The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-03
HOT ON THE TRAIL
Tracking the Murderer of
Peter Vanetti.
WAS 1T THE PORTUGUESE -?
The Suspected Man Displays Watcf
and Money and Then Disappears
in the Mountains.
Special to THE MORNING CALI

HALFMoON BAY, April 2.-Sheriff Nc
Evoy and deputies arrived On this side of
the mountains early this morning and began
their search for the murderer CT Peter Van
etti.
On examination of the scene of the mur-
der it was found impossible TO track the
man from there. as all his tracks begin and
end at the fume. showing that he came in
and went out on the fume. Where he left
the f1ume and took to the ground it would
be almost impossible to ascertain.
The officers then turned their attention in
other channels, and this afternoon the off
GERS met man at Byrne's store, on the
stage road near Crystal Springs Like, who
furnished the first clew that has borne in
vestigation. The man who gave the inform
alton is an old man, who has several sons
and grandsOns in business in San Francisco.
One of his grandsons was with him when
the following circumstances took place:
He says ne was going from here to the
summit in cart ON Tuesday, the day of
the murder, and at the foot of the hill a
man asked for ride. This was about noon
or little sfterward. He was a foreigner.
probably a Portuguese. He had a dark
complexion. a heavy black mustache and
short growth of whskers. He had on work
he had been fishing on the bay here and
was on his way TO the Old Country. He
displayed some rings and a watch. lie
wanted to sell the rings, but the old gentle
man would not buy. telling him he had no
money.
The old man suspected something was
wrong and reasoned that the mans object
in showing him the rings was to ascertain
II the old man had aIy money on his per-
son. The Portuguese claimed to have $500
in his pocket, the profits of one months
fishing. When they got to the top of the
hill, where the old man turned off another
road, the Portuguese got out and went on
down the road. He carried a roll of cloth
ing, an oyercoat and cane.
Martin Burns says he came on down to
his place, got q drink and continued on
toward San Mateo on the county road.
Other people saw the man described, and
he can easily be identified.
The point where he asked for ride is at
| Hurlng's house, at the mouth of the can
yon where the murder was committed, and
! the theory is that if he was the murderer
he came down directly from the scene of
the crime to that spot. He would have had
! just the amount of time necessary.
The man who committed the murder
! must nave been vicious individual After
| firing the bullets into his victim he took
Vanetti's hatchet and broke in bis skull and
chopped and hacked his head and shoulders
| The blow itself would have caused instant
death, as would at least one of the bullets.
| Two bullets were found. They were A
| caliber British bulldog slugs.
The dead man will be buried Monday
| afternoon. A Coroner's jury viewed the
| OH 1ay 1x,-fn
! day next at 10 O'Clock A NJ.
Vanett1s brother was over here Saturday
/ night and helped get the body out. This
brother has been living near Woodside, ten
miles from here, for three years, but as he
and Peter did not agree well he did not know
much of Peters habits although he says
he is sure that there is money buried some
| where.
The officers are using every effort to find
the murderer and an arrest is momentaIily
expected.