Texas, S, 1878-1997, Undated

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Police officials outside the ruined storm cellar examining the sack in which the hanging head was found

for the peaceful little college town of Stephenville. Lying a
hundred miles Southwest of Fort Worth, the village had
had little first hand experience with crime and criminals.
Sheriff Hassell, however, handled the situation with the
shrewdness ‘of a veteran criminal investigator.

He realized that the murderer of the boy might have
been a fiend, who had had a fantastic reason for hiding
the head in the cellar, but that was not likely. The Sheriff
believed that the murder was the work of a diabolically
clever man who had separated the head and the body in
order to forestall identification of his victim.

DURING the next two days, thousands of people passed

through the doors of the undertaking establishment.
Not one of them, or so we believed then, had known the
murdered boy.

But we discovered many weeks later that among. those
thousands who gazed into the coffin was the murderer, who
visited the undertaking establishment and viewed his handi-
work in an effort to ascertain if the head was sufficiently
well preserved to permit identification.

It was late in the afternoon of the second day that
the officers received their first lead. Ned Gristy, a young
farmer of Erath County, sought the Sheriff after he had
visited the undertaking establishment.

“I believe that is a boy who used to pick cotton for me,”
he said, “But I’m not sure. I’ll go for my wife; she would
know.”

For apparent reasons, Sheriff Hassell preferred to know

_before the murderer did that the head had been identified.

He arranged with Ned Gristy to instruct his wife to make
no sign if she recognized the boy. If she knew him, instead
of walking through the outside door after she looked into
the coffin, she was to come directly to a little room in the
back of the undertaking parlor where the Sheriff would be
waiting.

Mrs. Gristy walked into the undertaking establishment,
just as had thousands of others. For almost five minutes
she stood gazing into the coffin, then her footsteps turned,
not towards the outside door, but to the little room in the
back. -

“It js Bernié Connally,” she said. “He lived with his
mother and stepfather, F. M. Snow, near the Seldon Com-
munity.”

Immediately Sheriff Hassell and one of his deputies
drove to the Snow home.

They found F. M. Snow in the kitchen doing his dishes.
He explained his task by saying that since his wife had
gone to Waco for a few day’s visit, he was a widower again.

“Where is your stepson, Bernie Connally?” the Sheriff
asked.

“Bernie is with his mother,’ Snow replied. “My wife
and her mother and Bernie left about two weeks ago for
Waco. My wife had some property there she wanted to
sell.”

“Did they go by automobile?” came the query.

“No, we don’t have a car,” Snow replied. “I drove them in
my wagon over to Iredell, and they took the midnight train
for Waco.”

They had left the night of November 27th.

“Why do you want Bernie?” Snow asked anxiously.
“Has he got into some trouble?”

Ty HEN the officers told Snow that the head, found in the

abandoned cellar was that of his stepson. Snow ex-
pressed himself as being considerably surprised, not only
at the boy’s death, but by the fact that the boy had been
in the community. Evidently, after going to Waco with
his mother, Bernie had come back to Erath County, where
he was murdered. Snow expressed his anxiety to get in
touch with the boy’s mother in Waco.

That night Sheriff Hassell sent a call to Ranger Head-

we ee ee

36. The Master

F. M. Snow, a part Indian Texas farmer, who was step-father of
the murdered boy. He is shown here leaving the courthouse at

Stephenville, the county seat

nally had actually left for Waco. Sheriff Hassell and |
drove to the little flag-station of Iredell. On the night of
November 27th, the date Snow had given us, the railroad
records showed that the midnight train had not stopped
at that station.

AS we drove back to Stephenville, we talked over the
situation facing us. It was possible that Snow had been
mistaken in the date upon which the boy had left the
country. It was also possible that Snow had left the two
women and the boy at Iredell, without staying to see them
get on the train. As a result of a quarrel, the boy might
have decided not to go to Waco, and leaving the women,
had been murdered on his way back to the Snow farm. The
probable date of his death coincided with the time he was
supposed to have departed for Waco.
“Look, there’s Snow’s team,” the Sheriff said suddenly.
Down the road there was a wagon and team. With a
Westerner’s eye for horseflesh, the Sheriff had recognized

Detective

the animals as those belonging to

Snow.

The wagon was piled high with
household furniture. Two hounds
were following and, although we did
not see them at first glance, a cow
and calf were hitched behind. The
wagon had stopped at a narrow
bridge, and the driver was nowhere
to be seen.

Acting on impulse, I told Sheriff
Hassell to stop the car, which he did
about fifty feet down the road. We
jumped out and ran on opposite. sides
of the wagon. At the back of the
wagon, we found Snow engaged in
tying a rope around the calf’s neck.
The animal had refused to go across
the bridge, and Snow was going to
tie it to the back of the wagon.

The Sheriff informed Snow that we
wanted him to accompany us to town
to answer some questions about the
murder of his stepson.

“But what about my horses and
this cow?” he protested.

The wagon with the household
goods we left with a farmer down the
road, It was a simple matter to open
the wire fence by the side of the road
and turn the horses and the cattle
into the pasture adjoining.

