San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-21
IDENTITY Of
MURDERED MAN
IS ESTABLISHED
Body Found Under Hay
stack Is That Of Pedro
Ramallas.
WOMAN GIVES CLUE
Man Left San Antonio on
Peddling Trip to
North.
WOMAN GIVES CLUE

A two-days' investigation by Bcxar
county deputy sheriffs was rewarded
late Saturday when pictures Of a
white man about % years old, found
with his skull crushed in straw stack
near the town of Golden City, Mo-, on
January 6 were identified as those of
Pedro Ramallas, Syrian peddler who
| had left San Antonio about month
| ago. The mans home, it was learned
was in Dallas but he had been in San
Antonio. He left this city, it is claim
ed, in an automobile in company with
two other men.
According to Chief Deputy Alphonse
Newton, the dead mans identity was
established when the two photographs
were shown TO young girl who visit
ed the sheriffs office late Saturday.
! The girl said that she knew RamGllas'
family well anil that he has a sister
living in San Antonio. She promised
to bring the mans sister to the sheriff S
Office Monday to affirm her state
! ments.
With the identity of the dead man
established, Chief Deputy Newton said,
officers will now turn their attention
10 dscertaininS the names of the two
men who il is claimed accompanied
Ramallas when he left San Antonio.
IL they can be located. the chief deputy
believes, they may be able TO shed some
! light upon the mysterious manner in
which Ramallas came 20 his death,
Body Found In Hay Stack.
Al ..,.e
Gated to the sheriff's office through a
letter from Arthur Farr. a real estate
man at Golden City, TO n local bank
here. Farr believed that the man had
an account with the local bank and
suggested that through his banking con-
nectiOns, the identity Of the man might
be established. Enclosed in the letter
were two photographs. showing that
the man had been dealt severe blow
on the head. The body, when found
had been stripped of all clothing and
means of identification, and it had been
pc Orly concealed in a straw stack. Ii
was discovered accidentally on January
Is, n short time after the crime had
been committed.
Failing to recognize the photographs
Of the man as depOsitor Of the institu-
ton, the bank turned them, with the
letter over ito Chief Deputy Newton.
D., uty Sheriff John Subira was as
signed to the case but up until Satur-
day had been unable to establish the
mans identity. The theory that the
man was Joe Keran. as advanced by
Mr.. Farr in his letter, was dispTovcn
when friends Of Keran advised the
sheriff's office that he. is still alive.
Motive For Crime Not Found.
According to Mr.. Fairs letter. the
man had been travelling through the
country in a Ford automobile with Il
bow top. Mr.. Farr stated that he
had had an accident near Mt. Vernon,
Mo-. and had wired a local bank TO
send him money with which TO pay for
damages caused to another car. Two
men, Mr.. Farr said were with the dead
man when he was last seen.
Although every effort was made 10
locate friends of Ramallas N San An
tonic all efforts failed until Saturday
when the young woman, having read the
description of the man. came to the
sheriffs office to view the photographs.
She Immediately declared that she rec
ognized them as Ramalas Chief Dep
uty Newton did not obtain the name of
the young woman. He stated, however.
that be will take up the investigation
again Monday and hopes, through the
aid of this young woman and the mans
sister to establish the identity Of the
two men who left San Antonio with
Ramallas.
The dead man. the deputy sheriff was
told, was a peddler, having his home in
DALLAS but frequently coming to San
Antonio. So far officers have failed to
advance any theory as to the motive
of the crime or whether the man was
in the habit Of carrying any large
amount of money with him.