The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1897-05-03
FoULLY mURDERED.
Charles z. Vest Fails BY an As
sassin's Han.i at Tsnpico.
20 The DAu.Y ngRAHp.

from behind by gambler named
henehaca. The facts concerning
the assassination. as regards motives
or cause, cannot be accuralely-ascer-
tanned There are many different
stories going the round. but from
what can be considered good author
ity, the murder occurred in the fol-
lowing manner A few minutes be-
fore eight O'Clock West went with
his chpm to the saloon of Rebustiano
Dominique and entered the adjoin-
ing gambling room, where a game
Of monte was in progress, with Men
chaca as dealer. West, it is said.
went and lay down across the table
on which the game was being play
ed In few minutes Menchaca gct
up and gave the deck of cards to an
other dealer and started outside. As
lie went, West spoke to him thus
-"Dispensadme una palabra." GAL
low me a word with you.) Then
both went out, Menchaca ahead of
West, and it was not more than half
q minute before two shots were
heard. VESTS ehum jumped up and
ran out and found him holding to
the corner of the brick J illar of the
portal, but before he reached him
West threw Up both hands and fell
on his back dead. He had a. tooth
pick in. the right side of his mouth.
Even fourteen hours afterward, |
when seen 1.-THE post mortem exam
ination, he still held the toothpick
in his teeth, ard smile OH his face. |
while there was a calm look in his
eyes. Death must have been instai
taneous. AS the bleeding from his
wounds was internal, very little /
blood showed on the outside Of his
body; 1t was found at the exaniina-|
lions that the bullets were fred
from behind. One entered at the
lower side of the right shoulders
blade and came out just under the
right nipple. The other was through
the feshy part of the right arm,
about three or four inches above the
elbow, and through the right side
over the left above the small ribs rib,
where the bullet lodged. The cali
Dre was Il. The lungs and heart
were found TO be pierced by the bull
cts, either wound being fatal. 4
The. assassin got away for the
line, but was caught at the depot of
he Monterey 3 Mexican Gulf rail
way, waiting for the northbound
rain, at 1 a. IN. He was taking to
policeman, when a hack driver
Who knew him called another police i
nan and asked him if he knew the
ssassin. The officer answered in
he negative, and the driver said:
Well, that man over there Is The
nan who killed West With that.
he policeman arrested Menchaca,
tho made no resistance and was not {
rmed- lie asked the policeman
OF tc hand-euf ham, as he was the {
AN wanted and would 90 quietly. :
Le was at once confined in Jail and ]
) now ''incomunicado.''
Charles F. West, the murdered /
ian, was born in Matamoros in 1868. :
is father was Or. West, an Ameri- a
an dentist from Georgia, who died :
l 1872. Ills mother died a year a
go The ienta;ning members OF the :
lest family are Robert, q brother Of {
eceased, who resides at no Grande
lily, Tex Emile Valentine. another j
rother al Laredo, and three sisters. .
rs. Damaso Lerma Of Brow nsyilie,
ID Misses Mary and Rosa West.
hey have tie sympathy Of the !.
townsville boys at Tanpico, and "
her friends of all nationaIities who o
1ew deceased. He was given as Z =
sc funeral as could be provided t.
his sorrowing friends. twas al X
nded by nearly all of the =