The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-11-19
THE DUMB WITNESS.

Angeles county, the murder in 1841 OF
one Nicholas Finch, a German. But
naught say these chronicles concerning
certain curious details connected with
that crime, known to those versed in the
unwritten history of southern California,
and these matters are set forth as fol-
lows:
Fronting the old parish church of
Nuestra Sonora la Reina de Los Angeles
still stands today long, old fashioned
building Of two stories, with dormer
windowed roof, once the residence of
his reverence the bishop of this diocese
This edlfce is now the focus-the thea
ter, believe-of the Chinese quarter,
and the cross that topped it, so long fa-
milier to the eyes of Angelonos, has
been supplanted by the great swinging
lanterns of lacquered wood and brilliant
hued paper.
Ere this house came to be used as the
episcopal abode, Nicholas Finck kept
within it little shop, where he sold
liquors, groceries and other miscellane-
Gus wares. From time to time he re-
plenished his stock from the vessels
which touched at San Pedro, and when
he went down to that port to make his
purchases, he was wont to leave his door
key with his friends, Charles Baric and
his wife Sophie, French people living
across the plaza, close by the church,
81 -, ~ 1e
photograph gallery.
One day Nine. Baric discovered that
her compadres door was not opened, and
she marveled somewhat thereat, know
ing, first, that no trading vessel was
anchored at San Pedro, and, moreover,
that Finck always, as has been said,
brought his key to her when going afeld.
And her wonder became alarm when
three days passed, and the door remained
closed, and there was no sign Of her
friend and neighbor. So the little
Frenchwoman crossed the plaza, her
husband having been for some DAYS alb
sent from the pueblo, and she knocked
at the door of Nicholas Finck, and, get
ting no answer, she put first her eye,
then her ear. and then her nose to the
keyhole. The eye saw utter darkness,
the ear heard no sound from within, but
to her nostrils came an odor at once foul
and forbidding that made her limbs to
quake, her hair to creep, her gorge to
rise and her blood TO curdle. And she
hastened away with fear and trembling
and told her misgivings to Manuel Re-
quena, who, in those days, was the al
calde.
Then Don Manuel, seeing that the
case, indeed, wore an ominous aspect,
called on Don Ygnacio Coronel, who
held an Office corresponding to our pres
ent clerkship of the courts, and they
went to the house of Finek, with three
stout alguaciles (constables or baihffs),
who broke open the door, after the al
calde had thrice summoned and received
no answer. When the nauseous stencil
that came forth had been in some meas
ure weakened by the thrush of fresh air,
they stepped within and at once saw, in
side the narrow room, the body of the
German, lying near the counter,
stretched in pool of blood, stiffened
and decomposing. His head was beaten
to pieces, and the barrel of gun, that
had been hammered somewhat toward
the form of a bludgeon, showed the
means of his murder.
The officers proceeded to examine the
premises, whose condition told, not too |
obscurely, the story of the crime. Some
small wares on the counter and magni- !
lying glass clutched in the fingers of the |
dead man indicated that he had been en-
gagged in dealing of business when he |
was stricken down. That the assassins
1ad rified the little shop was manifest by
The state Of the effects, some scattered, |
some evidently missing; that they had |
escaped by the rear was doubly proved |
1y the barring inside of the street door |
md by the leading to the inner rooms of
bloody footprints whose number and
variety of shape showed that four or five
Issailants had been present. The living
'ooms, behind the shop, had been plum
Tered, but the outer door, leading into
he usual corridor and thence to low
vailed corral, had been shut, and even
ocked, from the outside. The searchers
opened this door and stepped into the
-ard
They have killed his dog also!" cried
Don Ygnacio Coronel. at sight of a great
nastitf stretched on his side upon the
,arthen floor of the corridor. But even
IS he spoke the creature stirred, slightly
fitted his head, glanced toward them,
INC feeDly wagged MS tail. When they
vent TO him they found that he was
ethered by a fast chain, and was gaunt,
weak and almost fsmished. having been
without food or water since the day be-
ore his master was murdered.
1--WE must succor this poor creature,
lot only from humanity, but also as a
said Don Ygnacio; "he
night possibly prove TO be valuable
witness"
The alcaldelook sharply al the other.
IS if 10 see if ne were testing, and the
Iiguaciles gIinned broadly. But Don
guGcic's face was serious even 10 So
emnity, as befitted the occasion, and
ne Of the ,ren was promptly dispatched
tor 'ood ara wafer. wAlcR was admInlr-
.ered TO the dog.
The discovery Of this murder was fol-
owed by wild excitement In the pueblo.
the resident forsigners-that is, not
>p2nlsh-Americans-as usual, acted as If
he crime We're 4 result of race antagon-
Sun. rather than personal motive. and
hey called loudly for vengeance, and
we're not far from creating an incendiary
Uprising. Guards were posted to watch
'ver the public safety, an ordinance WAS
ssned requiring citizens 10 be within