Imperial Valley press., 1923-01-04
IS
VICTIM Of
BAD ATTACK
Woman Found on Floor
of Cabin With Face
Badly Beaten
LITTLE TOTS HURT
Child Blames Mexicans
for Attack on His
Parents, Claim

Mike Fornasera is dead
his wife and two children
are in an unconscious con-
dition at the Ell Centro
hospital, and a third child
is badly injured following
a fiendish attack on the
family at their ranch
home, four miles east of
Heber, Tuesday night, by
three Mexicans.
The terrible tragedy was not dis
covered until this morning, when d..
T.. Church, a neighbor, called at
the house 10 get the ranch milk and
found Fornasero dead in the yard,
with his head crushed in, and beat
en- to n pulp. Church Immediately
notified the authorities and Deputy
Sheriffs Cummings and Giilett, Cor
ones Peterson, aud Frank B. ERIN
GER. assistant district attorney, mr-
riQd to the ranch.
When the authorities arrived they
foAtnd that the thrcc children lad
been removed to the Church home,
and the woman was still lying in her
home amid squalor that beggars
description. The woman was un.
conscious and had evidently lain
where she had fallen following the
brutal attack. When placed on a
blanket and brought outside, she
brcathcd easier than when first
found, and according to DR.. Peter
son, will live. When she was re-
moved, n small paper package. con
tanning $sJ in gold, was found under
her by Gillett, and she had evidently
received the terrible beating, while
defending her small savings.
Head Badly Beaten
Her face and head had been beat
en- into one huge, bloody wound,
both eyes were swollen until they
resembled large ~bcets and her hands
showed that she had put up ter
rifle struggle. Fornasero likewise
was beaten about the head, a deep
scalp wound being the cause of
death. His tightly clcnched fists
and cut hands, were mute evidence
that he had died while try ing to
defend his family.
The Officers removed the woman
to the Church home, and there in
terviewed the youngest boy, the
only one who could talk. Question
ed by Assistant District Attorney
Erzinger, the little fellow showed
he was still scared from the terrible
scenes he witnessed Tuesday night,
but when rcassured that nc more
harm would come to him, he told a
pitiful and heart rending story.
Boy Tells Story
According to the youngster, three
Mcxieans called at the house some
time Tuesday night, and asked for
bread, offering Mexican money in
exchange. An argument resulted
and the three men attacked his
father who ran into the yard, after
he had been struck over the head
several times with a gun. After
killing his father, the boy said the
Mexicans returned to the house and
attacked his mother, while he, his
older brother and sister, covered In
their bed. They finally succeeded in
hitting her in the head with the
gun and she sank to the floor. Then
the Mexican hit each of the children
across the head with the gun, break
ing the oldest boys jaw and inflict-
ing an ugly cash on his forehead,
splitting the girl 3 lip in two and in
flicting terrible wounds about her
head, and breaking Lis own jaw,
though not beating him as they had
done with his brother and sister.
The three youngsters, ages 9, 7
and Q years, were rendered unconsci-
Gus and remained in that condition
until yesterday afternoon, when
they dragged themselves out of the
house and sat in the yard short
distance from the body of their
father, the Oldest boy and girl being
still in stupor and the youngest
boy too scared to move. There they
remained all night until found this
morning by Church.
Found but One Can
The latter told the district attor-
ney that he thought something was
wrong yesterday morning when he
called at the house for his usual
supply Of milk and received only
the cans which had been filled the
night before. There were none that
had been filled that morning, and
(rontinned on pape 81