Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-09-11
ANOTHER MURDER.
Limo Martinez Killed Near
Santa Monica.
COMPLICATED TRAGEDY.

Arrest of Juan Jose Pina-The Sus-
pect Badly IDjured-Hjs StO-
ry of the Affair.
When A. B. Everett, Miles Benson
and E. R. Ketchum, trio of Americans
who are camping in the Santa Ynez
cafion, north of Santa Monica, looked
over toward the beach as they arose in
the early hours yesterday morning, they
beheld g spectacle CHASTITY beyond all
conception. Stretched across the trail
that leads to the Santa Monica cafion lay
the dead body of man, still bleeding,
and as they approached they saw that he
had evidently been engaged in terrible
struggle beforshe gave up his life. His
head was literally an unrecognizable
mass, and presented the appearance of
having been beaten with huge rock,
club, or some other blunt instrument.
Close by his side on the sand was a
small white-handled penknife, one blade
OF which was open and showed by it's
rusty stains that it was evidently covered
with the life-blood of some one, and
near it was black-handled knife, closed,
and looking more as if it had fallen from
some ones pocket than if it had been
used in the encounter. The broken
splinters of not very heavy stick were
also scattered about, and the ground
where the body lay was tumbled in a
manner that betokened that fierce
tussle of some description had taken
placs- Careful not to disturb any of the
surroundings, 30 that the law might
have full scope in it's investigations, the
discoverers of the tragedy returned
to their camp with the inten-
ton of driving into town and
notifying the offit ials. As they did so
they observed man leading mule,
limping down the mountain side, and
with the object of obtaining all the in
formation possible they beckoned him
and he willingly approached. AS he
came close, they saw that he had evil
IDENTIFY been one of the prime movers in
the crime, for he was covered with
blood, and his face was almost as hideous
a spectacle as that of the corpse in the
road. They hailed him in English, but
he responded with ''no sabe," under
standing enough of their language, how.
ever, to assent when they told him that
he would have to 90 to town with them.
They soon hitched up their wagon and
then started for Santa Monica.
THE NEWS ARRIVES.
As the road goes, it is about six and
half miles from Santa Ynez to the city
of Santa Monica, and the trails are none
too good, for they wind down precipitous
inclines and across gorges, cafions and
plsieaus, ad lib. 1t was therefore nearly
10 O'Clock when they reached town,
where they sooh located Constable Dex.
ter, who, on hearing their story, took
charge of the prisoner and locked him
up in the City Jail. Here he was ques-
toned as to the circumstances
of the affair, and he narrated
a story to the effect that he
had been attacked while riding during
the night by two men and that fight
had ensued in which he was badly
wounded. He certainly had plenty of
testimony in support of this part Of his
| story for his back was gashed, his left
cheek was cut open, a long slash ex.
tended from his right ear downwards
and the thumb of his right hand was
laid completely open, all Of the wounds
being apparently inflicted by a sharp
knife or some such instrument.
OFFICIALS FROM TOWN.
Meantime notification of the affair had
been telephoned to Coroner Meredith,
and on the 10 :15 a. m. train he, in COM
pany with DR.. Choate and an official
court reporter, arrived at Santa Monica
and at once prepared to go to the scene
of the murder. Speedy horses were OBJ
tanned and by 10 80 all were on the road,
the party being. strengthened by
Deputy District Attorney Tanner,
Deputy Constable, Constable Dex.
ter and a HERALD man. It was hard
travelling, as those who have ever tried
fast journeying on sandy track road
will admit, 80 it was nearly IL O'Clock
when the rocky promontory which hides
the Santa Ynez canon from view was
reached. Then over the huge boulders
which have been washed hard
and clean by the never ceasng waves
and over little dip in the road and the
scene of the murder burst into view. The
news had by this time scattered around
good deal, with the result that Mexican
paisanOs f1ocked in from the surrounding
settlements, and there they stood, some
fifty feet away from the murdered
man, and discussed the situation. There
were plenty of volunteers of information
when the HERALD man started his in
vestigations. One knew both the muir
dered man and the accused. He said
that the man lying dead in the road was
Limo Martinez. wood. chopper, some 26
years of age, and long resident in the
vicinity. The hombre who had been ar
rested was Juan Jose Pima, also a wood
chopper, who had passed most of the 4S
years of his life in the Tapango caf1on,
which lies beyond the Santa Ynez. Pima
and Martinez were friendly, it was said,
in the past; one of the paisanos present
had ssen them drinking together the
previous afternoon at Pascual Marquez's
place, in the Santa Monica cafIon.
"Martiaez's horse came to his home at
O'Clock this morning." spoke up an
aged Spaniard. "We knew then that
something was the matter, for Span
iard's horse always stays at his masters
side for him to remount if he falls-if he
is unable to do 80, the horse goes home"
One of the American campers, who
had captured Pifia, said that the murder
must have been committed somewhere