Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-09-29
A HORRIBLE FIND.
Three Boys While Hunting stumble
Upon The Ghastly Remains OF
Negro Boy.
His Identity Faily Established and E,i.
dcnce That lie Came 20 His DEATH
From Foni riay.

Three boys, Pat McCrackcn and George
and Jerry Smith, while out hunting sun
day evening, found the skeleton OF a ne
gro boy in the Charley Coppingcr pasture,
about three miles above town, on The
north side OF the West Fork. fastening
back, they informed the authorities aud
yesterday evening Justice linn sum
muned a jury OF inquest, and, accompa-
MED by Mr. Ross BOwlin, proceeded Ia
the scene. The skeleton was concealed
In thick clump of underhruSh aud
hriars. 1t was In
nan STATE or DECAN,
all the flesh having rot,cd of, aud
the only means OF identiil-
cation was the clothing viii ch
cons listed of cottonade shirt, dark
eolorcd vest and old black hat that had
been torn and monded, pair OF ducking
over alls with a leather strap around the
waist and pair of brogan shoes, No. ,
or s, with heels that had
hecu worn off and mendcd In
the vest pocket was an al
manac for 1885, and IN the pockets OF the
pants were found small paddock, two
door-kcy. two marbles and a., ball Of
Irvine The skeleton was recognized as
that of negro from the black wool
which was lying near, and he APP
peared TO have been between NJ
/ teen and twenty years OF age.
4 The cause of his death was revealed IN a
/ large decavity or the right side aud front
| of the skull, which had evidently been
made by "A tremendous blow from some
blunt instrument, The back OF the skull
! was resting ON small pole, and the feet
pointed toward the fainteSt trace of a
trail which indicated that the unfortunate
| negro might have been murdered and
dragged there, or he might have been
overpowercd and killed with an ny after
being hurried into the thicket,
After viewing the remains the
Jury of inquest visited Mr..
! Coppngcr's house near by Tor
the purpose OF making inquiries. Mr.
Charley Coppinger is himself absent ON Il
visit to England, having left in July, and
MIR. and Mrs William Xix are In charge
of his affairs. They made a statement,
which throws some light ON the CHASTITY
discovery and apparently
IDENTIlEs TuE REMAINS
as negro boy named Frank, who was al
work for MIR Coppnger. They said that
one morning about the LIST of August
this boy, who had been employed witt
I Mr.. Coppinger three years, disappeared
and nothing had been seen or heard OF hin
since. The last time seen he was
going In the direction of the thicke
whore the body was found, about
o'clock one morning. with bride In hi'
{ hand TO catch II horse, and drive som'
trespassing cattle ont of Held
Some fifteen minutes afterwards
the horse was seen standing
In another quarter of the pas
ture bridlcd but alone. The negro BIO.
was never seen alterward, and II wa
, supposed that he had from some caus,
: abandoned the country, but in the ligh
of yesterdays discovery II
plain that on that August morn
1 ing he went forth 10 a ci1c
= fate and persisted just beyond the gaz
of his friends. The thIckot, which
: about onc-half mile from the house, we
, concealed It's horrible tale, and tn
perpetrators OF the deed were enable
to get of without leaNin
. any trace OF the murder, eN
I cept the skeleton AMI It's sharp indentures
Mr.. and Mrs. liix Identified the clothln
hS that DelOHplhB ~ lHt ieElo ivy rlHiih
A conclusive evidence OF his identity wa
a paper found in his pocket, which
though
WELCOMED AND woRN
from exposure, was deciphcrcd as an ol
der tor a pony, which had been given ID
deceased by Mr.. NJ NJ. French of thi
city.
r The jury of Inquest found that the r.
$ mains were those OF the negro boy Franz
!, whose other name was unknown and thu
y he came TO his death from a bio
(, or blows on The hea
!, struck by some unknown partl
II The dead boy stated 10 Mr. and Mr.
II Xix that he had a brother and sister liz
d ing in the city.