In March 1871, volunteers gathered to build a schoolhouse in Willow Creek Valley, a mile east of the Neuhaus (Murrer) ranch. It was during the final phase of construction when tragedy struck. On March 23, Richard Quilty, a 37 year-old Irishman, was shot to death in a related incident. During the morning a number of neighbors worked on the schoolhouse. One workman was John Bergstrom,
an employee of Quilty. As Bergstrom assistance was not needed, Quilty instructed him to leave the schoolhouse and build a bridge over the creek. Unknown to Bergstrom, the location of the bridge was on property occupied by Jacob Miller, but claimed by Quilty. At noon, Miller left the school for his home to have lunch. Miller encountered Bergstrom at work on the bridge. Miller demanded Bergstrom to stop work on the bridge, as it was located on as on his property. Bergstrom obliged and returned to other duties that Quilty hired him for.
Late in the afternoon, Bergstrom headed back to Quilty’s home. Along the way he encountered Quilty. Bergstrom relayed to Quilty about the encounter he had with Miller. Quilty responded “Well, we’ll go and see Miller about it.” They proceeded to Miller’s house. Quilty confronted Miller as to why he drove Bergstrom away. Miller responded that it was his land, and he was not going to have a bridge built there. A heated exchange ensued. Quilty in an excited moment responded to Miller, “You’re a liar, the land is not yours, and you cannot have it. Come out here and I will bust your head for you.” During the argument, Miller was inside the house, while Quilty stood near the door, and Miller’s wife stood in the threshold. Miller’s wife pushed Quilty back, and Quilty yelled to Bergstrom “He has got a gun.” At that instant, Miller fired his rifle striking Quilty in the stomach, causing him to stagger and fell to the ground. Miller rushed to the door exclaiming, “Don’t you call my wife a whore, you son of a bitch.” Quilty instructed Bergstrom to get Ben Neuhaus, which he did. When Bergstrom and Neuhaus arrived they found Quilty lying on the ground with Mrs. Miller sitting by his side with a pale of water bathing his face. She told Neuhaus she was sorry that Jake shot him, but Quilty was forcing his way into the house to kill her. Quilty’s only response was that he was dying and asked Neuhaus and Bergstrom to take him home. They did and Quilty died two hours later.
Two days later, the Grand Jury convened to determine what transpired. The Millers’ testimony and Bergstrom’s were similar, except Bergstrom stated Quilty never said anything disrespectful about Mrs. Miller. In conclusion, Jacob Miller was acquitted as it was deemed there was not sufficient evidence so that Miller should be tried for murder. Whatever the case may be the Millers sold out two years later and moved to Oregon.