Throughout the journey to Stephen-
ville, Snow bewailed our neglect of
his dogs.

We took Snow to an office on the
second floor of the Erath County
Court House for questioning. He
steadfastly denied any connection
with the crime, and insisted that the
last time he had seen the boy was
when Bernie had left for Waco.

‘- “Then why were you trying to
leave the country?” was one of the
questions fired at him.

“I was afraid,” Snow said earnestly.
“Of what Maggie would do when
she learned that Bernie was dead.
She might blame me.”

Through the . bombardment of
questions, Snow sat unperturbed. He
was a tall slender man, with dark
hair and weak, sunken blue eyes. On
his face was about a week’s growth of

heavy black beard. Unusual about his appearance was the
fact that this beard was not of the same color or texture
as the hair on his head, Also his ears gave him a peculiar
expression, They were placed on his head far below his
eyes, giving his face a queer, top-heavy look.

While the Sheriff questioned our prisoner, | went over
to the window and looked out over the court house square.

Across the street, a group of men stood talking earnestly
together. From down the street there came several other
men, who joined them. From nowhere a crowd was gath-
ering. There was something strange about the manner of
those men, As a rule when men of the range meet, there is
always a certain amount of hand-shaking, laughter, and
horse-play. These men on the streets seemed to be talking
in monosyllables, and no ray of good humor brightened
their features. Suddenly, three of the men detached them-
selves from the crowd and walked down the street. They
entered the door of the hardware store.

To use an expression of the cattle country, I knew that

PPT NTE

a
Pe

shment,
ninutes
turned,

in the

vith his
, Com-

ieputies

s dishes.
vife had
er again.
e Sheriff

My wife
ago for
anted to

e them in
ight train

anxiously.

ind in the
Snow ex-
not only
had been
Vaco with
nty, where
to get in

wer Head-

Texas’

quarters asking for aid. Although first organized about

1815 for the purpose of fighting the Indians and protecting
the frontier, since 1874 the Texas Rangers have been peace
officers, As such, it is the duty of a Ranger to guard pris-
oners, protect the courts, and to disperse lynching parties.

WAS assigned to help Sheriff Hassell. The following

morning | arrived in Stephenville, and began work on
what proved to be the most amazing and horrible case I
ever encountered.

It was with some surprise that I discovered before going
to Stephenville, that this case had a curious parailel in the
annals of Texas crime. In 1913, near Mineral Wells, Texas,
the headless body of a man was found. Although for weeks
searching parties tried to find the missing head, it was never
located. Thousands of people viewed the body, but it was
finally put into an unmarked grave.

With Sheriff Hassell, the first thing | did was to check
carefully all the information available about the persons
who had been lifted from obscurity and thrust into the
spotlight by this strange crime.

Bernie Connally, who bore the name and was distantly
related to a prominent Texas family, had come from Waco
about three months before with his mother and grand-
mother, The three of them had hired out on various farms
as cotton pickers. Bernie’s mother, who was then Mis. Pol-
ston, had met F. M. Snow while they were working on the

Newspaper man holds up one of the hu

House

of Horror 35
same farm. On October 6th, 1925, they were married. Mrs.
Olds, her mother, and Bernie, made their home with Mr.
and Mrs. Snow after the marriage. Our knowledge of the
women and boy extended no further back than their com-
ing to Erath County a few months before, but investigators
in Waco were immediately instructed to get in touch with
them there.

F. M. Snow was well known in the community. As a
wood-cutter and cotton picker he had worked on many of
the farms of Erath County, and had a reputation of being
steady and dependable. A quarter-blood Indian, he was
very silent and anti-social. Although ignorant, he was not
illiterate. He had, until his marriage, lived alone on a
rented farm. The man did not possess a reputation for
violence, and the fact that he was never seen without his
rifle was explained by the location of his home. It was in
a very isolated, wooded section of the county, and often
the man shot a rabbit or a squirrel for food.

Snow’s character, however, showed two strange quirks.
One was that he expressed his rare fits of happiness by
mounting one of his horses and galloping wildly across the
country until the animal fell exhausted. Offsetting this, was
his fanatical love for dogs. Snow would go hungry in order
that his dogs might eat, and abuse of one of the long-eared
rangey hounds was the only thing that had ever aroused
him to a fighting mood.

Our next step was to check up on whether Bernie Con-

man bones found in the ash heap back of Texas’ House of Horror

Stee
= c a] Rt ee ,
reg * a a . u
‘yma oh NS
be S a ihe . er Rehig : atthe _
* ¥ ye ag 4
a* eee ys
4 Sie
NS “aod,

ages

g 0

with
unds
e did
COW
The
rrow
where

sheriff
e did

We
sides
f the
din
neck.
across
ing to

at we
» town
it. the

s and

isehold
wn the
o open
e road
cattle

tephen-
lect of

on the
county
zg. He
nection
hat the
ry was

ing to
of the

rnestly.
when
dead.

nent of
rbed. He
ith dark
eyes. On
»rowth of
» was the
r texture
. peculiar
below his

vent over
e square.
earnestly
eral other
was gath-
manner of
t, there is
shter, and
be talking

prightened

hed them-
eet. They

knew that

the boys on the street were planning a “neck-tic party”
for our prisoner. The three men had gone for the rope.
We had only a matter of seconds to spirit our prisoner
away if we were to keep him from the hands of the mob.
The mob would lynch Snow first, and then find out

if he was guilty later.

ia would have been useless to make

a dash for the Sheriff’s car which
was standing out in front of the
courthouse. A group of men had
surrounded it. From one of the
men in the courthouse we bor-
rowed a small inconspicuous
automobile, and quite cas-
ually walked out of the
courthouse with our pris-
oner and got into it.

