The herald., 1895-02-26
\ MEXICAN AND HIS KNIFE
The Siabbing of a Constable by
a Vicious Prisoner
WOUND PROBABLY FATAL
He Was Wanted for Stealing the Hogs
of Neighb0r
Tile Puffian Denies That He Did the Stabbing
and Claims That a Friend of His
Welded the Knife

At about ten o'clock last night the
quiet OF the County Jail was disturbed by
the ringing of the bell and the groans of
agony of prisoner as he stood at the
front door in charge OF an officer with
the blood flowing from his wounds,
waiting to be taken in.
Police Surgeon Bryant was telephoned
for and he soon arrived and as he operat-
ed upon the patient M. d. Nash, one of
the constables of Caabasas township. told
the following story
To-day, my brother, G. W. Nash, who
has ranch at Las Virgines, called upon
Justice of the Peace A. w. Richardson of
Clabasas, and swore to complaint charg-
ing Manuel Dominguez with hog steal
ing. A warrant was issued for his arrest
and placed in the hands OF Constable Har-
vey Branscombe for service. Brans-
combe, in company with Henry Fisher
and another man whom | don't know,
drove out to Dominguez's place to arrest
him.
II met Branscombe at the turn of the
road and he requested me to remain
where | was until his return and after he
had captured Dominguez we would
search the ranch for the stolen hogs. He
drove off and had not been gone very
long before several shots were fired. inn
mediatey rushed to my friends assistance,
and when | reached the scene of trouble
| found Branscombe lying on the ground
with the blood flowing through his clothes
and suffering intense agony.
He told me that as soon as he read the
warrant of arrest to Dominguez he refused
to surrender and he went toward him to
take him. AS quick as a flash the Mexi-
can pulled knife and stabbed him in the
back between the shoulder blades, and
in the left side.
"We made poor Harvey as comfortable
as possible by carrying him into Leo
Lungazave's house near by and placing
him upon bed. Branscombe said that
even after the Mexican refused to surren-
der he did not expect to be assaulted, or
he should have been more careful He
said that he knew he could not live, and
asked that the prisoner be taken to the
County Jail as soon as possible.
Immediately after the cutting someone
| cannot say now whether it was Brans
combe, Nash or the stranger who was
with them, shot at Dominguez. and he
fell. One bullet went sideways across his
stomach and the other lodged in his right
leg. The desperate fellow fell over and
laid on the ground groaning until we Sc
cured wagon and placed him in it,
He denied that ne cut Branscombe,
claiming that it was someone else who
inflicted the wounds, but he could not
give the name of the party.
81 asked Mr.. Lungazave to accompany
me and together we brought Dominguez
into town.
"Dominguez is desperate fellow and
always has been in trouble
1t is said that he has been in the peni-
tentary- and if not he certainly should
have been.
I 4 T,,, IL!
porter that for several years he has lived on
the adjoining government claim to that
of Dominguez, and he has always es-
teemed him as brute. 'Why, said he
''only week ago | found some OF his
horses loose on my place and put them in
my corral. | then went to Calabasas.
When | returned home | found my wife,
who is in delicate condition, in a
frightful state. | learned from her that
during my absence Dominguez called to
get mis- horses, and that he became so en-
ragged because | had locked them up that
he Knocked her down with blow from
his fist and kicked her most unmerci
fully. | had not seen him until the shoot
ing or perhaps Branscombe would not be
wounded as he now is.
DR.. Bryant attended to Dominguez. His
wounds were found to be painful, but not
dangerous. The wound on the stomach
was only superficial and the wound in the
leg, while it may make the limb stiff, is
not serious. Harvey Branscombe, the
man who is so seriously wounded, for
number OF years kept a livery stable on
First street in this city. About two
years ago he moved to Calabasas, and for
several years has been the towns post
master. He has been constable for long
time and has always been regarded as a
brave fellow, although very impulsive.
Last winter when the train was robbed
at Roscoe, some one circulated the report
around town that Branscombe was in the
job. He buckled on several pistols and
came to Los Angeles in a vain hunt for
his traducer. The tears trickled down
his cheeks when he told of the atrocious
misrepresentation of which he had been
the object. He was finally disarmed by
his friends. After a few days stay here
he returned home and nothing more was
heard of him in the city until the news
OF his being stabbed WAS learned last NIGHT