The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-11-07
THE MYSTERIOUS MURDER
At San Fernando Mission
Still Unraveled
CHARGES fall TO THE GROUND
Two Men and Women Defend.
ants Discharged
WAS AN ATROCIOUS CRIME
CDR" Allen Of calabasas Ia Court to
Meet Mrs. Bentley
Attorney Taylor Of Sierra Madre Cited to
Appear
WAS AN ATROCIOUS CRIME
cdr" Allen Of Calabasas Ia Court to
Meet Mrs. Bentley
Attorney Taylor Of Sierra Madre Cited to
Appear
A Holly Contested Crockery Suit De-
cided-Ankle Valued at $5000-The
Billmeyer Divorce-Builder and
Contractor and Honest Work

On October Goth most atrocious MUIR
der was committed within the shadow of
the old San Fernando mission The MUIR
dered man was named John Tepe, but
was known generally in the neighbor-
hood where he worked by the appella-
ton of Dutch John. This poor fellow
was not only done to death but was mu-
tilated under circumstances of peculiar
brutality.
Three persons-Philip Foran, an Irish
laborer, and Andreas Rodriguez and
Rosinda Rosas, Californian of Spanish
blood, were arrested for having been
concerned in the murder ahd were
brought before Justice Young in the
township court yesterday for prelimin-
airy examination.
A more extraordinary proceeding
could hardly be imagined. AS general
thing any exceptional interest that at
taches to legal investigation is a re-
suit of the startling evidence adduced.
Yesterday, however, the examination of
the three alleged murderers was rem
dered altogether extraordinary by reas-
on of the evidence that was not adduced.
The circumstances attending the MUIR
der Of Dutch John" were of such a saw
age and peculiar character as to
indicate somewhere and with some
one most powerful feeling of
revenge, and the probabilities are that a
woman's hand wrought the deed that
unsexed the victim while helping to end
his life.
But nothing of this was foreshadowed
by the evidence yesterday, and none of
the disconnected facts ELECTED tended to
connect either one of the three defend
ants with the murder. AS a result all
three were ordered discharged from Gus
tody. g... nH
DISCONNECTED FACTS.
Hannah Bryan was the first witness
called. She stated that she went to the
home of the Rosas woman on October
goth and there found Rodriguez and Fee
lfcitae Capistrano, middle-aged Mex
lean woman, as we'll as Rosita Rosas
herself. She was told that Dutch John"
had hurt himself. but she paid little at
tention. At that time, Rosinda was in
the kitchen. while Rodriguez was in the
bedroom reading Spanish book. The
witness knew that at one time Rodriguez
was living with Rosita as his wife, and
at that time Dutch John" used to visit
them and was on the most friendly
terms. About three months previous to
the latter's death this Illicit connection
was dissolved.
DR.. ]. S. Turner testified as to the ma
ture of the injuries inflicted upon the
murdered man. Upon being called on
the evening of the goth he found the vic
tim of the outrage suffering from con-
fusion and ragged wound beside the
right ear; bruise on the upper lip; sew
eral Commissions on the lower part of the
abdomen and the inner surface of the
thigh; fracture of the temple bone. close
to the right ear, and the victim had been
unsexed by amputation. The witness
thought that the fracture had caused
hemorrhages of the frontal lobes of the
brain and in'that manner been the i'm
mediate cause of death.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
L. ]. Spencer, a rancher near the old
mission, stated that he had known
Dutch john" and saw him in the barn,
situated about $50 yards from Rositas
house, in the early part of the afternoon
He was lying face downward with his
arms crossed under his head Witness
asked him if he was trying to sleep and
the man replied that he was II told
him." continued the witness, "to get up
and go to his room or else go to my house.
| went to the mission and there saw Mr.
Lyon, who told me that Dutch John had
had some trouble with one of the men.
On my return to the barn l asked John
if any one had hit him and he replied,
No then asked him if Philip (Foran)
had not hit him, but he again answered
NO" He was apparently quite con-
scious. 1 then told him to get up, but he
said he couldn't because he was so sick
He did stand up. however. but kept his
hands up so that l couldn't see his face
left the barn, and upon my return
later found Dutch John" after he had
been mutilated. He was breathing heavi-
ly, was lying on his back with his cloth
ing open and disarranged, and quite I'M
conscious.
Il saw Foran. and he told me he had
struck Dutch John with his crippled
hand and that John fell down. He snid
That conversation took place after
Dutch John had been removed to his
room"
Under cross examination the witness
said that he first saw Dutch John
| lying in the barn at about o'clock il
| the afternoon. and at $50 when he re-
| turned he found him in the misera BILE
| condition he had stated. He then found
Felicitae, Rosinda and some mission
| boys present
PHILIP FORAN'S CONFESSION.
w. A. White, the deputy sheriff who
| was sent to the scene of the outrage, up
on its being reported to the sheriff's Of
| flee, testified to statement which Pl Il
ip Foran made to him when placed under
arrest. The latter spoke of bis trouble
| with Dutch John" He said he met
| John when he was hitching up his team. -
said the witness, 'in front of the barn.
| Dutch John had accused him of stealing
some barley, and after some words the
lie was given. He then struck John
| with his right hand. open, and the latter
fell down. The ground in front of the
barn is quite hard and bare, as the horses
| passing to and from the stable have
| beaten and packed it hard Foran. when
| telling his story. fell back to the
| ground in order to show us just how John
| had fallen. When the latter failed to get
| up after the blow Foran said he thought
that he must have swallowed his chew nf
tobacco, and that 1t had made him sick
Thereupon he went to Mr.. Wilson, his