On the way to Fort
Worth, Snow began to
realize that he was in a
serious predicament. His
hands shook, as he covered
his face with them.

“Boys,” he said, “I wish
I was in Waco with Mag-
gie right now!”

Captain Tom Hickman of

(Right) The ramshackle Texas
farm house in which two women -
met a horrible death

louse

aan A
sage -~ ihe rsd

of Horror 37

the Texas Rangers took charge of the prisoner in Fort
Worth, and he was placed in the Tarrant County Jail, not
only for further questioning, but for his own safe-keeping.
Snow had glimpsed the mob forming in Stephenville so he
made no protest against being locked up, assuring
us of his willingness to remain there until we

were convinced of his innocence.
Back in Stephenville, the Sheriff and I
visited the farm where he had left
Snow’s wagon the day before. It
was just an ordinary farm wagon,
now loaded with a motley as-
sortment of household goods.
One by one we began to €x-
amine the articles on the
wagon. The — mattresses
showed no bloodstains. The
bureau drawers revealed
nothing incriminating. In
a bundle of clothes, how-
ever we found a man’s
coat, stained with blood.
Then near the bottom of
the wagon, we found a
dull axe. Neither the han-
dle nor the head revealed
any bloodstains, but there
(Continued on page 94)

+ pe bt

Prosecuting and defense at-

torneys involved in the drama-

tic trial of the amazing owner of
Texas’ House of Horror

The Texas Ranger leaped in’ front ‘of

g the team and leveled his gun at the

driver. "Going somewhere?" he asked... ‘fj

the man. suspected of three murders. :

ot Saree p

hless, the boy rapped on the
door and entered the sheriff’s office in. the Erath
County, Tex., courthouse. At his heels followed a
black-and-white bull terrier.

Sheriff Ned Hastler greeted young Benny Acocks
cordially. The boy’s nervous manner caught his attention
immediately, and Hastler sought to put him at ease.

“What's the matter, son?” he asked.

When the head of the first victim was found

that’s all. V
my dog her:
ago. It was
an old aban

Hastler’s

“Yes, sir.’
still out the

the Texa:

boy rapped on the
fice in the Erath
heels followed a

g Benny Acocks
vught his attention
him at ease.

‘tim was found

“A sisi salen

“I’m all right, sir,” Benny replied. “Been running, head. The place is about two and a half miles out.”

that’s all. What I came to tell you about was what Spot, Hastler phoned the coroner and Deputy Ross Piercey,
my dog here, and I found in the hills back of town awhile ‘then said, “Come on, son. We'll drive out right now.”
ago. It was in a sack that was lying in a root cellar by A short time later that crisp Friday afternoon in
an old abandoned shack. A head. Somebody’s head.” November, the youth led the three officers across a field

Hastler’s eyes widened. “A head?” he repeated. on the outskirts of Stephenville, about 70 miles southwest
“Yes, sir.” Benny Acocks nodded emphatically. “It’s of Fort Worth. They paused at the edge of the excava-
still out there in the sack. I didn’t touch it. A man’s tion. Benny pointed to a gunny sack at the bottom.

the Texas sheriff launched an investigation which led inevitably to a climax of horror! a”

The three men descended into the
pit. Deputy Piercey and the coroner

pressed close to Sheriff Hastler as he |

spread open the top of the bag: and
glanced inside. Involuntarily the sheriff
recoiled a little.

It was the head of.a youth still in

his teens—a boy with thick, black hair
and regular features.

' Emerging from the hole, Hastler
carried the sack to the shade of a big

_ live-oak nearby. and, spreading a paper

on the ground, shook out the contents.

The head appeared to have been
severed by a single, powerful blow with
some sharp weapon, possibly a machete.
Judging from first glance, the coroner
thought the youth must have been dead
some three or four days.

“Any of you recognize him?” Hastler
asked.. “I don’t.”

Bernie Conley had saved _ This’ suspect was’ defiant

-$100° for a Mexican rip.
Did ‘this money provide
a motive for his murder?

The others, including young Benny
Acocks, shook their heads.. “I don’t
live far from here,” Benny said, “but I
never saw him before.”

For the next fifteen minutes they .
looked around the field and in ditches
bordering the road for the rest of the
body, but found nothing. Returning to
the hole, Sheriff Hastler began scruti-
nizing the ground closely. The earth
was soft and he felt reasonably con-
fident of discovering. footprints some-
where. vk

He was not disappointed. Almost at
once he pointed to the imprint of a
large work shoe within two feet of
the place where the sack had lain.

