Arizona republican., 1908-12-14
ASSAULTED BY THUG
 BEATEN AND ROBBED
PROPRIETOR OF THE PORTO RICO SALOON SUFFERED A
 FRACTURE OF SKULL.
Joe FeIicita Held Up by Footpad and FeIed by Blow Wit a Metal Bar.

Joe Felicita, proprietor of the Porto Rica saloon at the corner of Second and Jackson streets. was held up by an unknown man while he was on the way home yesterday morning, at 1920 o'clock. struck over the head with a bar of iron or steel, felled and robbed of two checks, aggregating S29O6. A purse containing over $100 and a quantity of silver in his pock- cts were not taken owing to the speedy action necessary to enable the highwayman to get away, which he did successfully. F'elicita suffered fracture of the skull though he was not rendered unconscious by the blow. He was taken to the Sisters hospital yesterday, where he was operated up- on by Dr. Dameron.
 It has been the practice of Fe- licita to have a considerable sum of money at the Porto Rico on Saturday nights that he may cash the checks l of his patrons and the police have warned him that he should inform them when he leaves for home that an officer might be in the near vicin | ity, for the reason that a particularly hard bunch sometimes gathers at that particular house of revelry. He re- l sides on Buchanan street between Center and and First streets and af
 ter closing his place left soon after | midnight for home. He went west to First street, then south toward Buchanan and was within a half block of his home when he saw a man approaching. He took no spe
 cial notice of him until he was quite close. when the stranger raised his iron weapon and made a sweep at him. Felicita stepped back enough to dodge the blow but the second one caught him on the left side of the head, cutting a gash from the forehead to a point above the ear.
 Felicita yelled as the first blow was aimed at him and his voice attracted the attention of an Indian who is serving the sheriff as a deputy and who was some distance away. The deputy went to his assistance as | quickly as possible and the thug fearing the early arrival of some
 body made a very nasty search of Joe's pockets. grabbed the checks overlooked the purse. did not bother with the silver dropped the metal | bar and ran into the alley running east from First street.
 Another deputy sheriff arrived minute after the Indian and by the | latter's direction went down the alley after the culprit but he had already made good escape The Indian took Joe's pocketbook for safekeeping and Joe was able to get up soon after and walk home. when he telephoned the police. officers Connor and Sul | livan responded but all the success | they had was the finding of the metal bar, which is eighteen inches long, | about three quarters of an inch in | diameter round on one side, and ap f pears to be a piece broken from | splintered steel rail.
 Yesterday morning Marshal Moore | called at the home of Felicita to see ! him before he was taken to the hos pital. He could give little infOrma- tion concerning the incident not re- cited above, except that he believed | his assailant was a white man.
 The checks taken had been issued | by the government and cashed by Joe. l One was for s1s.56. dated Dec. 13. and made payable to Rafael Salazar. The other was dated Dec. F. paya- ble to V. Lopez and was for s1O.5O. Felicita is an Italian and has con ducted as well ordered a house as one could expect to with the class of trade he catered to. He has run the Porto Rico for the last three or four years It is not believed his injuries are fatal. though the wound is a very dangerous one.