Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-09-11

tory, some fifty yards distant, but the
sand showed no signs of a dead body
having been dragged over it, thus sup
porting the idea that Martinez had kept
his feet until he fell where he died.
ALI of the obtainable evidence being by
this time procured, Coroner Meredith
who had been laboring like Trojan, Sc
lected jury, and then the body was
placed into wagon and all started for
town.
BACK TO SANTA MONICA.
The return journey was even more
jogging than the outward trip, for owing
to the increased load it was impossible to
take the beach road, thus necessitating
a journey by the precipitous trails of the
cafion country. It was few minutes
past 2 o'clock when Santa Monica was
reached, and the news of the tragedy had
evidently widely spread, for there was
curious throng collected at Judge Twich-
ellis courtroom, one of the chambers of
which is used for the town morgue.
While the body was being laid out and
the legal preliminaries being arranged,
the HERALD man, by courtesy of Marshal
Barretto and Constable Dexter. was Der.
mitted to interview the prisoner in his
cell.
PINA's STORY.
Now that the blood had been cleansed
from his face Pifia presented quite an or
dlnary appearance, short, stout and
powerful, good many of the Indian
features 60 often seen. He was quite
willing to talk and in response to queries
put to him through the medium of an in
terpreter told the following story:
Yesterday l rode into Santa Monica
canon and there went on a little spree,
During the afternoon Martinez came in.
He had been to Santa Monica and he
and had several drinks together. It
must have been somewhere about 10
O'Clock when mounted and started for
home, travelling alone, for Martinez
stayed behind. l took the customary
road along the beach and logged along
unconscious that anything was impend-
ing until reached the Santa Ynez rocks.
Then on turning noticed that Martinez
and another man were riding up behind
me and as they were going faster than 1
was they were soon abreast of me. Mar.
tinez then ran at me with knife and
tried to keep him off with my hat,
which you see is all cut
(showing his headgear which
| was sliced in several places). started
in to defend myself, and we finally fell
off our horses, for we were both more or
less drunk. We fought over an area of
fifty yards until we reached the laguna,
and l succeeded in knocking Martinez
down several times. The last time hit
him he did not rise, 30 went away into
the hills, where saw an American
camp. stayed near there until morn
ing and then surrendered myself"
AS Pifia concluded, an officer arrived
to take him to court, where he was soon
seated, the center of attraction for a
score OF loungers who f1ocked in and
crowded the little room. Coroner Mere.
dith's investigations brought out nothing
| new, the only particular point being the
testimony of Pascual MARQUEE, who said
that Pima and Martinez were together at
his place the previous afternoon and
were apparently on good terms. Judge
Twichell, in accordance with his duties,
| therefore arraignod the prisoner and
committed him to the County Jail with
| out bail, Saturday next being set for the
examination.
The prisoner was taken to town on
the 3 80 p. m. train by Constable Dexter
and piled with questions by the HERALD
man during the journey on the train.
"Did the man who was with Martinez
attack your" was asked.
"No," was the reply, che rode away,
don't know where"
"What did you strike Martinez with ?"
was the next question.
"Only my hands," was the rejoiner.
"Who had the stick ?'
Martinez"
"When you went away was Martinez
alive or dead?"
"Alive, but stretched on the ground
apparently unable to move"
The prisoner maintained considerable
sang froid throughout and appeared to
regard himself as the aggrieved party.
THE INQUEST.
Coroner Meredith arrived in town at
a late hour, having driven in from
Santa Monica. He said that at the
Inquest the jury returned verdict that
deceased came to his death from
injuries inflicted by blunt instrument
in the hands OF Juan Jose Pifla in a
drunken quarrel.