The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 7, 1896, Page 1

ket ¢ oot gro™ at e \ " VOLUME LXXX.—NO. 7. PRICE FIVE CENTS. TRIPLE MURDE i NEAR FRESNO An Aged Armenian and His| Two Children Put to Death. LURED TO A LONELY SPOT AND KILLED. Their Bodies Found in a Vine- yard on the Outskirts of the City. SUSPICION POINTS TO RUSSIAN COLONISTS. Believed to Have Sought Revenge for Insults to Their Wives and Daughters. | on sus FRESNO, CaL, June 6.—One of the most atrocious crimes ever committed in | Fresno County was perpetrated one mile south of this city last night. The victims were three, all of one family—father, daughter and son—Stephen Shahamirian, aged about 55; Queen Shabamirian, about years old, and Ben Shahamirian, aged , all of Armenian birth. 1 The triple murder occurrsd in the vine- | yard of Dr. Meux on Cherry avenue in Fresno Colony. The crime,is as mysteri- inary, and the identity in bas not been es- ence evolved at the in- quest to-night gives the authorities a tangible clew upon which to work. This evidence s lies almost conclu- sive proof that the Shahamirian family was destroyed by the father or brother of a Russian matron or maid, who had been subjected to g indignities by the younger Shahamirian. Possibly the sssas- sin was a ed by others of his country- men, and it is likely that the intention at first was not to slay either of the trio, but to punish the young manat the whippin, post. Having taken him from home by fo:ce, | his father and sister may have followed, and in an ensuing struggle all were killed. | Daniel Schermerian, a nephew of Sha- hamirian, was arrested to-day on saspi- | cion, but was released late to-night, after it was learned from the testimony of a Russian woman at the inquest that her countrymen had met the night before and resolved to take the law into their own hands to avenge the repeated insults to | Jtheir w/ves snd. iaucbters. i Ihe Armenians were last scen alive st 6 | o'clock ¥riday evening, when they were | at their heme in the southern outskirts of | " this city. They were then performing customary duties abput their little domes- | fic establishment, having devoted the day | tothe cultivation of their vineyard, and appeared to be in the best of spirits. | How they came to meei their horrible death in Dr. Meux’s vineyard, a mile from bome, is one of the many strange feat- ures over which the officers have been puz- zling all day. Lying almost in a group, with pistol wounds in the head of each, they undouptedly; must have met death at | the same time. The bodies were not discovered until this morning about 7 o'clock, when K. | Bagdoin, a laborer employed. by K. M. | Nishkian, who leases the Meux vineyard, was engaged in "cultiyating the soil be- | tween rows of vines. His horse was step- | ping rapidly along, and Bagdoin was | sturdily striding on after the caltivator. As he approached the center of the vine- | vard the animal stopped abruptly and dis- | played much uneasiness. Bagdoin stepped to the horse's head to calm the frightened | animal, and as he did so his eyes fell upon | the bodies of Stephen Shahamirian and | his daughter, Queen. The old man’s body was distorted, and | his eyes were gazing blankly into the beavens, as if his last conscious glance i been one of supplication to his Maker. The young woman lay near by, prone upon | the clods. The laborer first called to Shahamirian, tninking that the old man was aslesp. | Not until he approached nearer to the body did he see that the old man was dead. It was then that he saw the body | of the murdered daughter. Bagdoin ran | back to the Nishkian residence with all possible speed. He and Nishkian re- turned to the scene, and then they found | the body of the son, lying about twenty- five feet distant from the others. Nishkian came to town and notified the suthorities, Sheriff Scott and Deputy Cash Thomas quickly responded, as did Coroner Long. When the officers arrived they found a large number of neignbon‘ about the bodies, and tracks leading away | from the place, which might have been of great assistance in ferreting out the mur- derer, had all been obliteratea. The tracks between the bodies had been care- fully preserved, however. Coroner Long immedia tely brought the bodies to this city and placed them in the Morgue. A large crowd quickly gathered about, and the Coroner ordered that the doors be closed. The news of the murder quickly spread | about town, and not since the time of Son- tag and Evans has there been so much ex- citement here. Notwithstanding the fact that the doors were closed a large crowd stood about the undertaking establishment during the entire day and policemen were required to keep the street clear. Within a horrible sight presented itself. Stretched out on improvised slabs lay the three