The Forrest City times., 1912-11-08

murder was committed Tn room No 23 on the third floor of the Hotel Marion in this city yesterday morn- ing about o'clock.
 The dead man is young LeVert Mccain, travelling salesman represen- ting hosiery, underwear. neckwear and overall manufacturers of New York City and member of promi- nent family of Jonesboro, Ark. Me. Cain had been registered at the hotel here for several days. He was twenty. eight years of age at the time he was killed and is survived by d wife and little daughter, father, Capt. Chas. Mccain, director and travelling salesman for the Hamilton Brown Shoe Co, of St. Louis, and brother. Dr. |. II. Mccain of Jonesboro. who arrived in the city at 12:40 to take Charge of the body. Under the es- cort of his brother ana Dr. Pelton. q friend of the family. of this city, the dead mans remains were shipped to d last night for burial
 Three men, Gordon h. Casteel. Jim Powers and Dan Kauerauf. were in the room with Mccain at the time he was killed All three of these men claim not to know any thing about how the killing occurred and the circumstances leading up to the tragic affair are meager and sur rounded in mystery.
 The coroner's investigation which was held behind closed doors-every- body except those directly interested being excluded from the secret hear ing rendered a verdict at l2 o'clock charging Casteel with murder and Powers and kauerauf with being accessories, all Of whom were bound over to await the action of the grand jury and remanded to jail without bail.
 Casteel upon whom suspicion seems to center the strongest has reputa. tion as killer. It is said Casteel 1 has mania for blood when he is drinking. Nine years ago Casteel killed Hall Sanders, one of the most 1 popular young men of Forrest City. on Christmas night. For this kill l ing Gasteel was convicted of murder and after fierce battle in the courts. was sentenced to the penitentiary for 1 twelve years After serving four years of his time, friends of Casteel interceded with the governor and secured a pardon for him
 ''Jim" Powers, one If the other men ill the room with Mccain at the time he was killed, is also q gunman and has killed one man. while kau- erauf is generally considered 10 he q peaceable citizen and has never
 been known to be in trouble.
 IL k said that evidence taken at the eorouers inquest brought out i the facts that early in the night. sometime between II and l2 o'clock. 1 Mccain who was looking for friend
 it-an he thoughx was in the hotel
 pl,sti by the door of room No 33 in i @ hieH Casteel, Powers and kauerauf. Nete itting about table talking ana Dghing. Hearing the sound of i good lows and thinking that his friend might be among them. Me Cain looked in at the door, which was ] aJar and made inquiry. but upon hndlng that the person he was seek l ing was not among the party, begged the trio's pardon and was in the act of retiring, when Casteel, it is said. spoke up and asked Mccain 10 join them in sociable drink. Mccain acQuiesced in this and sat down. The four men talked awhile and Mccain and Kauerauf made date to go duck l hunting next week. In a few minutes. however, il is said that Mccain. arose to excuse himself, at the same time stating that he had some letters 10 write, but before he left the bottle was again passed araund. and Mccain went 0oWh Into the hotel office. stat ing that after he had written his letters, lie would try to rustic up something. and come back after awhile.
 IL is said that Mccain had d half pint bottle in his grip, which he se. cured after he had finished his cor respondence and went back up to room 23, to return the courtesy of his new found friends.
 Shortly after this. one or two of the guests heard muffled shot. fol- lowed by excited conversation. G. Y. Nash, who had room just across the hall from the room in which the killing occurred, got up to investigate. He walked to the door Of g which was open. Saw Mccain all crumpled