Disappearance on the Delta

California Delta (J.Rubio)

One warm June evening back in 1980, along the sleepy tributaries of the California Delta, 30 year old Pat Malone of King Island was heading home after finishing up a repair on a houseboat that had been stranded at Snodgrass Slough, when he simply seemed to vanish into thin air.

Pat, who was a private contractor repairman working through the Holiday Flotels Houseboat Rental company on King Island had been dispatched earlier that day around 5 p.m. to repair one of their disabled rentals, but when neither he nor his work boat was seen docked the very next morning, Nita Jackson (owner of Holiday Flotels) knew something wasn't right. It was an employee of the company, Russell Crow, 21, who initially noticed that Pat's maintenance boat was missing so he headed out onto the Delta, retracing the route Malone might have taken back home thinking perhaps Pat's boat might have broken down on the way back the night before. When he discovered the vessel on the the south fork of the Mokelumne River, it was near Hog Slough. As Crow approached the boat, it was clear to see there was no trace of Pat. He immediately notified authorities, and before anyone knew it, Pat Malone's whereabouts were one big mystery.

All initial newspaper reports claimed that the vessel Pat was piloting was found in tact and undamaged. In fact, even the owner of the Holiday Flotels was quoted saying,

“It’s just as if someone reached down and picked him up,” said Holiday Flotels Delta Houseboat Rentals owner Nita Jackson. Malone, a private contractor, was returning from a houseboat repair  mission for the King Island rental firm when he disappeared. "His father and mother are still out there searching,” she said. “It’s such a mysterious situation, with the boat not damaged in any way.  You can’t give up hope. Everybody is in a high emotional state – he’s missing and there’s no evidence of anything.”-- Lodi News-Sentinel (6/21/1980)

When I first began researching this story back in 2014 it was a personal quest to get answers not just for me, but for my dad. You see, Pat Malone was a good friend of my father growing up in Anaheim back in the 1950's and 1960's. I grew up hearing about all the crazy shenanigans that they got into as kids growing up. Although they became adults and moved on in their lives, they both kept in touch every so often to see how each other were doing. I remembered as a kid hearing dad mentioning what happened to Pat, and how the whole thing didn't feel right to him.

Pat lived just down the way on North Street, the same street dad grew up on along with other close friends and fellow school mates. The Malone family's house, just across the street and several houses down from my grandparent's, became like a second home to dad in his younger years.

Dad graduated Anaheim High in '65 with Pat's older brother, Mike, while Pat graduated in '67. It was by chance that I discovered Pat's photo recently after looking through my mom's yearbook. I wasn't going to get my hopes up at first, but as I turned the pages through the Junior year photos, there it was. This person I have been researching for a good 4 years, now I have a face to place the name and the story to.

Back to the story....

"The 20-foot repair craft used by Pat Malone, 30, was found undamaged along the bank of the Mokelumne River’s south fork, near Hog Slough, Friday morning. The boat’s ignition key was on but the motor was not running, the throttle was three-quarters open and there was plenty of fuel in the gasoline tank, according to Sheriff’s reports. Malone’s dog was discovered on a nearby island......Nothing on the deck of the boat, including the pilot’s chair which is not tied to the craft, was disturbed. All the boat’s life preservers were still on board, so apparently Malone was not wearing a life preserver, according to reports. But he has been described as a good swimmer, and as being familiar with the Delta....The boat is not equipped with running lights, and under Holiday Flotels policy, was not supposed to be used after dark."  -- Lodi News- Sentinel (6/21/1980)

According to Pat's fiancee, Gail Skelton, who lived with him on their houseboat on King Island, Pat had called her Thursday night around 7 p.m. to let her know he finished the repair and was heading home. The trip from Snodgrass Slough to King Island by boat was about an hour long, and when Pat didn't come home she began to worry.  The houseboat renters who had seen Pat the night before when he repaired their vessel, mentioned that Pat left around the same time, confirming Gail's story.

One thing that was mentioned twice in the newspaper was that Pat may have stopped by Wimpy's Marina near Walnut Grove. The bartender stated that someone who fit Pat's description was there between 11:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. No one ever confirmed that it was actually Pat, just that someone who fit his physical description was seen there. It was also mentioned that the person seen at Wimpy's "did not appear intoxicated."

A spokesperson for the Sheriff's Department stated several times in the newspapers that followed day by day, that the search was continuing and that they dispatched boat and ground crews in the area, as well as calling in the U.S. Coast Guard air and boat units to aid in their search efforts.

Suddenly by June 25th, the newspapers oddly changed the narrative of what might have happened to Pat. They were now claiming that the boat had been damaged. Remember, for several days each statement given by the owner of the rental company (who owned the boat) and by authorities who had made official statements all said the boat was "in tact" and "undamaged," which was why the mystery behind Pat disappearing was so strange. Initially there was no trace of evidence that anything happened. No accident, no struggle, nothing. He had simply vanished. Now, the story seemed to have changed.

