The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-02
DUEL WITH, REVOLVERS
EDITOR BRAIN AND CAPTAIN DAVIS
BOTH MORTALLY WOUNDED.
Three Others Receive Wounds i'm An
other Tragedy Over the Baylor Uni
versity Expose at Waco.

WACO, Tex. April LIN the midst of
busy preparations for city. election meet
ings, while bands were playing and scat
tering handbills from their decorated vans,
calling the people together, w. c. Brann,
editor Of the Iconoclast, and Capt M. T.
Davis met and fought a revolver duel to
the death The combatants met just at 6
o'clock this afternoon on South Fourth
street, in front of the Cotton Belt ticket Of
flee, and, after exchanging a few words
both began emptying their revolvers into
each other. When the battle was over
Brann was found to be perforated in the
left lung, the left leg and right foot. Davis
was shot through the right lung and
through both Of his arms. The surgeons
say both men are likely to die.
The difficulty between the two men grew
out of the Brann-Taylor feud of last year.
Captain Daviss daughters are pupils of
Baylor University, and the references made
in the Iconocast to Baylor, which were
generally construed to mean reflections on
the moral character of the pupils and fac
ulty, brought from Captain Davis a denun-
citation of Brann, delivered in language
most forcible and direct. In the city cam
paign now in progress, Captain Davis was
the chairman of one of the committees, and
active all day in the duties that po-
sition entailed Election day is close at
hand and excitement was high. Brann was
an advocate of the candidate running
against Captain Davis. Politics, however,
was not the chief cause of the tragedy, by
any means. About a month ago, before
the city campaign opened, friend of
Brann referred to him in complimentary
terms in the presence of Captain Davis, and
nearly provoked row then and there. Re-
marks on that occasion made by Captain
Davis as to the Iconoelast and it's editor
were repeated, it is said. in Brann's hear
ing, and Brann's rejoinder was carried to
Captain Davis. This episode stirred up the
men against each other and increased the
bitterness which began oWhen the Brann-
Baylor trouble arose and grew intense
when the Gerald Harris tragedy occurred,
last November 1t was often predicted that
when Brann and Captain Davis met there
fearless man and ready on all occasions to
EXPIRE SIS himself. The publications OF Brann
against Taylor University wounded him
deeply, and he took every occasion to make
This afternoon Brann and his business
manager, w. H. Ward, were opposite the
the street together, going. in. the direction
of French's book storeo Eaptain Davts's Of
flee being between the book store and the
Cotton Belt office. When Brann and Ward
reached the front of thesbook store Captain
Davis was in front of his office. The words
that passed between them were terms of
reproach, ard they lost no time in getting
out their weapons. About ten seconds were
occupied in the shooting, at the, end of
which Brann and Davis lay bleeding and
W. H. Ward, Brannsa business manager,
was shot through the right hand, the bones
being shattered. A wild bullet hit Motor
man Kennedy on the knee as he was pass
ing on his car. Another wild bullet hit Eu-
gene Kepler in the foot. The wild bullet
wounds are not serious. Kepler and his
partner Prince, are touring the world on
a wager, and had just reached Waco:
The reporter visited Brann since he was
shot, and found him at home on couch,
surrounded by surgeons. his intellectual face
as white as snow His wife and many
friends were with him. He is too weak to
talk and is probably past surgery, although
the doctors say there is some slight chance
for him. Capt Tom Davis was taken to
the Pacific Hotel and is regarded as NOR
tally wounded, his right lung being badly
lacerated. Both men are bleeding INTERNALLY
and are faint AT q late hour both men
were alive but appeared to be sinking.