The herald., 1896-02-09
HE ALMOST BLED TO DEATH
A Man Smashed in the Head With a
Beer Glass
The Wcy an Italian Fruit Vender Resented
the Familiarity OF a Strangsr-Had
Close Call

Yesterday afternoon about 3 80 o'clock
telephone message was received at the po-
lice station, stating that man was bleed
ing to death ftom cut in the head, at
Maloney's carriage works, on Also street,
east of Alameda, and asking that the patrol
wagon be sent at once. The injured man,
who had been taken to DR.. Whites drug
store and had his head bandaged, was
promptly removed to the receiving hospital,
where ne was attended by Police Surgeon
Bryant. He was very weak from loss of
blood when brought in, and lapsed into in
sensihility while under the DOCTORS treat
ment. Later he revived sufficiently to give
his name, John LAslie, and said that he
lived at No. 54S Ssuth Spring street. He
asked that his wife be sent for, but she was
not at home when the officer called, and
word was left f. or her to call ut the station
on her return.
The man who cut Leslie was also taken
to the station and locked up on charge of
assault with deadly weapon. He is
little Italian named Emilio Dema.io, who
keeps small fruit stand on Also street,
opposite the carriage works. Dematio in
sisted that he was not to blame, and freely
gave his story of the difficulty. He said
that he was sweeping off the sidewalk in
front of his place, when Leslie and another
may came by. AS they passed, Leslie
pushed his companion against him. De-
matio saws that he demonstrated with the
men. telling them not to push into his
stand and knock over his fruit. as it would
make much additional work for him. Les
lie, he says, then began cursing and abLs-
ing him, calling him vile names, and when
he rotreated into his place Leslie followed
him, as he supposed, to chastise him. wnen
oil md of
him, striking him on the side of the head, {,
smashing the glass and inflicting an ugly
cut. a vein and artery having evidently
been severed, from the severe hemorrha2e.
Demai was placed under arrest by Dep
uty Constable Hill and held until the arrival
Of the pol ce.
An hour or two after Leslie and Demato
we're taken to the station n man giving the
name of John Brazil called to see now
Leslie was getting along. In answer to
questions. he said that he was the man
with Leslie when the trouble occurred. He
told somewhat different story from the
Italian. Brazil said that he and Leslie
were walking along the pavement together,
and when passing the Italian, Leslie
pushed him against the little man in a
spirit of fun. This aroused the wrath of
the Italian, and he began to abuse them
and call them names. They had passed
the fruit stand, he said. and the Italian
keeping up his abuse, Leslie turned and
pretended that he was going after him.
The Italian did not wait to see whether he
was in earnest or not, but dartiDg into his
stand, grabbed up a beer glass and fired it
at Leslie. with the result above given.
Brazil denied positively that Leslie fol-
lowed Dematio into his stand, and insisted
that he only shuffled his feet on the side
walk, in imitation of running.
1t is not believed that Leslie is in any
danger. He is very weak from loss of
blood, but after the first shock showed slow
but steady Improvement. There is no doubt
but what if prompt measures had not been
taken at once to stop the flow of blood, the
man would have bled to death before he
could have been got to the receiving hos
pitai.
Both Leslie and Brazil were under the
influence of liquor when the affray took
place.