Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-06-22
roa TWENTY DOLLARS.
A Mexican Murdered by his Friend
for Paltry Sum-Quick Arrest
OF the Assassin, and his Incar-
ceration in the jail.


Mr.. Charles Gassen, the Wholesale
butcher, has had in his employ for quite
q while an elderly Mexican, named
Chavez. The night before last he paid
him Of, and Chavez left for trip in the
neighborhood Of the city. In his pere-
grinations he fell in with Francisco Mar
tinez, man who cuts wood in the
Verdugo Canon and peddles 1t around
town. The two joined forces aud
Travelled about in Martinez's wagon, i'm.
bibing more or less freely until the de-
pot was reached, at six o'clock. There
they went into Mrs. Rosa Bernal's siore,
and Chavez purchased flour and other
things to present to a comadre ia that
vicinity. In paying for his acquisitions
he said to Mrs. Bernal, "Hold on, let
me see if what give you is single dol.
lar or twenty dollar gold piece" Mar
tiuez heard this. but made no remark.
They then proceeded, and by the time
the Three-Mile House, north of town,
was reached it was n. NJ. Martinez
and Chavez were then seen wrangling in
O maudlin way about who should drive,
by Mr.. Joseph Mirandette and Theodore
Lane, vino. have their stores up there.
At half-past seven Johnny Hunter, a
boy, saw them drive across the bridge
which leads towards the Verdugo Canon.
At eight o'clock +. J. Mcclellan, a farmer
living on the road, heard a pistol shot.
Yesterday morning Coroner Nadeau
was informed that.a man had been found
lying murdered upon the road to the
Verdugo, about six miles from the city,
and at Ii o'clock proceeded with his
clerk to view the remains and discover
evidence that would lead to the appre-
hension Of the murderer. The murdered
man was fousd IN depression of the
road, completely removed from habita-
tions. lying on his back, stiff and stark,
shot through the upper part Of the left
breast. Upon the body nickel was the
only object of value that could be dis
covered. By that time, from the con-
versation Of several parties spoken to on
the road. suspicion had entered the
mind of the Coroner and his deputy that
Martinez knew more about the crime
than any one else in the caiion, and a
visit was made to his house, three miles
further up the canon, but it was found
closed. At store little farther on
the people said that Martinez had gone
to ranch further up. The Coroner
having to go back to town, told Mr..
Oikley to attend to the matter for him
Upon their arrival Oakley lost no time
in apprising the Deputy District Attor-
nsy, II. 0'Melveny, Of the fac of the
case aud swore out warrant for the ar
rest of Martinez on the charge of muir
der. Constable j. A. Be ry and Mr.. +.
Oakley then at once went out again to-
gether, and after riding up the Verdugo
Cafion about ten miles, found Martinez
on wagon and promptly transferred
him to their buggy.
The prisoner did not at first feel in
clined to say much; in fact he denied
his guilt completely. After little
while, being engaged in friendly con-
versation with Constable Berry,
he gradually admitted he had
killed Chavez, but would not say why.
He insisted that it was because Chavez
had abused him, though thereis scarcely
any doubt that it was for aught else
than that $50 piece Of which Chavez
had uncautiously spoken. He said he
had shot him once, whilst they hal
both got out of the buggy, at the place
where the body was found, and left
him. That afterwards his wagon was
capsized and that it was about 2 o'clock
in the morning before he got home.
That he then had hidden the pistol un-
der his pillow. where it still remains.
The prisoner was brought to town and
locked up at once. AT 7 o'clock an in
quest was held, at which most of the
foregoing testimony was brought out.
The prisoner, after having been inform
ed of his rights, voluntarily said: 81
was in town last night at about p. m.
l went thence to the rancho with Cha
vez. What then happened was that
l killed him with pistol. l
fired once. He was standing on
the ground andbo was l." The jury found
that deceased came to his death by a
pistol shot wound fired by one Francisco
Martinez, with criminal intent, and the
prisoner was promptly removed to Jail,
whence he will probably not leave again,
excepting to march to the scaffold or 90
on life long sentence to the penitenti.
ary.
Great credit is due Constable Berry
for the prompt manner in which he made
the arrest of the cold blooded and san.
culinary assassin, so soon after the COM
mission Of the crime. Indeed, If the ar
rest had not been made yesterday at the
time ~ xros ~ IL r,,ora tba :, proha IIa tba 4
Martinez would have been on his way
to Mexican soil, ere the readers of the
HERALD read this edition of the paper.