Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-05-05
A DIAB0LICAL PLOT.
Tie Office Of Dr. O. B. stOddard,
a Dentist Of Austin, Entered by
the Midnight Assassin.
The Doctor Ohloroformed and Left for
Dead The Office Saturated with
Goal Oil and Bet CD Fire.



AUSTIN, TEX May AT an early
hour this morning the premises OF Dr.
&. b Stoddard ON Congress avenue
were entered by some unknown das
tard and an outrage which very nearly
ended In the death OF our well.known
dentist was perpetrated. The motive
underlying the crime was private re-
venge, as there is no evidence what.
ever that robbery was the object.
The facts in the case, however, are IA
follows: Shortly after 9 o'clock this
morning some party or parties entered
the dental parlors Of DR.. Stoddard by
cutting hole through the door large
enough TO admit PERSONS hand, and
in this way the bolt was unbarred.
Once inside, the would-be murderer,
with a fendishness equal to his des-
perate purpose, chloroformed the doc.
tor and then deliberately piled up
nine heaps OF paper in ~ many parts
Of the room, each heap being thor
oughly saturated with coal oil. Chairs
and lounges were also covered with
the same inflamable material. and all
things being thus prepared the fiend
LIGHTED A MATCH
and set fire 10 the establishment.
Witha fearful rapldity the ilre shot
upward la the iuain psrlor, filling
with dense volumes OF smoke the nd
Joining bedroom OF DIR. Stoddard
where the owner lay helpless from the
effects OF the drugs administered.
Fortunately, Officer William Howe
discovered the flames In very few
moments after they had been started
and at once gave the alarm. Mean
while, however, the room had become
"a mass OF fire and smoke. Several
parties who arrived early on the scene
made their way TO the rescue Of
rHB SLEEPING AND INTENDED VICTIM
Of the outrage. They carried him to a
place Of tatety, and, although every
thing known TO medical skill had been
employed In his behalf, he remained
In q state OF unconsclousness up
TO late hour this afternoon.
The Ere department responded with
rromptness, and soon what might
have turned out TO be most serious
ooniagration was subdued. The den.
tai parlors OF DR.. Stoddard were ~
handsome as any that can be found
IN thecountry. They were Furnished
with the most costly and beautiful
trappings of artistic merit. Some o
them were purchased
REGARDLESS or EXPENSE
IN London aud Paris, and the entir,
outh, Of three rooms, including tn
paintings that decorated the walls, wa
worth at least 5000, The damag
done amounted only TO about twenty
FIVE hundred dollars. That at leas
one life has not been sacrificed and
fine business block totally destToye,
Ia due more to the intervention c
Providence than any lack OF diabollcu
intent on the part OF the hesrtless NAL,
factors who concocted the hotribl
scheme. The outrage has been IN
item OF universal comment her
all day, and many are the theories n,
vanced regarding the devllish dee,
Detectives are now at work on the cas-
and rs suspicion points to certain pa
ties who have long cherished Ill wi
towards tho doctor, II Ia likely arros
will be made tomorrow. The prem
iscs were insured for $500 In Il
Niagara company, $500 In the Sprin
field, Mass, company, and $1,000 In Il
Home Fire Insurance company
New York, To night DIR. Stoddal
has
PARTIALLY RECOVERED ooNsCIou
MISS,
aud great sympathy IL felt for him
the public, 1.-THE crime can be II
tened on the parties suspected Aust
will be made uncomfortably hot
them Ia the future. BY astrange {
Incidence This was the day set for q
hearing Of nine cases for criminal Ill
preferred by Dr. Stoddard against
" Leader of the Evening Dlspatc
They were temporarily postpone
however,
The land board tc- Jay postponed Al
definite action regarding the Leasing
the Greer county lands until the 4
of June.