The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-04
WITH BLOODY HANDS
Port Townsend Merchant MUIR
dered i'm His Bed.
RoBeER.
SLAIN BY A
n. III. Passmore, Cashier Of the Security
Bank, Tacoma, Cuts His Throat After
Getting Letter from His Wife.

PoRr TOWNSEND. July 3.-Joe Deletis,
Portuguese fruit vender and lodging-house
keeper, was found murdered at his place
of business, i24 Water street. some time
near the hour of IL Wednesday midnight.
Circumstances Of the strongest character
point to Dominica Celia as the perpetrator
of the crime, which for brutality has not
been eaualed in the county for twenty
years. The object of the deed is thought
to have been robbery, as large sum OF
money and several articles OF valuable Jew
elry known to have been possessed by the
dead man are missing. as is also Celia, who
has not been seen since IL 80 Wednesday
night. The first known of the bloody al
fair was about 8 O'Clock this morning. when
Antonio Arumbula, cook in restaurant In
the rear of the premises, stopped Officer
William Furlong on the street and asked
him to assist in opening the door leading
into the grocery. He said he had knocked
repeatedly for nearly an hour but could
get no answer from the old man, and he
feared something had happened. Officer
Furlong Immediately went with Joe. and
finding the door as the cook had stated,
locked, he procured chisel and hammer
and forced it open.
n
ton, separating the passageway from the
saloon. and standing on this Furlong
looked upon q sight that he is not likely to
forget as long as he lives.
THE CHAMBER or BLOOD.
In the further corner of The room was a
bed soaked with blood, and lying across it.
on his face, was the old man.
His face was almost hidden from view by
the blood, which had coated in thick
mass.
His clothes aud body were dyed in
crimson, and various articles of apparel
scattered about the room were in similar
state.
A close examination showed that Joe's
throat had been cut. His head was almost
severed from the body.
The murderer's finger marks can be seen
on the chest and inside OF it on different
articles he had touched in hunting for the
hidden gold.
In his mad hunt he scattered the clothes
right and left, which accounts for the
blood-stained articles found upon the floor.
Alter committing the deed he closed the
door of the old mans room and went
through the door leading to the kitchen.
This door he locked. keeping the KEY. He
went through the kitchen so quietly that
two men sleeping there did not hear him
as he went into the yard and escaped.
Officer Furlong Immediately sent after
Chief Delaney, and as the news spread a
curious crowd gathered about the place,
and some of the holder ones attempted to
gain an entrance to the room in which the
body lay.
The murderer is believed to have left the
city on the Walla Walla. She left this port
for San Francisco via Victoria at 4 O'Clock
yesterday morning. A number of Italian
laborers also left on the Sehome for Ana
cortes at 1880. He might have escaped
that way. Some officers think he is still
hiding near the city. 1t was at first
thought that more than one man was i'm
pllcated in the commission Of the deed,
but the inquest this afternoon proved con-
clusively that Celia had no accomplices.
The verdict of the coroner's jury was
that deceased came to his death from
wounds inflicted by some blunt instrument
in the hands of person or persons to
the jury unknown. The county commits
sioners will probably offer a reward for the
apprehension of the murderer.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MURDERER.
The supposed murderer is dark, with
brown eyes and black mustache. He wore,
when last seen, dark suit of clothes and
black felt hat with q broad brim. He evi.
IDENTIFY had made up his mind to rob the
old man before the idea of murder struck
him, for the cash drawer in the grocery,
with the exception of a little sum of small
change, was empty. The robber and muir
derer hid not want any jewery, for he left
two gold watches in the chest and silver
watch on the table.
When found Deletis's head was almost
severed from the body, there being
wounds also on the head and in the rear of
the left ear. The body was in a kneeling
position III front of the bed iii pool OF
blood. He must have rolled off while
struggling with his assailant. Blood was
all over the room, and stream the whole
distance down the stairs 10 the rear door,
whtre the murderer made his escape. He
secured about 800 in cash and several ar
tioles in jewelry. The police have every
hope OF capturing Celia.