Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-25
TREACHERY
LURES MAN
TO Deaf H
Long Standing Feud
eliminates in
Murder
One Implicated Arrested
and Another One
Wounded
Posse of Deputy Sherffs Pursue the
Posse Of Deputy Sheriffs Pursue the
Fugitive, Who Takes Refuge
In a Canyon, Leaving
Bloody Trail

AS the result of a long standing feud
among a colony of Mexicans living
north of Santa Anita, one man is dead
and another probably fatally wounded.
The victim of the affray, which oc-
Cured at 6 o'clock last night, was
Gavino Majio. He was shot to death
by two assailants, one of whom es-
capped. The other, Leandre Flores, was
shot five times by a companion or
Majios, and at late hour last night
was not expected to live until daylight.
Rito Ramirez, Majios would-be res
cuer, was placed under arrest, with
Carlos Pisani, who is said to have been
in the plot to murder Majio. Juan
Aguirre, the murderer who escaped,
was pursued all night by posse
through Santa Anita canyon. Flores,
the wounded man, was taken to the
county hospital.
The feud, which eliminated in the
tragedy, is one of many years standing
and centered about Flores and Majio.
The enmfty began in Mexico and when
the men met unexpectedly in their new
home the old hatred broke out anew.
Feud Divides Colony
Each man gathered following and
the Httlo- Santa Anita colony was di-
vided. Brawls innumerable grew out
of the strife and many encounters took
place which were narrowly turned
from endings like that of last night.
The aged Rito Ramirez was Gavino's s
stanchest supporter, but always strove
for peace and often he stayed the hand
of an angry partisan, when he saw
danger ahead.
Late Yesterday afternoon Leandre
Flores and his follower, Juan Aguirre,
walked down to the slope to Gavino'S
hut. Gavino saw them coming and
stood at guard, but they held up their
hands in token of peace. He awaited
them silently and Leandro began speak
ing as he approached.
1--WE have been enemies long enough,
he said Let us be friends. 1 have
brought Juan with me to witness that
/ would not harm you. Let us end
our hatred. 1t will soon be time for
the singing of the Tenebrae and the
Miserere again, and before 1t comes
let us make peace"
Suspicious of overtures
Majio watched them stolidly as they
came nearer. 81 do not trust you,
Leandro," he said You have spoken
of peace before and 1t has not been so.
lner6 must Dt DClWSCh US
Leandro continued speaking, now al
most pleadingly. He begged Gavino's
forgiveness for the harm he had done
him and wanted only to make amends
and to end the feud. Juan added elo-
quent arguments for ending the strife
and gradually Gavino was won over.
The two men shook hands
"Come with us over the mesa," said
Leandro, "and / have another friend
who will witness that we no longer
hate each other and we will seal our
friendship forever
Rito, the patriarch whose hut ad-
joins Gavino's, was standing near, lis
tening silently to Leandro's strange Of
fer of reconciliation. He was called TO
witness the end of the strife and did so,
without seeming to fully comprehend
the turn affairs had taken.
Gavino, oVerjoyed at the prospect of
being able to live in peace, went with
Leandro and Juan, through the turn
of the little gulley at the foot of which
the huts stood.
Rito had many misgivings as he
watched them pass out of sight, little
impressed with Leandro's manifest
change of heart. He knew that Lean
dro was treacherous, that Juan had an
Cvil name in the neighborhood and
that there could be no reason for their
sudden desire to end the feud.
Hears Revolver Shot
Toward nightfall his fears led him to
arm himself and follow the trail of the
three men. He knew the place where
Gavino was being taken, and in spite
of his age and weakness, his fear for
his friend growing, he ran over the
rocks and through the brush until he
was nearly exhausted before he reached
the open space where the three men
were to meet Leandro'S friend. AS he
rounded a sharp turn of the rocks which
gave him view of the slope he heard
the crack of a revolver. Before him
100 yards away Gavino was sinking to
the ground. Leandro and Aguirre were
pouring shot after shot into him. Re-
Volver In hand, Rito charged down the
slope. Almost at his first shot Leandro
dropped Juan staggered and fell, then
regained his feet and ran toward the
mouth of the canyon
When Rito reached the prostrate
Leandro he had fired Ave shots at him.
every one or which had taken effect.
Not shot had been wasted Juan hav-
ing received the other one. Gavlno was
dying. They lured me here to kin me-"
he whispered to Rito, who bent over
him.
Deputies Pursue
The sound of the shots and Juan's
flight had attracted other Mexicans, one
n of whom was sent to Pasadena for the
police. Deputy Sheriff A. G. Berdie,
with three deputies, arrived soon after.
lcOntinued ON PAGE TwO.l