The herald., 1895-02-28
.bRANSCONBE' NARRATIVE
The Way DOminguez Stabbed
Him in the Lung
A MEXICAN'S TREACHERY
Used a Knife When Taken in Custody
for Hog Stealing
The Story Of a Mysterious Stranger Exploded
and the Guilt Fully Fastened
Upon the Prisoner

Deputy District Attorney Frank R.
Willis and Deputy Sheriff Martin Aguirre
returned yesterday evening from Gala
basas, where they had gone to take the
ante-mortem statement of Constable Har-
vey Branscombe. mortally wounded by a
Mexican named Manuel Dominguez, for
whom he had warrant for hog stealing.
Branscombe was found by the officers
yesterday at M. H. Elliott's house, ten
miles west OF Calabasas, to which place he
had been moved on Tuesday from the
ranch of Leon Gazave. The wounded man
was so hopeful of recovery that it was i'm
possible to obtain from him statement
which might be used in evidence in case
of his death. He wanted his friends in
Los Angeles informed that he would live
to read the funeral notices of many of
them yet. The opinion of those who
nurse him, however, is that he is in a
very sad plight. DR.. Turner of San Fer.
nando, who attends him, says that he has
an even chance for recovery but nothing
more.
Mrs. Branscombe and her mother went
to Calabasas from their Boyle Heights
home to be present at his bedside.
Although the deposition made by the
wounded constable concerning the affray
is unavailable, arrangements have been
made to obtain another one in the event
OF his wound taking turn for the worse,
and this would then be used in case of
case of his death to convict Manuel Do
minguez of the murder. 1t will be about
ten days before the latter sufficiently re-
covers to have his examination, and he
will then be taken back to Calabasas to
undergo it.
The statement made by Harvey Brans-
combe and confirmed by witnesses is
that he had received warrant for Do
minguez' arrest on the hog-stealing
charge and had gone to the Mexcan's
house to serve it. He was accompanied
by Harvey Bass, friend from Artesia,
who was visiting him at his place. When
Dominguez was informed by the consta-
bic OF the contents of the warrant, he said
that it was all right but he refused to
allow himself to be searched for weapons.
He also wanted TO drive in his own
wagon, but as there was double barreled
shotgun in it, Branscombe objected. He
put his hand on the shoulder of his pris-
oner, who Immediately placed his arm
around the constable's waist, as if at
tempting to clinch with him. At that
moment Branscombe felt the prick of
steel Just below his left shoulder. He
pulled out his revolver and with the butt
hit Dominguez repeatedly over the head
to stun and overpower him. He could
have shot him then, but wished to avoid
doing so.
About this time Deminguez's daughter
crowded i'll among the combatants. AS
her father was sinking to the gronnd, ap-
parently dazed by the blows rained upon
his head he reached around the girls
body and stabbed the officer once more;
this time under the right shoulder blade
and the knife penetrated the lung.
Branscombe while falling called out to his
frta 10,
has killed mer' Then Bass fired three
shots at Dominique. two of which took
effect as was related in The Herald the
day following the fight. BY this
time Branscombe had tainted; Bass
picked him up and conveyed him to their
buggy. NJ. d. Nash, "a deputy constable
who was coming along with a search war
uez in a state OF collapse at the scene of
the affray.
1t is now positively known that thers
was no foundation for the story told by
Dominguez that the stabbing of the Con-
stable was done by stranger, as the
knife with which Branscombe was wound
ed was seen i'll the hands of the prisoner
by two or three different persons at the
time of the cutting. The stranger whom
Dominguez tries to implicate by innu.
endo, is a Mexican who was working for
Dominguez, but he was about two hun
dred feet away at the time of the row
and had no part whatever in it. The
prosecution will produce him at the
proper time to convict Dominguez.
Bass after the shooting went and gave
himself up to Justice of the Peace Rich
ardson, but was ordered released by De-
putty District Attorney Willis, as his acts
were justified. The hog stealing charge
against Dominguez, which was the pri-
mary cause of the attempted homicide,
seems to have been founded on strong
evidence. The Slaughtered carcasses OF
four stolen porkers were seen by brother
of Deputy Constable Nash at Dominguez'
place, and it was upon this information
that the criminal proceedings were in
augurated. During the excitement conse-
quent upon the encounter, the meat was
spirited away and has not been found
since.