The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-03-09
The 81. Louis Mystery.

Tho examination OF Taylor in st. Louis
has increased the mystery that envelopes the
Pacific 1o,el tragedy, rather than dissipated
il. The proofs arc all circumstantiaL The
first important query, was there murderi
Did Doane come to his death by the hands
Of an assassin. The conclusion that he did,
is almost irresistible from these circumstan-
ces. He was surrounded with evidences Of
having bled freely before his DEATH No 9TH
sr corpse gave any such indication. This
could not have been caused by FIRE, for FIRE
coaeulstcs the blood and prevents bleeding.
He bled from the head or neck, for below |
those the body was uninjurcd, and no wounds,
from which blood could have flowed, appear.
The bleeding was so profusc that it must
have been fatal. lie must have also been
standing erect, for the blood flowed down his
body and saturated all his undcrclothing to
his feet. The bleeding must therefore have
taken place before lie was seriously affected
by the heat, or the flow of blood would have
been staunched. II it had come from an in
ternal hcmorrhage, and flowed from the nose
or mouth, it would not have gone down his
person and satin..ted his drawers. lie was
up and dressed, was near his door, and had
his important papers in lis pocked; which
were recovered uninjured. Could the wounds
have been inflicted BY the falling timbers
from above. The fire took place on the story
where Doane lodged, and he must have been
aroused, If awakened ut all, before the fire
reached the upper story, and he must have
been suffoca;ed and SO burned before the tim
bers above fell that no blood would flow from
wounds which they would cause. Every one
from the rooms around him escaped, and the
alarm that aroused persons in the most dis
tant parts Of the House was made near his
door. How was it that he alone did not APP
! pear! Could he have got up and stayed to
dress till the timbers above fell upon him!
1t appears that Doane's habits were good
and no reason is assignablc for his retiring
undressed except through canton. II hc
: had not undressed, Inc did not delay to dress
. IL undressed, would he delay while dying
!. Of sutfocation! II would seem il he slept il
his c!othc he had money or contemplate,
n the possibility Of fire. In the latter ease, j
!. is passing strange lie did not get out of hi
y room. In the former case it may not be $
y strange. 1t is surely very improbable tina
IS h. stoppcd to dress till he fell ct his door.
, All his papers were found in his poke
Is but no Observation-Disclosures. II h
70 undresscd he probably but his portnonai
1. under his pillow. In dressing again woul
he not have taken his portcmonnaiel II j
so great peril he had singular hurdihood an
presence to dress, he would have scarccl
10 have failed TO snatch his money. No pc. t.
y monnaie, or remnant of one has been foun
in the ruins Of his bed. None was
his pocket. Papers Of value were in b
. pocket-thc papers upon which, it is learnc
- his business depended.
M The separation Of his valuable pape
y and his money cannot be accounted 4
- by mere accident. Design must have SCI
aratod them, and, it is not probable tn
=. the design was his. 1t is more probable til
=. the papers were left by those to whom tn:
:, were worthless, than by him 10 whom tn,
n. were Of the utmost consequence. If he d
H. not undrcss, q trace at least of his portemol
nd naie should have been founi whcrc all h
nd papers were.
I, Nothing in the case is demens.rable; ,
p are Loft to weighing Of probabilities. T
o. whole weight Of probability may Ito in OF
he direction. and tho fact in the other. H.
ed there been no fire; morning might have di
ew closed suicide. Doane may have died
nc. accident. But it is hard to shake of t
-as conclusion that he was murdered.
In Taking the body by itself, felony is We
rat strongly suggested. Taking the fire by
&C. self, the suggestion is even moro stron A
nd other hypothesis than that Of arson is scare
ly conceivable.