The herald., 1897-01-16
TOLD GECMAN NOT TO SHOOT
San Diego County Wins q Fall From
Riverside
Well Dfillers' Claim for Work on a Dry
Well
More New Citizens - Frank Lowery's
Trial Continued.-Suing the Sher-
iff-Rapid Justice for
Burglar.

! Charles A. Bell, formerly editor of the
Porcupine, a weekly newspaper in Los
Angeles, but now a gauger in the en-
! ploy of the United States internal rev.
! enue department, has begun suit against
Joseph Gecman for 1000 damages. The
complaint recites that on Dece mber TO-
1896, Gecman violently assaulted Bell
with a. gun and shot the plaintiff in the
hand and wrist, ,shattering the bones and
by reason and in consequence thereof
on the day following, PLAINTIFFS right
arm was amputated between the wrist
and elbow, to plaintiffs damage in the
sum of $4,000. AS further consequence
of the assault and wounding of the
plaintiff by the defendant the former
paid out for hack hire, care and nursing
and surgical and medical treatment
s401 80 additional.
The plaintiff is represented by his
| father, Horace Bell
| This suit is the outcome of a most
thrilling episode that occurred at the
| distillery of Gecman at Rochester, about
eight miles from Ontario, on the date
referred to, the full particulars of which
have not yet been published, owing to
the fact that Mr.. Bell has until recently
been in the hospital and has not told the
story of the encounter that cost him his
right hand. To a Herald reporter Mr..
Bell yesterday related what befel him
on the momentous date.
In his capacity as gauger he visited the
distillery of Gecman. While he was there
two men representing themselves as line
men in the employ of the telegraph COM
pany arrived and bought gallon of red
wine. One of the men, who appeared to
be drunk when he arrived, seemed TO be-
come more intoxicated the longer he re-
mained, and he engaged in a heated dis
cussion with Gecman on the merits of
socialism, the line man claiming to be
an anarchist. After some time passed in
this discussion the line man, who SEEM
ed to be very drunk. but who in the light
of later events is supposed to have been
only playing a part said he must have
something to eat. and he went into Gee
mans house, where he asked Mrs. Gee
man to give him a square meal. at the
same time exhibiting some money and
asserting his ability to pay for what he
got Mrs. Gecman refused to supply the
food saying she had nothing in the
house. whereupon the stranger made
movement as though to strike the wo-
man. ard Bell intsrposed to save her.
All this time Gecman was engaged in
drawing brandy and paid little heed TO
the controversy.
The drunken man declared he would
go into the house and see if he could find
anything to eat, returning with a gallon
dlemiiohn of brandy which he proceeded
to empty upon the ground. The distil-
Ter could risk his wife getting hurt but
when he saw his good liquor being thus
wasted he woke up and took the Gemi-
john from the man. Then the drunken
line man resumed his alteration with
the woman and threatened her with vio
lence, at which she grabbed spade that
stood near by, as though to defend her
self with it. AT this the fellow drew a
revolver and fired twice over Bell 5
shoulder It Mrs. Gecman. Bell and the
line man clinched, and While so engaged
the latter fired another shot at old man
Gecman, the shot going through his
whiskers and soaring the dist!ller so that
he fell out of the door of his house, but
a moment later regained his feet.
Then the now crazed lineman ran in
to the Gecman house, and from the in
terror fired two shots through the thin
walls of the domicie at Bell and one at
Gecman, no one OF which was effective.
The fellow having fired six shots had
emp ieG his revolver. Then he began TO
smash things in the house. breaking
crockery and things with the butt Of
his revolver. Gecman said if he had
his rife he would stop such foolishness,
and ore of the boys of the distillery went
to get ii, returning with shotgun,
which he gave to Gecman. Though na
had a gun Gecman showed no disposi-
tion to use it, and Bell asked where the
rifle could be found. and was told that It
was in the room where the fellow W as
creating such havoc with breakab.e
property. With the declaration that he
would either kill or capture the drink
crazeG fellow, Bell says he armed him
self with his bowie knife and started
toward the room Before reaching the
bedroom where his prospective prisoner
was amusing himself, Bel saw that the
drunken man had already GiscoYere
and captured the rifle and shotgun
that We're there. The fellow came cut
with the arsenal, feeling prepared 10
fight an army. Bell says he jumped on
the fellows back. pirioned his arms to
his side and called TO the other people
to come and disarm him. Mrs. Gecman
advanced from the left to take a gun
from the man, while Gecman was a
short distance away preparing to shoot
him. Bell heard Gecman cock his gun,
ard called out not to shoot. but come
and take the guns the drunken fellow
week the way he had him. Mrs. Gecm ar
advanced to take the prisoners gun,
and her husband approached from tho
other side with mis- shotgun cooked
held at h.S hip ard ready to fire. Bell
again warned, Gecman not to fire. bu:
when the latter had the muZzle of his
gun within two feet of the breast of the
prisoner he fired.
The entire charge OF shot went into
the right wrist OF Bell, who al first did
not know he was hurt. The whole COM
pary seemed 6'azcd by the report, and
not until the drunken fellow undertook
TO wrench himself from the embrace of
Bell cid the revenue officer know he was
hurt. Then he fell to the ground and
tainted. Mrs. Gecman, who was the
coolest person in the crowd, hit the
drunken fellow over the head with the
butt of a gun, but he escaped, and has
not since been seen.
His companion. whose name was af-
terward found to be David Ashley, of
Los Angeles, having taken no actual