bodies—father, son and daughter— side by side. On the uneven surface of the ground the bodies had become rigid and contorted. Just to the right of the right eye of the futher was a large clot of blood, marking the entrance of the missile of de- struction. Powder burns formed a circle about the wound two inches in diameter. The son’s face was covered with blood. A bullet hole was foungd in the back of his bead and there wer® signs of powder burns, He had fallen partly on one side and the blood had trickled down on his face. The danghter was shot in the right temple, and in her case there were no | industrious young man. vassed through his coat collar, which he had evidently thrown up in cowering from the assassin. The hullets all entered the brains of their victims, and death in each case must haye been instantaneous. A careful examination of the ground about the bodies developed nothing in the nature of aclew upon which the officers could work. Pools of blood were found at | | each body, and the three Armenians must | have been killed at the same time. The son was killed first.. The tracks of his father and sister led from the position of his body to where their bodies were found. The assassin must have made known his purpose suddenly, for there were no signs of a struggle. When father and sister witnessed the fate of Benjamin they evi- dently turned and ran. The murderer was skilled with a pistol, for the two bodies were found only a few feet apart. It is supposed that he first ran up to the side of the woman and shot her, and then turned and felled her father to the ground. Then he sent a bullet into the brain of the prostrate old man. The officers searched thoroughly, but they could find no tracks of the murderer. Neither could they find firearms about the bodies. Shortly after the finding of the bodies Sheriff Scott arrested Daniel Schermerian [ cion. The Sheriff went to the | Shahamirian house and made a search of it. The dishes were found in place, and | the unfortunates must have been called away after finishing their evening meal. The had evidently left the house before bedtime, for their bodies were garbed in the clothes in which they had been | working. | While Scott was at the house neighbors suggested that he pay a visit to the home of Daniel Schermerian, who had acted somewhat strangely in the morning. The Sheriff went over to his house and found the young man dressing a chicken. Scher- merian seemingly had not yet learned of | the fate which had befallen his uncle and cousins. He affected great surprise when told the news. After sume conversation Sheriff Scott asked Schermerian if he had a pistol. The young man went into the house and brought one out. The officer was startled to find clots of blood on the end of the barrel. The young man ac- counted for the presence of these by stating that he had kilied the chicken with it. Schermerian was then directed to turn his pockets out. The right front pocket in his trousers was clotted with blood. Again Schermerian explained by exhibiting acut on his finger, which he said had bled pro- fusely. He had wrapped the lining of the pocket arouna the finger to step the bleed- ing. Sheriff Scott decided that it would be best to take Schermerian in charge, and he brought him to the jail. At the jail the prisoner was seen by a CALL correspondent. He is a youth of 21, fairly intelligent, and seemed to be con- siderabiv disturbed - by the bloody srents of the preceding night. He asserted that he knew of uo circumstance which might have led tothe butchery, and declared that his uncle, as far as he knew, had incarrea the active enmity of no man. Friends of the youth insist that he would not be capable of such a terrible crime. He has always been a quiet and He speaks English poorly, and it was with difficulty that & statement could be gotten from him. A theory was advanced that Scherme- rian exterminated the entire family of his uncle in order that his father and then himself might get possession of their property, which is valued at $5000. The uncle had a daughter in the Stockton In- sane asglum, and the promoters of the theory contend that in all probability | Schermerian did not believe she could lay claim to the property. On some pretext or other, they believed, Schermerian lured his victims to a place most advantageous to him for thé preparation of the triple murder. But in view of late develop- ments this contention finds but few sup- porters. It was known that the younger Shaha- mirian was guiity of several offenses against young Russian girls. It is also | known that the Russians had been talk- ing strongly of taking the fellow from his home and giving him a whipping. Only the day before he was killed young | Schermerian made improper advancesto a Russian woman* who was working in