“That’s a stroke of luck,” Hastler
said. “Make a plaster cast, Ross, and
join us back at the courthouse as soon

‘as you can.” :

Head Put On Display

Arriving in Stephenville a little later,
Hastler and the coroner took the grisly
relic to a local undertaker’s morgue.
The sheriff then. summoned several
rural mail. carriers and local barbers
in the hope of identifying it. None of

when questioned. "I know
something’: about
he informed the officers.

these, however, could recognize the
victim.

The problem of identification, it soon
appeared, would be difficult. The dead
youth might live some distance from
the city. It might take days to locate
the rest of the corpse, if it were found
at all. Meanwhile time was precious.

Sheriff Hastler finally resorted to a
method 200 years old. He was con-
fident that someone in or near Stephen-
ville must be acquainted with the slain
boy. Accordingly he instructed the un-
dertaker to seal the head within a large
glass bowl containing formaldehyde.
This done, he carried it to the court-
house and placed it in the main
corridor.

Word of the crime rapidly spread

through the town, and soon the curious |

were flocking into the courthouse to

law,"

view the gruesome exhibit. It was not
the most delicate way of achieving his
objective, Hastler readily admitted, but
it promised to be the quickest.

Even so, it was three days before the
sheriff was to succeed. On Monday
morning he phoned Captain Tom Hick-
man of the Texas Rangers in Fort
Worth and asked for help. In the
meantime newspapers throughout
northern Texas had carried stories of
the crime and Hickman was familiar
with it. He had, however, observed the
rule of the Texas Rangers to keep
hands off local cases until assistance
was requested.

Over the weekend dozens of men and
boys had searched the countryside
thoroughly within a radius of several
miles from the pit and found no trace
of the rest of the body.

Captain Hickman promptly assigned
Sergeant Stewart Stanley to aid the
Erath County authorities, and Stanley
reported to Sheriff Hastler before noon
on Monday. The sergeant was familiar
with the locale,of the crime and per-
sonally acquainted with a large part of
the county’s population. A keen, in-

"We'll see if he tries fo
get away tonight,’ Sheriff
Ned ‘Hastler ‘said, ‘setting
a trap for the: wily killer.

tuitive investigator, he was admirably
fitted to this assignment.
Early in the afternoon he and Sheriff

. Hastler were standing in the midst 0°

a group looking at the bowl in the
courthouse corridor. A deputy ap-
proached the sheriff and told him he
was wanted on the phone. A few min-
utes later, when Hastler returned, his
eyes were sparkling with excitement.

“Come on,” he whispered to the
Ranger sergeant. “We’re going across
the street. I think we've finally got
a break. There’s a woman in the drug-
store who thinks she can identify the
head. She just called me. Seemed
scared. Wanted me to promise that I
wouldn’t mention her name to anybody
until we had the killer in jail.”

The two officers found the woman in
the pharmacy facing the courthouse
square,

“You _can feel perfectly safe
in confiding in us now, Mrs.
Griftey,” Hastler told her in a
subdued voice, “This is Sergeant
Stanley of the Rangers. Both he
and I will promise to keep you
out of it until we have the case
sewed up.” ‘

The woman still was nervous.
After glancing about her to make
sure no one was watching, she
whispered hurriedly, “I’m positive
that’s the Conley boy. Bernie
Conley’s his full name. Lives
with his mother, stepfather and
grandmother on the Riggs place.”

Stanley and Hastler were fa-
miliar with the farm. It had been
occupied for the past year by a
family that seldom came into
town. They seemed hard-working
folk, quiet and respectable.

“It’s been six days since the
boy’s death,” Hastler pointed out.
“The family hasn’t reported him
missing.”

“They’re away, I think. I heard
they were going to spend several
days with relatives in Waco. But
that’s Bernie Conley. I’m positive
of it.”

“You’ve seen him often?” Sergeant
Stanley inquired.

“Yes, he used to deliver wood to our
place. There’s one way you can identify
him beyond any doubt. Bernie had a
small scar just above his right eyebrow
and one of his eyeteeth—the right one,

I believe—was crooked.”

Journey To Mexico

The officers returned to the court-
house, removed the glass bow] to the
sheriff's office, and made an examina-
tion. Mrs. Griftey had been right. The
scar and crooked tooth were just as
she had described them.

The sheriff and Ranger sergeant
drove the seven miles to the cabin
where Bernie Conley’s stepfather, F. M.
Snow, had been living with his wife,
her son and her mother, Mrs. B. A.
Olds. As they approached the place
they noticed smoke curling from the
tall stone chimney.

“Must have returned from their
visit,” Hastler surmised.

They knocked on the door. A kindly-
looking man of about fifty opened it.

“It’s S
“Tve ne
you, but

“Yes, |
This is F

Snow <:
side. The
able, hor
occupied
A cheerfi
place.

“Excus:
said, poir
corner o!
are away

“That’s
wanted tc
Do you
stepson E

“He ou;
by this t
young fe

“Haven’t h

“I’m. af:
Hastler sz
lately?”

