Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1881-03-30
CHICO FORSTER AssAssrNArED.
A Woman, with Goodness and q
Wonderful Accuracy Of Aim,
ShOOts Him Dead while He IL
Talking 10 Her Sister.

Wonderful Accuracy OF Aim,
hOots Him Dead while He II
Talking 10 Her Sister.
Los Angeles Herald.
Between 8 and 4 O'Clock yesterday after
noon the startling intelligence was circu-
lated throughout the city that F. P. Fors-
ter, Familiarity known as "Chico" Forster,
had been shot and killed by q woman, in
front Of the White House, at the corner Of
Commercial and Los Angeles streets.
Soon crowds Of persons, friends Of the de-
ceased, who was we'll and favorably known
by every old resident of Los Angeles from
his boyhood, we're seen hurrying to the
scene Of the reported assassination. When
the throng reached the spot the report was
found to be too true. The body of the
murdered man was lying across the gutter.
the head pointing towards the center Of
the street and the feet resting on the side
walk, almost in the spot which they had
occupied when the fatal shot was fired. 1t
appears from the testimony OF the hack
man that Mr.. Forster, accompanied by the
Misses Abarta-Lastania md her sister
Northumberland from another part Of
the city in his hack, and when they reached
the corner opposite to that on which the
tragedy was enacted, some one signaled
him to stop. He did so, and Mr.. Forster
and Hortensia got out, and crossing to the
corner opposite, commenced an animated
conversation in Spanish. While they were
talking Lastania alighted from the car
riage and started towards them, as she ad-
vanced drawing a revolver. When she
was within about two feet Of her victim,
she fired, the ball entering the right eye,
killing him instantly. The murderess
then made q movement as If to fire a Sec
ond time, when a man who saw the action
rushed up and took the pistol from her.
The woman gave up the weapon at once,
and accompanied by her sister. started for
the Office Of ex-Justice Trafford to give her.
self up.
Lastania Abarta, the assassin, is a beau
tiful bali French, half Spanish woman, q
native Of Los Angeles, aged 81 years, with
whom, it is said, the deceased had been on
intimate terms for the past two years or
more. A week or ten days ago her mother
had received money from a married daugh-
ter living at Eureka, Nevada, to pay the
expenses Of Lastania and an elder sister,
whom she desired to come to her. The
idea of leaving Los Angeles seems to have
been r%epungant to L~astania, who last Fri
day night left her home and, as it is since
learned. took rooms at the house formerly
known as the Cape House. Here she is
supposed to have been met by the de-
ceased, whom, it is alleged, she desired
should become her husband. and that the
assassination was prompted by his refusal
to accede to her desire. On this point we
reproduce a portion of the testimony of N.
A. Covarrubias. who, after giving an ac-
count Of the deceased joining the Misses
Abarta at his stables. gives the details of 9
conversation he had with his friend Fors-
ter on the evening preceding the assassina-
ton.
The remains Of the murdered man were
taken to the morgue Of Messrs. Pond 4
Orr, where, at 5 o'clock last evening, an
inquest was held. Lastania and Hortensia
Abarta, both Of whom had been arrested
by Sheriff Rowland, appeared at the in
quest and were identified by the witnesses.
The jury returned a verdict that the de-
ceased had come to his death from a pistol
shot fred by Lastania Abarta.