“There was a hole underneath the bow of the boat,” said Sgt. Wilbert Vierra, chief of the Sheriff’s marine division. “It (the craft) did hit something, a rock maybe. He could have been thrown off and hit his head.” The circumstances surrounding Malone’s disappearance remain largely a mystery, but authorities do not suspect foul play.  The search for Malone, a private boat repair contractor, will continue indefinitely, said Vierra. Four men, working two shifts during daylight hours, are dragging the river. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is aiding the search periodically, he said, and farmers and boaters are being alerted.Vierra said that on Monday he flew over the area in a plane rented by the Sheriff’s Department.  Friday, U.S. Coast Guard air and boat units aided the search. “We get some strange disappearances in the Delta,” said Vierra. --- Lodi News-Sentinel (6/25/1980)

After an 8 day search of combing the Delta, the newspapers reported that the body of Pat Malone was discovered about 200 yards from where his "intact but deserted craft was discovered June 20." The newspaper dated June 28, 1980 claimed that his cause of death was "drowning."

"Everything has been found to be consistent with drowning," said a spokesperson for the Coroner's office. They also mentioned that extensive tests were going to be carried out to determine the exact cause of death. Continuing to go with the later theory that Pat's craft had ran into some obstacle on the river, they also continued to adamantly assert that Pat had to have fell overboard and hit his head in the process.

You have to remember again that the reports showed the vessel had no indication that anything had happened to it. It had no damage to it and nothing seemed out of place on board. It wasn't until later that the theory that the boat suddenly had damage to it, and they believed he was thrown from the craft and drowned came into the picture.

It gets worse, much worse.....

According to the newspapers later published in January of 1981, it claimed that Pat's cause of death was drowning because of being drunk.

"Malone had a high level of alcohol in his system at the time of his death, according to the coroner's report, and authorities theorize that his drowning was an accident." -- Lodi News Sentinel (1/29/1981)

This is a red flag that there is something terribly wrong with this case. You see, when our bodies die, they naturally start producing ethanol in order to start the process of decomposition. The production of ethanol within the body begins shortly after death. As the hours go by, the bacteria begins to grow within the body and the bacteria itself produces the ethanol by converting it from sugars such as glucose. Another thing to consider is the fact that alcohol distributes itself unevenly through the body after death. Because of the fact that alcohol production in the body after death is the same as that from drinking, the blood-alcohol level alone cannot determine precisely whether or not the deceased was actually intoxicated at the time of death.

Blood plasma has a higher water content than whole blood, therefore it can show as 10 to 15 percent higher in an alcohol level test. The most accurate way to differentiate between the levels of consumed alcohol in the system and the postmortem produced ethanol, would be by testing the vitreous humour (gel-like substance inside the eye.) Testing that part of the body shows to be most accurate due to the fact that the vitreous humour collects little to no postmortem alcohol (the kind the body produces on its own). Still, this must be done within 48 hours after death.

Clearly 8 days would be long past the point of getting an accurate reading, thus it is my own opinion that Pat Malone was not drunk when he died, and there really is no way of proving that he was.

I have written the Sacramento Coroner's Department requesting copies of Pat Malone's coroner's report under the California Public Records Act. I haven't heard back from them yet, but I hope to add another blog in the future with the coroner's report findings.

Pat Malone and Gail Skelton, a couple very much in love, would have been married on St. Patrick's Day that following March, but sadly that never came to be.

So does the story end here? Sorry to tell you the answer is "no."

The Plot Thickens....

 Gail Skelton (Galt High School)

Just three months after Pat was declared dead, and his name disappeared from any further headlines in the papers, another disappearance took place along the Delta. This time it was further south, within San Joaquin County on the Delta at the western end of Eight Mile Road, and it was none other than Pat's fiancee, Gail Skelton.

On September 26, 1980, Gail was attending a party at Herman and Helen's Marina on Empire Tract when she also vanished without a trace, literally, along with her 1978 blue two-door Toyota (which was never found). The few witnesses who had seen her claimed that she was seen in a heated conversation with a man that they had seen earlier in the evening and again just before she went missing.

According to the January 29 issue of the Lodi News-Sentinel, detectives were able to make a break in the case after the last person who had seen Gail underwent hypnosis in order to help produce a composite sketch of the man that was seen arguing with Gail just before she disappeared. Even with the sketch, none of the detectives on the case could seem to identify the man.

