The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-07-29
]. B. DANIEL ASSASS|NAIED'
HE WAS A WELL KNOWN POPtLlsI
EDITOR AND INSURANCE.
MAN OF WACO.
He HEARDIA NOISE IN The KITCHEN
He Was Lured by Noises to the Wood
shed. Where the Assassin Lay
COncealed-A Mask ana
Pistol Were Found.

Waco, Tex, July 24.-(Special.)-John
B. Daniel, well known populist editor
and insurance man, is dead. He was
shot through the heart between 2 and 3
o'clock this morning.
The cottage occupied by the Daniel
family is located in group of residences
in sparsely settled portion of the city
near the northern limits. Mrs. Daniel
and her husband heard a noise in the
kitchen and when they went in that direc-
ton some one leaped out of the window.
Mr. Daniel took his pistol and went into
the back yard, followed by Mrs. Daniel.
He heard noise next in the wood shed,
fifty yards from the house, and Mr.. Dan
iel repaired to the shed. A board walk
leads to the shed and close to the shed
is an out building, the space between the
two structures being about three feet.
wood shed and the out house into the
alley. Mrs Daniel saw her husband in
the space between the shed and out
house. His revolver was in his hand.
Suddenly there was sharp report ana
the figure of man appeared beside MI
Daniel. The assailant haed ben con-
cealed in the wood shed. He stepped out
and fired his revolver into MIR. Daniels
breast. Before falling, although the bul,,
let pierced his heart, Mr. Daniel raised
his pistol and fired. but missed
Daniel. The assailant had been con
Mr.. Daniels pistol back into the shed
and out through Il door leading into the
alley. The bullet from Mr.. Daniels PTS
tOl buried itself in the wall of the wood
shed.
When the neighbors gathered at the
scene, Mr.. Daniel was lying on his back.
staring with wide open eyes at the early
morning stars, the beams of the waning
moon were falling on his face. Mrs.
Daniel was on her knees beside IN. nm
wailing in anguish and saying: "Oh,
my husband, just speak to me once,
wont you"
The husband was stone dead. The bull
let entered the breast at the left nipple
and life was instantly eXtingulShed. The
neighbors lifted him up tenderly and bore
him to the house. The doctors came, but
there was nothing for them to do. a
young man galloped after officers and
Sheriff Baker brought his blood hounds
The dogs took trail. but did not hold
it. 1t led into a circuitous route and was
lost in the heavy suntlowcr growth.
Sheriff Baker made observations of the
grounds. When Mr.. Daniel fell he re-
tanned the siX-shOoter in his death grasp
and it was taken into the house with the
body. The sheriff found another six
shooter near the wood shed and close be-
side the siX-shooter was black cloth
face mask with holes for eyes and nose.
The theory mentioned to your reporter
was that the revolver left near the wood
shed and mask were dropped by Mr..
Daniels murderer in his hasty flight.
There was an old quilt in the wood shed
and some articles of clothing, as if some
one had occupied the place MS n sleep
ing room. All the indications seem to
point to the conclusion that some one re-
manned in the shed some time lying in
wait. A person might have remained
concealed in the wood shed some time
without discovery at this season of the
year.
John b. Daniel the murdered man. was
a quiet. industrious citizen. He sold out
his interests year ago, and has since then
been Il solicitor for benevolent society of
the endowment rank order. He repre-
scented several such organizations, and
had over $4,000 on his life in the com
panies he represented. He was a labor
leader and was popular with his asso-
cates. Examination of the corpse was
made by Justice Baliss Earle. The breast
and chin were marked by powder and the
breast of the coat was burned. showing
that the pistol was held close to the vic
tim when it was discharged by the assas-
sin.
The officers, after hearing Mrs. Dan
iels' story and examining the proofs left
on the ground of the fatal duel. went TO
work on such clews as the situation :.f-
forded and they believe they will be able
to secure justice on the offender. The
remains of Mr.. Daniel were embalmed,
and the funeral will take place tomorrow.
The newspaper men of Waco will look af-
ter his burial and will assist the Macca-
bees and other orders to which the de-
ceased belonged.
The reporter talked to !. ]. Daniel and
B. b. Daniel. brothers of John B., de-
ceased. Mr.. j. X. Daniel said:
Il think some one who had his own mo-
tives for doing so made sounds to draw my
brother away from the house, and having
succeeded in getting him to the wood shed
deliberately assassinatcd him."
After the bloodhounds returned from
their attempt to trail the murderer one dog
of good nose was placed on the trail. There
were footprints in the rear yard near the
window leading 20 the wood shed. The
same feet left marks in the alley and
through the weeds. Tho big hound trottcd
on the tracks, noting them as he went
The trail led a mile away, then bore
around and returned to the neighbOrhood
of the Daniel cottage.
The day ended without any decided
point being gained in the investigation
Sheriff Baker says he will keep up the
search until he finds the murderer.
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