The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-27
MYSTERY OF A FATAL SHOT.
The Various Theories of the Police as to
Who Killed Thomas COnaughton.
The Clews They Are Following Up with the
Hope of Finding the Murderer-Censure
of Constable Reinhold.

| The best detectives on the Metropolitan police
force arc as far az sea in regard to who fired the
shot that killed Thomas Conaughton as they
were when Merchant Policeman Isaacs was Sc,
at liberty. There many theories, but nc
clew on which to base auy action It can hardly
be possible, they think. that any uninterested
citizen who was passing along the avenue at the
time Keinhold fired mis- two shots after the fee
Ing young would have deliberately shot
him without knowing who he was. or for what
ne was wanted. Furthermore, Reinhold claims
that ne did not call to any one else to shoot, or
20 even stop the man. and says that he cried
out, stop, or | will shoot" and, when his com
mand was not obeyed, he fred twice at the
grc@-d The most plausible theory is that the
...... 40 urea the ratal shot knew that the ar
rest was to be made that evening and was
secreted in the scale shed on the avenue to watch
Developments, and, when he saw CoIaughton
fleeing from Reinhold. took hand in the shoot
ing
There was very bad blood between Eaton and
Conaughton They had been at swords points
for several weeks Mrs. Flesher and all the
boarders of the house say that Conaughton had
been boarding there for two years, and had In
gratated himself with the Flesher family. Two
months ago Eaton, whose home is some place IN
Ohio, and who is son-in law of Mrs. Flesher,
came to the city, and has been stopping at the
house. He at once formed a dislike for
CoDaughton. and began to show it
in a very offensive way. He objected
TO the attention Conaughton was paying
A.
him and the girl as he could. Ell the day of the
evening on which the muraer was committed he
was CALLING under the severe whipping
Conaughton had given him in the
morning. and made numerous threats
| Couaughton knew this, and told his
| associates in the railroad yards that he would
have 20 change his boarding house, and also told
| Mrs. Flesher the same at noon, when he packed
his clothes. When Constable Reinhold found
him at the back door he was just entering the
house for his clothes, TO move 20 another place
1t is believed that he expected more trouble with
Eaton, and there is theory that some of his as
sociates went with him and remained out near
the coalofice while he entered the house
to be ready to assist him if any
trouble occurred. Could this friend
not knowing that officer was about, have sup
posed that Conaughton had been shot and FREQ
at the fleeing man, believing he Eaton. i;
| what some of the officers would like to find out
| On the other hand, there is some speculation
Conaughton came for his clothes He knew
Copaugbton would return and ali reports agree
! that he was not in the house. Why he took
| revolver to the saloon across the way and dapos-
tied it for safe keeping. though it was of q diff
ferent caiber from the ball that killed the man
is also a question that is running through the
minds of the officers.
Henry Meyer, tho travelling man. who is posi-
tive ne saw the shot fired from the avenue and
| then saw the man walk down the avenue admits
that possibly he might have been mistaken.
Sergeant SAVERS and Patroman Wilson, who
| were close at hand confident the man could
not have gone down the avenue without their
having passed him, and they passed no one
| This. put with the statement of Mcclure that
| he went over toward New Jersey street, strong
ly indicates that that is the course he took and
| in n measure, substantiates McGuires statement
that be walked and talked with the murderer
| whoever he was.
There are are other clews. and on them all the
| police working with all the material they
| have at hand The police consider the murder
| the strangest III many respects that they have
| ever had to deal with and they think it very
doubtful il the guilty person will ever be appre.
| hended. Regardless of who did the killing
| Constable Reinhold, who fired the first two shots
/ comes In for no small amount OF censure for
| using his revolver recklessly. Had he kept
| his weapon in his pocket, as he should, there is
| no doubt the man would have been alive TO day.
/ Conaughton not a criminal and, in reality
| had done nothing it is generally believed that
warranted arrest The warrant was sworn out
| IN malice on charge for which Captain Camp
! bell the same day, had refused to arrest him
! Eaton. with whom Conaughton had the
trouble, is married man. his wife resides in
Ohio, and he left the city for his home last night