Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-29
in THE SMALL HOURS.
JOHN WALSH TRIES TO ROB A MILK
MAN.
An Early Morning Adventure In East Los
Angeles.-Mr. Walsh Receives Bullet
In His Abdomen.-Was He Robber
or Plain Drunk.


Shortly after four O'Clock yesterday
morning middle-aged man drove up to
the East Los Angeles police station in a
wagon and surrendered himself to officer
j. r. Conlee. He stated that his name
was William Bryant, and that he
was milkman and resided on the Glen
dale road, near the ''Three-M Mile" house.
While he was driving along Lecouvveur
street a man jumped out of bunch OF
weeds, near the track of the Southern
California railroad and attempted to rob
him, whereupon he had shot at
and wounded the man, after
which he had driven away as fast
as he could. After hearing the state
ment, the officer suggested that Bryant
drive over with him to headquarters on
Second street in his wagon, and the milk
man readily acceded to the proposition.
On the arrival at the police station Bry-
ant was registered and detained until
the arrival of the chief, his horse and
wagon being placed in Whites stable
meanwhile.
Chief Glass on being made acquainted
with the facts, turned the matter over
to Detective Wallin for investigation
Bryant, when questioned about the mat
ter, readily volunteered full statement
OF the affair as follows:
About twenty minutes to O'Clock
this morning 1 drove into Lecouvreur
street, and when just north of the Santa
Fe track | observed man in the weeds
about a rod from me. He ran out and
cried Stop, d--n you, stop; I want
your money He ran in front of my
mare, and she SHE'D to one side and
nearly tipped my light spring wagon
over. l cried out: Stand back, or l
will shoot but he paid no heed and
kept advancing, and tried to catch my
horse by the bits. After | had warned
him three times, and he payingno atten-
ton, l grasped my revolver, a 80
calibre Smith 4 Wesson, and
fired at him and he fell. My horse
jumped as the pistol cracked and l
thought l had run over him. 1 then
drove away, as did not know but that
there might be more of them. l drove
on to Chestnut street and stopped at the
first house 1 came to, which was that OF
w. Richter. He advised me not to go
back, but to go to the police station in
East Los Angeles and secure an officer"
Bryant further stated that an attempt
had been made to rob him about week
ago at the same place, and, he believed,
by the same man. This was subse-
quently corroborated by man named
w. w. Holt, who stated that Bryant had
told him of it.
Deputy District Attorney Phibbs was
communicated with and subsequently,
accompanied Detective Wallin to East
Los Angeles on visit to Bryant's vic
tim, John Walsh, who had been located
at his home on Lecouvreur street,
within few feet of the spot where he
fell after being shot by Bryant. His
cries aroused his wife, who at once went
out and assisted her wounded husband
into the house. Drs. Wise and Carlisle
were summoned, and upon examination
of the patient, found that he had gun
shot wound in the abdomen, Just above
and little to the left of the navel, the
ball having penetrated through the
waistband of his pants and become
lodged in the abdominal muscles. 1t is
not considered by the physicians that
this wound will result fatally, for as far
as can be ascertained the bullet did not
penetrate the intestines.
John Walsh, who was formerly an
employee Of the Lacy Clay Manufactur-
ing company, when questioned about
the affair, affected ignorance of the
cause of his wound at first; but subse-
quently stated that at three O'Clock he
left officer Harvey, with whom he had
been talking, on the Downey avenue
bridge and walked homewards. When
within few yards of his house on Le-
couvreur street, he met a milkman
driving his wagon. He did not speak
but the milkman mumbled something,
which he was unable to understand,
and Immediately pulled pistol and
shot him in the stomach after which he
drove off and left him lying in the road.
He then cried out for help, when his
wife came out and assisted him to the
house. He positively denied that he
was under the influence of liquor at the
time. Mrs. Walsh, however, asserts
that for the last few days her husband
has not been at work and has been on
protracted spree; and this would ap-
pear to be correct, as he was far from
sober when he made his statement to
the officer and Mr. Phibbs.
Bryant was arrested yesterday after
noon upon warrant issued by Justice
Austin on complaint of Geo. p Phibbs,
charging him with having assaulted
John Walsh with intent to commit mur-
der with loaded pistol. He was taken
into court at # O'Clock p. M, and ar
raigned, his examination being set for
Saturday, September 13, at 10 O'Clock 9.
m. Bryant was then released upon
bonds in the sum of $500.
Another milkman named John Paul
called at the East Los Angeles police
station and reported that he had been
held up at the same place a few minutes
before Bryant, but had escaped by
forcing his horse into gallop.