Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-21
SON OF WEALTHY
RANCHER FOUND
SLAIN IN CABIN
Investigating Officials De-
clare Suicide Was
the Cause
CASE is MYSTERIOUS
Circumstances Pointing to
Murder Theory Are
Discovered

VIZ ITH a Jagged cut in the right
wv side of his neck. his left breast
torn by a gunshot wound, his
wrist cut in several places and knife
marks on his legs, the body of David
Wilmot Dwire. 81 years old, son of
Harrison Dwire, q wealthy resident of
Hollywood, was found in d little house
in the Los Feliz road, near Ivanhoe
station, yesterday morning.
Despite the fact that deputies and
the coroner's physician, DR.. George w.
Campbell, sent to investigate the case,
report a probable case of suicide, in
vestigation has revealed several Pc
culiar circumstances. Attaches of
Sheriff HammePs office sent a number
of deputies to the scene early this
morning. Although the body was
found early yesterday morning, no re-
port of the affair was made until last
night, when Deputy Sheriffs Martin
Aguirre and Claude Mathewson re-
turned from the scene and stated that
all indications pointed to a clear case
of suicide.
The mystery surrounding the case
was inexplicable, and a number of re-
DOTleTS NlSlL6u the StGllG last night dilu
within hundred yards of the home of
Dwire found his hat and his right
shoe and stocking beneath pool Of
blood.
The articles had been overlooked by
the deputy sheriffs, and when it was
reported that it was a case of possi-
BILE murder, instead of suicide, other
deputy sheriffs were hurried to the
scene.
The body of Dwre was found in his
bedroom in the little three-room house
which he occupied on his seYen-acre
ranch.
The supposition of the coroner's ply
sician and the officers from the sheriff s
office was that Dwire had committed
suicide, but last night his father and
sisters after being apprised of the
real facts of the case, refused to ac-
cept the suicide theory and requested
thorough investigation, stating that
George Kelley, known as Badly" and
| a friend known as A. Duke, should be
asked to give a statement as to their
whereabouts Saturday night and Sun
day morning.
Feared Dwire Injured
Kelley was out of work and, at the
suggestion of Dwire's father, went to
live with young Dwire, who had occu-
pied the little house and operated the
ranch for twelve years Saturday
night Kelley came to Los Angeles, but
when interviewed last night stated he
did not go to Dwires house because
the latter had been in bad humor ana
! he feared he might be injured.
Kelley gave no further reason, nor
did he state that Dwire was more un-
ruly than on the previous nights he
had stayed with him, yet he admitted
| finding his body i'm the bedroom of the
shack, when he awoke after sleeping
with his friend Duke. in tent at the
grading camp grounds.
The first suspicion that 1t might
have been murder instead of suicide
was aroused when the hat and shoe
of DWire were found a hundred yards
from the house by a Herald reporter.
How a person could stab and cut him
self in several different places, sustain
the injuries the body showed and then
go to his home and shoot himself was
the puzzle that first caused the FAMILY
of Dwire to believe that suicide was
out of the question.
The interior of the house occupied
by Dwire was blood d-bespattered, and
i'm the corner of the bedroom was a
Winchester carbine and in the corner
of the kitchen was a shotgun. Car
tridges from the carbine and revolver
cartridges were found on the floors Of
the two rooms.
The fact that blood was on the
walls led to the murder theory.
1t was evident from the conversation
of neighbors of Dwire that he had
been drinking for some time, but re-
Gently reformed, and on Saturday ms
father visited him and was pleased
that Kelley was living with his son
and keeping him company.
Father Denies Suicide
The elder Dwire was nearly pros
trated last night and again and again
refuted the statement that his son had
ended his life.
"He was a veteran of the Philippine
war and brave and had no reason to
shoot himself During the past few
days he appeared happy, and the fact
that his hat and shoe were found in
such a distant place leads me to be
lieve that murder was commlttea. %
ONLY Yesterday his sister came to Los
Angeles and he had planned to meet
her, so I do not think he contemplated
ending his life. 1 will demand an in
vestigation."
The aged father was plainly suffer-
ing from the shock of his sons death
and the sisters of the dead man were
reluctant to discuss the case. The
family live at 131 Eaton street, Holly
wood, and ali are refined and well to
do. Their grief at the mysterious
death of their brother and son was
pathetic. .,,.,.
When interviewed at the grading
camp tent last night Kelley SAID:
went to Los Angeles last night ana
Dwire accompanied me part of the
way to take the car. l became frlght-
ened because he seemed to talk IRA
tNonally, and that is the reason why
did not return to his home last nlght.
I think he committed suicide, but L
don't know the circumstances
Kelley had stayed at Dwire's house
for a week, and said when he returned
Saturday night he saw the light burn
ing in Dwire's house, but did not en-
! ter.
How Dwire could shoot himself a
hundred yards from his house, walk
back to the house and blow out the
| lamp is a question the deputy sheriffs
cannot understand.
A rigid investigation will be made
today.
The body of Dwire was taken to the
undertaking rooms Of Gates & Crane,
Hollywood where an inquest will be
lheld this morning.