The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-03-13
HORRIBLE.
FRANK SLANEY MURDERED IN
COLD BLOOD FOR HIS MONEY
BY UNKNOWN MEN.
His Remains Found near Bryan
Buried in the Forest. Sad News
for his Austin Friends.

Frank Slaney was a young man
well known in Austin. lie has at
tended school hereif We are not mis-
informed; anyway he has a great
many friends and acquaintance in
the capital. Some months ago
the STATESMAN noted his sud
den disappearance from his home
or rather he was missed at Hearne.
The facts as stated in THE STATES
MAN at the time were these. He went
from Bryan where he had been in the
employ of Messrs. Dunn & DAILY, to
Bats store intending to go to Mil
waukee, Wis, on a visit to his old
home and friends. He spent short
time at the Bait store and left
saying, he was going to Mil
waukee, Wisconsin, to visit his old
home and friends and intending to
take the train at Hearne. A month
or more passed and letter from his
friends in Milwaukee
INQUIRING ABOUT HIM
was received, and investigation de-
veioped the fact that he had not gone
to Milwaukee at all. His friends be-
came somewhat alarmed and inquiry
was instituted to ascertain what had
become of him. II was thought he
had come to Austin and letters of in
qury were sent to this city, but all
efforts proved fruitless. Not a trace
of him could be learned. He was a
kind-hearted, Industrious young man,
of excellent habits, and his strange
departure was the subject of surprise
and anxiety. 1t was thought that he
had gone to some point not far away
and for some reason was keeping his
whereabouts from his friends-and
yet there was no reason for him to dc
so, known to any person
His accounts were found accurate
and not suspicion of dishonesty
could rest against him. Inquiry de
veloped the fact that he
LEFT BATS STORE,
but from there all trace of him was
lost. 1t was thought by some thai
perhaps he had gone to some othel
point in the north instead of going di
rectly to Milwaukee. Thus matter;
rested, and the affair passed from
every ones mind until this week
The night after last Thanksgiving
Robert and John Henry and a negro
named John Grant were out coon
hunting, and they discovered mount
of fresh earth in the forest. 1t at
tracted their attention, but not enough
at the time to consider the matter o
any Importance. Afterwards, how
eyer, they tried to find it, but coul,
not. The popularity of the mound
the length of a mainland having al
the appearance of grave in the soil
tary forest, on reflection, kept weigh
ing upon Mr.. Henry's mind, and th
more he thought of it the stranger j
!, seemed. The m IRE he thought abou
: it the more he becam
impressedithat something was wrong
!; He made another search for tn
mound and on finding it
!. MOST STARTLING DISCOVERY
t was made. There were the bones c
i Frank Slanev. The place wher
! found is about two and a half mile
: northwest of Bryan near Manpari
: Wells. Mr.. .[1enry had no idea wnl.
r remains they were but he notifie
J. Justice of the Peace Carmel and /
D called an inquest to investigate til
q matter. There was nothing to lea
l. to the Identification Of the unfortul
e ate victim except pieces of his clotl
e ing, a bunch Of keys, and his shi
d buttons, as the body had decayed al
:, no name or papers were found with
J. But with what they had the sheri
= aud city marshal assisted by .
l. CaYltt and others, began an invest
o cation that proves beyond questiC
) that thel remains are those of Fran
# Slaney, who met a violent death he
probably murdered for the money
had on his person at the time. I'll
remains
l. WERE IDENTIFIED
t. beyond all doubt. The hat, pieces
> clothing, buttons, ETC., all correspon
q ed to those worn by Slaney, and tt
y keys fit the locks of his trunk and
|, small box contained in it and be
IS exactly the numbers of the locks.
- half dollar in silver was found in Il
I. clay with which the bones were co
'S cred. AS the skeleton occupied We
small space the belief is that it W
buried some time after death.
g small hole was ding, as if with hant
l. and the remains were pressed into it
& a heap and were not well covered.
y we have said the mound was di
l. covered the night after last thank
s giving by Robert and John Hen
t and the freedman John Ora
d little Importance was attached to
: and in searching for the place tn,
e failed TO find it again until a wet
e ago. While the matter is clothed
b mystery, the officers are on the ale
l.: and it is thought the criminal may
e brought to answer for his terrib