“No. We

Hastler
sheriff inc
—it just c
saw Berni
with Will
Manuel w
the countr
nie’s been

, ‘long time.

Stanley :
his stepson
and _ broug
recent one.
doubt that
murder vi:

“You sa:
leave?”

“Sure. I
yonder wh
house and °
to him anc
waved bac!

“Then,” E
have killed
he left the }
only five o
Hate to say
Naturally, :
of the iden

Snow see
Will or Ma
All three bk
to the trip
over $100 t

“You're st
wasn’t some.

“Well, I v
house, but i:
and I notice
when he go

“But you
and Beasley

Snow adn
been too gre
machine plai

Wa:

Both Hast]
acquainted \
companions.
Stephenville
hood for the
family had }
town for’ a
Neither of th
in’ trouble b<

The dead |
the officers b
the head. His
Hastler, “The
border at L:
highway dow
Mexico City.’

(Gon

» was admirably

t.
n he and Sheriff

in the midst of .

he bowl in the
A deputy ap-
ind told him he
me. A few min-
ler returned, his
ith excitement.
iispered to the
’re going across
re’ve finally got
nan in the drug-
can identify the
xd me. Seemed
> promise that I
aame to anybody
r in jail.” .
nd the woman in
the courthouse

‘1 perfectly safe

us now, Mrs.
r told her in a
“This is Sergeant
tangers. Both he
lise to keep you
ve have the case

till was nervous.
bout her to make
as watching, she
adly, “I’m positive
ley boy. Bernie
ill name. Lives
r, stepfather and
the Riggs place.”
Hastler were fa-
‘arm. It had been
2 past year by a
ldom came _ into
aed hard-working
respectable.

< days since the
istler pointed out.
sn’t reported him

7,1 think. I heard
: to spend several
ves in Waco. But
nley. I’m positive

often?” Sergeant

‘liver wood to our
y you can identify
bt. Bernie had a
his right eyebrow
th—the right one,
-ed.”

Mexico

1ed to the court-
glass bowl to the
nade an examina-
id been right. The
yoth were just as
-hem.

Ranger sergeant
iles to the cabin
“s stepfather, F. M.
ing with his wife,
other, Mrs. B. A.
roached the place
curling from the

imed from: ‘their
ised.

he door. A kindly-
ut fifty opened it.

“Ii’s Sheriff Hastler, isn’t it?” he asked.
“Pye never had the pleasure of meeting
you, but...” ;

“Yes, I’m Sheriff Hastler. You’re Snow?
This is Ranger Sergeant Stanley.”

Snow shook hands and invited them in-
side. The cabin’s interior had a comfort-
able, homespun look, like many of those
occupied by smali farmers in that section.

A cheerful blaze was going in the big fire+ -

place.

“Excuse the looks of the house,” Snow
said, pointing to a stack of dishes in the
corner of the kitchen, “The womenfolks
are away and I’ve been shifting for myself.”

“That's all right,” Hastler said. “We just
wanted to talk with you for a few minutes.
Do you know the whereabouts of your
stepson Bernie?”

“He ought to be somewhere in Mexico
by this time. He and a couple of other
young fellows left about a week ago.

‘Haven't heard from him since.”

“Pm afraid he didn’t get to Mexico,”
Hastler said. “Have you read the papers
lately?” ae

“No. We don’t subscribe. What’s wrong?”

Hastler told him. Snow looked at the
sheriff incredulously. “Why, that can’t be
—it just can’t be,” he protested. “I myself
saw Bernie start out for Mexico Ps a car
with Will Beasley and Manuel. Vallegas.
Manuel was going to show them aroun
the country and help them get a job. Ber-

_ nie’s been crazy to go down there for a

long time.’

Stanley asked the tall farmer to describe
his stepson. Instead, Snow went to a desk
and brought out a snapshot. It was a
recent one, and it left the officers with no
doubt that Bernie Conley had been the
murder victim.

“You say that you yourself saw him
leave?”

“Sure, I was working out in the field
yonder when the car drove up to the
house and Bernie got in. I waved goodbye
to him and shouted, ‘Good luck!’ and he
waved back.” ‘

“Then,” Hastler said, “those fellows must
have killed him within a short time after
he left the house. His head was discovered
only five or six miles away from here.
Hate to say so, but ’m afraid it’s the truth.
Naturally, we'll want you to make sure
of the identification.”

Snow seemed dazed. “I can’t believe
Will or Manuel would do such a thing..
All three boys had been looking forward
to the trip for a long time. Bernie saved
over $100 to pay his expenses.”

“You're sure,” Stanley prodded, “that it
wasn’t someone else he drove away with?”

“Well, I was quite a distance from the
house, but it looked like Manuel’s old car,

and I noticed Bernie was carrying a grip
when he got in.” ;

“But you didn’t: actually see Vallegas
and Beasley?” _

Snow admitted that the distance had
been too great to see the occupants of the

machine plainly.
Was $100 The Motive?

