The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-20

when he fired three shots at theIn' he ue-
clares that he believed the team, behind
which Jack" VicCari, Jim" Johnson
and Henry Jensen were riding, was run
ming away, and he "aimed at the horses
Desirello further said he had once be-
fore stopped runaway team with bull
let from his pistol and to save the boys,
whom he thought were in danger, ana
TO prevent a possible collision with an
other team, he impulsiyely drew his pistol
and began shooting. But he does not eX-
plain why he ran after the team and con-
tinued his fusilIade when the boys had
passed him and he could not possibly
have hit either Of the horses.
DesirellO's story of the crime differs ma
terially from the statements of Henry
Jensen and Jack" Vacarri who so mar
rowly escaped the fate of their cOmpan-
ton Both boys maintain that the horses
were not running away, neither were they
being driven rapidly The youths assert
that the team was travelling on an ordin-
airy trot. a dozen people around Colnia
who have seen the horses daily for
months are emphatic in stating that the
animals were common farm plugs" and
could not under any circumstances get up
sufficient speed to be dangerous to any
one.
The prisoner denies that, after young
johnson jumped from the wagon and
was dying he threatened to shoot Vac
carl, but Lille and Ida Reun, sisters
aged l6 and is, heard Desirello utter the
threat, and they urged young Vaccari to
remain silent, as the tone of the threat
implied its speedy execution. Desirello
can make no excuse which will in any
way mitigate his offense. Even accepting
his story as sincere, he was a dangerous
man, reckless in the use of g, pistol, and
not even skilled in the handling of such
q weapon. As an officer he was of course
privileged to carry arms, but he was not
licensed to shoot down horses which
might be trotting rapidly.
Desirello sat in the Sheriff's office in
the Jail at Redwood City yesterday and
gave his version of the tragedy. He had
evidently passed q sleepless night, and
the realization of what he had done rest
ed heavily upon him His wife, who is
woefulIy distressed Because of her hus-
bands reckIessness, was with him all the
forenoon. She was in a grocery store at
Colma when the fatal bullet penetrated
Johnson's neck, and when she rushed out
and saw what had happened she vainly
endeayored to stanch the blood. She
placed her hands over the wound, but 1T
was a futile effort, as no power on earth
could have saved the boy. Desirello was
asked why he shot at the boys, and he
replied:
my God! I did not want to hurt any OF
them. 1 thought the horses were running
away and 1 shot at them. 1 hardly knew
the poor boy who is dead, and had no
motive in killing him" He then gave
detailed account Of his part in the tragedy
ii Went to Union Coursing Park in the
afternoon, and to be prepared for any
serious trouble which might arise put
my pistol in my pocket. l do not always
carry a weapon, and during my six years
service as Deputy Sheriff never had oc-
casiOn to use gun. l am not gun
fighter and am not an expert shot
F'When the dog races were over Went
10 Colma and about o'clock I was stand
ing near the White House, waiting for a
car to go to Baden. My wife was in
store purchasing some groceries. Billy
Murphy, the dog owner, was standing
down the road at a breakneck speed
Billy remarked There's runaway The
next instant the horses passed US, and
pulled my pistol and fired. The wagon
was then about ten yards from me. me
team did not stop and ran IN the same
direction shooting as ran dteT Tobn nIe1
say. I'm shot and saw him jump
from the wagon. did not think bullet
had struck him until he sank to the side
walk in front of Bellis store. ran over
Az I Of Mood He died in a moment or
Two. and I Went to Constable Nevill and
gave myself up, asking him TO take me 70
Redwood. told him what had happened
and he hitched up and brought me here.
when I began shooting did not know
who were in the wagon. It was dark and
I could not see the boys. They were yell
ing like indians and 1 thought they were
drunken milkmen."
This statement, except as to the shoot-
ing and the result, is contradicted by the
bows on the wagon and by William Muir
phy, who declares he was not near Desi-
relic when he fired at the team.
When Jack Vaccari was going from
the ranch of J. Baumana, where he
works, to Colma he was accompanied by
James Johnson and Henry Furger, who
wished to catch an electric car. They
stopped at the switch, about thirty yards
from where Desirello was standing, and
Furger alighted and boarded car. Wntie
the horses were standing young Jensen
got into the wagon and stood behind the
seat. They started for Belli's store, and
as they crossed the car track a man ran
out into the road, ran back again and be-
gan shooting at them. The remainder Of
their story was told exclusively in yester-
days Call, and they have not changed a
single detail and there are no contradic-
tons in their tales.
William Murphy, who owns a kennel
about fifty yards from the scene of the
murder, heard the shots fired and rushed
Immediately to the place where the crowd
II was in my kennels" he said yester-
day when I heard three shots fired in
quick succession. At once left nv " work
and rushed over to the crowd. That is all
I know about the murder
The. Reun sisters also ran to Bells store
when they heard the shots. and they
heard Desirello tell Vaccari to shut up
or he would put bullet in him when tie
J jim. "SAeO Inc murderer why he had killed
Desirellos remorse and his statement
that he used his pistol reckIessly To sto1
an imaginary runaway does not assuage
the grief Of the heartbroken relatives Of
the dead boy. He was an only son and
his aged father and mother are inconsol-
able. Their grief is pitiful and no kindly
intended ministrations will dry their
tears or relieve their heartache. Mrs
Johnson did not learn of her boys death
until late Saturday night, and She could
not get car through TO Colma. She rode
there to her daughters home, where her
son was cold in death The father arrived
half an hour later. The bereft parents
sat all night beside the body and were
deaf to all entreaty to leave the room A
more pitiable case cannot be imagined.
The fathers only words were:
my poor boy, my poor boy! I have no
one to help me any more"
The mothers woe overcame her, and
to the friends who remained in the desc
late home.
Coroner Grove went to Colma yesterday
forenoon and an autopsy was performed.
The following were impaneled as jurors:
Hugh c. Rodgers, Thomas e. Kennedy,
M. Miliett, Joseph SeIicani. James Kodg-
ers, Michael Griffin. Fred Selicani, Fred
Pierce and II, Callan. The jury Viewed