Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-08-09
FiendishIy Butchered in
a California Town
BY ONE OF HIS EMPLOYEES.
Clubbed and Knitted Because the State
Tax Was Kept From His Wages.

The sad fate Of Captain William Nc
Kelvey, who left this city for California
several years ago, and for the past eighteen
has had charge Of Modjeska's ranch at
Pasadena, Southern California, is learned
today. There he met his death, being
most foully murdered by Spaniard at
work upon the ranch. The trouble arose
from Captain McKelvey deductlng $3.50
from the mans wages, this being the poll
tax required by the State. Thus for
paltry sum, one OF tho best and most
kind hearted OF men met with horrible
death at tho hands Of the assassin.
The murderer, Francisco Torres, brutal
greaser, Is well known In California and
bears a very unenviablo reputation. Fur
ther particulars of the horrible crime de-
velop the fact that Torres went to the
house early In tho morning for the express
purpose of numbering his victim il he did
not pay him all of his weeks wages. The
money for his work, save the $3.50 for poll
tax, had been offered the Mexican on Sat-
urday night, but he would not accept 1t at
the time, saying in threatening manner
that he would have it all or none.
Sunday morning he put on his best suit
of clothes, and, after paying for his
weeks board, said he was going up to
collect the weeks wages coming to
him. On his way back to the ranch he
cut heavy sycamore club, which he car
ried with him into the room in which he
murdered his employer.
Opon arriving at the ranch he found
Captain McKelvey attending to the morn
money and was informed that he could
have all but the $3.50; that that amount,
by order of tho Tax Collector, had been
deducted for poll tax. Angry words fol-
lowed, but the captain went on about his
work and Torres kept dogging after him.
Finally the captain won't into room in
which bin was located, containing feed
for chickens. From this room he never
came out alive. Torres, seeing his chance,
grasped a wooden pick handle, 1t being
longer than his. sycamore club, and dealt
his victim a powerful blow, cutting u
great cash on the top of his skull.
Not being satisfied with his work, the
fiend dealt him another blow, presumably
after he had fallen, on the side Of the
head, with the same result as the first.
The sight Of blood seemed to make him
furious, and, smiling in ghoulish glee, he
slipped long knife, or Spanish dagger,
from his bosom, and, raising the arm of
the unfortunate man, plunged the glitter
ing blade to the hilt in the quivering flesh
and through the heart OF the gasping
dead.
His foul work thus finished, he hastoned
to his boarding house and changing some
OF his apparel, and quickly eating a cold
lunch started out In the hills, the fsvorite
rendezvous for oil Mexican bandits.
The Board OF Supervisors has offered
200 reward for the arrest and return Of
Torres, and it Is reported that Nine.
Modjeska has offered an individual re-
ward of $500 for his arrest and return.
William McKclvey, the victim, was 81
years old and was well and favorobiy
known in California, having lived there
for number of years. For the past year
or eighteen months he had been acting in
the capacity OF foreman on the Modjcska
ranch.
He had many warm friends hore. Enoch
Lewis and DIR. Durham, who started for
California today and who intended to call
on the murdered man, heard of his fate
inst before they started.
lie was brother Of David McKelvey,
one OF the former proprictors Of the
Slater House.