The herald., 1898-12-22
HAS HIS FACE SPOILED
VITRIOL THROWER DISFIGURES
PAINTER ]. F. BASSETT
DR.. G0ING'S CRIMINAL ACT
After Repeatedly Threatening Sue
cessful Rivals Life, He Dashes
Virulent Acid Over Him

+ j. f. Bassett, painter, residing at +
+ the Manhattan, was the victim last 4
/, night of an outrage, the like of which +
+ is but seldom heard of in this coun- r
+ try, although it is resorted to in Latin +
+ countries quite frequently by scorned 4
r and infuriated females. Vitriol was +
1, dashed in his face, the left side of +
+ which was severely burned and +
r streaked. Fortunately, the thrower 4
+ missed his victims eyes. 4
/. The story told by Bassett to the 4
+ wounds had been dressed by DIR. West +
1, lake of Spring street, between Second +
r. and Third, was to the effect that the 4
r vitriol-thrower was DIR. j. w. Going i
r of 540h South Spring street, and that 4
+ the attack was the result of jealousy 4
1, over a woman, whose name Bassett +
+ refused to divulge. DR.. Going paid 4
+ his addresses to a respectable young +
+ lady in this town until five months 4
+ ago, when she transferred her aifec- +
r tions to the painter, and ever since 4
+ the medical man has been breathing +
r threats against his rivals life. +
r Bassett claims that he went to the +
r. lodging house at 540h South Spring +
+ street, at which Going has his office, 4
+ last evening at 1880, with an acquaint- 4
i, ance, for the purpose of procuring +
r room for the latter. As they were 4
4. walking down the hall Going opened +
+ one of the windows looking into it. 1
4. He had vessel in his hand contain 4
1. ing some liquid, and called out to Bas- +
r sett: "You -- I'll kill you'll" /
+ As he said so he made gesture as if 4
+ to throw the stuff. The painter tried 4
r to retreat, but was fearful that if he +
+ went down stairs the doctor would /
1, throw the liquid over him, as the win 4
r dow at which he stood overlooked the /
4. staircase. He therefore ran the other /
r way, but as soon as he passed Going's /
r door the excited doctor opened the i
r door and dashed the contents of his 1
1, glass in Bassett's face. In the other 1
r hand he held knife, with which the 1
+ victim says his assailant tried to cut 1
r or stab him.
+ The men clinched, and free fight i
r took place, which was put an end to 1
r. by the people of the house, whom the /
+ noise had attracted, and Bassett lost 4
r no time in seeking the services of 1
+ doctor. The left side of his face is 1
+ streaked from the roots of his hair to i
+ the point of the jaw by dark-looking i
+ burns, running bengthwise and paral- i
+ lei, and is otherwise disfgured by the 1
+ acid. 1
r The victim of this extraordinary out 1
+ rage, after reporting the case to the 1
r police, left, vowing that he would pro- /
+ cure a warrant for the arrest of his i
+ assailant today, as soon as he could see /
r the district attorney. /
+ The only two other cases of throwing 4
+ vitriol that are of record in Los An 1
r geles were the acts of women. In one 4
r case, some fifteen years ago, French 1
+ laundry woman, named Mrs. Conte, 4
r threw diluted vitriol in her husbands, 1
r face out of jealousy. In the other af- i
r fair, twelve years ago, it was also fe- 4
+ male, named Rozelle, who spoiled her i
r lovers face at the instigation OF her 1
+ husband. He was sent to the peni. 4
+ tentiary for it, while the jury acquit- 1
+ ted her. The French woman escaped i
+ with light punishment. 4
THE DOCTORS EXPLANATION
DR.. Going, when seen last night, was dis
inclined to talk, but admitted that ther,
had been bad blood between himself ant
Bassett. lie said he had forbidden til,
latter admittance to the house, but Bassett
disregarding the prohibition, had come tx
his office, and was in the act of enterin1
the doctors room when seen. Going hac
been working in his laboratory and had .
vessel containing battery solution in hi
hand. The doctor stepped to the door ant
attempted to close in on Bassett. In tn,
struggle the battery solution was spille,
over both of them, with no intention on tn,
doctors part to injure Bassett.
GOING ARRESTED
DR.. Going was arrested at l o'clock thi
morning by Deputy Constable Mugnemi OF
charge of felony and locked up in tn,
city Jail. He still claimed that the assaul
was unprecedented and that the substanc,
he threw upon Bassett was a battery solu
tion consisting of sulphuric acid and glycer
ine. He claimed THAI he did so because hi
rival persisted in trying to effect an en-
trance into his Office, notwithstanding hi
warning to desist. hTe prisoner admitted
that the trouble was over a woman, ant
when informed that his victim was badl.
burned he coolly said, "Yes."