Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-01
JOHN BURNS KNIFE.
IT Is USED WITH TERRIBLE EFFECT
UPON ROBERT WATTS.
A Row in a Saloon Results in Stabbing
Affray-The Wounded nan
VIII Die.

pTlsUu On charge OI dSsault 10 uuiOcl,
and his victim, one Robert Watts, lies in
the Receiving Hospital, under the same
roof, which place he is not likely to leave
until borne to the Morgue.
Watts is cripple who has been about
the city for some time, and has made him
self quite obnoxious to people, insulting
and even striking those who refused to
honor his demands for money. He is a
large man, and travels on clutches, as his
left leg is cut off between the knee and
ankle.
He ard Burns were among the crowd in
the City Hotel Saloon last night just before
II o'clock While standing before the bar
they got to quarreling when Watts hit
Burns across the head with one of his
crutches.
Burns had an open jack knife, with s.
blade about three inches long, in bis hand
at the time, and he made two or three
passes at Watts. when the latter cried that
he had been stabbed. Several men who
were in the saloon at the time grabbed hold
of Burns, when he closed his knife and put
it back into his pocket.
Officer Simmons was at Fourth and K
streets at the time, and hearing noise and
seeing men rushing into the saloon, he
hastened to the spot ust in time to arrest
Burns as he was emerging from the saloon.
Burns was taken to the police station by
the officer, while others called hack and
took the wounded man to the Receiving
Hospital.
BURNS ADMITS THE CUTTING.
When Burns pockets were emptied by
officer Higgins the knife was found among
a few other articles. Burns was pretty
drunk, and he said, in response to a re-
mark made by some one present, that lie
did cut Watts and didn't deny it, because
the latter had hit him with his crutch.
There was cut over his left eye, which he
said was made by the crutch.
Just as he was being shown to cell
Watts came in the door, assisted by a
couple of men. On seeing Burns he cried
out:
Take that -.- - away, or I'll
kill him.!
He was laid on g cot in the receiving
room and City Physician G. B. Nichols
telephoned for. His shirt was raised, ex-
posing terrible cash in the abdomen a
little to the left of and below the navel. 1t
was several inches long and apparently
very deep. One of the men who brought
him down said be had another cut in the
left side.
The wounded man complained of great
pain, and said he could feel that he was
bleeding internally.
CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE.
Watts stated to those present that Burns
had been annoying him all evening that
he Visits was leaning on the bar
of the City Hotel Saloon, when Burns
tried to ring in on him" for a drink.
Watts said he told Burns he would not
treat him, and to keep away from him.
After some words Burns left, saying he
would get even with him.
A little later be returned, with an open
knife, in his hand, and was crowdiug him
self upon Watts, when the latter (as he
says) told Burns if he did not keep away
he would hit him. Burns made some
demonstration, and he raised his crutch
and struck at him. Then Burns jumped
at him and cut him.
Burns stated, Just before he was locked
up, that Watts wanted him to put up for
drinks, and because he refused to do so
struck him with his crutch, whereupon he
stabbed him. On the way to the Jail be
boosted to officer Simmons that this
wasn't the first man he had stabbed-that
he once cut -- down IN Arizona.
He said he had been working in one of the
hop fields near the city.
THE WOUND PROBABLY FATAL.
Dr. Nichols was not long in reaching the
Receiving Hospital, and as soon as he ex-
amined the wound in Watts abdomen he
said il would likely prove fatal, as the knife
had penetrated the abdominal cavity to a
considerable depth.
WATTS STATEMENT
Police Judge Buckley, who had heard of
the affair, FASTENED to the police station,
formed that he would probably die-made
a statement to him Of the circumstances
attending the affray.
HANDY WITH HIS CLUTCHES.
Just before the ARRAY in which Wstts
was stabbed man named Robert Hamil-
ton was seen at the corner of Third and K
streets, near by the saloon, bleeding from a
bad cash on his forehead. He was looking
1.-The cripple" arrested, as he had assaulted
him because he would not give him
money.
While he was looking for an officer the
other row occurred, and his sssailant lay
bleeding from a couple of terrible knife
wounds.
SEWING UP THE WOUNDS.
At l o'clock this morning Drs. Nichols
and Huntington were engaged in the task
of sewing up the wounded mans severed
intestines, but they had little hope of saving
his life.
The wound in his side was also found to
be OF serious nature, and another cut was
discovered on one Of his thighs.