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The jury of inquest investigating the recent killing of the colored woman on Pecan street is still at work, with closed doors. The law provides that inquests may be privately conducted, but there is not one case in ten thousand where secrecy is necessary. As before stated, criminals don't wait to read the papers to find out whether they are suspected. On the contrary, the publication of every detail of a criminal transaction has often led to the arrest of guilty parties. That a mystery surrounds the murder of Mollie Smith is readily admitted. The effort to make it still more mysterious by excluding everybody from the inquest is probably well meant, but it don't facilitate the ends of justice one iota.

Walter Spencer, the other occupant of the room at the time of the killing, who also received facial injuries, is still alive. It is now thought he will recover. His statement that he don't know anything is reasonable enough, since the first blow may have knocked him insensible. The idea that he was first struck, while sleeping, by the woman, and afterwards killed her, is not generally entertained, though this theory has been advanced. Dr. J. W. Burt told a reporter yesterday that Spencer's wounds were not produced by an ax. He was struck by some sharp pointed instrument -- a rock or piece of iron probably.

The house where the ball took place on the same night with the tragedy, was visited by a reporter yesterday. The colored woman living there stated that Brooks, now in jail on suspicion, "called the figures" until the dance broke up at a quarter to 2 o'clock. Other parties on the place stated that Brooks was there from about 9 until the affair was over. The exact time that the murder took place is not known, though it was some time between three and four o'clock when Walter Spencer woke Mr. Chalmers up and told him that somebody had tried to kill him, and that Mollie was missing. Did Brooks do it? The circumstances seem to favor his innocence. If he staid at the ball till nearly 3 o'clock, he could hardly have been the man, unless he went a distance of about two miles at almost lightning speed. The ball was held away out on East Bois d'Arc, only a little way from the Tillotson Institute. The killing occurred in the western part of the city, full two miles away. This question of time may yet prove an important element in the case. There was no blood on his clothing when arrested, though he had time sufficient to have made a change.

But as yet there than be nothing but conjecture in this strange and horrible occurrence. The mystery that surrounds it would afford a fine opportunity for the shrewdest detective work, and the man that unveils it, and discloses the doer of the damnable deed will receive extended commendation.

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Commentary: So, not a whole lot new here, as the inquest was still closed. This report mostly recaps what we've already read and tries to fill the public appetite for new information with a lot of speculation, much of which admittedly sounds pretty sensible. You will have noticed journalistic standards of the day were not beholden to such concepts as objectivity and a cold recital of facts. The reporter here openly editorializes, particularly about the paper's chagrin at being shut out of the inquest. It's this kind of writing that makes 1880's newspapers such a fun read. (Also, that use of the word "don't" where they should have used "doesn't" -- yep, that's in the original. lol)

Things are looking pretty good, alibi-wise, for Lem Brooks. But as we will see, the inquest isn't so sure.

Amusing footnote: Here are a handful of actual ads that appeared in the paper at this time. Many of these are just printed as regular copy, and not that distinguishable from actual articles.

Smoke the Mardi Gras cigars.
Gentlemen whose beards are not of the tint which they desire, can remedy the defect by using Buckingham's dye for the whiskers.
Buy the Indian Territory coal of Mattingley and Co. at $8.50 per ton one ton better than two of cannel or Rio Grande or Pecos coal. Don't be humbugged.
Do not delay, but go to A. Alexander's at once and look at his bargains.

And, seriously, more snake oil cures and patent remedies than you can shake a stick at.