The San Francisco call., 1895-12-03

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,(
90s broadway, Dec. 2. !
Felice Varni, an Italian, was found dead
on the Haines ranch, near San Leandro,
under such conditions as to make it GER
tain that a murder was committed.
AS Deputy Sheriff HeIlar was driving
along the county road this morning he
saw figure about zoo feet from the road,
on the hillside. He at first thought it was
man asleep. and then the idea flashed
across him that it might be the bandit,
Crowley, back in this locality. AS he ap-
preached the man he saw that his head
was covered with blood and that he had
been killed. There were four charges from
a shotgun in different parts Of his body.
With one exception the shots had all been
fired at short range. One shot destroyed
the left side of the head; second had
penetrated the middle of the spinal
column; third had carried away large
portion of the upper right arm, and a
fourth had entered the neck, just beneath
the chin.
The matter was reported to the Sheriff
office and Deputy AL White went out and
examined the vicinity of the tragedy.
Five empty cartridge shells of different
pattern from those found in Varni's belt
were on the ground near where the body
lay. The gun which belonged to the de-
ceased was lying by his side, and the Off
GERS think from the way in which it was
found that the murderer, after making
sure that he had killed the man, placed the
weapon by his side to create the i'm preston
that it was suicide.
After the body was brought to the
morgue it was identified as Felice Varni, Il
young scayenger, who resides at I'll Myrtle
no
with four companions to hunt. His COM
panions were Arata Felice, M. Ghirardelli,
John FigonO and De Vinchina. They all
returned home yesterday at different times.
They say that after eating lunch together
in the hills they all went different ways
| and no one saw Narni.
When the murder was known in the dis
trict where Varni resided Mr.. Ghirardelli,
one OF his companions, went to the morgue
and made statement to the Coroner. He
! SAID that after eating lunch at $3.50 yester-
day morning the hunters separated. Varni
was In company with Arata, Devenchensa
and another man whose name is not
known. After going short distance
Arata said that he separated from the
Others about 1o:l5, and that was the last
| he saw of Varni alive.
Ghirardell says that the agreement
among the hunters was that they should
all meet at Johnson's saloon on the San
Leandro road. He was first there. then
Arata and Figono came, and they decided
to go home alone. That was all any of
them knew Of Varni, as they had not seen
him since.
The deceased's landlady, Mrs. Pizzolo,
called at the morgue this evening and
stated that she thought the motive for the
murder was robbery, as Varni had $75 in
his possession when he left home.
This evening John NJ. Ghirardelli, Arata
| Vinci and G,| Layaretto were takcn to the
Sheriff's officA and the deposition of each
was taken. The only story that lacked
completeness was that of Ghirardeili, and
in many respects it differed materially
from that of the others. The Sheriff re-
leased all but Ghirardelli, but decided that
there was too much that was suspicious to
warrant his release at present.