The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-08
Henry Vasquez Tin
oco the Victim.
MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR
Young Guatemalan the OBJ
ject of a Vendetta.

Henry Vasquez Tinoco, is years old,
Of 10 William street, was made the vic
tim of a murderous assault, said to
have taken place near the corner of
Front and Church streets, about 10
o'clock last night
The young man was stabbed six
times in the region of his heart. The
wounds are not deep, and have the APP
pearance of having been inflicted with
an ordinary pocket knife. His assail-
ant escaped, and at the present time
his identiey is unknown.
The young man was assisted to the
office of DR.. l.. f. Woodward, where
after a hasty examination it was
thought that the hospital was the best
place for him. The police ambulance
was called and the young man was TAX
en- to that institution. At a late hour
he was reported as resting comfortably;
and that his wounds are not considered
dangerous.
The cause of the assault is shrouded
in mystery as deep as the uncertainty
surrounding the identity of the assail-
ant. Tinico'S story is that he is a ma
tive of Guatemala, and is in this coun-
try securing an education. He attends
Childs' Business college at liz Front
street, and was at the school last ev-
ening.
He started for home about 10 o'clock,
and turned the corner of Church street
on his way home. He had taken but
few steps when he was seized and
thrown to the ground. His assailant
leaned over and stabbed him several
times with some sort of knife. He
cried out for help, and the would-be
assassin fled.
He was unable to say which way his
assailant went, but describes him as
about feet, inches tall light COM
plexion, light hair and moustache, wore
dark clothes and long black overcoat.
A singular coincidence in connection
with the case is that Tinoco was as
saulted in Springfield, August 3, 1898,
and he is certain that the man who
stabbed him last night and the Spring
field assailant are Identical.
Last August Tinoco was a pupil in
the school of Prof. Pitxin, teacher of
languages in Springfield. The young
man was standing on the street in front
Of the doctors house on the day in
question, when a wagon containing
three men drove up to the curb where
he was standing. One of them crying
Ouls 1A6l Z 10 d lSdpCu IIOlti
the wagon seat and commenced beat
ing him over the head with heavy
stick.
The young mans cries attracted at
tention. and his assailant jumped into
the team and drove toward Chicopee.
Tinoco says he is a native of Central
America, and although he speaks
Spanish, is not a Spaniard. He has
been accused of being of that national
II L.
and thinks some one intends to have his
life
At the hospital, Tinoco said he was
positive of the mans identity, and that
the individual was pro ably looking for
revenge, as he received the worst of the
battle in their previous encounter.
Another peculiar coincidence is that
Miss May Gould, who gave her address
as 141 Pleasant street, and who is an
acquaintance of the injured man, APP
peared on the scene a few seconds after
the assault took place. and assisted the
young man to the office of Dr. Wood
ward on Pearl street.
The circumstances surrounding her
appearance are somewhat unusual, but
her story as told to the officers is that
she was on her way home, aboard a
Grafton car. she left the car near the
corner of Front and Church streets just
in time to hear some one cry for help
She recognized Tinocos voice and hur-
ried to his assistance just in time to. see
man supposed to have been his as
sailant running away.
She helped the injured man to his
feet and started for the Doctors office.
She remained with him until the police
arrived, and then went to her home.
141 Pleasant street. When questioned
by the officers as to her reason for
leaving the car so far down Front
street. when she lived so far away,
and on such night, she was not quite
clear. but said she had a reason for
leaving the car.
At the hospital, it was found that
Tinoco had been stabbed six times all
most directly over the heart Five of
the wounds were in a direct line down
the young mans side, barely quarter
of an inch apart, while the sixth was
toward the right side. His vest and
shirt front We're pierced, but from the
nature of the wounds, they must have
been made by some short -bladed instru-
ment. presumably an ordinary pocket
knife.
The number and location of the cuts
show that the assailant, whoever he
may have been, struck with intent to
reach Tinocos heart and it was only
by rare good fortune that fatal
wound was avoided Had the weapon
been a stilletto. such a weapon as
would be naturally associated with a
deed OF this sort, considering the VEN
delta like air surrounding the proceed
ing. the young mans heart would un-
doubtedly have been pierced
Tinoco had black jack in his pocket
manufactured from the head of a cane,
containing a ball Of lead. He said the
We, was given him by Prof. Pit
IA -..VN