Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-05
WORKING ON FORNEY CASE
Police Arrest One Man on Suspicion Of
Being the Murderer.
ATTEMPTS TO STAND OFF POLICEMAN
No Statement Made as 20 what Clues
Omcers Have ConnectiBE Him
with the Crime-Resem-
bIes the Tall Man.

DIea the Tai MEN,
The police were unable yesterday to
secure any conclusive clue to the identity
Of the two highwaymen who shot and killed
Bert Forney in his saloon on West Broad
way near the Northwestern tracks Friday,
night. Late in the evening w. G. Rogers
was arrested on suspicion.
Joseph w. McNeese, an employe Of the
Northwestern round house, stated yester-
day that shortly before IL o'clock Friday
night two men stopped for few minutes
at the round house and then proceeded
north along the tracks. He said that the
way in which they we're both breathing
showed that they had been running. He
did not pay much attention to the men, as
tramps waiting for a chance to jump a
freight train in the lower yards stop nightly
at the round house. To the best of his
recollection. however. he said. they an
swered the meager description given by
James CLANCY OF the two men who entered
the saloon and shot Forney. This state
ment OF McNeese adds color to the belief
that the murderers left the city as quickly
as they could after the fatal shooting.
Believe IL Was Home Talent.
While some Of the members Of the police
force entertain a different theory, It is gen.
orally believed that the men intended to
| rob the saloon, but became too frightened
to carry out their purpose when they found
| they had killed Forney. 1t is believed that
! the murderers were well acquainted with
! Forney and the fact that he was known to
| generally carry a considerable sum Of
money about with him. To carry and dis
play a large roll Of bills had been Forney's
custom for several years, and his friends
| had frequently cautioned him about doing
/ So but he had always laughingly replied
/ that he was able to take care Of himself
and his money. The fact that Forney was
| tending bar at night Friday for the first
| time in over a year in order that his bar
tender, C. Kahler, might attend the festiv-
! tiles Of the Eagles on the opening Of their
! new hall was, 1t is believed, known to the
highwaymen, and, believing that Forney
would probably have a considerable sum
! Of money, planned to rob him that night.
Forney Merry Man.
That they did not carry out their inten-
tion was evidently due to the fact that
Forney, instead OF complying with their
/ demand to hold up his hands, reached for
his revolver and showed fight. Forney, his
friends say, was not a quarrelsome man,
but was a man of more than ordinary nerve
and one who would fight to the death be-
fore letting anyone hold him up and rob
him.
A more complete examination Of the
saloon yesterday by Coroner Treynor leads
to the belief that Forney, who was sitting
at the table with his back to the robbers
when the entered the saloon by the rear
door, jumped to place the stove between
him and them and that when the irst shot
went through the stove and lodged in the
| al h. Aoo h. ron I'd nnnT
of the little side hallway, hoping thus to
secure vantage point from which he might
return the FIRE OF the robbers. From the
position of the bullet wound in the hip, 1t
is believed this was caused by the second
shot, at which time Forney, according to
Chaney's story, called out, "oh, my God!"
Reaching the little hallway Forney is be-
lieved to have turned with the intention Of
shooting at his assailants and had his right
arm raised with his revolver pointed at
the men when the third bullet struck him
just under the right shoulder and plowed
its way clear through his body and Forney
dropped to the floor dead, his revolver
dropping from his nerveless fingers between
his feet.
When Sheriff Cousins, who was the first
man to enter the saloon after the shooting.
made his way into the back part Of the
room he found the rear door open. From
the rear door to the Northwestern tracks
is but a short distance and the men evil
IDENTIFY made their escape that way, al
though George RUSSELL who operates the
Broadway gate tower, states that his at
tention was attracted by the shooting, but
he did not see anyone run down the tracks.
Extract Bullets from Body.
Coroner Treynor yesterday extracted the
two bullets from Forney,s body. They are
OF the same size as the one found In the
wall back of the stove and are thought
TO be OF Al or A. caliber. The one which
, passed through his body and lodged in the
muscles of the left arm was found to be
but slightly defaoed. while the one which
entered Forney's back at the hip and lodged
} in the groin was split in two, indicating
II had struck some bone.
The police learned yesterday morning
that two men boarded a Fifth avenue motor
car about 10 o'clock Friday night and were
given transfers to the westbound Broadway
' car. They inquired OF the conductor the
location OF Nellie Davidson's place at 1913
. Broadway. Mrs. Davidson, who conducts a
) house at the number named, is the wife
of James CLANCY. the man who was play
3 ing cards with Forney at the time he was
: killed. The police were unable to hnd Mrs.
, Davidson yesterday and II was believed she
|
TO be q hackdriyer.
, Coroner TreynOr will hold an inquest
Monday.
The funeral OF the murdered man will
be held Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock from
the residence at s27 Avenue e, which he
J recently purchased. He was As years OF
age and had been a resident of Iowa since
/ 1866 coming to this state from Mount Car
roll. ILL., His brother. Edgar Forney OF
I Fremont, Neb., ana half-brother, T. J.
4. skldmore Of Boone. Ia. arrived here yes
terdAy.
Arrest one Suspect.
, A man giving the name Of W. C. Rogers
was arrested last evening by Detective
! Callaghan on suspicion OF being connected
with the murder OF Forney. II is said that
. Rogers answers the description OF the tall
est OF the two highwaymen. He was ar
B rested at the once Of the Evans Laundry
company on Pearl street while getting a
package OF laundry.
. When the detective told Rogers that he
} wanted him Rogers attempted 20 draw
revolver from under his vest and trousers
and the officer had to keep his gun at his