The record-union., 1895-12-03
Committed on a Ranch a Few Miles
From the City Of Oakland.
MANS BODY, FOUND WITH THE TOP
OF HIS HEAD BLOWN OFF
A CHASTITY, Gaping Wound Also in the
Back-Nothing Found on the Body
by Which to Identify the Remains
Police and Detectives at work
on the Case Trying to Ferret Out
the Motive and Perpetrators or
the Crime.
the Crime.

OAKLAND, Dec. "A brutal muir
der was committed in the foothills
back Of the Haines ranch, about eight
miles from this city, some time yester-
day, and the unknown dead man, with
the top of his head blown off and par
ticles of the brain matter spattered
over his hat and clothing, ghastly,
gaping wound in the back, just under
the left shoulder, and the right arm
shattered, is lying at the Morgue await
ing identification.
The body was found by Deputy Sher-
if Sam Heller about s o'clock this
morning. neller lives out in that vi
cinity, and as soon as the CHASTITY dis
covery was made; he notified the Sher-
ifs office by te lephone, and Deputy
Sheriff White accompanied Deputy
Coroner Quinls n to the scene OF the
tragedy.
The Sheriff and Coroner reached the
ranch house about noon, and III com
pany with Mr.. Heller hastened to where
the dead man ilay. They found him ly-
ing with his h cad down hill.
Near by wa. ) his game bag partially
filed with gal ne, and by his side, and
not over one Fl Dot from the body was ms
shotgun cont aiming two empty cart
rCdges.
The empty gun led the officers to be-
lieVe that it was a case OF SUICIDE, put
when a close examination was made
this theory Jas dropped for it would
have been in possible for a man to IN
flict the ghas tly wound that tore away
the brain an then to have shot him.
self in the b: lck.
Deputy She riff White says that in his
opinion the first shot was tred IN the
mans face. and as he fell backwards
ard was roIa ing down the hill the two
other shots were fired in his back.
The empty shells were found little
further up tn hill from where the body
lay, and this lends color to the Sheriff
theory.
Nothing WAS found or the body by
which the id entity of the man could
be establishes !. he was dressed IN q
rough hunting suit and appears to be
a man betwee 80 and 30 years of age
with dark col npleXion, feet inches
tall and weig hs about 100 pounds.
AS soon as the remains reached the
Morgue the c hief of Police was notI-
fed and Detect Holland is now at
work ON cas- that promises to prove
one of the fog lest murders ever perpe-
trated in alameda County.
Iatesr-Aftetr the body was brought
to the morgue it was identified as Felice
Varni, a Xoung scaNenger, who resides
at III Myrtle street. Yesterday morn
ing he went out with. four companions
to hurnt His companions were Drata
Felice. NJ. Ghiradelli John Figorro and
De Vinchina. They all returned home
yesterday al different times. They say
that after eating lunch together in the
hills they all went different ways.
When the murder was known in the
district where Varni resided, MI.
Chirardelh went TO the mOrgue and
made a statement 10 the Coroner. He
said that after eating lunch at 800
o'clock yesterday morning the hunters
separated Varni was in company with
/ Felice De Vinchina and another man
whose name is not known. After gong
a short distance, Arata said he sepa-
rated from the others, and that was the
last he saw of Varni alive.
This evening GhirardelA, Vlncl and
De Vinchina were taken to the Sheriff
office and the deposition OF each was
taken The only story that lacked COM
rleteness was that Of Ghira:rGelli, and in
many respects it differed materially
| from that of the others. Tire Sheriff re-
leased all but Ghirardelli. but decided
| that there was too much that was sus-
picious to warrant his release at pres
! ent.
The deceased's Fandlady, Mrs. Piz-
! zcl called at the mOrgue this evening
/ and stated that she thought the motive
for the murder was robbery. as Varni
had S75 in his possession when he left
! kCme