Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-01-08
A MYSTERY SOLVED.
1t Is, at Last, Known Who Killed o. NJ.
KimmiS at Denison.
The Murder Was Committed Three Years Ago.
Fred Grifiths, Gambler, Gonfesses
the Crime On His Deathbed.
Special to the Gazette.

Special to the Gazette.
DENIsoN, Tex, Jan. Z. On the
morning of February %, 1886, o. W.
Kimulis, an extra freight conductor on
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway,
returned to his room on Morton street,
near the compress. HIS roommate,
Conductor J. d. Conlisk had retired for
the night, but left the light burning
awaiting Kimmis When Kfmmis
stepped upon the porch IN front of the
house, he noticed q man sitting on the
edge of the porch with his head reclining
on his hands. KimAis supposed the
man was one of the boardels, and passed
through the hall, and noticed that the
door leading to his room was
open. He saw that Conllsk
was asleep and naturally supposed
that some one was in the room. He
looked behind tbe-door and-theFe stood
man. The fellow sprang forward and
made an effort to pass Kimnis, but the
young man grasped the intruder by the
arm and struck at him Then ensued
desperate struggle IN which the chairs
and stove were overturned. The burglar
was a man of powerful physique, and
breast pocket revolver and fired shot
point blank at Rimmis.
THE BULLET STRUCK HIM
in the breast and passed through and
lodged in zinc trunk. The report
awakened Conlisk who jumped up in time
to see the burglar s retreating form dis
appear out Of the door, and see KimTnis
stagger to the bed and lie down. Kinmis
lived for several days afteF being wound
ed, and described the man as being
thickset and heavy, wearing a black suit
and SLOUGH. hat, and having coloFed silk
handkerchief over the lower part of his
face. At the crack of the pistol the
man who was sitting on the porch, and
who afterwards proved TO be confeder-
ate of the burglar disappeared, and as
no trace of the burglar and murderer
could be found the tragedy was wrapped
i'll mystery.
A few months after report gained
circulation that Fred Griffith, a gambler
of this city at that time, knew more
about the affair than anybody. Griffith
left Denison shortly, and from time to
time it was reported that
HE HAD, BEEN KILLED.
About nine months ago Griffith was AGAIN
reported dead. This time it fortunately
mertally wounded in saloon row in San
Bernardine, CAL; and it is also said that
before he fell he killed one of his assail-
ants and mortally wounded the other.
After being shot he lived for
several days, but seeing that he could
not live he recodnted his evil deeds to
the woman he claimed to be his
wife, and among them was the killing of
o. NJ. Kinmis. Kimmis' description Of
the burglar tallies with Griffith's general
appearance, and it is a weIl-known- fact
that he carried both a heavy ealiber re-
volver and a dirk in his breast
pocket. Thus after nearly three years
have elapsed the mystery surrounding
the bloody tragedy is cleared up, and
Kimmis' death is due to Griffith s six
shooter. Griffith came from Missouri,
near st. Louis, and always bore the rep
utation Of q man who would steal or kill
with impunity for the sake. Of gain. Con-
siderable excitement was created this
evening by the Evening Dispatch pub
fishing the facts of the case, as Kimmis
was one of the. most popular railroad men
who ran into this city.