an adjoining field. Tne authorities had been | appealed to, but the case presented to them was not of such a nature that con- viction could be secured. The Russians .held a meeting and it is said they decided to take matters into their own hands. It seems incredible that the Russians would do any shooting. They might have given the young man a whipping, as he undoubtedly justly deserved. But the theory is that some of the Russians called the boy outof the house, or possibly made him come by force. The father and sister followed, to assist Benjamin, having known of the hatred of the Russians for him, Then a struggle ensued, and in self-de- fense or otherwise the Russians shot all three, If this theory is the correct one, the deed must have been done by some father or husband, whose child or wife had been in- sulted by the youth. This may be the reason why the son was killed first, and then the others, that the murderer’s iden- tity might not be discovered. Coroner Long held an inquest on the Sy U s ey WIND AND FLOOD RAVAGE NEBRASKA Devastation in the South- western Portion of the State. LOUP CITY’S EXPERIENCE Cyclone Cellars Flooded and Fam- ilies Are Rescued With Difficulty. A LITTLE GIRL IS DROWNED. bodies late this afternoon. Neighbors state that they heard three shots in the vicinity at about 7 or 8 o’clock in the even- ing, but 2 man named Freeman stated that he had been hunting about that time and he fired three shots, which were the ones which had been heard. _Chinamen who were camping a short distance from the scene orthe tragedy testified that at a late hour they heard three shots and two or three scréams. They were afraid w get upand investigate. Nothing further was developed at the inguest. Sheriff Scott stated to a CaLL corre- spondent to-night that the case was one of the most m‘guerinus which he had ever encountere He released young Shaha- mirian from jail to-night, as he did not belieye there was any evidence to warrant belding im, The Sheriff is inclined to believe that there is something in the Russian theory. Stephen Shahamirian was one of Cali- fornia’ pioneer Armenians, He came to the State thirty years ago. He and his son and daughter bave been living upon a five- acre tract adjoining the southern limits of the city. He wasa leader in the Armenian fight in the Cengregatio nal church in this city about two ygers. The Armenians be- came too numerous in the church. Shaha- mirian was elect® deacon, but the Ameri- signs of powder burns. The bullet which killed the son first can members of the church refused to recognize his election. Buildings Demolished and Railroad Bridges, Tracks and Cars Are Swept Away. LOUP CITY, NEsR., June 6.—The worst hail and wind storm and cloudburst ever experienced in Sherman County struck this place at 7:45 o’clock last evening. The family of Joseph McCoy went into the cyclone cellar and when it began to fill with water they all got out except the little girl, Nellie, 7 years old. She was drowned in the flood. The house of James Bradley began to float away, but caught on a slight elevation and the family was rescued by & party with a hotel bus. The same party also took the Winkleman and Hale families to a place of safety. The Catholic church was blown to pieces. The Baptist church was moved three feet off its foundations. The schoolhouse roof was taken off. A sixty-foot bridee across Dead Horse Creék was carried bodily over 1000 feet and is lodged near a water tank. Both the Burlington and Union Pacific Railroad bridges are washed out and it is reported that a half mile of the Burling- ton track is gonme between here and Arcadia. SRR WIDESPREAD DISASTER. The Country Flooded for Miles—Great Damage to the Kailroads. LINCOLN, NgBr., June 6. — South- western Nebraska was visited by the most disastrous storm for many years last night. Loup City in Sherman County suffered the most severely, many build- ings being demolished and one or .two fatalities following. Telegraphic com- munication with that place is not yet fully restored. The whole of Loup Valley, according to reports received at railroad headquarters in Lincoln, was flooded for miles. One report is to the effect thata foot of rain fell in 'Loup City. The four- year-old son of Section Foreman McCoy of the Burlington Railroad was drowned. The railroad suffered heavily, over 2000 feet being washed out on the Burwell and Arcadia branches of the Burlington, The hail and rain came down in such quantities that the fruit and crops are seriously damaged in many places. It bailed at Loup City for forty-five minutes, some of the icy stones being seven inches in circumference. The agent for the Burlington at Wool- back, on the Burwell branch running from Palmer to Greely Center, drove from that L GOES THROUGH ON THE VALLEY =~ ATLARGE THE FIRST