The Packing Padrone

May 8, 1907
Long Beach

The Padrone must run a tight ship. Juan Acosta is a Padrone. He has a shotgun.

Just east of the city, at the Bixby Ranch, he discharged four men from one of his tents for reasons unmentioned. These gentlemen returned before daybreak and one of them, a Juan Diaz, stabbed a sleeping Acosta through the arm, and then stuck him in the breastbone and forehead. Acosta still managed to grab his shotgun and unload onto Diaz’ abdomen at point-blank range.

El Padrone’s brother managed to tackle and hogtie another assailant, one Luciano Morro, who was found bound at the entrance of the tent by local Marshals. The two others, Mssrs. Bartello and Rodriquez, now have warrants out for their arrest.

Padrone Acosta is expected to pull through. The outlook for Diaz is not as rosy.