The herald., 1893-05-08
WHO KILLED SAN EDROFRENcHY.
The CorOner's Jury Returns a
N0n-Committal Verdict.
1T is Believed that Other Union Men
Were Killed.
The Testimony Given Yesterday Before
the coroner-No investigation of
the Identity OF the Dead
Mans Companions. a7u
Special to the HERALD.

Special to the HERALD, ea -,
SAN PEDRO, May There is depth
OF mystery surrounding the attack of the
Halycon at Redondo Beach Saturday
evening which has not as yet been PEN
etrated. The sailor, M. Sylvia, known
as Frenchy, who was found dead in a
boat here Saturday morning, is the only
unfortunate who has thus far been dis-s
covered. II is belived though that
there are other victims OF Friday nights
assault who have not yet come to the
surface. 1t is believed to be a positive
fact that two others of the boarding
party were wounded but just how SER
icus their wounds were cannot be
learned for the present.
THE coRoNER's INVESTIGATION.
Coroner Gates held an Inquest today at
0o'clock on the body OF tha dead sailor
Sylvia. known here as Frenchy. Sylvia
was killed Friday night while trying,
with others OF the sailors union, to take
scab crew of sailors from the schooner
Haleyon at Redondo Beach.
On Coroner Gates arrival here Satur-
day he empannelled Jury and proceed
ed TO the boat in which the body OF sylvia
was found at Timms point. The consta
BILE was in charge. After viewing the
body it was removed to the building OF
Fred. Wack where DR.. Weldon held an
autopsy.
UNION MEN MYSTERIOUS.
The coroner started his investigation
on Saturday but nobody could be found
who had seen the boat 20 or return with
its dead freight and every union sailor
was woefully ignorant of any knowledge
OF the affair or who took part in it.
Saturday night the coroner drove to
Redondo' and boarded the Halcyon
(Which WAS lying off Redondo wharf) for
further news and witnesses. The mates
and men on board we're quite unwilling
to say anything at all but upon being in
formed by the coroner that be would
subpoena every man aboard to be at San
Pedro Sunday at s 80 unless the wit
nesses were forthcoming, some were
quite eager to make statement.
When the coroner boarded the
Hslcyon she appeared more like
ship of war than peaceful lumber
droga. Loaded revolvers and guns were
lying all around the deck, and deputy
sherifs were aB thick as feas on dog.
THE INQUEST.
This morning the irquest was held.
One of the sailors testified that about
Ii 80 Friday night while in his bunk he
heard noise, and on raising up was
confronted by two men armed with re-
volvers, who ordered him to get his
clothes on and get into the boat along
eide. He asked for time to dress, and
just then regular fusiIade of shots
sounded on deck. The men immedi-
ately rushed on deck and leaped into
boat, which put off from the vessel,
and shots we're fred by Captain Rice,
the mate and the deputy sheriffs on
the wharf and aboard the vessel sThess-
shetH were returned By those in the
boat, and then the boat was rowed
away in the darkness. The witness did
not know any one was shot. .
The watchman on the Halycon testi-
fed to finding revolver Saturday morn,
ing on the ship that did not belong to
any one aboard. The revolver had In it
two empty cartridges.
The mate testified to seeing man
escape from the hold Saturday morning
On questioning him the witness was sat-
isied that he was one OF the crew of the
landing boat. He was arrested. His
name he thought to be Tom Peterson,
DR.. Weldon testified as to the autopsy
that the man was shot in the back with
q number 40 conical bullet, and that
said shot was the cause OF death.
Gus Bradt, the party who was first to
discover the dead body of Sylvia in the
boat at Timms' landing, testified to this
fact. He knew nothing about the boat,
how it got to Timms landing nor how
the dead body in 1T came there.
Captain Rice gave q detailed state
g 4 L. ~. n. 4. L
it. The captains testimony merely EN-
bodied the statement which he gave
Saturday evening and which appeared
exclusively in the HERALD yesterday
morning.
The bullet entered Sylva's right side
and broke the second rib. 1t then de
flected and passing on broke the third
rib and went through both lungs, lodg-
ing just inside the skin on the left side.
Death must have ensued within half an
hour after the ehot was fred, resulting
directly from a hemorrhage. The
verdict OF the jury was that
Slyva came to his death at the hands
OF some person or persons unknown to
the jury.
THE DEAD MAN LAID TO REST.
Slyva was buried by the union today.
The affair is wrapped in mystery, as
no one will tell who was in the boat.
There are all sorts OF rumors current to-
night as to the men who were. killed and
injured in the fracas Friday night.
1t ls rumored and believed that one
other man is shot and that the body is
hidden away here in San Pedro.
1t is feared that this is but the con-
mencement of trouble between the Sail
ors' union and the shipmasters and
owners. Things are quiet here on the
surface, but there is noticed great deal
of suppressed excitement among the
sailors.
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