The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-08-10
DOUBLE MURDER MYSTERY
TWO BODIES FOUND FLOATING
In THE RIVER AT
Helena, Ark, With Bullets In Their
Heads - Sensational Shooting
Affray-A Desperate Fight.
ESPECIAL TO rHE APPEAL.l

HELENA, ARK, August 9.-Y ester
day morning two fishermen came into
town and announced that they had
discovered two dead bodies just above
town end that they were white men.
In the absence OF the Coroner Justice
II. Spiro summoned q jury and pro.
ceeded to the place OF their discovery.
The fishermen supposed that they had
identified one of the bodies &c that OF
Samuel Dangul. trapper. The court
and jury found upon their arrival at
the scene OF the murder the body sup.
posed to bs Samuel DGngul with a
bullet hole through his right temple
and the other one with a bullet hole
in his left temple. The only witness
examined by the Coroner was fisher
man named Yocum, who was not sure
but that he recognized one OF
the bodies az that Of Sam
uel Daneul, a trspper. The sub
stance OF the verdict in both csses was
that the parties were unknown and
had come 10 their death from the ef-
feet OF a gunshot wound, inflicted by
parties or party unknown, Mr.. Silas
1ingg, Marshal OF the city OF Helena,
has given the case thorough investi'
cation, and he has gfounds for believ.
ing the following TO be solution OF
the mystery: Some fifteen or sixteen
days ago raft OF timber came oat OF
Wolf river, Just above Memphis, and
made lis way down the river. 1t was
reported TO Mr.. Lingg today ttat the
parties on the raft had fight at Star
Landing, Miss, and that some OF them
were considerably bruised up. 1t Is
also reported that the men were di'
vided, three to two. Mr.. Lingg's
theory, strengthened by circumstan-
ces, is that they had another fraca a.
and that the two men were coolly
murdered by slipping up on them and
shooting them through the head. A
posse left here yesterday in search OF
them, but could not succeed in getting
any cew to the murderers.
A KILLING TRAGEDY
occurred at Holly Grove, Ark, yester-
day evening, in which most ex an
plary and respected citizen lost his life.
Mr.. Thomas Null, wealthy planter,
who has a magnificent plantation near
Holly Grove, besides Others in Ten
nessee and Mississippi, had some brick
work done on his place near Holly
Grove by Mr.. Frank Thomas, an ener.
getic, straightforward contractor and
business man. The parties met yester-
day evening in Holly Grove, and Mr..
Null inquired OF Mr.. Thomas when
he was going 10 finish that work on his
place. Mr.. Thomas replied that he
was in no hurry; that the work he
had done for him had not been paid
for. Null, angered by Thomas's re-
mark, called him id liar. Thomas
replied by saying Null was
a Slying, thieving scoundrel, and
he had no sooner said IT,,
than Null etruck him with heavy
buggy whip, telling him to the ground.
Thomas arose, and in doing 80 put his
hand behind him in such manner that
led Null TO believe he was going TO
draw pistol. Null pulled his and
sent a bali tearing through the heart
oil Thonihs, who dropped to the ground
and inst y ntly expired. Fully forty
people saw the Shooting and saw Null
mount his horse and ride of, and he is
now at large. Null is che OF the mort
popular men in the county, and IL is
feared that il will be almost impossi-
bic for him to he convicted, as he is
estimated TO be worth one hundred
thousand dollars and has no family.
II is supposed that he has crossed the
Mississippi river aud is now making
for one OF his plantations in Missis-
sippi.