The herald., 1896-01-02
KNOCKED DOWN WITH ROCKS
W. O. Virtrees Beaten by Two Hood.
IumS
He Prevented a Collision and Then Was
Abused by the Gang-They After.
wards Assaulted Him

An outrageous assault was made upon
Mr. w. o. Virtrees yesterday afternoon by
two drunken rowdies near Sycamore
Grove. They first tried to break the car
riage of Mr.. Virtrees, then swore at him
and his wife and child, and not satisfied
with this, beat him in shameful manner
with rocks. The names of the fellows are
Thomas Colon and Joe Murray, and they
are now under arrest without bail awaiting
the condition of their victim.
A few minutes before o'clock ia the
afternoon Mr.. virtrees and his family in
single-seat buggy left Pasadena to drive to
the city. They met with no trouble until
short distance from Sycomore Grove, when
double team drawing two youths and
three women, all intoxicated. came up be-
hind them and tried to run into
Mr.. Virtrees' buggy, in fact crowding
him nearly. off the road. To save
himself Mr.. Virtrees struck the
horse nearest, causing the animal to
swerve, thus averting being driven down.
The entire crowd in the large rig began to
hurl volley of oaths at Mr.. Virtress and
his wife and passed them very soon. Mr..
Virtress thought that this would be the last
of the incident and continued toward the
city. When he went by the Sycamore
Grove the rig of the abusive crowd was
hitched in front, the occupants being in the
saloon taking something to drink
About a quarter of mile this side of
Sycamore Grove the drunken crowd again
drove by Mr.. Virtrees's buggy and tried to
collide with it. Again did he strike the
horse. saving himself and the others from
being dumped out. This time the hood
lums were prepared though, and with oaths
caught up some rocks from the bottom of
their carriage and threw them at MIR. Vir-
trees, two of the missiles hitting him. The
fellows jumped out of the rig and followed
after MIR. Virtrees throwing more rocks.
He got out also whereupon they hit him in
the back of the head with some big stones,
knocking him almost insensible. While
Mr. Vlrtrees was prostrate on the ground
they struck him number of times, in
tlicting wounds on his face.
AS soon as they saw the extent of their
assault they hurriedly climbed into the
carriage and drove toward Los Angeles as
| rapidly as possible. G. W. Scott happened
to be coming along In a cart and witnessed
the final part of the fight He whipped his
horse and followed the gang. They came
to the city and drove into the Golden Gate
livery stable at 311 Also street, where
they left the rig and decamped in short
order. Scott saw them go into the stable
| and then hunted for a police officer. he
had to go to the central station before he
found one, SO that when he returned no
trace of the gang could be obtained. 1t
was learned, though, that Colon was one of
the crowd.
Mr.. Virtrees was carried to house
short distance from the scene of the
trouble, where he remained until the
arrival of the patrol wagon. DR.. Aims
worth attended him at the receiving hos
pital, his worst hurts being from several
blows on the head. Detective HawIey
went after the fellows suspected of having
committed the assault and arres ed them
on Also street. They did not deny having
committed the crime. but said that Mr..
Virtrees had struck one of the females in
their carriage, and it had been to protect
her that they had attacked him.
Mr.. Virtrees is carpenter and has his
shop where he lives. Inquiry there last
night was met with the response that his
condition, while serious, would probably
not prove SO bad as had been first feared
His skull had not been broken and he
would likely recover. His assailants were
charged with battery, but this may be
changed to assault with a deadly weapon.
They and the women were seen drinking
and conducting themselves in boisterous
manner at Pasadena during the afternoon.
Both of the youths. who are only about Is
years of age, are known to the police and
we're mixed up in some cutting scrape dur
ing Fiesta last April.