to raid his belongings and discovered the gun and a pack of red pepper. The pepper, they claimed, had been concealed for him to use at a later time in an escape to throw off his scent from any dogs used to chase him. Of course, because of this Byrd was punished severely and kept from being able to write his mother.
Superintendent Hirshberg wrote several letters to Byrd’s mother, claiming to be sincere at helping him and also making sure to reiterate that he “was not” keeping Byrd from writing his mother. Eventually the Superintendent grew tired of Byrd’s shenanigans and the ward was later deemed “wholly incorrigible and rebellious, not amendable to discipline and not fit for detention.” Hirshberg then shipped Byrd off to the Court in Santa Clara where he was sent to jail there for the remainder of his sentence.
What I find interesting is that after his ordeal at Preston, Byrd was never incarcerated again. In fact, he later went on to marry and have children and filed several patents with the Government for inventions he made. Byrd went on to work for and own several manufacturing companies including Pajaro Industries and R. E. Byrd Manufacturing in Erie, PA. Robert had done so well in his business, that in the 1920's his ads were seen published in various editions of Popular Mechanics magazine. During the 1930’s and the height of the Depression, Robert's manufacturing business was doing so well that he had over 150 employees working 3 shifts, 7 days per week. 
Robert’s legacy was then passed down to his sons, grandsons and great-grandchildren, who still  continue to remain in the manufacturing industry as successful entrepreneurs to this day.  Sadly, Robert didn’t live a long life, dying at the age of 48 from congestive heart failure and kidney failure. One good thing that Robert took with him when he left Preston was a trade. Learning how to manufacture the key that he used to escape from Preston, was the catalyst that inspired him later in life to become a manufacturer.
Courtesy of Kevin LeBeaume 
Robert E. Byrd’s experience at Preston was one of infamy as far as his many escapes, but the real legacy he left behind was the value of hard work and skills he acquired at Preston that catapulted his life into one of great success for the rest of his life. "
 --- Chapter 5. From the book. "Behind The Walls: A Historical Exposé of The Preston School of Industry" by Author, J'aime Rubio (Copyright 2012 - ISBN: 13: 978-1481075046)

UPDATE: Last year in 2017, I was contacted by a gentleman by the name of Kevin LaBeaume who discovered a small bird water whistle at an old antique shop that bore Robert Byrd's name on it. As it turns out it was one of many items manufactured by Robert's company the Robert E. Byrd Manufacturing Company of Erie, Pennsylvania back in 1920. I have since been able to get Mr. LaBeaume in contact with Robert's family and I am happy to see that Robert's legacy is still being appreciated even today. 





Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Edward Rowe & Dan Gillette's Wild Escape From Preston

Preston Castle
If you have read my other blogs about the history of the Preston School of Industry, or if you have purchased a copy of my book "Behind The Walls," then you are aware of the many events that have taken place behind the ominous brick walls of Preston Castle. During my search for more stories to include in my upcoming special edition eBook, I stumbled upon a tale of attempted murder and a wild escape too good to ignore. This particular event took place in 1904, by two very dangerous wards determined to stop at nothing for their chance at freedom. In my latest book, "If These Walls Could Talk: More Preston Castle History," you can read about this story in even more detail.

"April 20, 1904- It was a Wednesday night, at approximately 10:00 p.m. when the night watchman in the boys dormitory upstairs in the Castle appeared for his shift. He hadn't been on duty for more than fifteen minutes when he decided to quickly use the restroom while the boys were supposed to be in bed.  When night watchman J.S. Phillips returned from the bathroom he noticed that two of the wards, Rowe and Gillette, were up at the water fountain (to the right of the door) getting themselves a drink.

Edward Rowe
Before Phillips could even get inside the room and lock the door behind him, one of the boys came up and struck him with a slungshot. They had used a woman's stocking and placed a hard, large rock inside of it and continued to hit Phillips over the head until they knocked him out. The boys then continued to beat on Phillips, kicking him in the head and leaving a deep gash. Had it not been for the rock tearing the hosiery and falling out onto the floor, Phillips may have died from being continually struck by it.