Several times in articles about Pat's disappearance, authorities stated that the cause didn't seem to be from foul play. Although the newspaper managed to bring up in the article about Gail's disappearance that "there was no reason to connect the cases", they admitted the two incidents were "surrounded by a lot of strangeness." (quote by Detective Nancy Sumers.)

 (Unidentified Person of Interest
White male, 25-30 years old,
with dark hair, over 6 feet tall and thin build) 

Gail's family searched tirelessly for years, especially Norma, Gail's mother. She would often spend days searching the river by car and by boat and would use bamboo poles taped together to poke the water hoping to find Gail's car or something that would lead to finding out what happened to Gail. Norma and the detectives on that particular case believed it was possible Gail had lost control of her car and plunged into the water, but since they never found her car or her body, they could never say for sure.

Norma continued searching and hoping that one day her daughter would be found, but eventually a marker at the Galt Cemetery was placed  with Gail's name on it. Although it doesn't actually say she died. It only mentions Gail as "Missing since 1980." I am unsure when this marker was put in, but it might have been around the time Norma passed away in 2013, since they share the marker along with Gail's other sister who is buried there with Norma.

So the question now is "What Happened To Gail?"

There has never been any trace of Gail over the years. No body, no car, nothing. It truly is like she vanished off the face of the earth. Originally when I was looking into Pat's death, I had no idea who Gail was, let alone that she had vanished, too. When I found the case about Gail going missing, it really bothered me a lot. It seems too strange to be a coincidence that both incidents happened 3 months apart to two people who were engaged. Both scenarios didn't fit to me, so I decided to start digging. I emailed the San Joaquin County Sheriff's "Missing Persons" page on Facebook to see if Gail was still missing, and they confirmed that she was. They didn't offer any further information though.

But during my research into her case, I found an oddity,  a public records search that listed a residence in Stockton having Gail's name as a resident there from 1995-2004. Was it possible that it was some sort of clerical error when the information was uploaded into the public records database? Or was it possible that someone was using her identity (since she was never legally declared dead)?

I have since notified the Cold Case Division in San Joaquin County, leaving them a message about this information I have found in the hopes they might do a follow up.

Over the years there have been other rumors or gossip floating around about possible reasons for Pat and Gail's disappearance (and or death) besides Pat accidentally drowning and Gail possibly driving her car into the river. Although there is absolutely no evidence to support these theories I thought I would list them down here for you to see anyway.

1)   DRUGS & ALCOHOL—

One theory thrown out there claims that Pat had been engaged in illegal activities that involved drugs. That he was drunk or under the influence when he fell off the boat, hit his head and drowned. 

*Note: Those who really knew Pat, claimed that he was NOT involved in any drug activity or illegal activities of any kind, and that was a made up excuse to make Pat and Gail look bad.

 2)   MURDERED-

Another theory claims that Pat pissed off some unidentified people in high places and he was silenced. Then possibly later on Gail was threatened by someone and she too disappeared. Bottom line, the theory is that they were murdered. 

3)   WITNESS PROTECTION-

One more theory, although it sounds a tad 'off the wall', was that Pat had some serious dirt on some heavy hitters and that he was going to turn states evidence on them, so in exchange he was offered to be in the witness protection program. It was theorized that Gail’s disappearance just 3 months later was when Pat had sent for her.  (We do not know who these alleged "heavy hitters" were, so there is no person(s) to point the finger at.)

Again, I have to reiterate that these following "theories" are just that. Whether you want to call them rumors or gossip, they are what they are. And although it is always possible that one of them is true, or none of them, as of now there is no way to prove any of them, so they will remain just that, "theories."

Something that I have to mention because it stuck out like a sore thumb to me was that the article about Gail mentioned that Pat and Gail were ardent foes of the Peripheral Canals (the original plan for the Delta Tunnels). Could circumstances surrounding Pat's death and Gail's disappearance have anything to do with their staunch opposition to the tunnel project, and any enemies they might of made because of this?

It seemed the Malone family were planning to open a huge resort (costing an upwards of $6 million to construct) on the Stockton channel of the Delta in San Joaquin County and were constantly dealing with opposition of their own. The May 5, 1978 issue of the Lodi News Sentinel stated that a project planned by Bob Malone and his two sons, Pat and Mike, had seen a lot of 'red tape' because of the Delta Advisory Planning Commission. Supervisor Norm Shumway voted against allowing the resort, claiming that it would "upset that fragile (ecological) balance within the Delta."

The proposed resort was to develop the north Headreach and north Tule Islands into a resort.

