The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-12-16
A CONSTABLE LYNCHED.
Mob of Coal Miners Come 10 the
Relief of a. LayIess Friend.

Fort Smith, Ark, Dec S.-The deud
body of James Murray, constable at
Jenny Lind, Il small coal mining town
H. the southern portion of Sebastian
county. was found Monday morning ly-
ing by the roadside, a short distance
from Bonanza, a mining town n short
distance from Jenny Lind. 1t was at
first supposed that Murray had been
the victim of n common murder, but 1t
has since developed that the officer Vas
lynched by mob of coal miners.
Constable Murray left his home at
Jenny Lind late Sunday afternoon 10
70 to Bonanza to arrest a man named
Grant McBroom, for whom he had Il
warrant. McBroom was a miner ut
Bonanza. He formerly worked in the
mines at Jenny Lind, and iuriag that
time Constable Murray and n conpan-
ion were held up and robbed by high
waymen one night. Murray recognized
McBroom as one of the robbers and
the latter disappeared. The constable
finally located his man ut Bonanza and
went there Sunday night to arrest him.
He captured McBroom without trouble
and started with his prisoner for Jenny
Lind about midnight. That was the last
seen of Murray alive. The constahle's
body was found lying by the roadside
next morning, about thirty yards from
the shaft of the Bonanza mines. His
hands were tied securely behind his
body and his neck was black and blue,
showing plainly the imprint of Il rope
which had chokcd the life out of The
their sockets and hung upon the officers
brown cheeks. Blood oozed from a
dozen bullet wounds in the officers body
and his clothing was torn into shrcds.
There was no rope around the dead
mans neck. hut the imprints and lacer-
atoms of the cuticle showed unmistak-
ably how he had met his death. Yet
there were no indications anywhere
( around of death struggle having taken
pluce The ground upon which the body
| lay was covered with fallen leaves and
| there was not even any footprints 10 he
| seen anywhere around.
Fifty feet away lay the apparently I'M
conscious form of Grant McBroom. The
| CHASTITY discovery had been made by
two casual passersby, and when they
saw that Murray was dead beyond Il
doubt they turned their attention 10 Me
| Broom. He was breathing heavily and
was to all appearances totally lmcon-
scous. They made hasty examination
of the body but could discover 10
| wounds. An alarm was quickly given
and friends of McBroom placed him in
a wagon and drove away. The body of
Murray was left for the coroner. Tht
report was spread that officer and pris'
oner had been waylaid by highwaymen
the officer robbed and murdered anu The
prisoner left for dead
The coroner began an Investigation
aud il has been fully developed tina,
Constable Murray was waylaid by {
mob of McBroom's friends composed al
miners determined upon rescuing III,
prisoner, and that Murray was lynchGd
the body rut down and placed by tn,
roadside. and that McBroom fcignad w
consciousness for the purpose of mis-
leading the officers and shielding th'
mob.
McBroom was arrested today. III
shows no signs of having been assaulte,
and is in good physical condition. He il
IN Jail and stubbornly refuses Il tai
Of the tragedy. A theory at one tlm
advanced is that McBroom had caUgh
Murray ut disadvantage md ha'
knocked him senseless, tied his hands
chohed him and then with the officer
remained in his body. This theory
wholly un;enahle from the tact tina
= Murray was man of powerful physiQu
while MCliroom was much mis- inferi0
| and that McBroom could not have com
mitted the crime single hauled. IN
1 officers are convinced that friends al tn
. prisoner waylaid Murray. lynrhcd HI
e and placed the body where it wa
! found. Every effort is now heiAg h"i
= to discover the members of the mob.