The San Francisco call., 1908-07-24
SLAY[RSF|NG[R,
BITTEN OFF BY
v|CTIM,IS0fw
Stabbed Eighteen Times, Greek
Wounds Murderer With His
Teeth in Dying Struggle
Is Third Member of Bakery
Firm to Be Assassinated
Within Three Months
Dead Man Was Only Witness
Against Prisoner Held for
Killing Partners

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, July
23.-Before receiving his death wound
at the hands of an unknown assailant,
who lay in wait for him in the base
ment of the Western meat company
at 1:3o o'clock this morning and
stabbed him IL times in the face and
seven times through the body with a
dirk, Stoyan Stiff, Greek glue
maker, caught the right fore finger of
his enemy in his teeth and bit it off
at the first joint.
Through the clew thus furnished
Sheriff Robert Chatham and District
Attorney Joseph J. Bullock of San Ma
teo county are confident that the muir
derer VIII soon be captured by the
posses of deputies and police that are
searching the country about the scene
of the crime.
Stin is the third member Of a former
bakery firm of five Greek friends in
South San Francisco 10 be murdered
within three months, while a fourth is
now in jail at Redwood City awaiting
trial for the double murder of two of
the partners. 1t is believed that the
murder of Stiff was the result of plot
Matched by friends of Todor Kiproff,
the accused man, to prevent him from
testifying against Kipron at the trial
of the latter, which was to have begun
on July 2s. Stiff was the only witness
of the quarrel between the partners.
SHOOTS PARTNERS
Kiproff, Stiff. c. Giorgi, P. Kosta and
P. Chappi were the FIVE original mem
bers of the bakery firm. In which
Kiprof was most heavily interested.
Trouble arose over bad management
and the alleged failure of the business
to pay dividends Kipron sought
Giorgi and Kosta last May IL and told
them that he must share in the profits
he claimed they were pocketing. They
laughed at him. In sudden anger, he
drew an automatic revolver and shot
them dead. Stiff was witness OF the
beginning Of the quarrel and his testi-
mony was relied upon to send Kiproff
10 the gallows.
1t was for this reason. the authori-
ties believe, that Stiff was hunted down
by a close friend OF Kiprof's, who
hid himself in a dark corner at the
foot OF the stairs leading TO the base
ment OF the meat company's plant,
where he knew his victim would have
TO come during the night to turn of
the water taps. AS the unsuspecting
man passed, he leaped at him with
the dagger.
STABBED TO DEATH
At the foot of the stairway in the
gloomy old basement a terrible bat
tie ensued. Taken completely un-
awares, with the other stabbing the
and struggling for vital thrust, Stiff
defended his life with desperate vigor.
In a dying statement made to the dis
trict attorney, he told how he had
caught the dagger hand in his teeth
until the other screamed in pain and
jerked it away. leaving portion of
the finger in Stiff's mouth. But the
dagger won. Pierced nearly a score
of times, Stiff sank dying while the
murderer fed at the sound of the ap-
preaching footsteps of a fellow work
man, who heard Stiffs cries for aid
No attempt at robbing was made. At
the Guild hospital in San Mateo the
injured man died eight hours later, de-
claring that he had not recognized the
other in the dark
Sheriff Chatham Of San Mateo coun-
ty arrived at the scene of the murder
at o'clock, and with the scant evi-
dence on hand TO work on, sent his
men securing the neighborhood They
are looking for a Greek with a band
aged hand and q missing forehnger.
AS yet there is no trace Of him
DR.. NJ. D. Morrison OF San Mateo
and DR.. Bradley Plymire of outh
San Francisco performed an autopsy
on Stiff's body in the undertaking es-
tablishment of ]. G. Mccarthy in San
Mateo last night. The inquest will
be held on July 80.