"Irish Isle” will provide boaters with a two-story-tall marina facility containing a restaurant, bar, dancing and live entertainment, and several shops. Spaces for 20 “boatels” with 100 units, 103 berths for motor boats, 26 houseboat spaces and camping, picnic, and swimming areas are also included in the plans. People who do not own boats will also be able to use the facilities, the Malone’s have said. Arrangements for shuttles to the island from the Port of Stockton are being negotiated and shuttle service from Uncle Bobbie’s Houseboat Haven at the western edge of Eight Mile Road are being planned, Mike Malone said." - Lodi News Sentinel  (5/5/1978)

Unfortunately that plan never made it to fruition. Too much bureaucratic red tape eventually led to the plan being abandoned completely, and the "Irish Isle"project was soon forgotten.

In ending, Pat Malone was born on September 5, 1949, in New Mexico, to parents Bob and Sue Malone. Pat died on June 19, 1980 on the Delta near Hog Slough. Gail Skelton was born on January 28, 1954, to parents Norma and Kenneth Skelton. Gail went missing as of September 26, 1980 and was never seen again.

Although it appears that Pat's death was ruled as an "accidental drowning," I don't know if I believe that. Those who knew him were aware that he was a great swimmer, and the story that he hit an obstacle and was thrown or fell overboard after the reports had originally stated the boat had no damage sounds very sketchy to me. I am simply unsure about it all to be quite honest. When I get a copy of his coroner's report I will post a follow up blog on my findings and any updates I may have then, along with my conclusion of what I believe really happened to him.

I reached out to the San Joaquin County "Cold Cases" Division this week, and left a message about Gail asking if they had looked into her case and if they would follow up on the public records address I found listing her in Stockton between 1995-2004. If I learn anything else I will post about it on another follow-up blog. Until then, we are left here endlessly searching and hoping one day there will be answers to what happened to Gail Skelton that September night at the marina at the Empire Tract.

Pat's parents have long since passed on, just as his brother, Mike. I haven't been able to locate any place of burial for any of the family members, including Pat. Gail's mother, Norma is buried at Galt Cemetery where you can see Gail's name on the marker stating she has been missing since 1980.

I cannot help but keep asking myself:  Was Pat's death truly "accidental"? Was Gail kidnapped and later murdered? Was it possible that she was so distraught by the loss of Pat that after one too many drinks she drove herself into the Delta waters that she and Pat loved so much? Or were both Pat and Gail murdered for reasons that we may probably never know? Too many questions and not enough answers, but it seems to me that Pat's death and Gail's sudden disappearance are related.

With all the talk of the "Delta Tunnels" going on, I often wonder that if that passes (which by the way will spell the end of the Delta and our agriculture in the Valley and Delta region), it will also open up a whole new can of worms when that river bed drains so low that all sorts of secrets that might have been lying at the bottom resurfaces after all these years.

Will we find Gail Skelton's car, and possibly her remains at the bottom of the river?
Will we find others who disappeared over the years, too? We have no choice but to wait and see. Although I hope that the Delta Tunnels don't go through, I do hope one day we find out what happened to Gail.

(Copyright 2018 - J'aime Rubio - www.jaimerubiowriter.com)

Thanks to"Rats" on websleuths.com for reaching out to me about Gail, and for all your efforts trying to research her case as well. Thank you also to "Folieadeuxnola" for finding Gail's high school photo.

Sources:
Lodi News Sentinel Archives:  5/5/1978; 6/21/1980; 6/23/1980; 6/25/1980;
6/27/1980; 6/28/1980; 1/29/1981
Anaheim High School Yearbook, 1966
Galt High School Yearbook, 1972 (c/o folieadeuxnola on websleuths website)
United States Public Records, 1970-2009
Find-a-grave
Lodi Sentinel (7/20/2013)

Scientific Sources:

Alcohol Metabolism After Death 
Forensic Science: Fundamentals and Investigations (2010 update)
Blood Alcohol Scores After Death Can Be "False Positive."
http://www.atlantainjurylawblog.com/uncategorized/blood-alcohol-scores-after-death-can- be-false-positive-up-to-0-2-html
Postmortem Blood Alcohol Concentrations -Are They Reliable?
http://www.wigmoreonalcohol.com/single-post/2013/01/11/Postmortem-Blood-Alcohol-Concentrations-Are-they-Reliable

Hidden History of the Hotel Ryde- Part Two

2nd Hotel Ryde (Ad)

In the last article, I spoke about the beginning of Ryde (the community), the origins of the Hotel Ryde and how the original hotel burned down in the fire of 1911.  So what happened after the fire?

Well, after the Giusti family moved their business across the river to the Miller's Ferry Station, the remaining residents of Ryde started rebuilding their businesses.

The 2nd Hotel Ryde

Let me first state this, the Ryde Hotel that stands today is not the original hotel, nor does it sit on the original spot that the first or second hotel stood. In fact, the parking lot of the current Ryde Hotel (just south of the hotel) is where both the original and 2nd hotel's once stood.  I spoke to lifetime resident and local historian, Dennis Leary in depth about his life in Ryde and he told me that the 2nd building that was used as the Hotel Ryde was rebuilt on the same spot as the original. When he bought the property in the 1970s, the building was still there but hadn't been used as the hotel since the mid-1920s.

