Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-19
MURDER
B. L. BURRIS SHOT AND
INSTANTLY KILLED
Tuesday Night in His Office on
Main Street,
A MAN AND WOMAN ARRESTED
SHORTLY AFTERWARD
Supposed TO be Implicated in the
Shooting.

ShOkILf Ar lEkWAkD
Supposed TO be Implicated in tn
D Shooting.
Tuesday night, about 1880 o. clock the pee
pie living in the vicinity Of Bloomer Bros
: store, on Main street, were rudely startle
from their slumbers by the sharp report @
apistol, and Mortified at the accompanyin
, cry OF murder. In a few moments all thos
who were yet awake fastened in the dires
ton OF the shot, which was found to nav
issued from small house, occupied as a
Office and bed room by b. l.. Burris, an
adjoining the restaurant Of T.. w. uaines
on Main street. The EAGLE repre-
sentative was soon upon the seem
and found much trouble In elbow
ing his way through the excited crows
which had collected, to the place OF tn
tragedy, where he found Mr.. Burris LYNN
upon his back on the floor in pool Of hi
own blood, life extinct. The facts of tn,
tragedy, SO near as they could be gathere'
last night. are these:
Mr.. Is. L. Burris has been contractor oil
the Wichita & Western road for something
over a year, having his headquarters in thi
city. He occupied small house OF
Main street, two doors north o.
Bloomer Brothers store. The frs
room he used as an office, the second n
bedroom. the third as a storage room
and the shed TO the extreme rear was IN
occupied. Last night he had been seated
at his desk in the front room engaged in
writing letters, as was evidenced by nun
Der lying around on the table, part OF then
enclosed in envelopes and sealed. Owing
to the heat OF the evening all Of the door
Of the house were thrown wide open
About 1880 O'Clock MIR. Burris went into
the restaurant next door, which is owned
by Peter W. Haines, bought cigar OF Mrs
iIaines, and dropped some casual remark
about the heat, and him (Burrisl
| feeling very tired. He light.
ed his cigar and went out, and in q
minute afterward the sharp report Of apis.
tol was heard coming from the direction OF
the rear of his house. Mr.. Haines caught
up lamp and FASTENED in through the
/ front door TO see Whist was the matter. Al
the door he was met by A. II. Bandy and j.
ID. Bennings,. who happened TO be only a
few rods IRON the house when they were
startled by the pistol shot, and turned to
investigate its source. The three men
entered the house together. They
passed through the first and second rooms
but In the third. half sitting and half lying
against an old trunk back OF the door, they
found Mr.. Burris gasping for breath, and
before they had time TO utter q word he
breathed his last and his head fell over
limp and lifeless. Upon taking him into
the middle room and making examination
Il was found that the leaden messenger OF
death had entered his right cheek just be-
10 " the eye, had taken an upward course,
crashed through his brain ard out. at the
upper back part OF his head and
buried itself in the wall hack OF
where he stood before falling.
His face was all singed and covered with
powder, showing that the deadly weapon
w tiVos ~ MS 'N.NN-
search of the premises was at once made,
but reyealed.nothing. 1t is supposed. and
not without good grounds, that whoever
the murderer was he was hid in the rear
shed This object either robbery or murder)
and when Mr.. Burris returned from buy
self 10 again resume his writing, he
was attracted TO the rear part OF the house
by some noise made 10y his slayer, and was
thus brought into close contact with him.
Where he stood when shot is in straight
range with the rear door 10 both the back
shooting evidently beat a hasty retreat by
the back way. as no person was seen about
the premises by those first upon the scene.
In a few moments hundreds had collected
about the house. but no one was able to
throw any light upon the affair. In the
absence from the city of Coroner Nugent,
Squire Hobbs was summoned as was also
Sheriff Fisher, but owing to the lateness of
the hour an inquest was postponed until
this morning. when jury will be sum
moned and an investigation commenced,
the remains having been placed in the
hands of an undertaken for embalment.
Mr.. Burris was a widower. about forty |
five years of age, and has a married daugh-
ter living in New Mexico. A telegram was
dispatched to her last night as well as TO
other friends, some Of whom will probably
be here as soon as possible.
Mr.. Burris was man well and generally
liked, and as yet no satisfactory theory as
10 the object of the murder has been adj
unless il he that some one
had been watching an opportunity TO rob
him. and while be was in the restaurant
made the attempt. Being foiled by his i'm
mediate return, and probably caught in the
act, they fired the fatal shot in order TO Sc
cure their escape. The coroner's inquest
to-day will probably throw some light upon
the affair. and we hope will lead to a speedy
capture al d punishment OF the bastard who
thus suddenly aud without warning robbed
a man Of his life.
LATER :-2:30 n. m.-Since the above was
put in type two arrests have been made and
the prisoners lodged in Jail TO await the de-
yelopments of the ease. Richard
Brady. while walking up street
with woman of the town by the
name of "Cycl, ne,'' was taken in
charge by Marshal Cairns. Ii seems that
tween Bradley and Burris. growing out of
some trouble over 4 woman. Bradley, |
it is charged. has repeatedly threatened |
the life Of Barris, and yesterday after |
noon be borrowed "A revolver. stating at |
the time that he intended TO kill Burris |
tions ware such as to arouse suspicion, and |
be was closely Swallowed. and his every ac-
ton noted By the officers. His arrest oc-
cured at about ~ o'clock. Sometime |
later Cyclone who was walking with |
him when arrested, served like tate and is |
she has been running . bawJy house in |
the cas- part OF town. Sus-
picion seems TO point very strongly 10 |
Bradley as the guilty man, but il is not our
province 10 try the parties 20 We will mere
" say all these facts will probably be |
brought out at the coroner's inquest to-day. |
The l3urris murder was the chief topic OF
on the streets and In public |
places yesterday, and the morning EAGLE
fail partieulars'of the tragedy |
was eagerly sought after, and though a
arge number OF extra copies were printed
hey fell short Of supplying the demand.
Up TO the present writing there have been
no new developments of an important ma
lure, though many wild rumors are afioat,
both the murdered man and the
.wo parties arrested. who are suspieioned
IF the crime.
Acting Coroner w. G. Hobbs summoned
he following jury yesterday morning
'aptain Myers, J. ID. Caldwell, j. {.
Harding, Henry Jones, Thos. Lynch and
4. J. Stanley, who, after viewing the re-
mains and surroundings, concluded that
surrs had been shot from the rear or back
loor of his house, and that the weapon
must have been held within only few
inches of his face, they then adjourned I'M
il afternoon, and later re-adjourDed until
O'Clock this morning, rs there are impor-
ant witnesses 10 be summoned who could