KILLED BY HIS COUSIN. Both Young Men Formerly of this City - A Cold-Blooded Killing Press Democrat, Santa Rosa, CA, Volume XVI, Number 1935, 19 December 1889

On Sunday morning last a bloody tragedy was enacted near Fresno, in which John W. Hart, formerly of this city, was killed by Cyrus Corrick, his cousin, also a former resident of Santa Rosa. Young Corrick, who is but nineteen years of age, left Fresno city to go to his father’s ranch, where Hart was employed as a farm hand. Corrick’s father had told him to leave the gray horse, which he was driving, and take a bay and continue on to the Billy Martin Mine. Hart, it seems, objected to the exchange of horses and refused to get the bridle for Corrick or to tell the latter where it could he found. This led to some words and Corrick stepping up to his cousin said, “D---- you, I’ll make you find the bridle for me," at the same time drawing a revolver from his overcoat pocket. Before finishing the sentence he commenced firing. Three shots were fired before Hart staggered from the barn and went toward the house. He entered the house but reappeared a moment later with the bridle in his hand, which he tossed toward Corrick with the remark “There’s your bridle Cyrus.” He immediately turned and re-entered the house, closely followed by Corrick who shut the door after him. Another shot was soon heard and Corrick came forth with a smoking revolver in his hand, saying to one of the farm hands who stood near the barn, that he guessed be had killed Hart. Hart stumbled and fell soon after entering the house the second time and the presumption is that Corrick placed the muzzle of his revolver in the face of his dying cousin and pulled the trigger, as the flesh about the nose end lips was badly powder-burned. The last shot entered the mouth, and, ranging along the surface of the tongue, lodged in the muscles at the back of the neck and near the base of the brain. Corrick claims that Hart drew a bowie knife, but two of the witnesses who saw the first shots fired did not corroborate the statement at the Coroner’s inquest. Corrick is a tall, powerful young man with beardless face and aged 19 years. Hart was four years the senior of his cousin and much smaller in stature. Two different news articles offering 2 slightly different perspectives Select the image to see a larger view