I could not find any documents that state exactly when the 2nd building was erected, however it was rebuilt sometime before the 1920s, because I found some really interesting stories that took place at the Ryde during that time period. From what I read in old periodicals and what Mr. Leary told me, the hotel was rebuilt and run by the Gianetti family. Some accounts state that Joe Miller had the hotel rebuilt and he then leased it to the Gianetti family, while others stated the Gianetti family rebuilt the hotel.

Also, Remember, the current Hotel Ryde wasn't opened until 1927, so the stories you are about to read took place in the hotel that is no longer standing. If you go stand in the parking lot of the current Ryde Hotel, you will be standing in the vicinity where these next few stories took place.


Murder or Self-Defense?

Literally just days before the onset of the Prohibition Era in California, the Hotel Ryde saw a very tragic and scary incident take place in their saloon. On January 2, 1920, after two guests had one too many drinks in the bar area, the bartender Orlando Fontanini told the two patrons, Alex and Gunnar Johnson that they needed to leave. Of course, that didn't sit well with Alex and he grew angry. The bartender continued persisting that it was time for both of them to leave but that wasn't going to be the case. Instead Alex and Gunnar decided to jump over the counter at the bar and proceeded to attack the bartender, choking him. During the scuffle the bartender reached for his gun he kept under the bar and he shot Alex Johnson in self defense, killing him. Although, he adamantly stated that his life was at risk and he was only defending himself, Fontanini was charged with Alex Johnson's murder and was taken to jail. Gunnar Johnson was held as a witness.

Sausalito News (January 10, 1920)-

(See Photo)

"Sacramento--- Alex Johnston (typo), a carpenter, formerly residing in San Francisco at 3470 Twentieth Street, was shot and killed January 2 during a quarrel in the barroom of the Hotel Ryde at Ryde, Sacramento county. Orlando Fontanini, bartender at the hotel, was arrested and charged with murder. He said Alex Johnston and Gunnar Johnston, a companion had attacked him when he ordered them from the place. Fontanini said he shot in self-defense as he was being choked. Gunnar Johnston is being held as a witness.--"


Sacramento Bee (January 13, 1920)--
"The killing in Ryde January 1st of Alex JOHNSON was investigated and a verdict of death resulting from a gunshot wound inflicted by Orlando FONTANINI, was brought in. FONTANINI, who was a bartender at the Ryde Hotel, shot JOHNSON following an argument over the claring of the saloon. The bartender claimed he shot in self-defense after being attacked. He declared when he tried to close the place JOHNSON became abusive and attacked him. He said one of the men grabbed him by the throat and during the scuffle, he fired a revolver."

I looked into the story further and couldn't find whether or not Fontanini was later freed or if they convicted him of the charges.  Honestly, he shows up in the 1920 Census as being a servant for the Gianetti household, but then he drops off from any public records. The possible misspelling of the names Johnson and Johnston in various news clippings is actually quite common for the time period. However, according to the San Francisco Directory for 1920, Gunnar Johnson is listed. So now, we have the correct spelling of their Surname.


Prohibition and Scandal at the Ryde- 1923

By 1923, the Ryde Hotel was in the papers again. This time it was for violating Prohibition laws by serving alcohol to their guests. According to the Lodi Sentinel (November 13, 1923) some federal agents stopped by the Ryde to enjoy dinner in the restaurant. While they were there, they noticed that the restaurant was serving alcohol. Three men who were guests at the hotel confronted one of the three officers when they overheard them talking about the fact the restaurant was violating the law.  One of the men walked up to the officer and accused him of being law enforcement, to which Officer Charlton admitted. The guy then demanded to see his badge. When Charlton showed him the badge, the man reached over, grabbed a bottle of alcohol and broke it over the officer's head. This injury cut him severely and he was in bad need of medical attention. Officer Edmund Hemphill ran out to his car and retrieved his gun and held the men who instigated the fight at bay until back up arrived.

Warrants were issued by the U.S. Commissioner, Gerald Beatty and then federal officers along with Sheriff Eaton Blanchard then arrested the three men from the fight: Allan Eldred, Clay Locke and William Donahue. They also arrested Mrs. Gianetti (the Proprietess) and a waiter (who was serving alcohol) Nick Camicia.  They were all charged with, Conspiracy to violate Prohibition Law, Interfering with Government Officers, Destroying evidence, and Assault of Government Officers.