TRAIN TR0oAD | Twe SummER 'VACATION QUESTION: place to Cushing to report his troubles to headquartérs. He stated that his depot had been unroofed by the storin and was surrounded by about ten feet of water. Five cars wore wrofkod. and. »ashed pway. Toe windmill and 40 & escaped damage. ‘The stockyardy,‘oolhonse and sidetrack are only memories. Thefe was so much water around that he could not tell how much more track had been damaged. Bridges all over the vailey were either blown away or washed out by the clond- burst which followed the wind. At St. Paul the Loup River rose 15 feet in a8 few moments, looding some houses, but doing no great damage otherwise. The country districts suffered the worst, many families in the lowlands being forced to flee to higher ground to save their lives. Much livestock was drowned near Ord, and a dispatch from that place says there are fears of loss of human life between that place and Loup City, but the roads are impassable and it is impossible to in- vestigate. AL st SEVERE STORMS IN IOWA. Residents of Sioux City Driven to Their Cyelone Cellars. SIOUX CITY, lowa, June 6.—Residents here were driven to their cyclone caves by a high wind from the southeast about 7 o'clock this evening. Shade trees and chimneys all over the city were blown down and a few small frame buildings suffered. The local telephone companies were also heavy losers. There are rumors of a severe storm to the north, but nothing definite has yet been learned. R ey GREAT DAMiGE DONE., Property and Life Lost in Wisconsin and Minnesota. BALDWIN, Wis., June 6.—The greatest downpour of rain in the history of this town occurred here to-day. A great many families were compelled to move out. The railroad tracks are washed out for about 200 feet. The damage to crops and bridges is large. ADRIAN, MixN., June 6.—One hundred head of stock and one man were drowned in the storm here this afternoon. E. W. Hunter is the man drowned. HASTINGS, Mixx., June 6.—The fierc- est storm of the year visited this place this afternoon and evening, tearing up streets, washing out culverts and doing great damage to crops. SENIORS ARE DEFIANT, They Will Not Permit a Statue om Their Playgrounds. NEW HAVEN, Conx., June 6.—A party of nearly 100 Yale seniors to-day defied the college authorities and tore down the staging erected to put in place the new statue of the late President Woolsey. . The faculty and corporation have voted to put the new statue in front of the Yale fence near Durfee Hall, virtually abolish- ing the play and general meeting and frolic grounds of the seniors. It is known that there was opposition to the site raised in both the faculty and corporation, but the dissenters were outvoted. To-day the faculty put the staging in vlace in order that the statue mignt be lo- cated in time for an elaborate commence- ment dedication. The seniors tore the | staging down, hurled the boards together and burned them, shouting defiance at the facuity. There was no interference by the college authorities. A deputation from the class waited on Dean Wright and informed him that 1f the statue is put up it will be damaged. There is much feeling on the matter at Yale. —_——— General @ae Quesada Dead. NEW YORK, N. Y., June 6.—General Raphael de Quesada, one of the promi- nent Cuban leaders during the war for in- ndence of 1868-78, and who bad come to New York-a week ago to conduct an ex- Egdmnn to Cuba, died this morning at the otel Endicott. General de Quesada was about 60 years of age. 3 o .. URDEREOuNmAmM o~ S’Tltvl; —~ ONE MILLIOH T0 " BEAT MGhLEY, Creation of a Fund for Corruption. FOR LOBBYISTS TO USE. Filley Says McKinley Cannot Be Nominated on the First Ballot. SENATOR PROCTOR NOT TO RUN Declines to Accept Second Place on the National Republican Ticket. ST. LOUIS, Mo., June 6.—A story is pub- lished this afternoon that the Eastern op- ponents of the nomination of Major Mec- Kinley as the Presidential standard-bearer in 1896 have formulated plans to place $1,000,000 in the St. Louis banks to be used in carrving the convention for an Eastern man. This money, the story goes, is to be at the disposal of several shrewd lobbyists of long experience. who are said to enter- tain bright hopes of being able to capture a number of Southern and Western dele- gates, as well as Eastern men. Chauncey I Filley, who is counted as one of the shrewdest and best informed politicians in America, and who has lately B cu= S~ =/ Tne ExO0uS OF THE PoLiTICIANS the Btate will go for silver by a majority of not less than 5to 1. At Atlunta (the home of Secretary Smith) the gold men have practically con- ceded the result. The largest primary vote every cast in this county was poiled,’ and it is as yet impossible to estimate the majority for silver, although returns from the country precincts indicate a majority of not less than 1000. Captain Evan P. Howell of the Constitu- tion heads the delegation to the State Con- vention. . For United States Senator Crisp has literally swept the State, and the re- sult is everywhere conceded. The State convention bids fair to be a repetition of Kenwucky. e SENATOR PROCTOR DECLINES. Not at AUl Anxious to Play Second Fiddle to McKinley. ' CLEVELAND, Omnio, June 6.