The San Francisco call., 1901-11-20
MURDERER'S
HAND BLOTS
OUT FAMILY
Ranch Near Downey the
Scene Of an Awful
Tragedy.
A. 2. Wilcox, His Wife and
Two-Year-Old Babe the
Victims.
Unknown Assassin Completes HIS
Work by Wontonly Mutilating
the Bodies of the
Dead.

LOS ANGELES. Nov. ia. P. Wilcox,
his wife and 2-year-old son were
murdered by an unknown person in their
home, TWO miles from Downey and twelve
miles east of Los Angeles.
The tragedy took place not later than
Sunday night but news Jf II did not reach
the Sheriff's Office until noon to-day. Sher-
if Hammel and. Coroner Holland left for
the scene Immediately.
Evidently the murderer had met resist
ance on the part Of his victims. All the
bodies were horribly mutilated. Investi-
cation showed that the criminal had used
revolver and then completed his work
with a knife. with which he had stabbed
and hacked his victims to pieces.
Scene at the Wilcox Home.
William Twesberry. who rented. the
place TO wilcox, went over to the house
this morning and found everything closed.
be looked through the windows and saw
the bodies stretched on the floor. He mott
he'd Constable ROmer, who in turn tele-
phOned TO Sheriff Hammel in this city,
The Sheriff arrived at the ranch short y
after noon and proceeded TO make an ex-
animation OF the premises. The doors CT
the tOur-rOOm cottage which the WilcoXeS
occupied We're closed, but one Of the
ktchen windows was open.
The family had evidently been surprised
at dinner or breakfast. Mrs. Wilcox had
been shot while carrying a plate from
NA4C SNONG 10 lL6 table ne DdDX law IN
the middle Of the room, while the body Of
It's mOUher was stretched out near the
door wilcox had been beaten upon the
head with a revolver, and a great knife
wound had laid open his abdomen. The
bodies had evidently been set on fire, for
the clothing was badly burned.
The child had been shot through the
head and the bullet was found imbed0ed
at the back Of the skull. Mrs. Wilcox
Lad been shot from behind, apparently.
Fierce Attack on Husband.
The husband clearly was the object Of
the fercest assault The top of his head
was beaten into pulp.
None OF the Wilcox family have been
seen since last Thursday evening so far
as can be asceTtained. The house sets
back of the main road nearly a mile ard
is screened from general observation. One
Of the neighbors, Mr.. Stack saws he hea I'd
q noise like the breaking of a box on
Sunday morning He is now convinced
that this noise was the report Of a pistol.
The weapon used by the murderer was a
S6-calibre revolver, as is indicated by sev-
eral empty shells found on the floor.
In the back room was found a hatchet,
but ne blOodstains were TO be found on it
The room where The slaughter took place
was in q frightful condition. The table
with the meal still spread. however. re-
mained undisturbed-
The theory Of the sDowney residents and
of the officers is that the woman and child
were killed by the first and second sho-s.
the murderer having entered unobserved.
ne AuSD@4O received ll6 IllEO DulleI Dut
not until he had been beaten to insensi-
bility.
Suspicion at first pointed to Bert Lewis,
former husband Of Mrs. Wilcox Sheriff
Hammel notified all his deputies TO look
for Lewis, who, il was alleged, had been
heard to threaten the life of his former
wife That revenge or some similar mo-
tive, and not robbery, induced the crime
is indicated by the fact that nothing had
been taken from the bodies or from the
house
Lewis was arrested in DoWney this
evening. After a consultation between
the Sheriff and the District Attorney
however, he was released The District
Attorney decided that there was not suffi-
Gent evidence against Lewis to warrant
his detention The authorities have no
further clew TO work on
The bodies of the three victims were
brought to Los Angeles tonight and
placed in an undertaking establishment