Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-09-16
a-----17-77-77777777
The Rincsm Murder.

features in regard TO the murder oil
Chas. J. Downing by Doc. Grifiiths that
throw new light on the subject. Both
men were well known In Los Angeles,
and the killing excites great interest in
The city. The Progress saysi Our eiti-
zens we're startled on Tuesday evening
Last by the announcement by telegraph
that Mr.. Chas. j. Downing, a we'll
known and respected citizen OF Pomona,
had been shot and killed, at a point
few miles south OF Cucamonga, by one
Doc. Grfiths, formerly a resident OF
Pomona. Mr. Downing and Mr Ayr,
who owned adj lining claims oil govern
ment land, had been employing OR ihths
for the past year to lock out Tor their
interests there, furnishing hun with
provisions, etc. o. Tuesday morning
Mr.. Downing, taxing supply oil pro.
visions, aud also gathering quite bun'
BILE of papers and magazines tor Gr fiiths
TO read, went out TO the ranch. Mr.. u.
A. Collins was engaged In baling hay ON
the place owned by MIR. Downing, and
the baling machine was about 800 yards
from the cabin In which Gritlitha stopped
and where the cooking for the balers was
done. Mr.. Downing passed by the balers
and went on TO the cabin with his pro.
visions. Mr.. Collins waited for him to
return TO the cabin aud wondered at his
non.return, and after lapse OF some
time Griliiths came down aud asked Mr..
Collins to go up to the cabin with him,
which he did. and upon arriving there
Grifiiths opened the door and ghastly
sight mot she gaze OF Mr.. Collins. MIR.
Downing lay there with a great portion
Of bis skull shot off and his brains spat-
tered on the floor. MIR. Collins said,
''For Gods sake what have you done y
He answered, II did it purely in self
defense" Mr.. Collins took up the gun
which was standing in the corner, and
as he raised Il up il was discharged. On
examination he found that string had
been attached to the trigger, as though
Griffitbs had been making preparations
to commit suicide after the commission
Of the horrible murder. MIR. Collins
took charge Of CIR fIiths and conveyed
him to San Bernardino, where he Is now
In Jail. An inquest was held yesterday
afternoon and the Jury found that MIR.
Downing came to his death from gun
shot wound at the hands of Doc Crit
fths, and referred the case to the Supe-
rier Court for investigation.
From all circumstances surrounding
the matter II apr enrs, that the deceased
at the time the fatal shot was fired was
sitting In a chair near table quietly
smoking his pipe. The shot passed
through the rim Of his hat into the right
eye, tearing out the cheek bone aud rang.
ing downward. The bowl Of the pipe
was found near the foct of deceased, as
was also the mouthpiece, which was
bloody, showing that the pipe had been
In his mouth at the time the sh ct was
fired, We understand that Mrs. Burbank,
q sister Of deceased Is very low, the
shock having completely prostra ed her.
30 far a, deceased was concerned and ac.
cording to his various remarks, no i'll.
feelings existed between him and the
man who took his life, AMI those who
examined the position Of the body aud
all the surroundings are satisfied he was
not expecting the fatal shot which he
received. The bo'y was brought down
by Mr.. Asten yesterday evening. Mrs.
Burbaok is now attended by Two physi.
clans. She has the sincere sympathy of
all our people in her sad bereavement.