Canady, John

a hard rock lead and zinc miner and laborer, was found dead in the residence of Dr. Webb in Peoria Oklahoma, Tuesday evening. Died Dec 21, 1915, death was caused by two bullet wounds. One entered the left eye and went through the head, coming out at the low left base of the brain; another entered the center of the left breast and went directly through the body, passing through the top of the heart. Either was sufficient to cause instant death. Dr. Webb has successfully evaded the sheriff's force up to this time. A thorough search of northern Oklahoma and southern Missouri and Kansas has been in progress. County Attorney Ray McNaughton, in company with a deputy sheriff, went immediately to the scene of the reported tragedy and upon their arrival at the residence of Dr. Webb, found the dead man laying upon the floor, on a made-down bed or pallet, which was burning. The flames were extinguished and it was noticed that the left side of the dead man's face, and his left ear were badly disfigured. Mr. McNaughton and the deputy sheriff started an immediate search of the entire community for Dr. Webb, but their efforts were in vain. They went from Peoria Oklahoma to Baxter Springs Kansas, notified all officers and telephoned and telegraphed to all neighboring towns. From Baxter they went to Galena Kansas where another search was made. Three residents and all the downtown district were thoroughly explored, but no Dr. Webb was found. Their next stop was Joplin. Here county attorney McNaughton, at about two o'clock in the morning, aroused the entire police force of Joplin Missouri and started a minute search for the supposed murderer of the man found in his home. No trace was found. The Ottawa county officials returned to Oklahoma and at about 3:30 pm held an inquest over the dead body of John Canady, before Justice of the Peace William Cowan. The verdict of the jury was brief, formed in the following language: "We, the inquiring jurors assembled to investigate this case, find that John Canady met his death by wounds inflicted from a certain gun, held in an unknown hand." In the room where Canady was found there was also discovered one-half gallon of corn whisky and a broken jug which had contained liquor. Other disarranged and out-of-order articles in the room would indicate that persons considerably under the influence of liquor had occupied the place at no long time prior to the killing. County attorney McNaughton will probably take the theory that the murder was committed in a drunken brawl, and that liquor was largely the cause of it happening. A prosecuting theory is advanced that the probable cause for the pallet upon which the dead body was found being on fire was a desire on the part of the criminal to make it appear that the dead man had become intoxicated to such state as to be mentally incompetent and had set fire to the building and was so crazed that he could not escape. It is understood that the county attorney has considerable evidence on the case, having spent all of a night in the locality and will probably introduce some startling testimony should the man now accused be brought to answer in open court. Descriptions of Dr. Webb, together with his photograph, have been sent to the police department of all nearby cities and towns.