—M. A. Hanna, ex-Secretary of War Redfield Proctor, General William Osborne of Bos- ton and Sylvester T. Everett of this city visited McKinley at Canton to-day. Upon eir return this evening they all de- clared they had a real nice time, but in- sisted that nothing of any political signifi- cance had transpired. It is certain, how- ever that the ex-Secretary of War was of- fered the Vice-Presidential crown, which he, like Cesar, three times declined. None of the statesmen, however, are willing to make that admission. After his return from Canton Senator Proctor declared emphatically that he does not want the Vice-Presidency, because it has always been the custom to select the tail to the kite from a doubtful State, and for that reason he does not think Vermont is the State from which the Vice-Presidential candidate should be chosen. In speaking of the issue of the cam- paign he said that the tariff question will remamn predominant despite the promi- nence that has ‘been given the financial question in some quarters. In discussing the platform Senator Proctor said: ‘“The Cuban affair and the Venezuelan question cannot fail to make the foreign relations plank one of the most important timbers in the platform, but I am not in favor of making them unduly prominent.” RUSSIA REVISED THE FATAL LIST, Attempts Made to Conceal the Loss of Life at the Feast. AT LAST, HOWEVER, THE TRUTH IS TOLD. Not Less Than Four Thousand Killed During the Terrible Rush for Food. CZAR NICHOLAS COLLAPSED BY THE GREAT CALAMITY. Throughout the Empire the Horror Is Regarded as a Ban:ful Portent for His Reign. [Copyright 1898 by the New York Times.] LONDON, Exe., June 6.—The Russian papers for four days after the terrible ca- tastrophe on the Kodynekoe plain are now at hand, but they contain only the briefest reference to a report that there was a good deal of pushing in the crowd assembled there, and that some lives were lost. Ifit had not been for the presenge in Moscow of a host of foreign correspondents this is probably all we ever should kave heard of the bioodiest disaster of modern times. Private letters from the correspondents are beginning to disclose what the earlier and apparently edited telegrams failed to show—that in Moscow it is the popular be- lief that not less than 4000 —ere killed or mortaliy hurt, and tha. many estimates put the sinister numbers much higher. It also appears that ihe mob seized the opportunity given by the panic to drag a good many of the paid cossacks from their saddles and to strangle or tramp the life out of them. There is a general understanding that the young Czar, al- ready overweighted and worn out by the tremendous strain of the prolonged cere- monials and festivities imposed on him, went inio a hysterical collapse at the news of the tragedy and that the whole court is still frightened at the possibly perma- nent effects of the shock on him. In such a medievally superstitions nation as Rus- sia everything unusual is an omen, and it is not surprising that throughout the em- | pire this unique horror should berezarded as a most baleful portent for the new reign. There seems to have been almost super- natural malignity in the chance which ar- ranged that very evening lor the French Embassy’s share in the coronation festivi- ties. I understand that buth the French Embassador at Moscow and his superiors in Paris favored a vostvonement of the state ball set down for Saturday night and that tbey suggested doing so, but they were overruled by the heads of the Russian bureaucracy and by Prince Lobanoff in particular, who said it would be impossi- ble to make the Russian people under- stand such an interrapiion, or to prevent them from beiieving the wildest and most mischievous lies about the reasous forsuch a break in the round of gayeties. Accord- ingly the dance went on, and perhaps 1t did exert some reassuring effect on Mos- cow, but this was obtained at the cost of a very painful sensation in Paris. Not much is said about it by the upper- class French journals, which recognize the necessities of their Government in such a difficult and delicate business as Senator Proctor does not look for the withdrawal of any of the candidates now in the field, and says at St. Louis their friends will be ready and in a position to retire them gracefully. The McKinley managers here assert that Senator Sher- man will not write the financial plank of the platform, but they admit that it will be submitted to him for suggestions. el BOIES' BACKLRS AT WORK. They Believe He Can Win tion From the Dem DES MOINES, Iowa, June 6.