The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-13
FIRING FROM AMBUSH,
The Men Had Beaten a Promi-
nent American Saloon
Keeper to Death.
TRAILED BY A BLOODHOUND.
One of the Number Confessed the
Crime and Implicated His
Countrymen.

PUEBLO, Colo, March IA special to
the Chleftain from Walsenburg, a small
town fifty-six miles south of Pueblo, says
A mob in ambush at 1880 this evening
fired on wagon containing nine Italians,
who are charged with fatally beating A. J.
Hixon, a saloon-keeper at Rouse, coal
mining camp six miles from Walsenburg,
Sunday last. Four of the Italians and the
Wagon-driver were killed.
The prisoners, who had been lodged in
the Walsenburg jail were taken to the
Cororer's inquest at Rouse this afternoon.
AT the conclusion of the session for the
day the prisoners were loaded into the
wagon and started back to the jail. At
Bear Creek, region where there is much
underbrush, half mile from Walsenburg,
the crack OF score of rifles, presumably
IN the hands of miners, rang out. Four of
the prisoners, whose names cannot be
learned on account of the excitement
were instantly killed. Joe Welby, a
young American boy, who was driving the
wagon, was also killed. The officers re-
turned the fire, which lasted for several
minutes. The most intense excitement
reigns.
Walsenburg and Rouse are both off the
main line of the railroad, and attempts to
secure further details have failed, because
the telegraph Offices are not open at night
The work of the mob was to avenge a
peculiarly brutal crime. Att O'Clock Mon
day morning two men, en- route to work at
Rouse, discovered A. J. Hixon, proprietor
of saloon, in dying condition, about an
eighth of mile from his place of business.
MIR. Hixon had been struck on the back of
the head with blunt weapon and was I'M
conscious. He expired within an hour.
Some days since I. ]. Brewer, pit boss of
the Rouse mine, imported trained blood
hound, which was promptly summoned.
The animal rushed away on the trail, and
within ten minutes seized table leg in the
rear of a saloon half a mile distant. Upon
examination blood was discovered on this
leg. The dog then proceeded to the saloon
door, and two men, Lorenzo Danino and Jo-
batto Antonio, were discovered therein, who
exhibited considerable anxiety to get away.
They were arrested. Two more men, Pete
Rosetta and Frank Anrico, were arrested
in cabin near by.
Admissions of knowledge of the murder
were secured from two of them immedi-
ately upon their arrest, and later they di-
vulged the names of seven others who
were with them, and charged Lorenzo
Danino with the murder. Two of the par
ties had started south.
The officers were quickly in the saddle,
and the entire nine were under arrest by 4
P. NJ. The names of the additional five
are: Pete Jacobini, Francisco Ronketto,
one Corporalla, one Milo and one Nicholai,
whose Christian names are unknown
Threats of lynching Danino were gener-
ally INDUCED in during the day. and quite
number of men were scattered along the
route to Walsenburg, but it was thought
there was scarcely possibility that VIC
lence would be attempted.
Hixon was rather popular with the
American miners, and general indignation
prevails. He was an Arkansan, late of
Texas, and SO or SO years of age He was
supposed to have returned from Walsenburg
on horseback about 10 P M, and to have
been attacked unawares. The incentive of
the murder is problem, as Hixon was not
of an aggressive or quarrelsome DISPOSE
ton.