The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-06
SHOT IN THE HEAD
Dick Vanetta Figures in a
Duel.
QUARTER OF A MILE CHASE
Victim Taken to Police Station
Supposedly Dying.

Yesterday afternoon the east part OF the
city was startled and the usual quiet dis
rurbed by wild cries Of Murder! Poicel
Help!' and such blood curdling and hair
raising screams. Like all good American
citizens, the populace around that quar-
ter at once chased to the source Of the
alarm
Two men were soon discovered rushing
pell nell down the south streets among
the railroad tracks. in and out Of alleys,
across lots and through corn fields.
Closely following The mob were Assistant
Chief of Police Park Massey and Detect
i've Sutton, and the whole procession gave
credence to the belief that an incipient
riot was in full blast. Pistol shots every
now and then resounded on the ambient
air. and this only added fire TO the fame
Of wild and morbid curiosity which had
already commenced to ignite in the minds
of the excited and inflamed crowd. While
madly chasing through a corn field in the
southeast part of town, the flying man
in chase was seen to pull his revolver and
fire upon the fleeing man just in advance
OF the procession. Some say three shots
were fred altogether. and others are
equally vehement in declaring chat only
one was let loose. Be that as it may.
the man who was shot at and supposed
to be murdered at once turned upon his
assaiIant and commenced throwing rocks
and clods of earth at him. The pursuer
and the pursued finally got together and
the former very prosaically and in mat
ter Of fact manner sat astraddle of his
victim and jabbed his head down into the
dirt. The patrol wagon was soon on the
ground in charge of the police captain
and detective VINO loaded the dying man
and the red-handed murderer into it and
proceeded to haul them to the city sta
ton The man who was thought to be
murdered was q wanderer "a tramp, who
gave his name as Frank West and his
slayer was mono other than Dick Vanetta,
who figured in the Tewmey sugar stealing
case a year ago. At the station Vanetta
gave this as his version of the combined
tragic and comic affair:
He says that West struck town on
freight train early in the day and soon
sought drug store to load his system
with the inspiring and uplifting effects of
a shot of opium. Later he got alto
gether too friendly and sociable and start
ed South on Mosley avenue to get ac-
quainted with the residents around there.
When he reached Vanetta's home he
yelled to the latter's wife for a match.
She gave him the match and then he
showed signs of wanting to come in and
show how agreeable he could be. He de-
clared this purpose so strong that Mrs.
Vanetta became frightened and called for
her husband, who summarily appeared on
the scene with a small artillery section in
his hand and the foot race toward the
south commenced. West hit the dirt in
a frantic manner while Vanetta likewise
showed his sprinting ability by holding
his own and keeping close behind the
frantic and flying amorous tramp. Some
where down in among the corn fields,
Vanetta let drive his six-shooter, he
claims only once. He did not know
whether or not he had hit his man until
the latter suddenly stopped and, gather
ing a handful of stones, opened fire with
them on his assailant. The latter rushed
I'D through the fire of rocks and graphing
with West downed him and sat on him
until the police yanked both into the booty
buggy and proceeded TO haul them TO the
CITY prison, West to die, as was supposed,
and Vanetta to answer to the dire charge
of murder.
West was unconscious and breathing
heavily all the way to the city jail, and
II was expected that he would die any
minute. Upon reaching the police court
West was placed in a comfortable posi-
ton an dthe city physician at once start
ed to probe for the ball in the base Of
the head There was an ugly wound in
the neck. Just at the base of the brain,
from which there copiously flowed a
stream of blood. While celebrating how
10 best battle and wash the wound, which
was supposed to be fatal, the injured men
nonplussed and dumfounded the bystand-
ers by calmly getting up and walking
to the table on which rested the wash
basin and dressing his own wound. He
carefully bathed his head and coolly
walked back TO his cot to lie down. Van
eta was. in the mean time, closely guard
ed down in his cell, awaiting the outcome
Of his fine gun prowess. Finally IN
serious and solemn voice Chief Jones
asked West if he did not desire 10 enter
charges against Vanetta of assault with
intent to kill. In reply, the supposed
dying man answered very promptly:
Charges! He'll no; let me get out Of
town
Both men were discharged and instead
of a wild and lurid sensation, remained
only lot of disconnected citizens and a
rf5iculo1is and {u6icrous affair wherein
one MORALLY wounded man suddenly
came TO life and asked to be allowed 10
get out as easily as possible.
Miss Grosvenor left for her home in
KingInan yesterday morning after a pleas
ant visit here with Miss Bessie Reed.
THROUGH WlCK0FF'S HOSPITALS