The record-union., 1896-07-07
Mrs. 4. R. Richardson and Her Daughter
Killed by an Unknown Assassin.
Both the Victims Had Been Shot and
Otherwise Maltreated.
Gyrus Barnard, a Former Employe
of the Family, and Who Was Sus-
pected of Having Committed the
Crime, Later Shot and Killed Either
by Officers or Himself.

SANTA BARBARA, July 6.-The peo-
pie of this community were horrihed
this morning by the news that Mrs H.
r. Richardson of Montecito and her
eighteen year-old daughter Ethel had
been found brutally murdered.
The two victims were the wife and
daughter of the late H R. Richardson,
formerly a wealthy resident of Monte
cito, and were well known and highly
esteemed in this part Of the State.
The tragedy was discovered early this
morning by a Mexican on his way to
work. He was walking along the boule-
ward that passed the handsome resi-
dence of the Richardson's, when he no
ticed the body of a woman lying in a
field on the other side of the road.
On seeing that the woman was dead
he at once gave an alarm Neighbors
identified the body as that of Ethel
Richardson. The body was partly dis
robed and the night-dreSS was gathered
together in one of the hands Two
bullet holes in the head and a CHASTITY
cut in the throat showed how she had
been killed
When the Mortified spectators ap-
preached the Richardson house they
found everything quiet there and the
doors locked. Repeated knocks and
rings producing no effect, the door was
forced and another ghastly sight was
witnessed.
Mrs. Richardson, still alive, but un-
conscious, was found lying across the
threshold of her bedroom. She had
been horribly beaten about the head
and there were two bullet wounds in
her head, one of which had destroyed
one of her eyes, and the other had pen
etrated her brain.
She had evidently been attacked while
In bed, for the bed clothes were drip
ping with blood
Everything possible was done to save
her, but she died early in the forenoon
without regaining consciousness.
She was handsome old lady and pre-
sented most pitiful sight with her
snowwhite hair stained with blood
There were no signs in the house to
indicate the motive of the crime. 1t
was at first thought that the murder
had been committed by burglars who
had been interrupted in their work, but
an examination of the premises showed
that nothing had been molested as far
as could be ascertained.
There is no suspicion as to the mur-
lIt OIlly OlutT OF Ine
family IS Scott Richardson, a man
about 4o years old, a son of Richardson
by a former wife He had been no cred
1t to the family, having, it is said, been
very intemperate, and had been disin-
herited before his father died He
has wife and children.
His whereabouts at present are un-
known. He is variously reported to be
IN Canada or Minnesota, but one rumor
is to the effect that he had been seen
in Santa Monica within the past week
An inquest was held on the body of
Miss Richardson tonight. The verdict
rendered by the jury was that Ethel
Richardson, native of Canada, and
a resident of California, came to her
death by pistol shot at the hands Of a
party or parties unknown to the jury -
ANOTHER TRAGEDY.
Late this evening another tragedy
was added to the days horrors, which
will either clear the dark mystery or
add another tangle to the black problem
Word was brought to the Coroner that
Cyrus Barnard, the former gardener OF
the Richardson's, and who was by the
evidence given by a deputy at the in
quest connected with the crime in a sug-
gestive and significant manner, had
shot himself. A quick drive to Bar
nard's cabin found this report to be
correct in its essential, although some
what faulty in circumstance
Ex-City Marshal Hopkins. acting now