After being taken to the city hall, Mr. Brann was
removed to his home, where Drs. Foscue, Hale, Graves and
C. E. Smith attended him. Soon after arriving there he
appeared to have reacted from the shock and there was
every indication of an improvement. At 11 o'clock there
was a change, hemorrhage of the lungs occurring
frequently. In addition to the immediate family circle a
number of devoted friends (and no man ever had more devoted
friends than Brann) were at the home, anxious to render
the offices of friendship. At midnight the physicians
said there was no chance and the family gathered about
the bedside. During the long minutes which followed, a
loving wife and two children sat by that bedside and
watched the unconscious man. His life hung by a thread
and while surgeon's science was being used to strengthen
the strand that held the life, Death's knife was on it.
They watched by his side, and as they watched they saw
him seek sweet repose. The anguish of the wife and
those children was terrible, but they awaited the visitation
to that happy home, kind friends being near to speak
sweet words of comfort. At 1.55 A.M. he died. His
features showed no pain, and when life left his body, the
face appeared as that of one in a sweet, peaceful sleep.
The remains of W. C. Brann were prepared early
Saturday morning and lay in state all day at the residence
on North Fifth Street. Hundreds of ladies visited the
home and viewed the face of the Apostle. It was natural
as life itself. He lay upon a catafalque in the parlors
at home and the visitors passed around the lifeless form,
looked upon the face and passed out.
Surviving Mr. Brann are his wife and two children,
Grace, aged 11 years, and Willie, a son, aged 6 years.
Brann himself was 44 years old.
Mr. Brann came to Texas about twelve years ago and
has been engaged in the newspaper business ever since.
He was connected in an editorial capacity with the Galveston
News, Houston Post, San Antonio Express and
Waco Daily News. In 1890, during the Hogg-Clark
campaign, he established the ICONOCLAST in Austin, Texas,
and made a fight for Hogg, making his first appearance
in the character which has made him famous. The paper
suspended publication and Mr. Brann accepted a position
on the San Antonio Express, which he held until the
latter part of 1894. He came to Waco in 1895 and began
editorial writing on the Waco Daily News. He decided
to reestablish the ICONOCLAST and it has been a great
success, reaching a phenomenal circulation, having readers
all over this country. The tragedy of Friday can
be traced to the attack which was made on Baylor
University in the ICONOCLAST. It was in Brann's peculiar
style, and attracted considerable attention throughout
the country. Mr. Brann is a native of Southern Illinois.
* * *
DAVIS FOLLOWS BRANN.