Both Hastler and Stanley were slightly
acquainted with both of young Conley’s
companions. Valleges had worked in
Stephenville and on farms in the neighbor-
hood for the past two years, and Beasley’s
family had lived in the hills back of the’
town for’ a considerably longer period.
Neither of the young men had ever been
in’ trouble before.

The dead boy’s stepfather accompanied
the officers back into town and identified
the head. His eyes misted over as he told
Hastler, “The kids planned to cross the
border at Laredo and follow the main
highway down to Monterrey and on to
Mexico City.”

(Continued on page 36)

m™ HOW GOOD a detective would you
make?. Test yourself in this new game for
hobbyists in the technique of crime detec-
tion and law enforcement. Each of the
following brain teasers. counts ten points.
A score of 90 makes you a chief; if you
beat 70 you're still as good as a deputy.
With 60 you'll qualify as a rookie cop. .

_ 1. “Yeah, that’s how it was, cellmate,”
concluded Fatso Franklin. “I was tagged
by a fly cop, a whizz dick, to be. exact.”
Fatso was arrested by a:

(a) motorcycle officer ee

(b) pickpocket squad plainclothesman “~

(d) G-man :

2. Captain Cassidy scratched his head as
he repeated Reporter Hill’s question.
“Around: what time of the year would I
say the greatest number of murders occur,
eh?” The answer it: '

(a) January, February, March and April

(b) May, June, July and August

3. It was Lieutenant Gertz who found
the fatal .38-caliber bullet. “I'll mark. this
exhibit with my penknife at once,” ob-
served the homicide squad sleuth with a
sense of satisfaction. “Remember the Hen-
nessey case,” cautioned the police photog-
rapher, “and be sure not to mark the
bullet in the wrong place, thus destroying
its value for identifying the gun from
which it was fired.” Lieutenant ‘Gertz
knows well where to scratch his identi-
fication mark on the slug— :

of money originated in the underworld
where they continue in active use today.
Rearrange them correctly in the order of
their size. - :

“(a) C .

(b) fin :

(d) G

(e) sawbuck

7. Gray-haired Inspector Eastman was

‘ yeminiscing. “I remember it as though it

was yesterday when the tide uncovered the
remains buried in the sandy beach for 25
years. Was it a man or a woman? we
wondered. Then I noticed her hair. It
must have been long enough for her to sit
on.” Have police actually found remains
buried as long as 25 years in which the
hair remained the last part of the body
surfaces intact for purposes ‘of identifi-
gation?

8. “Remember,” the police academy lec-
turer cautioned the rookie class, “never
search a suspect inside his automobile. Al-
ways insist that the suspect step outside.
And—this is important—you must order
the suspect to come out: :

(a) facing the officer
(b) with his back to’ the offiicer<~-

9. “Take the hypothetical case of a homi-
cide victim struck down by a single blow
of a baseball bat. The question is whether
you would expect to find the victim’s blood
sprayed on a. suspect’s body?” Of the
patrolmen taking a qualifying exam for
detective grades 80 per cent answered,
“Yes”; 20 per cent answered, “No.” Which

(a) on the base to keep the sides: frée is correct?

-and clear

(b) on the side where there will be more
room

4. Sooner or later every con feels the
urge to “fly a kite.” .
good their desire; most cannot. The proj-
ect of flying a kite entails:

(a) smuggling out an uncensored letter

(b) going on a jag with a snifter (of fy

cocaine

5. The veteran criminologist was meas-
uring the thighbone from the skeleton of
an unidentified woman when the police
chief entered. “This bone you sent me
this morning, chief, measures 18 inches,”
he declared. “Now to determine the exact
height of this individual for identification
purposes first I multiply 18 by and
then add an inch and a quarter to make
up the full height.” The criminologist—
basing his measurements on the standard
specifications police use in such cases—
multiplied the length of the bone by:

(a) 2.6

(b) 3.6

6. The following terms, for various sums

A minority make -

10. Do you know this man? Study his
face closely. Because bank tellers neglected
to.do so, an inno-
cent man served
more than three
years in prison in
a case of mistaken
identity. Today at
the age of 59 this
con is in Atlanta;
when he finishes
his bit there it will
be Sing Sing next.
His name will be
remembered for-
ever in crime an-
nals as one of the
cleverest forgers
of all time—a
« white-collar con
whose total take over the 24 years during
which he managed to evade the clutches
of the law dwarfed the amateur efforts
of bank robbers. It was this drug addict’s
craving for morphine and his consequent
forgery of prescription blanks which final-
ly landed him behind bars for his re-
maining years...
(Answers on page 46)