Mrs. Gianetti and Nick Camicia were released immediately on a $1,000 bond, while the three other men were held on a $10,000 bond. Clay Locke obtained his bail within a few hours. Clay Locke was the son of George Granville Locke. Clay's grandfather was George W. Locke, for which the town of Locke was named after. Clay's father, George Jr., was the one who allowed the town to be built on the edge of the Locke Estate and there it sits today as a reminder of an old Ghost Town that once was a bustling little city. Although the records I have found to date show the town of Locke to be a small community early on (around 1916),  by the 1930's it was full of diverse cultures including Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Italian, Filipino, Mexican, Swedish, German, Hawaiian, Japanese, and Caucasian Americans, As the years passed, people came and went, but that little town remained.

Photo shows 2nd structure and 3rd structure side by side (Circa 1927)

 The Hotel Moves

So sometime in the mid-1920s the newer (3rd) Ryde Hotel was built. This is the current hotel that still stands today. It is said to have been built in 1926 and opened in 1927. What happened to the 2nd Ryde Hotel? Well, after they had built a new one just yards away, north of the property, the old hotel building was then used for other various businesses including "Ryde Electric" and an insurance company.

The current hotel has seen many owners throughout the years. Many reports even claim that Hollywood's "Wolf Man", Lon Chaney, Jr. and his family owned it at one point in time.  The hotel was also said to have an underground tunnel that had stills for brewing wine, gin and whiskey during Prohibition. There was also rumors the very underground tunnel also led to the river for guests to be able escape undetected into the night, in the instance that there was a raid. The lower level of the hotel had a 'speakeasy' and offered music and booze to their guests (as long as you weren't a cop!)

Actor, Lon Chaney, Jr.

There's been talk over the years about it being a bordello, a place where many unsavory characters and even mobsters would frequent to enjoy gambling, women and booze. I could not find anything in any archive to substantiate these claims, although it is a pretty exciting tale to tell. I think that it is safe to say that the Ryde Hotel did, at times, involve itself in "prohibited" acts according to the laws of the time, whether it be related to Prohibition or what not. Anything else is just pure speculation.

The hotel pride's itself as being the place many of Hollywoodland's elite would come for a weekend stay in the old days. Photos fill the walls with stars that are said to have stayed there.  In 1928, Herbert Hoover came to visit the Ryde Hotel and it is reported that at a political rally he held there, he announced his candidacy for President. During the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s newspaper archives note that it was a pleasant place for couples to celebrate their anniversary along the beautiful Delta.

During the 1960s and 1970s the crowd it attracted had changed and at one point had even changed it's name to the Grand Island Inn for awhile. The Ryde Hotel's website even states that at one point the hotel turned into a boarding house when the levee's were built.  The hotel has been bought and sold so many times over the years. During the 1970s, when the building that housed the 2nd Ryde Hotel was demolished, Dennis Leary (the owner of that property) allowed the Ryde Hotel access to pave a new driveway down the side of the hotel. Originally the Ryde's driveway was the one on the north side of the building, but after having issues with delivery trucks for so many years due to the fact it was so steep, Leary was nice enough to let them pave a second driveway on the southside of the hotel for easier access. Later, Mr. Leary sold the land on the south, to the hotel where they eventually used it for the parking lot they have today.

Hotel California?

The Ryde Hotel's water tower.

I found some sites claiming adamantly that the Ryde Hotel was the "inspiration" for the Eagle's song "Hotel California". This is absolutely incorrect. First off, my step father was a huge Eagles fan, and that song was his favorite. I have heard every idea that has been thrown out there about possible meanings and inspirations for that song over the years, none of which ever mentioned the Ryde Hotel.

If any hotel would be mentioned for the inspiration for that song, it would be the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. The Eagle's themselves were quoted stating the song is about the "interpretation of the high life in Los Angeles", plus the Chateau Marmont was the "spot" for everyone in the entertainment world to party at, so that one makes more sense to me.

Secondly, over the years there's been so many ideas about the true meanings of the song, some people have gone so far as to state it was about a hotel in San Francisco that was purchased by Anton LaVey and turned into a Satanic church. Others have even tried to say the song is about the Camarillo State Mental Hospital, in Camarillo, CA. So for the theory that the Ryde Hotel was the inspiration for that classic song, it just doesn't add up. Sorry.


Deaths, Murders, Mystery

In all the searching I have done on the original Ryde, the 2nd Ryde and the final Ryde Hotel that stands today, I haven't found any other deaths besides Alex Johnson's death in 1920. Not to say that no one else died there, maybe I just haven't found it yet. I read on a 'less than credible' website, that a local artist committed suicide there and that he haunts the place. I see no real proof of this, nor to I believe this. I did find that this artist sadly took his life in 2006, however there was no mention that he took his life at the Ryde Hotel.

