A Shot of Jack Daniels
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February 28, 1993 marked the beginning of a major event in the history of Methodist Children’s Home in Waco, Texas.
It began when I received a telephone call, as president of the Home, from the local director of Child Protective Services (CPS) of the State of Texas. I was told that some children needed a home. Although I received similar phone calls many times, this was an unusual request due to the circumstances of these children. They were being released from the Branch Davidian Compound in Mt. Carmel, which was located 10 miles east of Waco. The children witnessed a major confrontation and shoot-out between the Branch Davidians and federal government agents, during which three Davidians and four ATF members were killed, along with many wounded.
The Branch Davidians were a religious sect that split off from the Seventh Day Adventist Church. The Davidians established their compound near Waco and were led by David Koresch, 33, who claimed to be a messiah. The 77 members of the Branch Davidians supposedly were waiting for the end of the world. The environment and activities in the compound were strictly controlled by Koresch, and there had been numerous complaints of child abuse at the compound. The federal government investigated Koresch concerning firearms violations, and this led to the confrontation between federal agents and the Davidians.
The CPS director asked me if Methodist Children’s Home could care for the Branch Davidian children. I had a major decision to make immediately: “How would we care for these children who would come to us under such traumatic circumstances?” At the time, we provided an emergency shelter on our main campus that was used by the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services. The availability of this facility strongly influenced my decision. I believed that we offered the best program possible for troubled children, so I decided that we would care for them just as we did for all children who came to us. This decision led us to become a part of history.
The mission of Methodist Children’s Home has always been to serve troubled children who need a home. Not long after the Davidian children arrived on our campus, some boys from one of our homes asked me, “Are those compound kids staying here?”
“Yes,” I answered, “they are.”
“Well how come?” they asked.
“Because they need a place to stay, just as you did when you first came to Methodist Home,” I explained.
“A place to stay” has been the story of Methodist Children’s Home since its beginning in 1890. I am thankful that it was a place for my family to stay in January of 1937. A newspaper clipping tells the story:
THE PARIS MORNING NEWS, Sunday, 27 Dec. 1936, p. 1: 'Joe Daniels Found Dead - Dies In New Orleans Hotel Of Self Inflicted Bullet Wound - NEW ORLEANS. – With a bullet wound in the chest just above the heart and a .45 calibre single action revolver on the floor nearby, the body of a man identified by police as Joseph R. Daniels, 41, of Paris, Texas, was found in a room of a Dauphine street hotel Friday afternoon. 'I am sorry to muss up your room,' read a note which authorities said was picked up near the body. 'But I have reached the limit. I am shooting myself.' The note was addressed to 'the management of the hotel' and bore the signature, 'Joe R. Daniels,' accompanied by the address 503 Cleveland Street, Paris, Texas. Patrolman N. J. Martinez of the third precinct station identified the body as that of a man who approached him on the street recently and asserted that he was familiar with 'the duties of an officer because I am an old sheriff myself.' The man did not indicate whether he may have served as a sheriff, Patrolman Martinez said. In the note to the management of the hotel, the writer asked that Dr. O. W. Robinson of Paris, Texas be notified of his death and stated that a pawn ticket left in his wallet represented the pledging of a ring 'which is worth more than my room rent' and which 'you may keep if you redeem it.' He asked that letters which he had written be mailed for him, closing with the words ‘I am broke.' The man registered at the hotel Monday, giving his home city at that time as Hugo, Okla. He had an artificial leg. The body was discovered in the early afternoon when a Negro maid went into the room to rearrange it for the day. Dr. C. Grenes Coles, coroner, said Daniels died of hemorrhage and shock following gunshot wounds in the left chest. He declared the death a suicide. Mr. Daniels had been employed by the Paris News since 1929 in various capacities including those of agricultural editor and general reporter. He left Paris, Friday, Dec. 18. He had been in ill health for about three years. His first wife, the mother of seven children, who survive, died in September. He is survived also by his wife Mrs. Alcy Scott Daniels and his father, A. S. Daniels. His children are Robert 12; Katherine 10; Billy Joe 8; Ailene 6; Betty Lou 4: Jack 2 and Vena Lissette, six months. The funeral will be held here, at Manton-Fry Funeral Home, at 2:30 Sunday afternoon, conducted by the Rev. Homer T. Fort of First Methodist Church and burial will be made at Rock Ford cemetery. The body will arrive from New Orleans Sunday noon. Pallbearers will be Reagan Hurt, Sidney Hunter, A. H. Nichol, Orville Lee, Robert Nesbitt and Epps Hill.
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About the Book
Under any description of the start of my life, the odds were against me. With the untimely death of my mother at age 31 in September and the suicide of my father on the following Christmas Day, I was orphaned at the age of two along with six siblings. Through the efforts of a Methodist pastor, we were placed in the Methodist Orphans Home in Waco, Texas on January 21, 1937.
This is the story of my life and how I was able to overcome those gigantic odds. Who would believe that the two-year-old orphan boy would later serve for the last twenty-five years of his career as the President/CEO of the agency that rescued him and his six siblings?
The journey from orphan boy to President took many twists and turns. Stages on this journey included growing up in an unusual setting of 400 children, pursuit of a solid education, life as a church pastor, administrator of three child care agencies, establishing a successful family, and a return as President to where it all started. This journey unfolds through many unusual stories and experiences ranging from humorous events to dealing with some very important and traumatic situations.
History and special traditions play an important role at Methodist Home. I was a student at the time of the 50th anniversary, an employee at the 75th anniversary and President/CEO at the 100th anniversary. A cherished memory of the 100th anniversary was the honor of hosting Mrs. Barbara Bush as our guest speaker. I recall sitting in our den at home with my wife and our children reflecting on the occasion and saying, “Only in America can an East Texas farm girl and an orphan boy entertain the president’s wife.”
The most unique experience of my entire life was my role in a very significant historical event that I have written about as “The Branch Davidian Incident.” This event captured the news world-wide February 28 through the end of April in 1993. My involvement of taking the lead in caring for the 21 children released from the Davidian compound gave me the opportunity of being on the inside of many activities unknown to even the most interested in this event. This part of my story will reveal the inner workings of caring for the children, relationships with law enforcement at all levels, and working with the local, national, and international news media.
Another traumatic experience I had dealt with what became known as “Waco’s Triple Murders.” Two of the three young people murdered were former Methodist Home students.
About the Author
Dr. Jack Kyle Daniels has been licensed as a Methodist minister for over 50 years in the Central Texas Annual Conference and enjoyed a distinguished career as a child care administrator for over 40 years. He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and has two advanced degrees from Perkins School of Theology. He retired in 2003 after 25 years as President of the Methodist Children’s Home, Waco, Texas. He has served in leadership positions with the United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries and as president of numerous national and state administrators’ associations, all of which have honored him for distinguished service.
His experience as an author includes contributing to and editing Orphan Anecdotes, a monthly column in Sunshine magazine for 25 years and numerous articles in child care publications.
He has been married to his wife Evelyn for over 50 years and has 2 children, 4 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild. He currently lives in Austin, Texas.