SPEARMAN, D. L., hanged at Marshall, Texas, October 25, 1895,
HISTORY OF THE CRIME. ,
"The crime for which D, Le Spearman, black, was hanged today was very revoltigge |
On June 26, 189), some boys went to a creek about 3 miles northeast of Marshall to
goin swimming. Upon reaching the pond they discovered the body of a dead man,
They at once notified the officers at. Marshall and Deputy A. S. Curtis, accompanied
by Coroner S. F, Perry and others, repaired to the scene. The body at first appeared
to be that of a white man, but when it was taken out of the water it was found to be
that of a negro, The body was weighted down with rocks which had been tied to the
body with ropes, one around the feet. and the other around. the neck, The headand one
arm were showing in the water, but as the water was clear it could be seen that the
body was entirely divested of its outer clothing. After the body was taken out of
the water it was identified by a negro as the body of Horace Stevens, An inquest
was held by Coroner S, F, Perry, who found.that Horace Stevens, the deceased, had
met a violent death at the hands of a party or parties unknown,, || “3 _
"Search was‘at once instituted, for the criminal or criminals and the tracks of a
buggy were found near the banks of a stream; pne of the wheels by the track it
made seemed to have a bolt projecting from the, center! of the tire about halfan inch.
Marks were found on the trees near that seemed to havebeen made by,a projectigg nut
on someof ‘thehubs of the wheels, Thetracks were then traced some distance, but were
finally’ lost. Afterward, a buggy was found on Spearman's place that made the same
kind of tracks as the ones made near the pool where the crime was committed, Spear-
man and Mattie Stevens, wifeof deceased, were arrested by Deputy Curtis as suspicion
pointed strongly toward them as the perpetrators of the crime, A preliminary

doctor detect it, and was told that he could. Spearman then asked if he weregoing .
to kill a man, how would-he go about it, and was told that he (Matthewson) would get
a gun and shoot him where everyone could see it dong, and Spearman then, lefte |
Horace Stevens was arousdd on the morning of June 18, 189), about 4 o'clock by hearing
someone in a shed which -adjoined his house, Spearman and Stevens lived on the
same place, and upen ifmuiry it was found ithat it was Spearman getting his buggy
harness, Stevens then went out and asked him if he. might ride to town with him (de-
ceased @RB3RSRZRRRRB worked on the railroad section in Marshall, ) Spearman ¢ensented
and Stevens then reentered the housé and asked his wife to mend some clothes for hin,
and his wife; hearing Spearman's buggy going out of the gate, said that Speayman would
vo off and leave him and Stevens remarked that it wag all right; that he would cut
across the field and catch Spearman on the Jefferson Road, After having his tlothes
mended at l:30 o'clock, he left with the. intention of, catching Spearman and riding to
town with him, ° ; oe
"Stevens was never seen alivevafter that, nor was he heard of until found in the
pond of water dead, Spearman had tried to! induce Stevens' wife to run away with hin,
saying that Stevens qas'no good and that he opght to be run.out of the country. Be-
fore the finding of the body Spearman had offered to,;pay the debts of the, deceased,
saying that Stevens had left the country, Spearman was seen on the morning of the 18th
about 6 o'clock by J, N, Henderson, coming from toward Marshall, with a bundl e in the
foot of his buggy, which bundle was supposed to contain the clothes of the deceaseds
Spearman afterward told where the clothes could be found, which was about ]; miles
away, below a bridgeon a creek, ‘The officers after a great deal of search found in
the creek two shoes, hat, socks and piece of quilt, all of which were proved be have
been theproperty of thedeceased, except the piece of quilt, which was Spearman's and
had been used by him as a buggy cover, The ropes with which the rocks had been tied
to bhe body of the deceased were shown to Spearman with the inquiry as to whebher he
had ever seen them before and he simply replied: 'Come on, and let's go to jail.'
Another rope which matfhed the rope found on the body was found on Spearman's place€e

Deceased was buried on the same day the body vas to ane ater ure second 3 rest
the body was exhymed by order of the district attorney, John B, Carter, and it was |.
found that the skull had been broken in two places, that there was a bullet hale going

through the head, beginning at.the base of,the skull from behind and then,passing
through the left eye, and that the third vertebrae of the neck had been broken in

3 places. e i e 7 m

"Spearman and Mattie Stevens were indicted by the grand jury and when the case was
called-for trial the prosecution as to’ Mattie Stevens was dismissed in order to get
her testimony against Spearman, and as there was not sufficient evidence to maintain
a Conviction against her, Spearman claimed that he,had loaned his buggy to John Fagan
and that ‘when Fagan had returned it there. was a bundle in the buggy which Fagan asked
Spearman to do away with, but there was no evidenceintroduced to this effect,and
there was no other.evidence, and he was released. During the trial, before the state
closed its argument and while the defendant was being taken into the jaill office in
charge of Deputy Curtis, Spearman made a desperate break for liberty,’ but was stepped
by the deputy who landed himsfely in jail. After the case was affirmed by court of
appeals,che made another attempt to escape. ‘He and the other prisoners got in; the
run-around of thejail,-and Spearman, who had a bar of iron in his hand, swore that.

he would die beforeke went’ back too his tell. Thejailer, seeing that he could not
persuade Spearman to return to his cell, turned a small hose on him, and, at the same
‘time sent for the fire company's hose, but Before the hose reached the jail the cold
water had the effect of subduing them and they quietly: returned to their cells.
Spearman has’ shown himseff to be a very hardened criminal as he has made dire

threats of vengeance against Deputies Curtis and Etheridge, whom. he seemed bo think
were the cause of his conviction and at tims refused to see any ministers or talk.
upon any subject." vu | . ) iw. tH

ssiiial - | © THE EXECUTION, = om.

