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Arizona Republican
Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona
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Wealthy 70-year-old rancher John L. Ivett was brutally murdered with hatchet blows near Merced Falls, California, last night while hospitably showing a visitor his wine cellar. No apparent motive; valuables untouched. Coroner's inquest ongoing.
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NO CAUSE APPARENT FOR THE HORRIBLE DEED
Hospitably Taking an Evening Visitor to His Wine Cellar, He is Struck with a Hatchet and Killed.
Merced, Cal., November 10.—A horrible murder was committed last night near Merced Falls, a small village on the Merced River, about twenty miles from this city.
John L. Ivett, 70 years of age, worth $500,000, and without an enemy, was the victim. Ivett lived at his ranch near Merced Falls, with his wife, a young girl of 20, to whom he had been married about two years. He had two houses, one occupied by his ranchmen, of whom there were usually a dozen, and another, in which he lived himself.
The latter house was about two hundred yards from the other, up a small hill.
It was Ivett's practice to retire early, and last evening he left the lower house, saying he would go home and write a letter to his wife, who has been in San Francisco for some time. He was not seen again until this morning, when one of the ranchmen found his body at the head of the stairway leading to the wine cellar.
It is the conjecture that after going home Ivett lighted a lamp and commenced to write a letter to his wife, as unfinished pages were found on his desk. It is supposed that the murderer rode up to the house at this time, tied his horse outside, and, entering the room where Ivett was, engaged in conversation with him. Ivett, who was a very hospitable old gentleman, doubtless invited the man to go down to the wine cellar with him, as this was his rule with all visitors.
It is supposed that as they came up from the wine cellar together, Ivett stooped to close the cellar door, when the other man struck him two murderous blows on the head with a hatchet or similar instrument. Ivett fell partly down the stairway, the cellar door catching and holding his foot.
A Coroner's Jury is now in session but nothing definite as to the identity of the murderer is yet known. It is thought that robbery could not have been the motive for the crime, as no valuables in the house or on the body were disturbed.
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Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Merced Falls, Near Merced, Cal.
Event Date
Last Night, November 10
Key Persons
Outcome
john l. ivett struck with hatchet and killed; no valuables disturbed; coroner's jury in session, murderer unidentified
Event Details
John L. Ivett, 70, was murdered at his ranch near Merced Falls. After retiring early to write a letter, he likely invited an evening visitor to the wine cellar. As they ascended, Ivett was struck twice on the head with a hatchet or similar, falling partly down the stairway. Body found next morning by ranchman.