Rick Just
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Author
  • Speaker
  • Contact

Spanish Charley

11/15/2018

Comments

 
​Part of the fun of chasing down stories for this blog is that I frequently get sidetracked. Angelo Aresco posted a picture (below) of a grave marker just over the border in Oregon in a comment on an earlier story. The marker for “Spanish Charley” was just enough to tease me. Here’s the story as told by the Idaho Tri-Weekly Statesman on April 5, 1887:
 
“Charles Albert, a well known cattleman in the Jordan Valley, and called ‘Spanish Charley,’ was shot dead last Wednesday by Jake Mussel, a sheep man.”
 
The paper explained that Albert had previously threatened to kill Jake Mussel because he was grazing sheep on what Albert considered his land. Mussel and his sheepherder went to Albert’s cabin to confront the man. The dialogue, according to the Statesman, went something like this:
 
“’Did you say you would kill me’ asked Mussel, as they approached.
‘Are you going to let your sheep run on my range?’ replied Charlie.
‘Yes,’ said Mussel, ‘I am going to let my sheep run on that range.’
‘Then I will kill you,’ said Charlie, and so saying he turned and rode toward his cabin, where it was known he kept one or two guns.
 
“When about halfway to the house, Mussel ordered him to stop, and on his refusal to do so, shot his horse from under him. Picking himself up Charlie continued on his way to the house, unmindful of Mussel, who again ordered him to stop. He had nearly reached the cabin when Mussel fired again, killing him instantly. Mussel then surrendered himself to the authorities in Baker City.”
 
Now, if that doesn’t sound like a perfectly pat argument for self-defense to you, you’re not alone. I found a couple of other versions of the story that sound more like Mussel was defending himself. In any case, he did not serve time for what the gravestone calls “Homocide.”
 
Charles Albert was never mentioned in the paper again, but Jacob Mussel got ink several times as a prominent rancher from Homedale and as the proprietor of Mussel Ferry. He happened to be the man who named Homedale. Residents there put suggested names for the town into a hat during a community picnic. When they pulled out the winner, the suggestion was the one put forward by Mussel. Why he wanted to name it that seems lost to history.
 
Charles Albert did get a little taste of immortality. There is a popular ATV/motorbike trail in Idaho and Oregon that today carries the name Spanish Charley. 
Picture
Speaking of Idaho history posts are copyright © 2020 by Rick Just. Sharing is encouraged. If you don’t find a button that lets you do that, find the post on Speaking of Idaho. If you’re missing my daily posts, select the RSS button, or select See it First under the Facebook Following tab.
Comments
    Like and follow Speaking of Idaho on Facebook and Twitter.

    Subscribe to the Speaking of Idaho newsletter

    * indicates required
    Email Format
    Picture
    The first book in the Speaking of Idaho series is out. Ask for it at your local Idaho bookstore, find it on Amazon, or, if you want a signed copy, click the button.
    Picture
    Rick's book about Fearless Farris is available on Amazon! Click the picture above to be taken to Amazon. If you'd like an autographed copy, click the button below.

    Author, Speaker

    Rick Just has been writing about Idaho history since 1989 when he wrote and recorded scripts for the Idaho Centennial Commission’s daily radio program, Idaho Snapshots. His latest book on Idaho history is Images of America, Idaho State Parks. Rick also writes a regular column for the Idaho Press.

    Rick does public presentations on Idaho's state park history and the history of the Morrisite war for the Idaho Humanities Council's Speakers Bureau.
    ​


    Check out Rick's history of Idaho State Parks.

    The audio link below is to Rick's Story Story Night set called "Someplace Not Firth"

    RSS Feed

Speaking of Idaho history posts are copyright © 2023 by Rick Just. Sharing is encouraged. If you’re missing my daily posts, select the RSS button, or select See it First under the Facebook Following tab.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. That means if you follow a link (generally to a book) from my page to an Amazon page, I get a tiny percentage of any purchase you may make.