Los Angeles herald., 1890-09-23
Editor Dyer, of the Citizen,
Puts a Bullet in Him.
But it Fails to Reach Any Vital
Spot.
Neither Participants will Tell the
Cause of the ARRAY.
Mantel Piece for Some Time-The Com
batants Well Known Young Men.

Yesterday afternoon at half past four
O'Clock James H. Taylor, we'll known
young man from South Riverside, was
shot in the left hip by Frank J.. Dyer,
editor of the Weekly Citizen of East
Los Angeles. The affray is shrouded in
veil of mystery which the most search
ing enquiry has as yet failed to penetrate.
All that could be learned of the shoot
ing, as gathered from the conflicting G
statements of the few persons who claim
to have been eye witnesses, is as fol-
lows:
At 4 80 O'Clock Taylor was standing in
front of the cigar stand in the doorway
of the Natick house on First street,
where he was approached by Dyer.
Whether or not any words passed be-
tween the men cannot be fully de-
termined, as on this point the alleged
eyewitnesses were unable to agree and
those who assert that such was the case
were unable to remember what was said.
The first notification received by the
bystanders was the report of pistol,
Immediately followed by the sudden
collapse of Taylor, who fell in heap to
the sidewalk. Dyer stood over his
PROSTATE victim with ''pepperbox"
four barrelled pistol of 2S caliber, and
deliberately aiming at Taylor, pulled
the trigger again. The hammer
fell, but fortunately the cartridge
was not discharged, and before he
made another attempt Dyer was pin
ioned and held by some one in the
crowd, which had assembled in remark
ably short order. Officer Martin put in
an appearance at this juncture, and ell
bowling his way through the crowd,
placed Dyer under arrest and took him
to the police station, where he was
booked upon the charge of assault with
intent to commit murder. In the mean
time Taylor, who was found to be bleed
ing profusely from a wound in the left
hip, was picked up and carried to his
room in the Natick house. DIR. X. d.
Wise was summoned and upon exam
ination of the wound pronounced it as
very slight one which, in all probability,
would not be attended by any serious
results. The bullet had entered the hip
at the joint and glancing off the bone
had buried itself in the flesh of the but
took, where it still remains.
HERALD reporter, who called upon
both men, found Taylor reposing in an
ungraceful attitude upon bed in room
35, at the Natick. In reply to his Wis
itor's queries Taylor, who was laboring
apparently under good deal of excite
ment, said that he felt as we'll as could
be expected under the circumstances,
and f1attered himself that he had es-
capped with so slight an injury. AS to
the cause of the affair, however, he had
nothing whatever to say, and the most
leading questions failed to draw out the
desired information. He seemed very
anxious to hush the matter up alto
gether, but realizing that this was an
impossibility, he desired to say as
little as possible.
Frank Dyer was subsequently inter-
viewed through the bars of a cell in the
city Jail, but he also refused to make any
statement about the affair. He made
no effort to secure his release on bail,
saying in explanation of this that he did
not feel like asking any of his friends to
60 on his bonds at present. When
joked about going cunning for a man
with such diminutive and insecure
weapon as the old pistol with which he
shot at Taylor, Dyer said he bought it as
curio and never intended to go gun
ming for anyone with 1t; but beyond this
he refused to proceed, and all attempts
to draw him out failed.
Mrs. Dyer, a remarkably handsome
young lady, visited her husband about
nine O'Clock and was allowed to talk
with him in the chiefs private office.
She was accompanied by her attorneys
both to and from the police station, and
an interview with her was out of the
question, as the legal lights had evil
IDENTIFY advised her not to say anything.
Various conjectures were made as to
the cause of the shooting, but the only
theory which gained any credence with
those who know both parties was that
Taylor had offended Mrs. Dyer in some
manner, and that her husband on learn
ing of the matter had sought to wipe
out the insult by killing the offender.
Dyer formerly edited the South
Riverside Bee, and it is to be presumed
became acquainted with Taylor there,
as the latter's home is at that place.
The wounded mans brother, Robert
Taylor, is manager of the South River
side Land and Water company, and is
held in high esteem in the cOmmunity