The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-08-30

THE MYSTERY CLEARED


The Explosion on the Steamboat, ,FuItsn
Caused by Adrian spears Strange
Career-"Always Seeking After Acci.
dsnts"
PHlLADELrnIA, Aug. z9.-It IL now
reasonably certain that new species
of crime has been developed in this
country. The explosion on tho oxcur-
sion steamer, NJ. Fulton, has been
traced 90 tho act OF a man named
Adrilnce Spears, who carried a large
lino OF 0ccldeut insurance. His pro.
sUmed intention Wss IN disable him
self GoriOusly, 20 that he might epioy
the income OF slbO per week, which mis-
policies would have produced, He
was Killed, however, and the loss oT
$4,000 ON tho life OF an apparent
day laboror has no stratied the COM
panies that they have uuitet TO fight
tho claim. No progress was made in
fathomlng the motlYo of tho man un-
Oil his previous history was inquired
into. FinkertOn'a men nov claim that
10 years ago he was mysteriouHly shot.
aCuidontally, rs 10 was declared, while
handling pistol, ana his receints from
several accident policies sniliced tO
support him handsomely. on
ms recovery he went 20
san Francisco, whero, H. is
alleged no dr0w Il comfortable income
during his oonvalescanos from a
wound he accidentally received In tho
street a. he was passing the locality at
which Il row was In progress. Indeed,
Spsurg would appear 10 have bean ina
most unfortunate OF mon, or ono of
iho most industrious s0ekers of dan
ger. If there was an accident any
whore Ia his neighborhoOd, ho usually
cot into II, like the pflucO in tho "Mas.
ootte.n IL is asserted that proof has
been obtained by tho Travelers'
Insurance company that he was also
irdomnlfied for n shooting accident
which overlook him Ia Now York. OF
this, however, no in ormatiou exists
here. About 10 months ago, after sew
eral years of wandering life In Wash
ingtOn, california aud the west, Spears
returned TO this city and went 10 live
with Frederick Morris, i.weler, nj
No. ISL Msrkes street. Morris IL a
distant relative and gives tho lnci-
dents that follow;
On Christmas morning, about
4 o'clock, tho lewolor was
awakened by a knock AZ hiB room door
and Spoe'p shouted, "rhore's burglars
IN tho house, Fred, get upW Before
Morris cou q roach the door TO opon ID,
n pistol shot resoundod through the
huuto and, going down stairs, he found
DIS relative lying on tho floor with a
bullet wound In his right slie, lust
balow the ribs. A self cooking English
bulldog revolver, of largo Galore, lay
by tho sido Of the wounded man.
Spears was perfectly conscious,
and declared that no had been
shot by the fleeing burglars.
Morris pick up the revolver, and ex-
pressed astonishmont that the burglar
should have thrown the weRr ON away.
No evidence OF foroiblo ontry could be
found anywhere about the place, The
police called In, hoard his story, but
after considerable investigation, dis
IL as absurd and Improbable.
a night wgtchman, VINO hau been or
the street In 'front.' Of tho building at
the moment OF tho shooting, swore
positively nobody had emerged from
tho door, through which Spears had
declared tue would-be.murderer made
his escape. Tho accident insurance.
however, yielded him about SS5 per
week. ~