The newspaper article that I read, stated that he had suffered from depression and mental illness and that he took his life at his home on Grand Island. Honestly, whether he killed himself there or not, I find it in poor taste and given the fact this tragedy was so recent, that for someone to be putting his death on a website to claim a place is haunted or not, is just plain wrong!

I write about historical facts and stories that took place a long time ago. I do this to pay tribute and honor those who can no longer speak for themselves, therefore I will not go any further into this man's life or death, nor will I even mention his name out of respect for him and also to his family. Again, I could find NO EVIDENCE that he took his life at the Ryde Hotel so other websites should NOT be posting this information if they do not have the facts.


In Conclusion

In the time I have spent looking into the vast history of the Hotel Ryde and the community of Ryde itself, I have become even more fascinated with this beautiful piece of heaven. I always enjoyed taking drives out here on weekends and just enjoying the peace and serenity that this little Delta town has to offer, but now even more so it holds a special place in my heart now, and forever.

I am glad to have been able to research and document this history that had been forgotten for so long. It makes me happy that others out there who really want to know the real history of this place can now know what I know. If you are ever in the area of the California Delta, (just about 30 miles northwest of Stockton or 30 miles southwest of Sacramento), I suggest you take a little drive down to Walnut Grove and visit Ryde. It's worth the trip!!

(Copyright 2013- J'aime Rubio. Republished 3/28/2018)

www.jaimerubiowriter.com


Sources:
Sausalito News (January 10, 1920)
Sacramento Bee (January 13, 1920)
Lodi Sentinel (November 13, 1923)
Interview with Dennis Leary
Ryde Hotel Website (www.rydehotel.com) 
Free Lance Star 8/5/1977
Sacramento River Delta Historical Society- periodicals
various websites, census records, archives and newspaper clippings


Photo Sources:
All photos of the Ryde Hotel are copyright protected and property of J'aime Rubio
photo of Lon Chaney, Jr. from public domain
Prohibition photo public domain

The Hidden History of the Hotel Ryde- Walnut Grove, CA (Part 1)

A while back, someone very special took me to a quaint little Delta town known as Ryde.  In fact, it was one of our first "dates" you could say. I had never been on the windy roads of the Delta, so I didn't know what to expect, although I was more than pleasantly surprised. While driving along the levee roads, you can literally watch the river flow by. It doesn't take much imagination to think of how it must have been to be there in Ryde's heyday when Sternwheel steamers and paddle boats traveled up and down that Delta and all the people who passed through.


When we arrived, my certain "someone" pulled the car down a steep driveway next to an old 1920's styled hotel, named the Hotel Ryde. As a gentleman does, he went around to the passenger side and opened the door for me, leading me to the back of the vehicle. He had then pulled out an old crank record player as well as a very old 78 rpm vinyl record and played it for me. Then, like all romantic movies play out, he asked me to dance with him. No one was around, it was nearly sunset, and the wind was blowing quite fierce, but it didn't matter....it was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for me. So, like the true romantic that I am, I engulfed myself in the moment and danced!

After we were done, he took me for a walk around the property, telling me what he knew of the history there. In fact, at one time he and some of his friends wanted to purchase the hotel themselves. The history within the walls and the very community of Ryde itself had me chomping at the bit to investigate. What secrets lie there? What history could be told that had been long forgotten? And who did I need to speak to, to reveal that history? So many questions, and not a lot of people around to ask.

Soon after, I contacted the Ryde Hotel and the California Delta Chamber & Visitors Bureau to see if I could find out more about it's history. I reached at dead end with the Ryde Hotel at first. After contacting the hotel itself, the manager told me that he didn't know any more of the history prior to 1927. Thankfully, I did get one lead through Bill Wells at the California Delta Chamber & Visitors Bureau because he pointed me in the right direction, Giusti's!

You see, from what Bill Wells told me, Giusti's is a restaurant in Walnut Grove that has been around for generations. Not only that, but he told me that he thought the cash register at the bar was actually one of the original registers from the first Hotel Ryde. That was because the owner's grandfather was the one who started the first Hotel Ryde in the late 1800s.  This was the lead I was looking for!

I continued researching in the old microfilmed archives, I checked old newspapers and periodicals and hit a gold mine of historic information. With all that I discovered, plus after finally contacting Mark Morais (owner of Giusti's), who so very kindly pointed me to lifetime local resident Dennis Leary, I was well on my way to getting a clearer picture of just what this hotel and the town itself was like, long ago.

Thanks to the wonderful conversation I had with Mr. Leary, I received a first hand account from someone who lived there. Along with the information I dug up in old newspaper archives, I was able to put the pieces together to give you this in depth history of Ryde, and the Hotel Ryde. Enjoy!

