The herald., 1897-07-09
BRUTALLY BEATEN TO DEATH
SIX PERSONS ARRESTED FOR
COMPLETELY IN THE CRIME
A Drunken Brawl Ends Fatally-The
Victim an Aged and Infirm Pen
sioner-Coroner's Inquest

Joseph Duplain, an old soldier IA years
of age, and an inmate Of the Soldiers
Home, was brutally beaten to death
in the house of a notorious woman
named Kittie Calvert. Four men and
two women have been placed under ar
rest and are now confined in the county
Jail charged with the crime.
The mutilated body was found at $50
o'clock yesterday morning in a vacant
lot on Railroad avenue, back Of the old
Southern Pacific depot, where it had
been dragged. The old man was lying
upon his face when discovered by Ge-
valio Jenne an employe of E. Gamberi,
who runs a saloon and restaurant at
No lis Second street
The body was terribly bruised. Upon
turning it over it was seen that Duplain
had been struck over the right eye and
on the bridge of the nose with some
blunt instrument and had evidently been
| dead for several hours. The coroner
and sheriff were notified, and Marshal
Dexter and Constable Meyers of Santa
Monica began an investigation Of the
crime.
| 1t was found that Duplain had not
been at the Soldiers Home for several
days, and that he had been stopping a.
different places about Santa Monica.
He made his headquarters at Gamberi's s.
place. He drew his pension, amounting
to $12, on the 18th of last month, and
did not have much money left. He was
around the saloon Wednesday afternoon
and evening, and had been drinking
considerably, but those who saw him say
that he was not drunk.
! At about o'clock he was seen to enter
a notorious house run by a woman
known as Kitty Lewis but whose right
name is Kitty Calvert. She admits that
he was in her house, but claims that she
sent him away early in the evening ana
knows nothing of his movements after
that time.
1t was learned that Charles Perkins,
Frank Phillips Billy Grimes and man
named Charley Scofeld, or Scovell,
were in the house during the night, and
they were summoned to be present when
Coroner Campbell held an. inquest yes
terday afternoon. Neither Scofeld nor
| Grimes could. be found
The first witness placed upon the
stand was Perkins. He was informed
that he need not answer any question if
he did not desire to do so, as he was him.
self suspected of completely in the
crime. He said that he desired to go
upon the stand and tell al that he knew
about the affair. Perkins stated that he
had gone to the Calvert woman's house
early in the evening and had seen
Duplain there. He was lying in one of
the rooms, face downward, upon the
floor and was paralyzed drunk. The
Calvert woman asked him to carry the
old man out and he had done so, with
the assistance of one of the men who
happened to be in the place.
The coroner asked who this individual
was who had helped him to carry
Duplain. out. In spite of his readiness
to tell all he knew about the affair, Per-
kins grew confused and rather insolent
and replied:
"Well, you'll have to find that out
the best way that you can. I'm not
going to implicate anyone else"
"Was it Phillips?"
mo, sir, Phillips is perfectly innocent
and knew nothing about the affair. But
you'll have to find that out for your
selves"
Lydia Van, or Deckman, one of. the
female occupants of this house was
called to the stand. She claimed that
she had been very drunk the previous
night and remembered very little of
what had taken place. She said that she
saw Duplain standing out by the road
side early in the evening and some peo-
pie were teasing him. Kitty Calvert had
gone out and invited him to come into
her house. After going inside he had
joined the rest in drinking and, having
no money with which to buy liquor, had
put up his watch as security for the
payment of his bill. The witness said
that it grew very noisy and such a howl
was raised about 8 o'clock by those who
were drinking that it grew unpleasant
and she had left. She said that she had
seen the old man in the afternoon and
that he had stated that some people had
been beating him.
Kitty Calvert claimed that she was
very drunk and remembered but little
of what had passed the night before. She
remembered when the old man entered
her place, but could not recall anything
that took place after that time beyond
sending him away at 9 o'clock. She was
very sure that he had not been battered
up at that time.
Frank Phillips said that he was so
drunk that he could remember nothing
Of what had passed during the night,
which he had spent in Kitty Calvert s
house.
At the conclusion of the inquest Phil
lips, Perkins and the Calvert and Van
women were placed under arrest. War
rants were also issued for Scofield and
Billy Grimes, who were found yester-
day evening by Constable Meyers. The
officers had been busy collecting evil
dence as to who the murderers were, and
are sure that they have the right parties
in custody.
On searching the Calvert house pin
belonging to Duplain was found in one
of the beds. A trail from the house also
led to where the body was found. While
it is not absolutely known it is supposed
thta the man was killed in drunken
carousal which was raised in the house.
He was terribly beaten about the head
and face and his body showed the
marks or heavy blows. Those who are
acquainted with the facts, as far as
they have been learned, believe that Du-
plain entered the house and became in
volved In drunken brawl with one of
the women, whereupon he was pounced