The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, June 21, 1891
pg. 4

THE MURDER MYSTERY
Decomposed Remains Found in a Secluded Spot Near the City Bodies Identified as Those of Louis Barbrick and Albert Dedrick - Who Committed the Crime and What was the Object?

Last Sunday evening, a farmer by the name of Jacks, residing 2 miles southeast of Denison near the railway track, started out to hunt a bee tree.  When about a half a mile from his home and while crossing a deep gulch or water-way in a dismal and unfrequented spot, he came upon a human skeleton. A hasty investigation of the locality revealed the remains of another person.  Early Monday morning Jacks came to Denison and informed the officers of his ghastly find and in a short time Justice Hughes, in company with C.H. Scholl, were en route to the locality mentioned.  About 300 yards to the right and south of the railway track, and about 1 mile south from the steam brick yard, the gentlemen came upon the object of their search .  The topography of the country in that immediate vicinity is peculiar.  The surface is very sandy and deep gulches or ravines break off precipitously, and as the timber is heavy it presents a very uninviting appearance.  At the bottom of one of these water-ways, and half covered up with sand and leaves, were the remains of a human in a state of advanced decomposition, and a short distance down the stream were those of another.  The skeleton first mentioned was evidently that of a man, the latter that of a boy.  A box was secured and every thing found in the least connected with the bodies, was placed in it and late in the evening brought to the city.  On the following morning the clothes were disinfected, and the entire outfit was given a searching examination.  Dr. Booth pronounced one to be the remains of a man 20 years of age, the other that of a  boy of 11.  Not more than 1/2 the bones were found, but the clothing was in a fairly good state of preservation, showing that the bodies had been exposed to the weather not more than 6 weeks or 2 months at the outside.   Mr. and Mrs. Barbrick and 3 daughters and Mrs. Derick, all of whom reside on East Morgan street, near the 4th ward school building, called, and after making an extended examination of the clothing, fully identified them as that worn by Louis Barbrick and Albert Derick at the time of their leaving home some 5 or 6 weeks ago.   A short account of the singular disappearance of the boys was given in the Gazetteer at the time, but it was generally supposed that they had only run away for a short time only and would soon return.  They had done so on a former occasion and no more attention was given the matter at that time.  The parents of the missing boys stated that on the morning of May 11, about 9 o'clock, the lads were at the Perry steam brick yard.  They engaged in conversation with a man named Joe Scott, who was at  work in the yard.  After loitering around a while, the boys started east on the Mineola railway track and Scott saw them as they turned the curve, which bends around down the branch.  No further trace can be found, as it was the last time they were seen alive.  This curve on the railway is about a half mile south from where the bodies were found.
 The statement of the ladies cleared away the mystery so far as the identity of the remains were concerned, but the solving of that problem only added to the mystery of their death.
Were the boys murdered?  If so, who did it and what motive could have prompted the awful crime!  In a dismal and out-of-the-way place, just such a locality as would attract the attention of a demon to hide his crime, the remains were found.  Could it have been for money?  No, for they had only a few cents in their pockets at the time of their leaving home.  Theories by the dozen were advanced.  Excitement ran high.  Relatives to the missing boys gave vent to their sorrow in lamentations that could be heard for blocks around.  Some suggested that the lads had been struck by lightning; some thought they had partaken of poisonous berries.  But the most that could be said of any theory  was, that it was only a theory.
One rumor, which gained extensive circulation and believed by many, was that the older boy had engaged in a game of cards with a Negro and refusing to give up his money was killed, and that, in order to hide his crime, the little boy was also killed.
Mr. Barbrick advances the idea that the boys were acquainted with facts which would get some one in trouble, and that the death of them was the only mode of protection to the guilty parties.
One of the Misses Barbrick states that Louis, her brother, had some enemies in Denison and that he had told her that a threat had been made that he would be killed and very soon.  Whether this threat has any bearing on the case is now not known.
Tuesday Mr. Barbrick, in company with Jim Burch, visited the place where the remains were found and made a further and a more searching investigation of the locality.  Several bones that escaped notice on Monday were picked up and buried.  Down the stream about 50 yards the hat of Louis Barbrick, also a handkerchief with traces of blood, were found.  On the bank of the ravine was a short, thick stick and near this were several hickory withs, which evidently had been used to tie and gag the small boy.  The handkerchief was not the property of either of the boys. 
A reporter of the Gazetteer called at the home of Mr. Barbrick in southeast Denison Thursday evening, and in response to inquiries the gentleman said:
"I feel perfectly confident, in fact, I know the remains of those of my son and Albert Dedrick.  I also know they were murdered and sooner or later it will come out.  I have a clue, and the guilty parties must suffer.  On being questioned as to what the clue was, and who it was who could be guilty of such a diabolical crime, Mr. Barbrick said:
"I think it better to keep the matter out of the newspapers for a while.  What I do I will have to do quietly.  Were I to state all I know it would do no good just at present, but a world of harm.  I expect to prosecute the matter to the bitter end and I will keep the Gazetteer fully posted.  The bodies were about half way between the wagon and the rail road, and in my opinion they were brought up the stream from the railway.  As to my clue I prefer remaining mum for the present."



The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, September 27, 1891
pg. 1

LOCAL CONDENSATIONS
Monday - The grand jury has found 10 bills of indictment against the Negro Frank Houston, arrested south of Denison under suspicion of being connected with the murder of the Barbrick and Dedrick boys.