The news & observer., 1905-05-21
A FOUL MURDER,
ARSON, BURGLARY.
Deeds of Devils in the Night Time in Robbery and
Destruction of the Standard Oil Warehouse
in Raleigh.

Jnfee OF tneSe the OIL poured out SLOW
ly and was consumed. Two of the
big tanks, holding four or five thous-
and gallons of kerosene oil each stood
the fire and yet held their oil. But
for the open tops there might have
been terrific explosions, carrying de-
struction to all that portion of the
CITY
The stables were last to catch, and
from the open door one of the mules
rushed out 1t was found loose in
the yard. but was so badly burned
that yesterday it had to be shot In
the stable were hay and corn and
capped, and lying at the door the dead
body of young Strickland. The
mules were burned to a crisp, part of
the flesh being eaten up. One of
these fell near the door. its heads and
fore legs partially covering the dead
body Qf Mr.. Strickland. The fencing
about the place caught and this was
partially burned away. In the yard
chicken was found, this cooked
Shortly after day the flames died
down, and then an investigation of
the disaster was begun.
The night watchman had been
missed during the fire, and his alb
sence caused much uneasiness As
early as possible messengers were
sent to his home and to his relatives,
but these reported that he had not
been seen. When the discovery was
made that the safe had been broken
| into and robbed it was feared that
there had been foul play. A search
was begun for his body, first in the
debris of the office. then in the ware
house and finally in the stables Here
about half past twelve o'clock yes
terday his body burt and mutilated,
was found.
The surroundings of the terrible
find were horrible. The blackened
timbers, the burnt grain and the
charred bodies of four mules We're the
surroundipgg& Clearing up the deb
I'is near what had once been the door
to the stable, a foot was found. 1t
1T was lifted out and with it came
the lower left leg. Careful work final
ply showed that the remainder of the
tbody was under the head and fore
legs of the mule, the feet towards
the corner where the man had stood
to fix his watchman's clock. Finally
the charred hulk, with some little
! flesh left also on the lower right leg
| was brought to view. AS this was lift
led out mass of blood was found
under the head and shoulders, and
| it was seen that the skull had been
| broken, pieces of this being found
also. All the clothing was burned ex-
cept that on the lower legs.
| In taking the debris from about the
| body the watchman's clock, which the
dead watchman had carried by Il
leather strap about his neck, was
found. 1t was covered with blood and
dirt. The man who picked it UP held
it to his ear, and said, 1T is running ="
He cleaned off the face of-the clock
and it showed the correct time of day
at that momene this being twenty
minutes to one. Later the closk was
opened by Mr.. T. F. Brockwen and
the carbon record inside, though part.
ly burned. showed that Strickland
had made all his rounds. and had
I made all records up to one o'clock
| The clock. known as a watchman' 5
detector, can only have the time re
cords made by inserting keys bolted
to the wall in the different places II
the warehouse. That in the stable was
No. 4, and this was the number made
at one o'clock, evidently the time when
the fatal blow was dealt Strickland
in his fall must have jerked the key
from thS. wall for the broken chain
was found. A ring and a knife, the
property OF the dead, were also found
The dead man was about twenty
three years old and was the son of the
born in Cumberland and raised in
Johnston county. He had lost one arm
in cotton gin accident He lived here
with married sister, Mrs j. S. Bun
dy, 210 North West street, and has also
another married sister, Mrs. j. w.
Bundy. He had been employed by the
Standard Oil Company for about two
weeks. The funeral will be held at
4:30 this afternoon from 210 West
CT
by G.. w. Strickland.
In the place where once stood the
office the broken safe showed how
this had been entered. No powder or
dynamite had been used, but the up
per corner of the door had been chis.
eled off so as to give space to insert a
bar in the edge of the outer cover.
This opening had been evidenced by
vigorous hammeriEg on the outerside
and finally was wide enough to get in
a bar to twist the lock lovers, on which
a cold chisel had been used without
effect A hammer an dan axe were
found, which later were discovered to
have been brought from a Seaboard
Air Line tool house.
The work had every appearance OF
being that of amateurs, and there are
many who suspect that the man who
fired at Mr.. T. f. Brockwell Thurs
day night was engaged in the work on
Saturday morning. The killing OF
Strickland is regarded as deliberate.
and it is supposed that from one to
two o'clock the man or men were
hammering on the safe in the office
The spread of the fire showed that
this must have been begun shortly af-
ter two O'Clock, the men having COM
pleted their robbery OF the safe.
The loss is estimated by Mr.. w. M.
Whtelaw. who Is the division superin-
tendent for some II or / s stations, al
about $30.000. In Lhia he includes the