Once the boys had completely incapacitated the watchman, they climbed out the window of the dormitory and down the water pipe alongside the castle's brick walls. Barefoot and in their pajamas, the boys immediately separated upon reaching the outskirts of the Preston property.  Rowe headed out west and was caught the next day near Carbondale, California (which used to be about six miles northwest of Ione). However, Gillette went east towards Jackson, causing a big ruckus along the way.

Dan Gillette
While on the lam, Gillette headed down Ione Road and decided to break into the Cuneo residence. There he stole a change of clothing as well as a shotgun. When he was done scavenging through the Cuneo's personal belongings he then retreated off into the night.

By Friday,when he made it towards Martell's station, it was said that he hid his gun near some iron pipes outside. He then was spotted at the Kennedy Boarding House where he even managed to sneak in a meal, staying undetected as a wanted fugitive.  Perhaps he wanted to fit in with the miners and laborers working at the mine, but Constable Kelly (also spelled Kelley) was hot on his trail, apprehending him just outside the mine without any further bloodshed.

Gillette was then charged with "assault to commit murder" and later taken to Humboldt County on charges for a crime he committed before he had been sentenced to Preston. The authorities as well as the administration at the Preston School of Industry were intent that both Rowe and Gillette not return to the reform school but be sent to the State Penitentiary due to their brutal dispositions."----


TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY BEHIND THE PRESTON SCHOOL OF INDUSTRY
PLEASE CHECK OUT "If These Walls Could Talk"-- now available at Amazon!


(Copyright 2013-2017-- J'aime Rubio, www.jaimerubiowriter.com)
Originally published on Dreaming Casually blog (2013)

Sources:
California Prison Records (San Quentin & Folsom Prison Inmate Records)
Amador Ledger (4/22/1904, 4/29/1904)

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

If These Walls Could Talk: More Preston Castle History -- Book Release


(Copyright: J'aime Rubio)

              My latest book, "If These Walls Could Talk: More Preston Castle History" is now available on Amazon for purchase.  This is a follow up to my original book on the history of the Preston School of Industry, "Behind The Walls." This title includes additional narratives discovered during my continued research of this school's history over several years. Learn about even more dangerous and sometimes deadly events that took place there, as well as some of the sad backstories of young wards sent to Preston because of poor circumstances, not having committed any crime at all. 
(Copyright: J'aime Rubio)
This concise but engaging read covers wild and crazy escapes to tragic accidents and everything in between. Also included are biographical sketches of infamous and famous former wards such as Merle Haggard, Rory Calhoun and Allen Smiley, to a list of former wards who ended up on death row, including the "Red Light Bandit, Caryl Chessman, as well as positive stories that also took place there. This is a must read for any Preston Castle enthusiast! 
I really enjoyed compiling all the stories within this book, as well as interviewing various people who were related to several of the former wards, including Allen Smiley's daughter, Luellen Smiley. She was a fantastic help in retelling her father's backstory, as well as providing me with the genuine copy of her father's court records that showed exactly when he was sent to Preston. 



Sample of my Introduction Page: 
"After publishing my first historical non-fiction book about the Preston School of Industry,  “Behind The Walls,” I had mentioned in the introduction that my work would never be finished. Back then, I had barely scratched the surface of what was hidden deep in Preston Castle’s past. For the last several years I have been continuing my research, publishing and sharing my latest blog “Preston Castle History,” with the world.
I felt that it would be a good idea to combine my latest research into an additional follow-up book to go along with “Behind The Walls.”  In this title, there’s a great collection of short stories of former wards of the school, along with details of what became of them upon leaving Preston.  This book also covers other various incidents that took place on the property involving employees and other Amador County residents that many people are often unaware of.
As I always state, Preston’s history will never be complete, not as long as there are still stories out there waiting to be found and to be told. I hope that with this additional book, you will enjoy learning even more about some of the people who once walked through the doors of one of Amador County’s most beautiful architectural treasures, Preston Castle!" -- from "If These Walls Could Talk: More Preston Castle History" by J'aime Rubio.


(Copyright 2017- J'aime Rubio, www.jaimerubiowriter.com)