William Cristlow was born in Missouri around 1875. As a young man in his 20s, he moved to Murrieta around 1900, where he took up farming. In 1908, he apparently moved to Elsinore, while keeping his Murrieta property.
Once in Elsinore, Cristlow seems to have gone on quite a banking and spending spree. He mortgaged several of his horses to the Consolidated Bank of Elsinore. It came out later he had also mortgaged cattle to a local bank, and had run up bills at local businesses. It was estimated that Cristlow owed about $1,200 in Elsinore.
The problem began for Cristlow when he took the mortgaged cattle and horses out of Riverside County in July of that year. At that point law enforcement got involved. A reward of more than $300 was offered for his capture. A local man, wanting that reward, tracked Cristlow to Bakersfield. It turns out he was traveling with a woman who wasn’t his wife and some speculated she was the cause of Cristlow’s spending and larcenous behavior.
Cristlow was arrested and brought back to Riverside County where he was charged with taking the mortgaged animals out of the county. He ultimately paid off his creditors and on Oct. 8 the lawsuit was dismissed.
Cristlow went back to his ranch near Murrieta and seems to have led a quiet life. He never married. His name didn’t appear in the newspaper again for 21 years. Then Cristlow’s life took an unfortunate turn.
Cristlow’s neighbor found him, then 53, dead in his cabin home in March 1929. His body was missing its head.
The county coroner requested the body be left in place and nothing be touched.
Instead, the local undertaker took the body away and the public administrator immediately sold Cristlow’s estate to a neighboring rancher. The deputy sheriff and district attorney investigator arrived to find Cristlow’s cabin cleaned out.
Apparently, Cristlow had been in ill health and had been dead for some time when he was found. His head was eventually found on the property — it was believed to have been carried away by an animal.
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Likely due to the poor state of his numerous animals at that time, his estate was sold quickly so they could receive proper care. In spite of the mix-up, it was not felt Cristlow had been a victim of foul play.
Cristlow only appeared in the newspaper for two happenings in his life — they were both pretty wild.
If you have an idea for a future Back in the Day column about a local historic person, place or event, contact Steve Lech and Kim Jarrell Johnson at backinthedaype@gmail.com.
