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Collection of two original documents (typescripts) relating to an appellate court case involving defendant Ernest Dykes ("Criminal No. [7376 or 7367]"), convicted of first-degree murder. Dykes, John H. Martin, and Clarence McAllister, were each accused of murdering Arthur Woodyard. The documents are a Clerk's Transcript on Appeal (light green-blue paper wrappers bound with red string, dated 1919, sixty-three pages) and Reporter's Transcript on Appeal (light blue paper wrappers, dated 1920, 273 pages with two additional pages in back). Both documents: 8 1/4" x 10 1/4." Pages of both documents are clean and intact except for light age toning, slight wear to extremities, and occasional annotations and partial text trimming. Covers of both documents are clean but worn and have significant chipping along fore-edges of front and back, wrinkling, a few small stains, and light to moderate age toning. Reporter's Transcript also has a chip at tail of spine. Each document and the entire collection are Very Good. These two documents relate to the appellate case, "The People of the State of California vs. Ernest Dykes" in which Dykes appealed his conviction and lifetime prison sentence in San Quentin State Prison for first-degree murder. The judge was Lincoln S. Church. U. S. Webb was attorney for the People of the State of California. Deputies District Attorney were Myron Harris and Frank M. Shay. Henry A. Davie was attorney for Dykes. The following is a description of the events that took place before, during, and after the crime. Dykes, Martin, and McAllister were African-American soldiers of the 9th Cavalry stationed at San Francisco's Presidio. On August 2, 1919, they agreed to go gambling in Oakland; Dykes made a statement about winning no matter the outcome. That same day, Dykes and McAllister each purchased a revolver at a pawn shop in Oakland. Dykes purchased a .38 Iver Johnson. McAllister purchased a .32 Colt automatic. Martin may have also bought a gun or borrowed McAllister's. The three men proceeded to go to the house of Helen Moore who was hosting a game of black jack with gambling involved. Arthur and Thomas Lovett were already seated at the table, and Dykes and Martin joined them. McAllister did not sit down at the table and remained to the side. Samuel Eadens arrived last and joined the group at the table. After playing cards for some time, Dykes and Martin got up from the table and made to leave but then signaled to each other, drew their revolvers, and demanded that Arthur, Lovett, and Eadens put their money on the table. Martin and Dykes fired toward Eadens after he had grabbed some of his money (McAllister did not shoot at anyone). Eadens managed to dart into the nearby kitchen. Lovett hid under the table. Arthur fell onto Lovett's legs a few seconds later and said he had been shot. Martin grabbed the money, and he, Dykes, and McAllister escaped. Arthur was taken to a nearby hospital for surgery and then to the Bay Area Sanitarium. Under Inspector Thomas Gallagher's direction, Eadens and Lovett successfully identified Dykes, Martin, and McAllister who had returned to the Presidio. The three soldiers were then brought before Arthur at the Sanitarium who also identified them as the perpetrators. On August 4, 1919, Arthur died from his wounds. The bullet found in Arthur's body matched Dykes's Iver Johnson. The jury from the original trial convicted Dykes of first-degree murder and he was sentenced to life in 1919. The following are summaries of each document. 1) Clerk's Transcript: summary of the court proceedings (few details about the crime), verdict, motions, and orders. 2) Reporter's Transcript: provides much detail about the case including testimonies and direct and cross-examinations of witnesses. The following is a partial list of the witnesses who testified: William (Arthur's father), Eadens, Lovett, Moore, Clarence De Puy (autopsy doctor), Goldie Cargado (also at Moore's house that night), Gallagher, and Dykes.
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