Wichita eagle., 1888-07-13
THE FIRE.
MURPHY BOUGHT 4 TICKET FOR
DALLAS, TEXAS.
Whether lie Left the City or Was
Buried Cannot be Stated
--Gerke'S Condition
Unimpr0ved.

! The question as TO what became of the
old man, William Murphy, continues to
excite considerable discussion. About 5
| O'Clock on the evening before the fire he
met Police Officer Joe Stewart in front Of
the Occidental hotel and told him he was
| ''goin' to hit the road a welt" as he ex-
pressed it, which meant that he was going
to take trip. Murphy appeared sober
enough at that time and would give no
reason for leaving except that he had been
at work here a good while. At his request
| the officer directed him TO toe Santa Fe
city ticket office, saying he was going to
Texas. The Santa Fe people recol-
lect having soon after that sold a
ticket to Dallas, Tex, TO a party answer
| ing the description OF Murphy. The next
seen of him is said to have been at about
II O'Clock that night, when he is reported
to have been about the electric light plant
near the Rock Island depot and there
showed to an employe, who formerly drove
| a street car and with whom Murphy was
acquainted, his ticket to Dallas. Tex
| But right here comes the unexplained
portion of this affair. Eleven O'Clock was
several hours after all trains bound for
the direction OF Texas had left, and it
would have been impossible for Murphy to
have taken that direction before the fire.
| The question naturally arises, did Muir
ply 90 back to the car stables and,
as was his custom, crawl up
| ladder into the loft at the
east end of the building and go to the
| large window near the middle of the barn,
| in front of which ne always slept o. late,
or was he foully dealt with for the purpose
! OF procuring the s256 he had drawn from
| the bank? One thing is at least certain,
| that is, he has not since been seen and it is
| hardly probable that he could have left
the city next morning, as every one in town
was discussing MS fate and dozens of peo-
pie would have seen and recognized him
at the depot. All of the car drivers, po-
| Iicemen and hack drivers in the city are
familiar with his appearance and would
have recognized him.
The condition of the young man William
Gerke, who was the worst injured, re-
| mains about the same, without any notice
able change since the report as published
in yesterday mornings EAGLE.
The other young man, Tobias Wiele, is
| progressing we'll, although still suffering
considerable pain.
The actual number of mules lost, as
ascertained up to yesterday evening, was
thirty-six. Some of those that escaped
from the stable are able to work again;
others are being treated by veterinary
surgeon at the Red barn" of the company
on West Tenth street. They are getting
along very well. Mr.. Dixon's driving
horse, Dandy" was also burned.
Yesterday the company took possession
of the Stock Exchange stable building
on the east side of North Main, midway
between Elm and Pine streets and work
men were yesterday engaged in putting
in a plank floor instead of the dirt floor
formerly used The railway people have
rented these stables only temporarily, until
they can erect their contemplated large
stables uniting all of the present ones.
The location for the same has not yet been
Determined.
The citizens and the company alike are
to be congratulated upon the very efficient
manner in which the car service through
| out the city was maintained yesterday and
the day of the fire. Not a single trip was
missed and every car sent out on schedule
time Considering the lateness of the hour
at which the fire occurred and the unsettled
condition of things, this speaks well for
| the management of the company.