San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-10-27


wss going to say it, but what to
say next. at last his story was
ready, and he walked over to the
telephone. The police reporter
evidently could not furnish him
with additional details, for he re-
turned to the place and put his
story on the desk-hook without
revising anything or adding
another line. Then he finished
up his other work, and relieved
for the night, he left the office.
at was a great story the pa
ger had in the morning. 1t diff
fered from the accounts in the
other papers in that it was brim full
of details, as to the movements
Of the combatants and the words
that passed between them 1t
told how a strange broad shout
dered confidence" man had en-
ticed the murdered man into a
"fixed" game of cards, how the
deceased had lost his watch and
money, and in the endeavor to
regain his property by force from
the fraudulent gambler, had
been killed by a blow on the tenn
pie with the gamblers clenched
fist, which held the watch.
"That was not only a beat
on the other papers, but it was
positive news to the police. II the
account was true, how could the
writer know all these details? There
was, as far the detective knew, no
eyewitness to the affair. At first
the account was regarded as a
mere newspaper fancy. The re-
porter, however, was honored with
a call by detective, and related
finally how he came to be able
to give all the particulars.
"'After l got the names and lit.
tie information that / could from
the people around there he said =,
Il examined the room. l saw the
cards and was curious to see what
kind Of game they played. 1
knew from the cards that it was
poker. 1t just happened that my
eye fell on a mark on the back of
one Of the cards and on further
examination saw the whole
deck was marked. Naturally, 1t
was case Of "buncoe." The fact
that they fought, that a dollar
lay on the floor, that the dead
man didn't have a cent of his
wages, not even his watch left,
indicated a fight to regain what
he had fraudulently lost, didn't
1t? Then that coat that the fell
low forgot in his haste, didn't
that give an idea of the build Of
the man.
"'All right. Go on and tell us
how in the thunder you came to
the story about hitting the fellow
in the temple with his clenched
fist and that he held the watch in
his fist when he struck said
the officer.
"That's simple. The only wound
was that blow on the temple.
Didn't you fellows find the pieces
of watch crystal on the floor? 1
picked two pieces Of the crystal
out of the wound myself"
"That is a shrewd story
thought the detective and he
complimented the reporter on his
observation, yet in his mind he
felt confident that the reporter
must have been witness to,
If not participant in this affair.
The detective returned to his
office and talked the matter over
with a colleague. What their
conclusions were, cannot say,
but somehow / feel that they
were not favorable to the report.
er.
"Just then word was sent the
detective working on the case tn at
a man had been arrested through
the information Of a party who
had seen him late that night in
possession OF watch that had
its case bent, the crystal broken
and hand missing, and the in.
formant at once connected him
with the murder through the &C
count that he had read in the
morning paper. Investigation
revealed that the man was a
crook, that his clothing matched
the coat left in the room. When
the detective got hold OF him he
admitted and denied just enough
to warrant his i'm nrisOnmant for
the murder. Later more evidence
was secured against him and the
reporters story was verified al
most in toto. O.P.