San Antonio Daily Light

Body of Dead Officer Found.
MOBILE, Ala., July 12.—The dead body of Deputy Sheriff John W. Thomas, of Mobile county, was found yesterday in the village of Whistler, seven miles from Mobile. There were three bullet wounds on his body, and his skull was crushed. Thomas is the one-armed officer, who last week shot and killed a desperado, an escaped convict, Mike Fincher, who resisted his attempt to arrest him. Fincher's friends swore vengeance against Thomas, and the first impression was that some of them had assassinated him. Investigation and strong circumstantial evidence show, however, that Gilbert Diace, railroad engineer and nephew, John Ryan, fireman, were the murderers. After committing the deed they boarded a late train. They have been located at Hickey, Miss., and are probably now arrested. Their motive was revenge, Thomas having placed them under arrest early in the night for mutilating some animals. Diace has resided in Texas and Mexico.