The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-06


Fourteen Years Search-Brcck Was
Three Times Reported Lynched, but
Finally Got Trial and W as Acquit-
ted.
From, the Ne,o York World
COLUMBUS, o., july 81 ames A. Brock,
commission merchant and general broker
If Ell Paso, Tex, who formerly lived in
london. O., pretty town on the railroad
inc between here and Cincinnati, has Just
discovered that a lnaa whom he was &C
used Of numbering four .eea years ago
alive. and the supposed victim is making
tour OF the country with Brock to set at
rest the suspicion and gossip that at one
time nearly ruined the accused mans
career. Mr.. Brock was arrested, tried for
the alleged crime and was acquitted, but
the stain chung to his name, and now that he
has prospered financially he is using every
effort to make his record clean in the eyes
OF his old-time neighbors in Ohio.
Frank WoolSley is the name of the man
whom Brock was accused Of numbering He
is cousin Of Brock, and when the latter
left Ohio in the seventies aud located in
Texas, WOolsley visited him and bought
half interest in Brooks ranch. The cattle
business was very profitable and Brock and
Woolsley made money, aud in short time
had one Of the largest ranches in the state.
woOLsIEY's MYSTERIOUS DIsAPPEARANCE
On the morning of May %, 1877, Frank
Woolsley left the ranch. and till Monday
last had not been heard Of by mis- friends or
relatives.
ed Woolsley, a half brother of Frank,
went to Fort Griffin, the nearest pOstoffice
TO the Texas ranch. 10 investigate matters.
He offered a reward Of II 600 for the body
Of Frank Woolsley, supposed to have been
murdered, and for information which would
lead to the arrest OF the supposed murderers
This reward read as follows:
1000 REWARD.
will give $500 to any person or persons who
will find the BODY OF my brother, Frank Woods
ley, who Is missing and is supposed to have
been murdered. will give $500 for any iafor-
nation that will lead to the discovery of the
supposed murderer or murderess, with such
evidence as will Q tab!ish reasonable certainty
of guilt. When last seen Frank Woolsley was
at Sam Wards ranch, in Shsckelford county.
MAY % 1871 He left there on the morning OF
said day 10 return to his home in said county, a
distance of about ten miles, and has not been
heard of since. I'D WooLsLEY,
Nov. %, 1877. Fort Griffin, Tex.
This reward has been standing ever
since.
BROCK NEARLY LYNCHED.
Ed Woolsley and Mr.. Moore, who had
married a sister of Frank " oolsey, accused
James A. Brock Of having murdered Frank
Woolsley, and, as Mr. Brock claims en-
tered inJo a conspiracy to rob him Of his
property. They not only accused him of
numbering Frank, but had him indicted for
selling cattle Illegally. number of il
dictments making this charge we're found
against Mr.. Brock, and he was arrested.
ShRckelfOrd was then a new county snd
had no jail, so the sheriff took charge of
the prisoner. WoolsIey and Moore, by tnsfr
charges Of murder and the illegal sale Of
cattle against Brock, stirred up public
sentiment to such pitch that the prisoner
narrowly escaped being lynched by mob.
In fact, it was reported at three different
times that Brock had been lynched. His
life was saved hy the sheriff. who spirited
him away. When the excitement had
Quoted down Mr.. Brock was tried and ac-
quilted.
When Brock found himself free man he
learned that relatives Of Woolsley had sid
the ranch for about 500, co., and as he could
get no satisfaction from them he left the
country and began life again in another
parS of the state. He heard from friends
in Ohio that it was still thought in and
around London that he was guilty of
Woosley's murder.
BROOKS SEARCH FOR wOOLsLEY.
Brock then offered a reward Of 81 600 for
that the latter was in the conspiracy to rob
him of his property. The following card
was printed, having On the back photo
graph of Woolsley:
$1,000 REWARD
For the Information that will secure the arrest
Of the consplrator, Frank Woos!ey, alias
Wooley, or Johnny Mack He disappeared
from near Fort Griffin, Tex, the 22d day Of
May, 1877, and was not reported gone until the
2'tn day OF June A flush, red complexion;
freckles on face, neck and hands. Hair coarse
dark red; whiskers fiery yellow red; mustache
heavy ana coarse, hanging down oyer tie
mouth from a long and broad upper lip. End
Of nose fattened; large, round blue eyes; mar
row, high forehead; small ears; Adams core in
throat; hands, kGuckles and nails large. Wears
No. fine boot, high instep; No 655 hat Is 5
feet to inches high, and weighs lC0 to 20
pounds; takes b 8 tOddy, chews AMI smokes
tobacco; sharp shrill voice: Scottish air and not
talkative sullen and keeps his own counsel. A
farmer and stock trader, formerly from near
London, Madison county, O lie may be
ranchiug cattle, sheep, horses, or on the trail
horse trading, farming, mining or contracting
in an out of the-way place
JAMES A. Brock,
Ell Paso, Tex, or at London, o., care of F.
Freeman.
Note-The picture on the reverse side was
taken at Is years OF age Was born IN lS47.3
w oolsisy had apparently disappeared from
the face of tne earth. Detectives hunted
over Texas and other southwestern states in
vain. MIR. Brock did not give up the hunt.
he began to prosper and moving 10 FL
Paso went into the commission business, but
was constantly inquiring for Woolsley.
Whenever be heard of any one by that name
Brock ran him down and bad look at him.
He was disappointed year after year.
Woolsley's mother still lived in London, O.,
aud Brock had the house watched, but tie
missing Woolsley was never seen around
there. Mrs. Angelina Woolsley denied all
knowledge of his existence, but Brock
thought she was protecting him in the in
terest of the alleged conspiracy by means Of
which Brock had lost his property.
CAPT. WELLS TAKES THE CASE.
Capt. G. B. Wells of Macon, Ga, took the
case for Brock about four weeks ago. He
heard that Frank Woolsley was living at
Benton, Ark, and when he reached there
he was convinced that he had spotted his
man. He communicated with Brock, who
at once left Ell Paso for Arkansas.
wooLsLEY's ARREST.
81 knew had my man" said Capt. Wells
last night, "but l thought l would test it,
When Brook came pointed out another
man and asked if that was Woolsley. He
looked at me for awhile, bis head dropped
and he said it was not. He thought the
game was up and he was again fooled |
did not tell him any better, but we got on
the train and went to Augusta. When we
got to Augusta I pointed out a second man
and asked him il tEat was NColSley, lie