The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-24
NATIONAL CITY
ASSASSINATION
Fruit Thieves Fire Upon
the Waterman in an
Orchard.
Charge of Shot Enters the Vic
TINS Back and Causes
Death.
He Had Attempted to Drive Away in
Their Wagon to summon
Assistance.

SAN DIEGO, CAL, Dec. 23.-An afro
cious murder was committed on Sixteenth
street, National City, after dark tonight,
at the Land and Town Company's or
chard. John Patterson, the Waterman,
was the victim, and his assassin is I'M
known. Two men are supposed TO be i'm
plicated.
About s o'clock young man named
Meade was riding on a wheel along near
Tenth avenue, National City, when he
heard a cry for help come from a man sit
ting in wagon by the road side. He
went to his assistance and found that the
man was dying. 1t was Patterson. Meade
held Patterson while others who were at
tracted by his shouts ran and got Coroner
Johnson, who lives not far away. Patter-
son was almost gone, and before he could
answer question from Meade he gave a
few gasps and died. His body was re-
moved to the undertaker's near by and
examined.
1t was found that his entire left shoulder
and back was rlddied with fine bird shot,
causing internal hemorrhage. The vehi-
Gle that he was in when found was then
examined. 1t was light spring wagon.
drawn by small dark bay horse. The
horse was sweating profusely, and had
probably run away with Patterson.
The spot at which the dying man was
found was about two miles from the
orchard where he was shot. The Land
and Town Company had missed a lot oil
fruit from the orchard and determined to
place a Waterman there to catch the
thieves. Patterson was hired by AL Cope.
land, the foreman, he being Copeland
brother-in-law. This was his first night
at the orchard.
A hasty survey of the situation indi-
Gated that Patterson had seen thieves ap-
proach the orchard and had hidden from
them. When they were inside gathering
oranges he jumped into the wagon and
tried to get to town with it to hold it for
evidence. He was unarmed, and proba-
bly, did not care to tackle the two men.
They saw him driving away, and shot him
in the back. He either had strength lett
TO drive 10 town or the horse took fright
and ran away with him, leaving the
thieves in doubt as to whether they had
killed him. The appearance of the wound
in the back showed that they were not far
distant from the victim.
AUOub ,O.OO lkAb odD1 DIaCkt lOI-
mer constable and the man who was
crippled by Chris Evans while trailing
that desperate, appeared at police head
quarters and said his horse and wagon
had been stolen by two men in Telegraph
Canyon, ten or twelve miles southeast OF
the city, beyond the orchard where the
shooting occurred. Black described his
rig. 1t was the one in which Patterson
had been killed. He said he had been
hunting and was temporarily away from
the rig, leaving his dog behind. He saw
two men get into it and drive rapidly
away.
He chased them as far as he could but
they drove too fast for him and got out OF
sight. His gun was in the wagon and
they got away with everything. even his
hunting coat. He asked for help to look
for the thieves.
Deputy Sheriff w. ]. Ward Joined Black
and they left for National City an hour
after the murder was reported. In the
wagon was found the dog, the hunting
coat, package OF tobacco and number
of quail and rabbit. There were several
sacks such as orange thieves would use.
The officers can do nothing until morn
ing.