Elijah Bettis
The Board of Supervisors made its second appointment to the office of sheriff
following the murder of James Barton. The Board’s choice was Elijah Bettis, who
thereby became the sixth Sheriff of Los Angeles County.
Bettis served slightly less than 11 months. He finished out Barton’s term and
decided not to seek a term of his own. It was Sheriff Bettis who carried out the
duty of hanging the 11 outlaws in connection with the murder of James Barton.