—The dele- gation that will represent Iowa at the National Democratic Convention at Chi- cago met here to-day for organization and conference. S. B. Evans of Ottumwa was elected chairman and C. A. Walsh of Ottumwa secretary of the delegation. Governor Horace Boies, Iowa’s candi- date for President, was present at the meeting to advise with the members, and committees were appointed on literature the Nomina- oorats. been exercising in his mathematical gym- nasium, declares that McKinley’s nomi- nation on the first ballot is an absolute im- possibility. 3 Hon. Perry Heath of Ohio handed the following statement to the United Press this evening: “A New York dispatch pnblished in a St. Louis newspaper this evening indicates that I have been quoted as saying that ex- Senator T. C. Platt is engaged in some sort of a conspiracy to have recognized anti- McKinley contestants ‘if they can show’ the slightest claim for their seats.’ “I have evidently also been quoted in- outside press dispatches as saying that while Mr. Platt had publicly announced that he did not intend to come here before the latter part of next weex he had pri- vately written members of the National Committee to join him here the first of next week. I would thank you to say that I have never employed the word ‘conspir- acy’ in conmection with what Mr. Platt has done or may have in mind. He hasa perfect right to do what he is doing so far as I know, and I know of nothing he may have in contemplation that is illegitimate. Iregard Mr. Platt as a sound Republican and & man of honor. The friends of Gov- ernor McKinley are not attacking ex-Sen- ator Platt or questioning his motives.”” e GEORGIA FAVORS SILVER. White Metal Champions Win a Victory n the Strte. to prepare and circulate Boies’ campaign matter. A committee on finance was named, and others necessary. Boies made a brief address to the con- ference, in which he expressed confidence that if the Democracy would make the financial the overshadowing issue this year and adopt a brief platform un- equivocally demanding free silver coin- 'age it would carry all the South and ‘West and Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, Mr. Walsh, who will be the next Iowa member of the National Democratic Com- mittee, agreed with these opinions. The reports received by Mr. Walsh, who has been the leader and organizer of the silver forces fn this State, from all over the country, lead him to confidently believe that Boies is almost as far in the lead ior the Democratic nomination to-day as Mec- Kinley for the Republican. He said he found that the general confidence in Boies as a man of integrity, conservatism and firm convictions was working to his ad- vantage and rapidly forcing him into the position of the leading candidate. He was confident of Boies’ nomination. There was a movement to elect a new National committeeman at once, but there were enough friends of J. J. Richardson, the present member, to prevent this. It was agreed that Mr. Richardson, a sound money man, will be turned down at the National Convention and Mr. Walsh elected to the place. _ ATLANTA, Ga., June 6.—Returns from every part of Georgia indicate an over- whelming sweep for free coinage of silver. Returns already indicate that it is certain. Treasury Gold Resere. WASHINGTON, D. C., June 6.—The treas old to-day was 2, 768; :{t’hfinw’:l:’;l';.m i e this Russiun alliance, but the popular and NEW TO-DAY. SCRATCH SCREAM My baby broke out with a rash. He would scratch and scream. 1t would take two to hold him, and one to put medicine on him. We to hold him sometimes an hour before we could get him quieted down. All said that they never saw such = face or body on any baby as on him. I had to tie his bands tight in'a cloth, night and day, for five months. My sister had used CUT! CURA, and I began to uee it. After only one application, he lay down and sleptss he had not for a month, poor little fellow. He has not a scar on him now, and is as fair and his flesh isas soft asany baby. While he had this disease I had to cut the sleeves out of his clothes, and put gauze .underwear on him to keep him cool. I had to keep pleces of soft cloth around his neck, it was s0wet with malstare {rom the sores, and { bad to change the cloths sometimes ten or twelve a day. Mrs. A. HAYNES, Lisbon, N. D. SrEEDY CUE TREATMENT ¥oR Bunr Humoms.— Warm bathe CuTicURA BOAP, and gentle applics- ‘of CUTICURA (ointment), the great akin eure. d ghout_the world. Drue axD Tea'e P-ane, Doston. LEVISTRAUSS &E0’s COPPER RIVETED OVERALLS - AND SPRING BOTTOM PANTS. EVERY PAIR GUARANTEED. #OR SALE EVERYWHERE. T. TTER V.S A~