Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-06-11
REDHANpEp MURDER.
That 1t Was Which Ended the Life


That 1t Was Which Ended the Life of
Poor Milo Hawcs.
The Coroner's inquest upon the body of
Milo Hawes, found dead on Sunday about
three miles from Washington, the first ac-
count of which sad episode was given in
the last issue of the SUNDAY UNION, was
held at Washington yesterday afternoon,
Justice C. E. Newton officiating.
The Coroner's jury was composed as fol-
lows: Robert Erwin. Edward Faltrick.
John Croppe-, Edward Todhunter, William
Newton, Thomas Wagner. Thomas Mil
ward, Jos. McGregor.
The first witness called was William
Peterson, who testified that on Sunday
afternoon he went out fishing, going to
Washington lake. Not far from where
Hawes was found he saw two men, fairly
well dressed. He asked them how the fish
ing was, and they replied that they were
not fishing. Witness moved on and re-
turning about o'clock he saw man lying
on the ground about twelve feet from the
railroad track, near where he had seen the
two men together. Also saw hat on the
ground near the waters edge, and vest
hanging on the branch of a tree near by.
Witness supposed the man to be ,intoxi-
Gated and tried to awaken him, but found
that he was dead. A freight train coming
toward the city was hailed and witness
cane into Washington and apprised the
authorities.
The authorities who had removed the
body gave description of its position
when found, together with list of per-
sonal property discovered. A boulder
three times the size of q mans fist, and
F.. ooraraI ,r-ith h1ool ha hrI,
was shown to the jury. Also, letters and
papers, which had been taken from the
pockets of the deceased and by which he
was identified. One of the letters was
from a brother-in-law in Los Angeles,
bearing the signature Anthony R. Her.
nandez and commencing, Dear Brother" !"
Other letters were addressed to San Fran
cisco, showing that the deceased had made
that city his home not long ago.
Two strange men who had been seen
coming from the direction of the scene of
the tragedy on Sunday evening were ar
rested upon suspicion. They were present
at the inquest and the witness Peterson
was asked if they were the men he had
seen as described in his testimony. Wit
ness declared positively that they were not,
and as the two men were able to give sat
isfactory account of themselves they were
dismissed
John Fay, switchman, testified that he
saw the deceased on Sixth street, in Sacra-
mento, at 4:30 on Sunday morning An
old man was with him. After brief con-
versation between the two the deceased
started toward the bridge alone. Witness
positively identified the deceased as the
younger of the two men.
Constable Todhunter related to the Jury
the position of the body when found 1t
was lying on its face. Witness thought
that the killing had been done at the
waters edge and the body afterward
dragged away into the brush for the pur-
pose of hiding it. The marks on the
ground indicated that plan and were also
such as to show that there had been Sc
we're struggle. A pair OF suspenders found
on the ground were broken in two pieces
The remains were examined by DR.. F. B.
Sutliff, of Sacramento, who reported in
iuries on the person of the deceased, as fol-
lows; A fracture of the skull Just above
the right ear, with depression of the frag-
ments of bone on the brain substance.
Over the right eye a flesh wound one inch
long. Above the left ear, and nearly on top
of the head, a flesh wound TO the skull.
about two inches in length. 1t was the
fracture which caused the death.
The verdict of the jury was that Milo
hawes came to his death at the hands of
party or parties TO the jurors unknown
and here rests, at least for the present, the
case of one of the most brutal and cow
ardly murders which ever disgraced the
State of California.
Judging from all the evidence obtain
able, the murder was committed solely for
the purpose of plunder. Unless by fortu-
nate accident there is little hope of finding
clue TO the guilty party or parties in this
tiendish crime. They have all the advan-
tage on their side, for the potent reason
that their victim was a poor man. God
help justice
The brother-in-law of the deceased, A
Hernandez, of Los Angeles, was heard
from yesterday in answer to a dispatch
sent him by Chief Lee. He is on the way
to this city, and the remains will be held
awaiting his arrival.