“Gun shot from City Marshal Reives’ right hand as he tries to capture two burglars, brave officer is shot twice by desperadoes in brush” was the caption in the local news paper.

City Marshal Reives’ gun was shot out of his right as he commanded two daylight burglars he sighted to come out from behind a manzanita bush and surrender. A second shot an instant later struck the officer in the back as he turned, striking him near the spinal column but not going through his body.

City Marshal Reives, who was alone, dropped to the ground bleeding from two wounds, helpless but conscious.

The desperadoes fled in the gathering darkness. The shooting occurred at 5 o’clock Sunday January 9, 1921. Marshal Reives was located by Officer Dave Pickens near the old powder house a mile below town and between the railroad and the Anderson road. Pickens ran to the closest home a quarter of a mile away and telephoned for other officers, the ambulance and physicians and gave a brief summary of what had happened. Pickens than returned to Marshal Reives to render help to his fallen comrade.

Marshal Reives was taken to St. Carolina hospital and given first aid by Dr. C.E. Reed. It was found that a bone in the right hand had been shattered by the first bullet fired by the burglar. The second bullet entered the back about the last rib but did not go clear through.

One of the desperados was captured the following Tuesday when Sheriff Richardson warned John Hume and Luther Raglan, Officers in Kennett, to be on the lookout. The officers located the two and ordered them to stop.

They ran in answer to his command. Officer Raglan fired and winged one of them in the leg. The wounded man dropped to the ground and the other stopped by his side.

One uncertain report said the “wounded” man was left for dead by Hume and Raglan, who took the other desperado off to the town calaboose for safekeeping, who was later identified as George Schulte. When they returned the “dead” or “wounded” man was gone. The second desperado was later taken into custody on a train in the Castella area by Deputies Jack Mattos and Dan J. Kirby.

On January 12 the two desperados were taken to Red Bluff as a precaution against a possible lynching for shooting Marshal Reives.

Marshal Reives died Friday morning January 14 at 10:20 a.m. from his wounds. Up to within ten minutes of the end, Reives was conscious and talked to those at the bedside.

John W. Reives was born in the town of Point Commerce, Greene County, Indiana, on January 7, 1862. His family moved to Kansas where upon reaching manhood he married Laura L. Rees.

The couple came to California and lived the San Francisco and Oakland area. They moved to the Hat Creek Valley in 1885. John Reives worked for 21 years as a farmer.

In 1907 he moved to Redding and opened the feed and livery stable at the corner of Pine and Yuba St. Mr. Reives was appointed Marshal when Marshal A.M. Cochran retired.

Mr. Reives is survived by his mother and his wife; a son and daughter; and two brothers.

Source- Shasta County Library