The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-02-16
A Clue Obtained and Good Hope Ex-
pressed That the Murderer Will
be Arrested.

William p. Monroe, the unfortunate station
agent found murdered on Wednesday night al;
Webb Station was % years of age, and was well
known in this city. He was employed at the
international depot here in May, 1881, when he
had his leg injured by Il switch-engine to such
an extent as to neccssitatc amputation. He
was Ill some time and, on recovery, learned
telcgraphy. lie was then appointed station
agent at Webb, and held the Office for upwards
of year, giving general satisfaction.
the engineer of the Laredo train says that
Just as the train neared Webb he observed Il
man riding a horse at great speed and is of an
opinion that he was the murderer but this does
not accord with the opinion of Marshal Gosling
convey ed i'm the following telegram to Mr.. J
5. Landry, ticket agent:
LAREDO, February l5.-Mr. Landry: found
the trunk 400 yards from the depot broken
open at the bottom and the money ali gone but
81 in currency. The trail established the fact
that 1t is large man, wearing a No. Ii boot.
He was on foot Had we had horses this
morning | am of opinion we could have
captured the murderer. We GO out on
No. jO1, with six or eight men and horses and
will scOur the country from Webb west and
north. ! have also telegraphed Captain Mex in
ney to start out to might Il squad of rangers to
meet Shelby tomorrow, between COtulla and
Webb. | am afraid we have lost too much
time, but we will do the best we can.
COSTING.
The trunk referred to i'm Mr. GosIing's dis
patch was mentioned in the letter Monroe was
writing to his mother at the time he was
attacked II send you $40 by mail. ] have Just
been paid !nJ salary and have $40 remaining in
my trunk, with which hope to be able to soon
be with you all at home
Marshal Costing came i'm to-day from Webb
station, the scene of the murder of Monroe
lie says Shelly arrived at the station early yes
tcrday morning, but there being no one there
to manipulate the wires he could get no facts
to work on; so he sent his horses into Laredo
and awaited the coming of the south bound
train. In looking around the place, however
Shelly found the trail of the murderer, bath
coming and going, and followed it several hun
dred yards, but hay ing no horse he could not
prosecute the search. He also found the muir
dered mans trunk out in the brush. 1t had
been broken open and robbed. When Mr.. Cos
ling arrived at Webb, he and Shelly went on to
Laredo and organized small party and re
turned To Webb station, the railroad author
tiles furnishing car for the horses. Marshal
Costing also wired Captain Mckinney, of the
Rangers, to COtulla to send some men down to
meet Shelly and his squad. So now two
parties, well acquainted with the people and
country, are making a thorough search for the
murderer. The work looks like that of Mex
lean, but the trail indicates IL No. II boot a
larger foot than is ever found on IL Mexican.
In answer to the LIGHT commissioner, Mar
Shal GOsling said that Webb Station is about y
miles from Laredo, and the nearest place to il
is rancho about three miles distant 1t is a
lonely and desolate spot, known as
DEAD MANS HOLLOW.
The wounds, he thinks, were not inflicted
by an axe, but by a Mexican machete
and there can be no doubt that Monroe was
attacked from behind while writing As he
rose up another blow was given, and then the
third. Even then there was an apparent
attempt on the part of Monroe to escape from
the place, when the gun was taken from the
rack and he was shot, inilicting an awful
wound. Blood brains and hair were scattered
all over the walls, almost as high aus the ceiling.
Monroe fell after being shot and literally
sweltered in his blood until found. The muir
derer shOuldcred the trunk and ried it about
100 yards, broke it open with his .machctC,
robbed it and escaped. He is confident that if
horses had been Obtainable he could have
caught the murderer, ami thinks even now
that he will be caught by the experienced men
who are searching for him. Monroe had been
paid his salary few days prior to the robbery,
and this is, undoubtedly, the cause of the
crime. 1t is wonderful that Monroe lived so
long after his injuries, and even when he lay
apparently senseleSs and his pants were
searched by friends to ascertain whether he had
been robbed he mad sufficient consciousness to
place his hands over his pockets to prevent ex-
animation, but he had no power to speak.