The herald., 1896-03-13
Result of the Inquest on the
Body of Louie John Chip
KILLED IN THE CANYON
Death From q Gunsh0t Wound at the
Hands OF MaIIie Moreno
Body Found Wedged In the Wagon
Wheei-Must Stand Examination

An equivocal verdict was rendered by
the coroner's jury which sat upon the re-
mains of Louie John Chip, the Chinaman
killed in Sepulveda canyon last Wednes-
day afternoon. They found that he came
to his death by gunshot wound inflicted
at the hands of Mallie Moreno, but failed
to state that the occurrence was to be at
tributed to an accident. 1t follows, there
fore, that the Moreno girl will have to I'M
dergo at least a preliminary examination
before she can be cleared of responsibility
for the Celestial's death. None of the wit
nesses to the affray were present at the in
quest held at the undertaking rooms yester-
day afternoon. but the depositions of NAL
lie Moreno, her mother and of Mrs. Rosa
Giovannoli, taken the night before by Dep.
uty Summerfield, were read.
After impaneling the jury and viewing
the body, Harry Arnold, one of K"eeelo &
Bresee's employees, who brought in
the body, testified. He stated that his evil
dence was based upon what had been told
by the actors upon the scene when the
shooting took place and what he saw him
self OF the surroundings. When he and
the coroner's deputy arrived at the place
they found the dead body of the Chnaman
just where he had fallen, wedged between
the hind wheel of the wagon and the bed.
From the statements of the Moreno girl
and her mother, he had gathered the fol-
lowing story: The Chinaman drove up to
the house and Mrs. Govanncli, Mrs.
Moreno, Malle Moreno and her younger
sister all walked out to meet him. Mrs.
Giovannoli wanted some potatoes and
onions and proceeded to dicker for them.
In the course of conversation Chip said
that boy lower down the canyon had call
ed him bad names. He mentioned what
the boy had called him and said if he re-
peated the performance he would kill him.
Mallie remarked that it did not seem 10
be very harsh name to apply to person
and said If she were angry at him she
would not hesitate to apply the same epi-
thet. At this Chip turned upon her and
said he would kill her too if she said it of
him. The girl turned and went into the
house, returning with the gun in her hands.
She stood about twenty feet from the
Chinaman and above him as he stood on
the ground, as she was on little slope.
She pointed the gun at the distant noun
tains and snapped the trigger. 1t failed to
explode. Mrs. Moreno had now stepped
forward to the wagon, and the Chinaman
mounted the step on the brake and pro-
ceeded to overhaul his stock. While in
this position Mallie attempted to ascertain
the reason for the failure of the gun to
explode if it was loaded, or to see if it had
a charge in it, AS she was attempting to
open the breech it was discharged, the load
passing over her mothers shoulder and
striking Louie Chip in the right side. He
fell sideways between the wheel and bed
and, without word, died. The girl was
nearly frightened to death at the conse-
quences of her reckles sness and fled to the
house.
Word was sent to Constable Roberts of
the killing, and pending his arrival the
=
to the wagon was unhitched and fed and
all hands awaited the presence of the alI-
thorities. On reaching the scene the body
was eXtricated from it's position. 1t lay as
described inside the wheel, resting on the
axle. The head was about foot from the
ground, on which one hand rested; one
foot still remained on the step where he
had been standing when shot. II was
found that the entire charge of bird shot
had taken effect in the righ. side little
to the back and that the lung was torn to
pieces. A strange circumstance that has
as yet not been explained is that Chips
clothes are powder burned, showing that
far from his body when fired. He had but
some So on his person when found, yet
over two-thirds of his load of vegetables
had been sold.
Deputy Summerfield read the deposit
tions of the Mexican women, and one of
Chips countrymen identified the body.
Little tleliberation was required to reach a
verdict. and it was soon rendered, as above
stated. While there seems little doubt
that the shooting was an accident, the jury
saw fit to leave the determination of that
point to the justice who will examine the
Moreno girl. The gun with which the
shooting was done was in evidence, with
the exploded shell still in it. 1t is one of
the old English Zulu muskets rebored and
converted into shotgun, and although
clumsy and heavy seems an effective
weapon.
Constable Roberts was left in charge of
the girl, and it was anticipated that she
would be brought to the city last evening.
Her mother was sick, however. and did
hot wish to be separated from her daugh.
ter, SO she will probably be held at Holly
wood until after her examination.