Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-03-14
A MYSTERY UNVEILED.
Romans of Frank slaney Found Buried
In the woods Near bryan.
Austin statesman

the NOOuH NfHr ffrNtns
tAustn statesman.l
Frank Slaney was Young man
we'll known in Austin. He has at
tended school here If we are not mis-.
informed anyway he hns u great
many friends and acqunintWces in
tbo capital. Some months aao the
Statesman noted his sudden disappear
ance from his home or rather he was
mi sod AT Hearne. The facts as stated
i'm the Statesman ut the time were
these. He went from Bryan where he
had been in the employ of Messrs.
Dunn ~ DAILY, to Bats store intend
Ing TO 90 TO Milwaukee, Wis, on n
visit TO hi- old home and friends. He
spant a short time at the Bait store
and left, saying he was going to Mii-
waukee. Wis, TO visit his Old home
and friends, and intending 10 take the
train al IIearne. 4 month or more
passed and letter from his friends in
Wilwauke-
INQUIRING ABOUT HIN
was received, and investigation devel.
oued The fact that he had not gone to
Milwaukee at all. His friends became
somewhat alarmed and inquiry was
instituted to ascertain what had be-
come of him. 1t was thought he had
come to Austin and letters of inquiry
was sent TO this city, but all efforts
proved fruitless. Not "a trace of him
could be learned. He was kind
hearted, industrious young man Of
excellent habits, and his strange de-
parturc was a subject Of surprise and
anxiety. 1t was thought that lie had
gone to some point not far away and
for some reason was keeping his where
abouts from his frends--and yet there
was no reason for his doing so, known
to any person. His accounts were
found accurate and not suspicion of
dishonesty could rest against him. In
quiry developed the fact that he
LEFT BATS STORE,
but from there ell trace of him was
lost. IL was thought by some that
perhaps he had gone to some other
point in the north instead OF going di-
recily to Milwaukee. Thus matters
rested, and the affair pa. sed from every
ones mind until this week. The night
after last Thanksgiving, Robert and
John Henry and negro named John
Grant were out coon-hunting, and
they discovered mound of fresh earth
in the forest. 1t attracted their at
tention, but not enough at the time to
consider the matter ofany Importance.
Afterwards, however, they tried to
find il. but could not. The peculiari-
ty of the mound--the length of man
and having all the appearance of n
grave in the solitary forest, on reflec.
ton, kept weighing upon Mr.. Hem
r.y' nd hn ltn IA
OF il the stranger it seemed. The more
came impressed that something was
wrong. lie. made another search Tor
the mound aud on finding tia
MOST STARTLING DISCOVERY
was made. There were the bones of
Frank Slaney. The place where found
is about two and half miles north
west of Bryan near Maugauic Wells.
Mr.. Henry had no idea whose remains
they were, but he notified Justice of
the Peace Cearnel, and he called AN in
quest to investigate the matter. There
was nothing 10 lead 10 the Identified
ton of the unfortunate victim except
pieces OF his clothing, a bunch of keys
and his shirt buttons, as the body had
decayed and 10 name or pap Is were
found with it. But with what they
had, the sheriff and city marshal, as
sisted by DR.. Cavitt and others, began
an investigation that proves beyond
question THAI the remnins are those of
Frank Slaney, meta violent death
here, probably murdered forths money
he had on his person ut the time. The
remains
WERE IDENTIFIED
beyond al doubt. TIE hat, pieces Of
clothing, buttons, etc, all cGrrespond-
ed to those worn by Sianey, and the
keys fit the locks OF his trunk and
small box contained in it, ana bear
exactly the numbers of the locks. A
half dollar in silver was found in the
clay with which the bones were GOV.
cred. As the skeleton occupied a very
small place, the helief is that it was
buried some time after death. A
small hole was dug, as If with hands,
and the remains were pressed into il i'm
heap, and were no! well covered. AS
We have said, the mound was dis.
covered the night after last Thanks
giving 10y Robert any John Henry
ana The freedman John Grant. Little
Importance was attached TO it, and in
searching for the place they failed TO
hud 1t again uutila week ago. While
the matter is clothed in mystery the
nlllcers are on the alert, and it is
Thought The criminal may he brought