Omaha daily bee., 1883-03-29
Niggor John.

eSsoe
For the past two or three days some
anxiety has been felt as to the where
abouts of John White, nlcknamed
Niger John, although he Is a white
man. Last Sunday John White went
to . party who lived In the house Of
MI. ". Martin and borrowed a long,
old fashioned, smooth bore musket 10
go hunting with. He started off down
toward the river and between one and
.|twolo'clock Sunday afternoon he was
seen by s. 8. Burcham In company
with three or four other parties around
a fire on the Island. Mr.. Burcham
did not know the parties with White
but recognized White, though he did
not speak to him.
Jeppe Hannibalaon met the licensed
at 3 p. m. Sunday, he was then on the
island nearly opposite the old boat
house, and only a few steps from the
lake. He was then carrying his gun
at full cock and Jeppe cautioned him.
but no replied that he always carried
u gun that way. Mr.. White started
down to the lake and took q drink of
water and Mr.. Hannibalson came ON
home. On his way no met two bug
giles containing five men going hunt.
ing. Thoy were business men of
this city, and must have seen the
deceased AZ he was near the road.
Another person also saw White and
two or three persous between three
and four o'clock Sunday afternoon
gathered around q rire. White called
to this party to come over and Join
thom, but he decided not to
and continued on his journey.
Az White did not return home
Sunday night nv or Monday,
q search WA made on Tuesday for the
man without finding any signs Of him,
snd on Wednesday morning as Mr.. 3.
s. Burcham WIS going around . short
bend In the river to see II he could get
some square timbers which he had
seen lodge there the DAY before, and
In passing along he discovered the
body lying partially on Its right side
with the head kind of tucked under.
He,was sbodt two feet. from the body
when he first ssw It, and walked up
aud around the body, and, although
there was some snow on the face, from
the clothes and what he could see OF
the features he was ratisfed II was the
person OF John White. Mr.. Buroham
l then went to Mr.. Martius' house, tell
Ing Mr., M. about It, got one of the
, men folks TO come In to the city and
notify the proper authorities, wher
!. the deputy o went dowr
: bringing the body to tn,
undertaking rooms of Mr.. Conneli
where an investigation was made b,
DR.. 4 imunds, WAC ascertained that tn,
l.. entire charge almost had entered
: little to the right from the center o
tho breast, striking the breast bon
o and passing downward, The bod,
n had on two Oats, a vest and tw
. shirts, through which the charge hs
. passed btf)re 81 teripg the body, 80
. yet the clothes wore not even powde
4 burned. The river is rising some an
the banks near where the body we
found were caying 10 rapidly, still til
body was on the bank away from III
d river about fifteen or twenty feet. Th
lpowder and shot flask and . box {
II caps were found in the pockets, ye
no gun was found, though the doctor
= agree that he might have run som
= little diAtance after being shot befor
!. OK pirlng, but he certainly could N,
., have thrown the gun Into the riv,
from where he was found. No or
IN seems to have any X 40 slsdge of VIII
tho parties were who were seen wit
DO him on Sunday afternoon. I'll
80 cause of his death will probably r
be main a mystery for some time, pc
Oh hops forever, and it is quite probabI
v. a case OF accidental shooting.
ne John White came here nearly tv
u. years ago and has been to work drivil
an express wagon for Mr.. w. Mart
for the past five or six months, comil
O0 here from Canada whore his relsiiv
OO live, and was about "a years of az
75 The ooroner's jury which is the SAL
90 as in the case of Della Brown will II
90 render q verdict bsfore some time
,r. day.
*Dsugglsts say that Lydia f. Pin