The San Francisco call., 1897-08-08
1NURDERER
BESIECED
HIS Home
Rancher Geo. w. Scho-
field Killed Near
Madrone.
HIS SLAYER ON GUARD
ALL NIGHT.
Fires Into the House at Dusk
and Then Awaits the Com
ing of Dawn.
VICTIM AMBUSHED AFTER
HOURS OF TERROR.
Gras In ~ Me Rat
Fires Into the House at Dusk
and Then Awaits the Com
ing of Dawn.
VICTIM AMBUSHED AFTER
HOURS OF TERROR.
Gees Forth In the Morning to Meet
His Unknown Foe and Is Shot
to Death.

SAN JOSE. CAL, Aug. 7.-Murder was
done on the Llagas Greek, six miles west
OF Madrone, at an early hour this morll-
ing, the victim being George W. Schoheld,
q rancher. The crime was cold-blooded
and premeditated, the assassin having
prowled about the house all night waiting
an opportunity to shoot his man from am
busk. There was no motive but murder
in the act, for, having accomplished that'
the assassin mounted his horse and rode
away. Schofield's wife witnessed the kill
ing. and a good description OF ths man
has been obtained. Sheriff Lyndon and
deputies at once left for Madrcne and are
now pursuing the assassin, with the prob
ability of effecting a quick capture.
Last evening as Schofeld, with his wife
and two little children, was seated in the
uining-room, reading, rifle bail was fired
into the room through an open window.
The bullet whistled by his cad and buried
itself in the wall. The lights were It once
put out the doors and windows fastened,
and Schohed and his family sought places
of safety With an oath a voice was heard
outside, saying:
AL right; If 1 don't get you tonight
will IN the morning"
All night long the assassin prowled
around the house. Occasionally he would
throw rock against the building and
hurl imprecations at Schofield. The oc-
cupants of the house were terror-stricken
and in a state of siege, not knowing at
what minute the blood crazed man might
hre the structure and shoot them as they
ran from il. Schofeld peered out at in
l.. taI nd
tigate, but his wife objected.
At day break the rancher could see no
one about the place, and. armed with
shotgun, be went out to look around. He
entered the barn, but found no one, and
ON his way back 10 the house looked into
a woodshed.
As he did so a shot was fired from
within, and Schotield fell forward on his
face dead. His wife, who was building a
fire, rushed to the window and looked out
She saw man with a brown beard run
from the shed and down the road to where
he had a roam horse hitched. lie mounted
the horse and rode away.
Mrs. Schefield went 10 her husbands
side and then sent her 12-year-ol boy to
Madrone to notify the authorities. She
says she has no knowledge of who tie
murderer is.
Schoiield was a native of Illinois and
aged 81 years. He was hard man to get
along with and had had great deal of
trouble with his neighbors, and the muir
der is probably the elimination OF one OF
these rows. He had also had family
troubles as well as financial difficulties
About a year ago his wife had him ar
rested on a charge of battery, and later
she brought suit for divorce on the ground
of cruelty. They settled their troubles
before the case came to trial and began
living ogether again. a few months ago
he filed a petition in insolvency and the
matter is now pending.
Schoteld had been married before and
had number of grown children. By his
present wife he had two children.
The inquest held by the Coroner this
afternoon lasted several hours, but the
verdict failed to fix the crime on any one
in particular.
Mrs. Schoheld, Irving Mann, her son,
and Daniel butcher, an employe. were the
Oniy witnesses called. Their stories as to
the warning shot, the threat against
Schofield and the fight of a man with a
brown beard agreed almost to dot.
The verdict was that SchofieId was mur-
dered by some person unknown to the
Coroner's jury.
Sensational developments are promised.
Arrests OF suspects will probably begin
tomorrow.