The sight that met the gaze of Mrs. Timon and her daughter, Miss Laura, in the family residence last Friday night was most terrible in the extreme and one long to be remembered by them.  Between the hours of 9 and 10 pm the mother and daughter returned from Beeville and were taken to their home on Mesquite Street in a carriage.  They alighted and were soon in the front room gallery, ringing the doorbell.  No response came to their call and Mrs. Timon and daughter entered, finding the door unlocked, much to their surprise as it had always been the custom for the father and husband to lock the door before retiring.  Proceeding through the hall to her bedroom, imagine, if you can, the feeling that seized that poor mother and wife when she stumbles over the body of her husband, who it was discovered to be with the aid of the light of a match.  There over the inanimate form wept the nearly crazed mother and daughter. There lay in a state of putrefaction the one who they had left behind only a few days previously in the possession of all his mental faculties and in the enjoyment of the best and most happy days of his life.  How could it be thus?  The thought of the vital spark having flown with not a fond relative near to witness the passage, or the warm kisses of the family circle to seal forever the cold lips that so often parted in life to tell of his love and devotion for those whom he so often took upon his knee in the childhood days, or to whisper his devotion for the one woman whose heart for him ever beat fondly and true and in whose sorrows and joys she equally shared, must have been terrible, and beyond the power of man to portray.

Their screams soon brought to the household men, who like themselves, will never forget the sight that met their gaze.  Doctors Westervelt and Babcock were soon upon the scene and an examination of the body made, after which it was prepared for burial and placed in a casket.  When found, Mr. Timon was lying in the hall near his wife's bedroom door, under the stairway, face down, with his left hand under the chin, clinched, while his right was also tightly clinched and extending out full length.  Within the left hand was found a few hairs, supposed to have come from his beard.  The body was in a  state of decomposition with the tongue between the teeth and neck somewhat swollen.  On the floor under Mr. Timon's face was about eight ounces of blood, which came from his nose and mouth.Justice of the Peace Dunn was summoned and, after consulting with the physicians, who stated and since in writing, that there were no marks or other bruises on the body which would lead them to believe that deceased had been murdered, but on the other hand, died of causes unknown to them, gave permission to bury the body.  Dr. Westervelt, who was interviewed by a reporter for the Caller, said positively that Mr. Timon was not killed, but was of the opinion that he died of catalepsy or epilepsy, but not of apoplexy and gave good reasons for advancing such opinion. He said that while there were several abrasions of the skin, none were of such nature as to cause death, and thinks they were inflicted by the deceased himself while wandering aimlessly about the house.  Dr. Ward thinks otherwise, and believes there was foul play, having examined the rooms upstairs thoroughly and carefully considered the position in which the body was found, and especially the swelling of the throat and the way in which the tongue was between the teeth which he thinks was made to protrude by choking.  Some who visited the house after the dead body had been discovered cannot be made to believe it was a case of suicide.  The bedroom bore strong evidence of a great struggle on the part of one man to protect his own life and a determined and successful effort on the part of human devils to wrench it from him, and for what purposes is at this time only known to those whose hands have been stained with the hearts blood of their buried victim.  If a murder, it was carefully planned and, as far as was in the power of the show that Mr. Timon was attacked when in bed, while the disarrangement of the bedroom effects point strongly to a fierce struggle.  A marble slab was broken, wash bowl and pitcher, a windowpane smashed and other things strewed about promiscuously.

All this on the second floor of Mr. Timon's residence, but that is not where his body was found.  How then, did he reach the first floor?  Was it there that he was felled while trying to make his escape after being attacked in bed, or did he, after having been left for dead on the room above, reach the hall, when his strength forsook him, and he expired?

If not for money, why was Mr. Timon killed?  Can it be that burglars entered the house, knowing the family to be absent, were detected by him, and in order not to disclose their identity, pounced upon him in bed when discovered and choked him to death?  Here again we are confronted with the fact that there were no visible marks on his person to indicate that he had been killed by a blow, save the discoloration on his neck, bruises on his knees, scratches on his legs and even the former may have been cause by decomposition.  But are not these sufficient to produce death in themselves?  In some cases, yes.  All men are not alike, a blow that would not stagger one man might kill another.  What is given above is about the way it is discussed on the street based principally on hearsay, though many men have visited the house and seen for themselves. 

A reporter for the Caller was shown through the house Tuesday by Mr. Timon's two sons, who gave us all the information possible and seemed anxious to assist in arriving at a conclusion that would establish a theory pointing to the true cause of their father's death.  The room which Mr. Timon occupied is on the second floor of the family  residence on Mesquite Street, and to the north (east?) corner of the building with a window on the south from floor to ceiling (unreadable) the (east?) and another on the north and containing two doors, one on the south, leading to the stairwell landing, and another on the west opening into another room, which contained a door on the south, also leading to the stairway. Beside the bureau in Mr. Timon's bedroom lay a marble slab belonging to the same, broke into two pieces, on the rough side of which was several drops of blood.  At this particular place there are other signs which smack strongly of a struggle to say nothing of the washbowl and pitcher that were smashed to pieces.  The dress shirt which he wore upon the streets together with the bedcovers and pillows were found upon the floor with blood.  A lantern had been overturned and the oil let loose. Between the bureau and the door on the west side of the room were plainly visible footprints in blood, showing the natural outlines of a man's barefoot, while leading from this door to the one on the south side were the same to be seen, and still further two more were found in the adjoining room on the west, directly between the door described as leading to the stairway landing and one on the west of the bedroom.  The bloody impressions were made by a right foot wherever found to exist. If Mr. Timon made them, then why did they not appear immediately outside of the room, from which it is supposed the one bearing the limb walked, and where but a few drops of blood were found?  There was no blood either to be seen on the stairs by which some think he reached the spot where found cold in death.  There were no wounds on his foot or his leg to prove that the blood came from his foot, or any blood on his leg to account for the flow down that made the footprint on the floor so plain. Strange indeed.  In the room south of the one occupied by the deceased, a large pane of window glass was smashed from within, and must have been done, it would seem, by someone falling against it.

