On March 2, 1900, the Butte County coroner assembled a jury to investigate the cause of the death of William Simpson, which had taken place on the night of February 27th. The eight jurors viewed the body at the Fetters and Williams mortuary, and took testimony from several witnesses.

General John Bidwell was called to give testimony as to the victim’s age. He said that he had come to the rancheria when about 20 years of age, and “as near as he could place his age was somewhere between 45 and 55,” which indicates that he started working on Rancho Chico a few years before he is first mentioned in Bidwell’s diary in 1880. He knew nothing about him before he came to Chico.

The next witness called was Rufus Paulisse, a resident of the rancheria. He had spoken with the two suspects on the night of the murder.

When I got to town I met Johnny and Steve at Graves’ corner where some men were singing. I went up to where they stood there a while, I think about ten minutes. We talked about the singing. Then I went away, leaving them there. I went around the block and went to the coffee house, and stayed there until about 9 o’clock. . .

When I came out I saw Steve and Johnny standing on McFeely’s corner. Johnny started to go up to town, and Steve called and asked me to go up town with them. I said I was going home and I did go home.

Rufus was nervous, probably because he didn’t want to get in trouble. He may have known more than he was saying, but he was not accused of being a partner to crime. He said that Steve Thompson and Johnny Richards wanted him to go with them, but he turned them down. He didn’t hear them say anything about Billy Simpson. “The last time I saw them was on the corner of McFeely’s shop, but I did not see either go back of the shop and did not see any club.” The quicker Rufus could get off the stand the happier he would be.

Rufus Pulisse (also spelled Pullisy and other variations) was about 25 years old and a member of the Mechoopda tribe. His father, simply known as Pulisse, had known John Bidwell since the early days. Like Billy Simpson, Rufus was a member of the brass band.

Dr. Jackson was called to testify about the wounds found on the body, and Fred Petersen told of finding the body. “At first he thought it was some drunken man who had wandered into the grounds and fallen asleep, but upon coming closer, he saw that the man was dead.” He saw two sets of footprints on either side of the body. Another man, J.L. Barnes, testified that he saw the pockets of the victim’s trousers turned inside out, and that the man’s keys were found ten or twelve feet from the body. Steve Thompson had thrown them there that night.

Marshal J.M. Chubbuck produced the murder weapon, a heavy piece of iron pipe, and testified as to how Richards had told him where to find it. Constable Moses H. Goe testified as to the statements made by the prisoners in which they admitted killing and robbing Simpson. There did not seem to be any other motive than robbery. Eighteen dollars and fifty cents doesn’t seem like much, but it was more than the two young men were used to seeing at one time. They were used to pennies and nickels and dimes. $18.50 would have been closer to $500 today.