Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-10
A STORY OF BLOOD.
q WEALTHY SPANISH RANCH
MANS AWFUL REVENGE.
4 Recreant Wife and Her Paramoar
Stabbed to the Heart-The Husband then
Drives a Poinard Into His Own Heart.
Special to the Gazette.

Special to the Gazette.
LAS CRUCES, MEXICO, July 9.-Lying side
by side with hands folded across their
breasts, their dead eyes open as if appeal
ing to heaven, lay the bodies of a tall and
rather handsome American and a dark
haired Mexican woman, who, but for the
look of deadly terror which had been fixed
on her features at the moment of death,
would have been considered beautiful. This
was the sight which met the eyes of Jose
NarrilOS as he rode through the chapparal
brush on the north end of his hacienda last
week Nlarrilos was hunting a lost
bronco, and his attention was attracted to
the brush by seeing buzzard flap heavily
from the ground. An investigation showed
that the bodies had been brought to the
place and deposited in the out-of-the-way
spot with the evident intention of having
the bu2zards and coyotes hide all traces of d
most fearful crime.
a double murder had been committed
and the mode was evidence sufficient that
some Spaniard'S jealousy had been
aroused and his vengeance had,been rs swift
as it was terrible. An examination of the
bodies showed that both met death by the
same sure hand, the man first and the
woman afterwards. Penetrating to the
heart Of the man from the shoulder was q
narrow stab wound where the deadly sti-
letto had been driven home from behind
with one swift, sharp blow. The heart had
been cleft in twain by the stroke, and death
must have been instantaneous, for d smile
still played on the lips of the handsome
mouth
The woman must have been a witness to
the crime and then became the second
victim, for an awful look of horror and
fright was on her face, and Sticking in her
bosom, with its point resting in her heart,
was the weapon with which the terrible'
deed had been committed-a long pearl
handled dagger.
Two days later the mystery was cleared
by the confess on and suicide of Pedro
,Iarramilla, one of the wealthieSt and most
prominent ranchmen in the state. The
knife which was left in the heart of the
dead woman was the clew which led to the
unveiling of the tangled skein. The poinard
was of peculiar make and attracted great
attention by its finish and beauty This
dagger was placed upon exhibition and
heTder, who at one time worked for Jlrra-
milla, at once recognized it and said that
his former master was of jealous and
very revengeful disposition.
This talk led to an investigation at the
ranch of Jarramilla and it was learned that
Donna lnez, the wife of the rich ranchman,
had disappeared from home. 1t had been
given out at the ranch that she had gone to
the City of Mexico on 4 visit. Don Pedro
was arrested and. with several people who
were acquainted with the family, was taken !,
to NlarrilOs' ranch and confronted with
the two dead bodies. The woman was at
once identified as the wife of Jarramil!a,
none could tell who the man was. Don Pc
drO would say nothing except that he knew
nothing of his wife and had never seen the
man before. Jarramilla was placed in
prison and after the first night broke down
and made q full confession. He said that
the man was Richard Morrison, surveyor
from the United States, who had been en-
gagged in laying route for a railroad near
his ranch. The American and his wife
paid so much attention to each other that
his suspicious were aroused and he deter
mined to watch them. One morning he
told the old story of having to go to distant
part of the ranch, and said he would be
gone all day. He changed clothes with a
harder and sent the man of on a horse.
while he remained at the corral In about
an hour one of the boys of the place saddled
q horse and rode rapidly toward the survey
or's camp. He soon returned with Morrison,
who went to the house. Jarramilla quietly
slipped to the room and there beheld a
sight which turned him into a tiger He
crept stealthily upon the couple and with a
swift stroke of his dagger Smote the man
down at the feet OF his mistress. The
woman was too frightened to- scream. and
before she could recover from the shock of
the awful death the dagger was sheathed
in her own heart. Don Pedro then called
together his people and showed them what
he had done. That night the bodies were
placed in wagon and for two days the
party Travelled until they thought they Were
beyond all chance of recognition and there
they left the couple to be picked to pieces |
by vultures and wolves. After the confess |
sion Jarramila was not watched closely. |
and it is supposed that some OF his servftors |
to him knife, for on the follow |
ng morning he was found dead with a |
poinard sticking in his heart.