What caused this poor man's death is, of course, a mystery, but one thing is certain, and that is, he never fell from the stairs to the hall below, as the place where he was found precludes all possibility of his having met death in that way.  The finding of the front door of the residence unlocked is something which the members of the family wonder at because Mr. Timon was always particular to see that it was securely fastened at night upon retiring.  Only a chair overturned in the hall of the first floor was discovered thereby dispelling the motive of plunder.  Justice of the Peace Dunn was seen by a reporter for the Caller on Wednesday and asked what steps he had taken to hear testimony and why it was he had not rendered a verdict.  Said he:  "I was called to the Timon residence last Friday night to view the body of Mr. John Timon, who was found dead, as you know.  Although under medical treatment, I got out of my bed and went.  Doctors Westervelt and Babcock were summoned, and after a careful examination of Mr. Timon's remains they said there were no marks on his person which would lead them to believe there had been any foul play, and signed a written statement to the effect that deceased came to his death from unknown causes.  (Here Judge Dunn handed the reporter the statement signed by the physicians).  "Have you taken any testimony, Judge?" we asked.  "Yes sir, I have.  Here is the testimony in writing of Mr. Thomas Southgate."  "Any other?"  "No, I am waiting for Mrs. Timon to return from San Patricio.  There are no others who know anything except the finding of the body."

"Was it right for you to issue a permit granting permission to have the remains interred before rendering your official verdict, Judge Dunn?" "Under the circumstances, and the decomposed condition of the body, together with the opinions of the physicians, there can be nothing wrong in it.  If the physicians had decided that there was the slightest evidence of foul play I most certainly would have then and there ordered a post mortem and taken such other stops to establish the true cause as far as in my power lay. The doctors are firmly convinced that Mr. Timon was not murdered.  In view of this fact and the decayed condition of the body, I saw no reason to postpone the burial for evidence that could, and has been taken since, and which in substance, only substantiates what has already been said concerning the finding of the body."  "Were you absent from the city last week, or this week, Judge?"  "I was not, and what has been printed about me in another newspaper, is absolutely false.

"The Caller here opens a new channel for investigation.  It is this:  We are informed by Arthur Franz, the 16 year old adopted son of Judge Dunn, who says that when he visited the Timon residence last Wednesday afternoon, about 4:30 o'clock to take the family order for fresh meat, he heard someone groaning and when he went home he mentioned the fact to his mother.  This is a very important point in itself and contradicts the report that Mr. Timon was seen on the streets Wednesday.

When found, deceased had on a night shirt, his shoes were found in their usual place, had removed his false teeth, and there was other evidence that when he retired he was in his right mind.  He also made coffee in the kitchen Tuesday night, and from appearances it would seem that he expected the family home, having made preparations for supper.

The remains were taken to San Patricio on Saturday last and interred in the family burying ground.  Deceased was 62 years of age, and leaves an estate worth considerable money.  He was considered quite wealthy.  His purse strings were always loose to the members of his family, whose wants were supplied with an open hand and willing heart.  He leaves a wife, five sons and three daughters, whose names are John W., Harry J., Hubert, Edward C., Walter F., Mrs. P. Leahy, Mrs. J.M. Barry, and Laura J. who have the sympathy of all who knew their father and will always remember him for his many noble traits.

Mr. Timon known for advertising that any poor and hungry had leave to enter his fields and kill one of his cattle.

He had extensive land holdings in the Nueces, San Patricio, and Bee County areas as well as down in the Valley.

James Mowat from the Corpus Christi Caller
March 31, 1899, p. 6

His murderer, Captain John McDonald, age 76, finally confessed to the deed he had committed 40 years earlier. McDonald and Mowat were both from the Orkney islands. In 1859, both lived in San Patricio county, both were farmers and ranchers. During an argument, McDonald killed Mowat. Was arrested and jailed. The jail was not secure; he easily escaped. A friend, John Timon, gave him a horse and money. McDonald escaped to Tampico, Mexico then went to New Orleans. "In January of the next year he received a letter from Judge Gamble, another old friend, telling him the sad news of the death of his wife. Still fearing to return, captain McDonald made G. W. Jones, an old resident of this county, who died ten years ago, the legal guardians of his children, and, heart-broken over his misfortune, shipped as mate on a sailing vessel bound for Cuba. From Cuba his vessel went to England. In the meantime, the civil war broke out and his returned here to see his children, spending a few months. He then went north and engaged in shipping on the great lakes, following this vocation until a few years ago. He returned here in 1874, and again in 1896, and has never concealed his movements while here. The old case on the docket in San Patricio county has been called each year and continued 'for want of service.' In order to clear the docket of the case a capias wa issued last week and sent to Sheriff Taylor for execution. The arrest was made Tuesday at the home of the captain's son-in-law, John A. McCullom, where he has been making his home lately. A writ of habeas corpus was heard yesterday by Judge Lowe of the 36th district, on his return from Oakville and Captain McDonald's bond fixed at $5,000, which he readily gave." This was a reprint in the Caller from the Beeville Bee.

http://lhdatabases.ccpl.ci.corpus-christi.tx.us/1883_deaths_search_year.asp