The History Of  Founder Of  Ryde

Many say the reason for the name Ryde was given because the founder of the town was born in the town of Ryde, Isle of Wight in England. This is incorrect. In fact, the man who bought the land that Ryde was built on was born in Monticello, Kentucky and his name was General Thomas Williams. The name Ryde was later chosen by William Kesner and General Thomas Williams, for what reasons, I guess is left for speculation. Perhaps relatives in Williams' genealogy had come from that region of England long ago? Or perhaps William Kesner's family had originated there. Kesner was the one who took the land and made it into a town, thus he is Ryde's true founder. Although I couldn't find any definite evidence that says why he chose the name, for now we can only speculate.

According to the Daily Alta California (3/2/1886) it speaks of Thomas Hansford Williams death from heart disease and disorders of the stomach and liver. It also goes on to summarize his accomplishments. He was born May 18, 1828 and died February 28, 1886. He was a native of Wayne County, Kentucky. He was also the son of Kentucky Congressman, Hon. Sherrod Williams.  Williams came to California in 1850 and settled in El Dorado County, where he became a successful lawyer. By 1851, he was elected as the El Dorado County District Attorney. By 1857, he became the State Attorney General, where he was again re-elected in 1859. Once his term expired he moved to Sacramento, where he continued to practice law until moving up to Virginia City around 1863.

While in Virginia City, he and his business partner David Bixler opened the firm Williams & Bixler. One of their many clients, including many of the Silver Barons of the Comstock fortunes, owned the mining claim named "Central Number Two". Later it was organized into the Consolidated Virginia and California Mining Companies. Upon failing to pay their attorney's fees, the firm had no choice but to sue the company for what they did have, property. Although Williams thought that since the company couldn't pay their bills, obviously the claim was worthless, it in fact was not. They were sitting on a very profitable claim which they sold to George T. Marye & Son for the sum of  $3,000,000.00 (three million dollars).

Original Hotel Ryde c/o Giusti's

By 1877, Williams and Bixler acquired 17,000 acres of the Delta region. Later in 1891, Williams' son sold 40 acres where the community of Ryde sits, to William Kesner, the man who founded Ryde. According to Dennis Leary, he stated that another man by the name of Cardoza had land adjacent to the Kesner properties and that the land the original Ryde Hotel was built on belonged to Cardoza, although the building itself was built by the Giusti family.

The Original Hotel Ryde


In 1886, the Giusti brothers (Egisto, Morro, Paolo and Pietro) immigrated from Lucca, Italy to the Walnut Grove area of the Delta, and built the very first Hotel Ryde. The Giusti family owned and operated the hotel and saloon for many years successfully, until the day of November 6, 1911. That was the day that the entire town of Ryde burned to the ground, leaving little to nothing left.

The San Francisco Call (November 8, 1911) noted:

"RYDE FIRE LEAVES LITTLE OF TOWN-
Almost  Every Building Goes Before Flames, With Loss of $100,000

- Almost every building in town was destroyed by a fire which started here last night, causing loss of nearly $100,000. The fire started in the kitchen of the Ryde hotel, burned down the hotel and spread to an adjoining stable. The store of S.E. Brown and Fred Weber's saloon, the $50,000 pumping plant of reclamation district No. 3 and two wharves owned by W.A. Kesner were destroyed. The fire burned out because there was nothing left for it to feed on."

Sadly, the Hotel Ryde, along with all the other businesses and homes were burned to the ground. Thankfully, everyone was able to rebuild. Instead of staying in the same spot, the Giusti's decided to move to their current spot on the other side of the river in Walnut Grove. At the time they built it, it was originally called the Miller's Ferry Saloon. There was also a general store and a toll station for the ferry that was run by the family as well. After all these years, the Giusti family has run a very successful family owned and operated business along one of the most beautiful places in the Delta that still remains today.

So in 1911, with the town of Ryde burned to the ground, and all the residents struggling to build back their livelihood, what was to be the future of the Hotel Ryde?

In the next article I will go more in depth to uncover some unknown facts and history about the rebuilding of the Hotel Ryde and a few mysteries as well.

READ: PART 2 of the HIDDEN HISTORY OF THE HOTEL RYDE!

(Copyright 12/8/2013- J'aime Rubio. Republished 3/28/2018)

www.jaimerubiowriter.com

Thank you Dennis Leary, Mark Morais (Giusti's), Bill Kesner, & Bill Wells for all your help!

Photo Sources:
Photo of Original Hotel Ryde, property of Mark Morais (Giusti's)
Photo of Ryde Hotel, property of J'aime Rubio

Sources:
San Francisco Call 11/8/1911
Daily California Alta 3/2/1886
Free Lance Star 8/5/1977
Overland Monthly (1918)
Sacramento River Delta Historical Society- periodicals
Interview with Dennis Leary

Various Census Records, Archives, etc.