Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-24
ITALIAN SHOT
IN FREE FIGHT
CLAIMS THREE PEDDLERS
ATTACKED HIM
Young Man Receives Two Bullet
Wounds When Men Rush Into
His Home and start
Riot

AS result of quarrel between
four Italians, said to have been caused
by rivalry in the fruit peddling busi-
ness, Joe Benice. aged 2S years, was
shot in the chin and through the neck
yesterday afternoon shortly after IL
o'clock
The men who are accused of assault
ing Benice are Antoine Artizone,
George Artlzone and Stephen Artlzone.
The latter are two sons of Antoine.
Since the fight two of the alleged as
sailants have escaped, but the third
is under arrest.
Knives. hatchets and revolvers fig
ured in the alleged assault, but mirac-
ulousy young Benice escaped with
only a bullet wound in the chin and
one through the forepart of the neck.
Benice will recover from his injuries
So far as can be learned by the po-
lice the cause for the bloody affray Is
due to rivalry existing between the four
peddlers. Benice says the fight was
the result of Jealousy over the pur-
chase of an unusually god horse by his
father, for which the latter paid s175.
The Injured man says the other men
attempted to buy the same horse, but
were defeated by sudden purchase
of the animal by the elder Benice.
Young man is Wounueu
Benice, with his father, had been out
peddling fruit the entire morning, as
was customary. At dinner time the
two men repaired to their home at the
corner of Messenger and Maud streets.
No sooner had they seated themselves
at the table than the three Arizones are
said to have rushed into the house and
set upon young Benice, trying to stab
him with a long, vicious looking knife.
In a moment everything movable in
the room was thrown about. Young
Benice says he carried a revolver in
his hip pocket at the time, but claims
he did not wish to kill the other men,
so refrained from using it.
Seeing that the three alleged asSail-
ants were bent on killing him, Benice
rushed out of the house and secured
hatchet. According to him, he sue
ceeded in striking two of the men with
the hatchet, but does not know if he
did them any injury.
Suddenly in the midst of the fight
there were two reports of a revolver
and young Benice fell to the floor,
dazed. The three men are said to have
Immediately escaped from the house,
and the injured fruit peddler, with his
frightened father, ran for assistance.
The noise of the fight had by this time
attracted several neighbors to the
scene and a policeman.
Police Are Reticent
A call was sent to the police station
and two detectives were at once de-
tailed on the case, but after much
searching for clews to the Whereabouts
of the missing two Artizones, the Of
ficers returned with their lone pris-
oner.
Apparently no further effort to locate
the missing men was made, as the
detectives refuse to talk about the
matter saying that publication of the
facts would Interfere with their prog
ress and the men who are at large
would make good their escape" Be
nice says there is no danger of the
men being at large, and that if al
proper search was made for them they
would be found easily, as they are too
much attached to their home and bus
mess to depart.
The police are seemingly not inclined
to regard the matter seriously, and
evade giving answers to questions
where possible. If the missing men are
captured they will be charged, as the
one under arrest, with assault with a |
deadly weapon with intent to kill. Be
nice, the injured man, it is said. will |
not suffer much from the experience, |
except a bullet scar on his chin and |
one through the forepart of his neck |
Young Benice never lost consciousness
during the dressing of his wounds at
the receiving hosDital L