The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-04-10

cd this morning when the
body of Contractor James A.
Frace, with three bullet holes
i'm IL, was found i'm the under
brush a quarter-mile north of
Regents Park. Three empty
cartridges, evidently elected
from an automatic revolver,
were found twenty feet away
from the body, and, Judging
from the appearance Of the
underbrush, Frace was drag
ged into the thicket by his
murderers I'm an attempt to
conceal the crime.
A trail of blood stains leads
from the spot where the cart
ridges were picked up to where
the body was found.
Missing Since Wednesday.
Mr.. Frace was SO years old,
and lived with his family at
Woodlawn, about half a mile west
of Frace's corner on the Stella
COON OAR line.s He has been
missing since Wednesday night,
when he Is known to have board
ed a Regents Park car and alight-
ed from II at the station which
bears his name.
Enticed Into Woods.
That he was enticed from the
station to the spot whore he was
murdered is the theory which de-
tectives are working on, as Mr..
Frace was found at least a mile
from his home. He was probably
fired at while standing, and twice
later after he had fallen to the
ground. One bullet went through
the crown of his soft felt hat,
and grazed along the top of his
head.
The second bullet entered his
right cheek near the cheek bone,
tore through the roof of his mouth
and emerged near his left eye.
The third bullet pierced the bow
of his tie, entered his chest and
remained imbedded In the soft
flesh of his back.
RObber- Not Motive.
1t is l4L that Frace was
killed a6ISvresult of some petty |
trouble. That robbery was not
the cause is evidenced by the fact
that his watch and money were
left upon his person.
A package of meat which hel
purchased at X street shop We'd
nesday evening before going home
was found lying on the ground
beside the body, as were also a |
whisky flask nearly full, some
business papers and a time-book. |
Search Started.
All yesterday afternoon city de- |
tectives were beating about thei
bush of the old Chinese swamp,
near Regents Park, but found mol
clue. This morning DetectivesI |
Milone, Fackler, Ashby and Huck-5
aba were detailed to the spot. At
Regents Park they were joined by
Edward A. Janson, Albert Lister,
Bob Gleason and James Frace, al
son of the missing man.
Comes Upon Body.
The men divided into two par
ties, Fackler, Frace and Lister
forming one party. A systematic
hunt was started, with the inten-
ton of beating down every bit of
ground In the tract. About 11:30l
-Alber Lister, who was In the GEN.
ter of the trio, came upon the
body of the old man lying beneath
a. young fir tree and almost en-|
tirely concealed by the foliage of
vigorous shrubbery.
Coroner Called.
Coroner Shaver was notified at
once and he arrived on the scene
within an hour. A brief exam
nation revealed the fact that
Frace had been murdered and
dragged to the hiding place. How
the murderers enticed the man to
the spot Is a mystery, as is also
the cause for such an act.
Had Many Enemies.
"Old Man Frace,' as he was
commonly called, Is known toI
have had many enemies among
men whom he had employed. but
that the enmity could grow strong
enough to form motive for mur- |
der is not believed to be proba-
BILE.
Besides a wife Mr.. Frace leaves
three daughters and two sons.
The daughters are Mrs. MamfeI
Coleman, living In Tacoma, Miss
Maud Frace. II. q school girl, and |
Mimic Frace, eight years old. The |
sons are Ray Frace, married, and
James A. Frace. who has been
living with the family.
a.. l