Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1910-10-28
LONG BEACH MAN
FOUND MURDERED
Body of ]. S. Famous, Missing a
Month, Recovered Near
His Home
.SON-IN-LAW IS ARRESTED
Relative and Mexican Employed
by Slain Man Held by
the Police
SON-IN-LAW IS ARRESTED

LONG BEACH, Oct. 27.-The decom-
posed body of j. S. Ranous, the old
man for whom the police, sheriff Of
flee and others had been searching
since October 2, and who had been
missing since September Il, was found
this afternoon, about 2:9O o'clock, by
M. Yukiyasu and other japanese,
buried beneath a big manure heap
near Ranous' house.
Samuel Apodaco, a Mexican, who
was employed to haul manure to the
Ranous place, is in jail and has been
for several weeks, the police suspect
ing him of the murder.
D. S. Deyoe, 1850 Jesse street this
city. son-in-law of RanOus, walked
into police headquarters this afternoon,
having just heard of the recovery of
the body, and Sergeant Gallemore
placed him under arrest and locked hlm
up. -,
Ranus' body was covered with
cornstalks and left where found, pend
ing the arrival of the coroner or the
receipt of instructions from his Of
flee. When the coroner arrived, the
body was taken to the McFadyen
morgue.
Famous was rs years old and had
lived alone in little shack for some
time making a bare living through
dealing in fertilizer.
Ranous is believed to have been
shot to death in his little house near
Fifteenth street and Walnut avenue
the night of September 81. He was not
seen alive after September q, but
Apodaco did not report the old man
missing until week later, on October
2. Apodaco was then taken into GUS
tody by the police, who ascertained
that Ranous' twOtdogs and two horses
had been left at Ranous' place uncared
for while the old man never left them
for a long period of time without Civ
ing them proper attention.
THOUGHT HE WOULD RETURN
Apodaco, when questioned to why he
did not report the matter earlier, said
he thought Ranous had gone away for
a short time, probably after drinking
too much wine, and would return.
E. r. MeserVe of Hill street and
Cherry avenue, Signal hill, was one of
the last who saw Ranous alive. Ran
Gus was at his home the morning of
September 81. He is believed to have
returned from there to his own home.
On October 8 the police arrested S.
Moline, another Mexican, who had
worked with Apodaco in hauling man
ure for Ranous. Molino was released
later.
The police secured information that
a revolver shot, fired in Ranous' house,
was heard on the night of his dis
appearance and that wagon was seen
leaving the place late at night.
To hold Apodaco in custody, Mrs d.
S. Devoe of 1850 Jesse street, caused
his arrest October Z on an embezzle-
ment charge, alleging that he had re-
tanned 44o of her fathers money.
On October II Chief of Police G. 2.
Meyer gave out that he had learned
that Apodaco bought a revolver from
C. l. Roberts, local pawnbroker, the
night of September 81, and had re-
turned the weapon the next day, trad
ing it for a watch and complaining
the revolver would not work properly.
Chief Meyer said one chamber of the
revolver had been emptied during the
interim.
LONG SEARCH FOR BODY
In the meantime the search for the
old mans body had been carried on,
the police and others searching in Ala
mitos bay, the slough west of town and
in the gum grove east of Long Beach.
On the afternoon of October Z, and the
morning of October 8, Devoe, the SON
in-law of RanOus, and others were
sup sed to have made a complete eX-
animation in the vicinity of Famous
mouse, removing all Lne DIG manure
pile under VIII oh it was suspected the
body might have been hidden. 1t was
reported that Devoe claimed to have
made a complete search under the
manure heap. That understanding
and an unsubstantiated rumor that
Devoe and Famous had not been on
the best of terms led to DevOes ar
rest this afternoon.
Other relatives of Famous reside in
Bakersfield. On October %, R. e. Ran
Gus, nephew. who lives in that city,
telegraphed Chief Meyer an offer of
500 for the finding of the missing man,
dead or alive.
The police are said to have been
impressed of late with alleged I'M
easiness on Devoe's part According
to persons living in the vicinity of
the Famous home tonight the old man
had quarreled with his son-in-law and
with men working for him, at differ
ent times. The police, it is said, have
learned that a few months ago there
was a quarrel in his house and shot
fired