The San Francisco call., 1896-10-12
Count Won Ballestrem Shot
by Charles Abiger Of
San Francisco.
The Slayer Claims His Gun Was
Acc dentally Discharged in
a Scu fe.
POINT LoBos PARK TRAGEDY.
The Two Men Had Sought the Sea.
shore to Ply Their Brushes in
Company.

MONTEREY. CAL., Oct. n-Count
| Wolfgang Won Ballestrem was shot
and killed late last night at
Point Lobos Park, about six miles
south OF Monterey. Charles Abiger of
San Francisco, his intimate friend and
bosom companion, is in the Monterey Jail
| pending the Coroner's investigation at 10
O'Clock tomorrow and will doubtless be
held to answer for the Counts death.
| News of the tragedy was received by
Justice Michaelis by telephone last night.
He summoned Constable Hernandez and
they hurried to the campers hut occupied
by the two artists. In the outer room of the
shack they found the body of the Count
| lying in pool OF blood near the door to the
inner apartment. Abiger was just enter
ing the house, lantern in hand, when they
arrived. He was placed under arrest and
brought by Constable Hernandez to Mon
terey. The San Franciscan had just re-
turned to the hut after notifying people
living in the vicinity that Won Ballestrem
had been Killed. He declared that the
shooting was accidental. his shotgun hav-
ing been discharged during friendly
| scuffie
]
moned from Monterey, and brought the
body of the dead nobleman to this city.
| Won Ballestrem's hands are smeared with
clay, and on the stock of the shotgun with
which he was shot are clay finger prints,
which bear out Abiger's contention that
they were scuf1ing for possession of the
weapon when the fatal shot was fired. A
Coroner's jury will be impaneled to-day
and an inquest held IN this city.
! Count Won Ballestrem and Abiger have
been camping near this city for some
months, pursuing for pleasure the voca-
tion of artists. They have seemingly
been the best of friends, and were rarely
out OF each others company.
When seen this afternoon by a CALL
correspondent Abiger was very willing to
give his version of the affair.
YES" he said, sit is. horrible. 1t was
purely an accident, however 1 will tell
you all about it. Yesterday afternoon
about sunset was going out hunting for
rabbits, as was my usual custom every
afternoon just before supper. Ballestrem
was making mold of clay at the time
for his artists work the next day, and his
hands were covered with the stuff. I said:
We'll, old fellow, l am going out to get few
rabbits, and calling my dog, was about
10 go into the next room to get my gun
when Ballestrem said, No, you must not
go; we don't need any of your rabbits to-
night You just stay right here, and l
will cook supper pretty soon. / said:
No, | am going out now,' and then went
into the ad joining room, got my gun and
was walking through the rear room again,
when Ballestrem stepped up, seized the
gun by the stock, telling me must not go
out. / replied that would go anyway,
and tried to get the gun away from him.
''We had quite friendly little seuff1e,
when all of a sudden the trigger must have
caught in my coat sleeve and the weapon
was discharged. Ballestrem fell against
the wall, and all he said was:
"'WelI. it was not your fault, Carlos.
HE then dropped to the floor dead. 1
was overcome and-something / never did
before-I fell down on my knees and cried
| like a baby for about ten minutes. l then
realized that must do something if pos
s1ble, for perhaps my friend was not dead.
l thereupon rushed out OF the house and
over the fields to Portuguese fisherman's
| house, about a quarter of a mile away.
asked one of the family to come with ME,
saying that had killed my partner. The
Portuguese are naturally very supersti-
tious, and instead of assisting me he
slammed the door in my face. Receiving
no aid here went as fast as possible to
! John Fieitas' house and saloon located
| just at the Carmelito gate. 1t was a long
distance, but l ran every step OF the way,
and " hen reached the saloon l was all
out of breath, to say nothing of being ex-
cited over the affair.
"When l reached Freitas' place found
it closed. knocked, and the owner came
| to the door, but would not open it,
although it was then only little after
6:3G. He asked me what wanted, and 1
told him to open the door, but he refused,
saying that could tell him from where I
was. / then informed him that had
shot Ballestrem and wanted a horse and
buggy to go to Monterey to tell the author
! tiles, and, if not too late, 10 procure a
doctor. He told me that he would not go;
| that he did not have any horse in the
barn, but for me to go to Brazil, another
rancher on Point Lobos reservation, and
maybe Brazil would go.
II was on my way to Brazil place when
the first party l went to see met me and
| said they were on their way to town then
and would tell. l went back home, but
could not summon courage to enter the
room where poor Baliestrem lay. So lit
my lantern and walked around and around
the house with my faithful dog as COM
panion. You see, he is still with me. Hav-
ing lost my other Bohemian friend my
dog is all that is left, and, as you see. he is
here with me, too"
To numerous questions put to Abiger as
to the wine found in the room where the
tragedy occurred, he said:
| Nc; never set intox cated. All Ger
mans drink, OF course. but neither Bal
lestrem nor l ever got drunk. and we. most
certainly were far from it last night. 1t
was only q friendly scuffie, as | said be-
| fore, but the outcome was horrible, never
| theless.