Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-18
SHOT IN THE NECK.
Almost a Tragedy on a Spring
Street Car.
Albert Rasmus Severely Hurt
by the Ball.
His Wife Said to Be the Cause of the
Difficulty.
The Shooter Escapes from the Car But Is
The Shooter Escapes from the Car But L
Recognized Later in the Evening
and Lodged in Jail.

AT 10 O'Clock last night Albert Ras-
mus, well-known hack driver, was
sitting alone on the rear seat OF an in
coming Ninth-street horse car as it pro-
ceeded along Spring street. At the
intersection of Fifth street, while the
conductor and driver of the car were
busily engaged in an animated discus
sion on the front platform, another pas
senger in the person of A. H. V. Sinden
jumped suddenly on the footboard
within three feet of Rasmus The latter
glanced up hastily at the newcomer and
Immediately recognized him, but before
he had recovered from his surprise
Sinden whipped out large revolver
and pointing it deliberately at Rasmuss
head fired. His aim, however, was not
true, as the bullet struck Rasmus under
the left jaw, and passing through his
neck severed the wind-pipe. Neither
man had spoken a word up to
that time, and the driver and
conductor, both of whom heord the
shot, were too much interested in look
ing for it's source, evidently supposing it
to have been fired from the sidewalk, to
notice the passengers on the rear plat
form, or to stop the car. In the mean
time Sinden rode as far as Fourth street,
where he jumped from the footboard
and ran towards Broadway, where he
disappeared. By the time the car
reached Third street the conductor had
discovered that Rasmus was wounded,
and Officer Chase was notified and rode
as far as Second, when he assisted the
hackman to the police station,
where he was booked for medical
treatment. Drs. Wing and Morri-
son were summoned, and after examin-
ing Rasmus's wound, pronounced
him as not in any immediate danger,
forbid him to talk much. His left cheek
and jaw were badly powder marked, the
pistol having evidently been held at
The physicians stated that it was almost
miracle that the ball should have
escaped the carotid artery in its passage
through Rasmus's neck.
As usual in such affairs, there was a
woman at the bottom of it, the
cause in this case being Rasmus's wife,
from whom he has been separated
for some time past. The wounded man
was interviewed in the city Jail after the
physicians had left, and in spite Of the
difficulty he experienced in talking,
seemed anxious to tell his story. He
stated in effect that for the past eighteen
months he had had trouble with Sinden
on account of the latter's intimacy with
his wife, and that during that time he
had repeatedly warned the interloper to
refrain from visiting her. She, how
ever, became infatuated with Sinden.
and husband and wife separated for
time, but subsequently lived together
again for a few months, when
they parted once more. A short
time ago he went away to San Fran
cisco, but returned two days ago, and
learned on inquiry that his wife was
employed as domestic at the residence
of Mr.. Rhodes, at the corner of Fifteenth
and Georgia Belle streets. Yesterday
afternoon he called upon her there, but
found that Sinden had forestalled him,
and scene ensued, after which he left
the house and did not see Sinden again
until the shooting occurred on the car
at the corner of Spring and Fifth streets.
After the shooting Sinden, it was SUBJ
sequently learned, jumped on cable
car and rode out to Rasmus's wife at
Fifteenth street, and returned about
II AS o'clock. In the meantime the
police had been diligently searching for
him in every direction, but had found
no trace of him, but as soon as he
alighted from the cable cars he was rec
ognized, and few minutes later was
arrested and taken to the county Jail by
Detective Lawson and Captain Peabody.
He refused to make any statement of
the affair when seen by a HERALD re-
porter in his cell at that institution, but
made number of inquiries as to Ras-
mus's condition and the nature of his
injuries. He appeared to feel immensely
relieved on learning that his victim was
not dangerously wounded; but reserved
a dogged silence when questioned as
to the shooting.
Sinden was for some time a special
officer and sexton at the Catholic cem-
etery, but subsequently entered the en-
ploy of Detective Lawson as patrolman,
and was serving in that capacity at Pasa-
dena until last night.