The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-01-24
ON ACCOUNT OF THE WHITE GAPS.
A Frightened New Jerseyman Shoots
and Kills His Brother.in-Law.

A frightened New Jerseyman Shoots
and Kills His Brotherin-Law.
MOUNT HOLLY, N. j., January 2l.-
Shortly after midnight yesterday morning
John MCNEIL shot his brother-in-law,
James Dallit, jr., on his front doorstep.
Death was instantaneous. McNeill lives
on lonely road leading from Shamong
station to Indian Mills, about twenty
miles from here. The house is situated in
cluster of pine trees, and is more than a
mile from any other dwelling. McNeill
says he was awakened by loud rapping on
the door. A number of White Cap
notices had been posted in the neighborS
hood recently, and, although they were
generally supposed to be the work OF
mischievous young men, it had been
strongly limited in the past few days that
serious work was soon to be done by the
White Caps. McNeill had received no
warning of impending punishment, and
| had no reason to believe he merited one of
the whippings for which these lawless
bands are noted, but the unreasonable
hour of night and the isolation of his
home made him proceed cautiously.
The knocking was soon renewed vigor-
ously, and on looking out another window
McNeill saw in the shadow OF the trees OF
his front yard a. solitary figure. Sus-
picious of mysterious stranger, McNeiu
took his shotgun and went cautiously
down stairs to the front door, which was
still being battered by the fists of the un-
known visitor. He opened it a short dis
tance, and, poking the gun out, said;
"What do you wantY'
81 want YOU" responded the stranger
and started to enter the house. AS he did
SO he encountered the end of the shotgun
and McNeill pulled the trigger. A loud
report, smothered groan and dead
body lay on the ground weltsring in the
blood that flowed from a large wound
near the heart. Up to this time McNeill
1 had not the slightest idea who the man
was, nor had he seen him. As he started
to enter the door he felt some one seize
the gun and he fired. The family was
soon aroused, and an investigation showed
that the dead man was james BALLET, IT,,
who had married McNeill's sister sDme
years ago, and who is now dead.
MCNEIL gave himself up to the authori-
ties to-day, and is in jail awaiting hear
ing. This is McNeill's version of the af-
| fA1r, ana ID cOrrODOrdbeu ny memDers VI
his family. Il is known that ballet had
spent Saturday evening at Small's tavern,
near Shamong station. He had drank
considerable liquor, and is believed to
have been intoxicated. If McNeill's story
is true, he probably knocked on the door
in a drunken fancy as he passed the door.
MCNEIL denied that he had any motive for
committing crime, and says he was on the
best terms with his brother-in-law.
There are many persons who do not be-
lieve McNeill's story, and say that circum-
stances indicate that it was cold-blooded
murder. The two men have had frequent
quarreIs. 1t is thought by some persons
that BALLET was killed in the woods by
McNeill and dragged to the front door
in order that the plausible story of his
death might be told. BALLET was about 30
years old, and leaves three small children.
His wife died about year ago. Dialects
rather is wealthy farmer and McNeilrs
is also prosperous.