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McKinlewille IMan In*Satisfactory (ConditionFollowing Suicide TryA 32-year-old McKinlcyville man, protesting what he has termed the delayed disposition of a $70,000 inheritance, shot himself in the San Francisco offices of the Crocker-Citizens National Bank yesterday, after failing to secure any of the money.James Thornton, a member of a branch of the Modoc tribe, was reported in “satisfactory” condition last night at San Francisco General Hospital with a bullet in his upper right chest. Disposition of the money, left in a trust fund by his father, Harold Thornton, is tied up in litigation here in Humboldt County.The calendar overload in .Superior Court has apparently delayed settlement of the estate, county officials said last night.Thornton, his wife and six children had picketed the bank last November, carrying signs saying: “This bank has $70,000 which belongs to me, yet my children have to go without proper food.”At that time, hank officials said: “The money is tied up in court and there is not a thing we can do about it. Why don’t they go picket the courthouse in Eureka?”Ralph W. McKenna, an assistant trust officer at the Crocker-Citizens Bank, said the shooting occurred after he turned down Thornton’s request to take his money nut of the hank.tiihtohiSinThornton, a lumberjack, reportedly has been unable to keepwork.In November, donations were made to the children consistingMcKenna said he had offered ‘f shoes and clothing. They had Thornton $100 to cover trans- reportedly been unable to go to portation costs hack to McKin- school because they lacked cloth-leyville, when Thornton suddenly drew a 38-caliber revolver, pointed it at his chest and fired.Thornton’s wife and six children were in the bank office when the shooting occurred, police said.Thornton’s wife, Patricia, 26, told police the family traveled to San Francisco by bus to meet with bank officials after they were threatened with eviction from their home for failing to pay the rent.She said her husband has not worked for two years.The trust fund came from the sale of 970 acres of heavily timbered Indian lands in Southern Oregon, owned by the elder Thornton, for which the Federal government paid him about$500,000.The money, about $400,000 of it, was placed in trust funds and divided equally between four sons and a daughter.In November, Thornton saiding.At that time, a bank officialsaid, “It’s always like this withan inheritance. You wonder howthe people ever managed to live without it.”McKenna said he and other officials were in the sixth floor conference room, working outdetails of a plan to settle thefamily’s debts, when Thornton “barged in, rather dramatically.”Following a short conversation, McKenna made his $100 offer and Thornton pulled out the gun, saying, “I’ll show you what I think of banks.”McKenna said last night Thornton had not seemed “too emotionally upset during the action.”Mrs. McKenna told newsmen, “He (Thornton) has seen unable to work for two years.“Everytime he gets a job the collection agencies move in andhe had received $2,000 from the attach his salary, so he leaves. r estate in July, but added, “that’s They think he has a lot oft* fill ROW# DOW. ^ (Continued on Pago 2)
Newspaper Details
Eureka Humboldt Times
Eureka, California, US
Thu, Mar 19, 1964
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
David A.
CA, USA 29 Jun 2021
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