The herald., 1896-10-22
MURDER At THE MISSION
Ranch Hand Killed at San
Fernando
THE Terrible WOUNDS INFLICTED
Skull Crushed in and Namelessly
Mutilated
DETAILS OF THE TRAGEDY
Three Persons Accused by the Jury
DETAILS OF THE TRAGEDY
Three Persons Accused by the Jury
With the Crime
Aadreas Rodriguez Now Safe Behind the Bars
Of the County Jail
The Crime Committed in the Shadow
- otSthe Historic Old Pile-The Re-
, ,s,,,.s,sult of Jealousy and Illicit
;fWs-sg Relations

\ W
Relations
One of the most shocking and brutal
murders in the history of this county
was committed Monday afternoon last
on the Porter ranch, which includes
within it's boundaries the old mission
San Fernando, situated few miles
from the little town of that name. John
Tepe, O German ranch hand, So years
of age, was the victim, dying at 2:25
yesterday morning, his skull being
: fractured and his body namelessly mu-
tilated by the fends incarnate who in
Aicted the wounds while he was lying
helpless, unable to offer resistance.
In the countyjail Andreas Rodriguez,
jr., a swarthy Mexican, is prisoner,
charged with the crime, and at an early
hour, this morning two more persons will
have been brought in by the officers.
They are Philip Foran, an Irishman
employed on the ranch, and lewd wo-
man, half Mexican. half Indian, named
Rosinda Rosas. At the coroner's in
quest held yesterday, strong evidence
was adduced tending to show the guilt
Of this trio, and they were by the jury
charged with the murder. All parties
to the affair are employed and reside on
the ranch, and the story of the mixed
relations sustained by one to the other
gives the clue to the motive for the ter
rible crime.
Andreas Rodriguez, the prisoner now
in Jail, had up to six months ago been
living with the woman, Rosinda Rosas.
They had quarrel and separated. Since
that time the Rosas woman has been
.consorting at different times with Tepe,
Foran and many others. III the theory
of the officers that is was she who in
duced Rodriguez to crush in the old
mans skull while she committed the
nameless mutilation on the uncon-
scious body, using pair of sheep shears.
The instruments used have been found
and each additional bit of evidence but
more strongly tends to show the guilt
of the accused.
The first intimation of the crime was
a message received by Coroner Camp
bell at 8 o'clock yesterday morning call
ing him to San Fernando to hold an
inquest upon the body Of a murdered
man. He went to the scene on the 8
o'clock train, and proceeded from the
town to the mission, where the corpse
lay. The old mission is now hardly
more than a mass of ruins, but such
portions Of it as are habitable are occu-
pied by the ranch hands as living apart
ments. There are a number of adobe
buildings, the smaller ones occupied by
the married men, and the others as a
dining hall, etc. AS the coroner pro-
ceeded toward the scene he was Joined
by a crowd of persons, and he immedi-
ately began questioning them as to
the motive for the deed. He had asked
whether of not the dead man had any
quarrel with anyone and received an
a Qn1x han f,.oy, tl,1
crowd stepped forward Philip Foran
and announced himself as the man with
whom deceased had quarreled.
1t was just after the dinner hour
Monday noon THAI he and Tepe, the de-
ceased, were together at the barn, hitch
ing up. Foran was going back to his
ploWing In an olive orchard; Tepe was
harnessing a team for the foreman, John
7. Wilson, to go to town. Foran had
been told by the woman Rosinda that
Tepe had been talking about him, and
had said that he sole some barley. He
spoke to Tepe about it and asked him
whether or not he had accused him
of being thief. The German denied it.
when Foran told him that If he had
said 1t he was liar. Further recrimina-
t1ons followed, when Foran struck Tepe
In the face with his right hand, which
is partially crippled. Tepe fell to the
ground, and as he seemed to be hurt.
In an adobe short distance from the
barn live Felicita Capistrano and her
husband. In response to Forna's call
they came to the spot, bringing a bucket
OF water and shawl. Tepe's head was
bathed and he was carried into the barn
and laid on some straw. He was dazed
by the blow and fall, but not badly hurt
Laying him on the floor of tlAa stable
and spreading the shawl over his face
the rest left him to rest and sleep. Foran
went about his plowing and the Capis.
trano woman and her husband back to
their work. Along about o'clock r. j
Spencer, rancher residing about half a
mile southwest of the mission, came
along on business and saw Tepe in the
barn. He talked with him and the Ger
man told him he was all right, only he
1elt sick at his stomach and weak. He
thep rolled over and Spencer left Ar
hour later he came back and again saw
the old man. who seemed in much the
same condition. 1t was thus between the
hours of and PM, when the body was
found, that the crime was committed.
This fact Is corroborated by the tes-
timony OF the Chinese cook, Lue Sin, who
mao hearo OF the row between Foran an6
Tepe, and who went out Just before
o'clock and, looking through a crack. saw
Tepe crawling around in the barn. II
was about pm. when Andreas Rodri.
guez, who had been to the barn. came
running up to Henry Lyons, another EN-.
ploye, and told him that Tepe was Iyine
in the barn with his head crushed r.
and body mutilated. This was founi
to be true. On the floor Law Tepe the
base Of his skull crushed like an egg
shell and his clothing pulled and torr
from the waist down around his Iimbs
He was bleeding profusely from a terri.
BILE wound and unconscious. breatheins
stertorously.
He was picked up and carried to his
bed, which was in room in one
of the ruined wings OF thf
old church building, several hundred
yards distant DR.. ]. w. Turner was
summoned from San Fernando, but on
arrival could do nothing for the suffer.
er, who was doomed. Without regainins
consciousness Tepe died at 2:26 in the
morning. 1t was at the inquest that the
damaging testimony was brought Out
which indicates the perpetrators Of the
crime,
Andreaa Rodriguez was called upon ia
explain his movements during the af-
ternoQn. He'eaid he had, left the dining
1'All sheHIy AltAf n 6rleelE ana had pro-