"Marshall, Texas, 10-25-1895-D, S. Spearman, colored, was hanged here this afternoon
for the murder of Horace Stevens, colored, on June 18, 189), . Evidence was circumstan-
tial but very strong. Last night spent’ restlessly, Spearman sleeping littles Was
visited on day before execution by News reporter. His cell was in upper left hand
EER tier. In-cell, there is mattress with some cowering, a tin cup, water bucket,

a box, somepapers, magazines, a Bibleand a humn book, He wore nokhandcuffs, When
reporter %¥K#A entered corridor, Spearman reading Bible, To all. cuestions putto

him He replied that he had nothing to say. Reporter returned on morning of execu-
tion but was informed that Spearman requested that no reporters or ministers be
allowed ‘to visit. Had requested, however, that Rev. F, H, Wilkins, black, be at the
Aa Tedd, Cfo o 8 , qd ¢ : to ha auo |

"Rope cut at exactly 2:30 in afternooh by.Sheriff Harry Bell, ;.Pronounced dead 23 |
minutes later. - Drop was 7 feet but neck not broken as ropengavee His feet touched
ground and officers dug a hole underneath so his feet. could swing clear,

"At 12915 ‘Sheriff Bell, with deputies took Spearman from jail, and»started: for
‘gallows, arriving at 1:35 PM, Gallows situated 3 miles northwest of city in an

old §8ZZ field and a space had been cleared for about '150. yards. Relggiousservices
conducted by Rev. F.‘H. Wilkins, colored, The doomed man led ina sorry and

touching prayer and song, -He asked SBRMH for some friends to whom he spike and

then death warrant read by Deputy A,“S. Curtis, after which hands; and feet were

tied. Rope placed about neck and black cap adjusted. mtg
"Spearman had not’ a word to say for thepublic. He nééther affirmed nor denied his
‘guilt; all he said was 'Goodbye, Goodbye, "and seemed to be praying all the time,
Betweeh 7000 and 8000 people witnessed, This is first hanging in Harrison County
since Anthony Walker executed in'1855," DAILY NEWS, Galveston, Texasy 10-26-1895
Umble pee : rode :

g yg MM

30 SOUL EWESTERN 229

ilo

(56 SOUTHWESTERN 37).
SPEARS, Sid, black, hanged at Sherman, Texas, on June 18, 1900,

"Sherman, Texas, June 18, 1900-Sidney Spears, colored, was hanged in the Grayson County jail
to-day, paying the death penalty for mrder, The trap was sprung by Sheriff Shrewsbury at
12:0), and in 8 minutes after the drop Spears was pronounced dead. Spears' neck was broken.
The execution was perfectly performed. There were about 100 people in the jail.

"STORY OF THE CRIME,
"On the Morning of July 6, 1899, G. S. (Sid) Spears, known to many as Sid Waggoner, murdered
his wife, Emma Spears, using in the commission of the bloody deed, the negro's weapon, a ra-
zor, The tragedy occurred in the kitchen at the home of Mr. and Mrs, George E, Cook on So,
Travis St. If there was but one cause for the deed, the fact has and will never be made
knowne It must be admitted that Sidney Spears died with a secret locked tight in his heart
or that jealousy alone prompted his inhuman act, since untiring efforts of persistent prose-=
cuting attorneys utterly failed to bring out any other motive, Sid Spears and Emma Douglas
were married in Sherman 8 years ago, According to testimony at the trial of Spears they
lived happily together for 5 years, Then jealousy having found a place in the heart of the
husband, domestic troubles began and continueduntil the very time of the murder, For several]
months prior to the murder, Emma Bpears had been working for Mr, and Mrse Cook, at whose
home the crime was committed, On the fatal morning she had just reached the house when Sid
Spears appeared. It was then about 6 o'clock, Just what occurred and what was said will
never be known, but shortly after the hour mentioned, Mrs, Cook was awakened by screams in
the kitchen, She rushed from her sleeping apartments to the kitchen and there saw Sid
Spears and his wife struggling on the floor, Mrs. Cook immediately awakened her husbande
He rushed to the kitchen, but opened the door just in time to seeEmma Spears fall through
the screen door in the back yard, Sheattempted to struggle to her feet, but again sank
down only a few feet from the house, Just at this time, Mr, Tom Keys, dairyman, appeared
with themilk. Mr, Cook asked him to get an officer immediately and arrest Sid Spears who
was seen leaving the yard. But before going after the officer, Mr. Keys approached the wo-
man, who with a terrible gash in the right side of her neck extending from the back entirely
around to the front was gasping for breath, When he approached, she extended her hand as if
she wanted him to assist her up. She was then literally covered with blood and from the gas
in her throat the blood was still pouring in streams, In answer to Mr, Keys' question, 'who
cut your throat?! the woman faintly answered 'my husband,' These were her last wrds for bes
fore a physician who had been summoned, arrived, she had passed beyond all mortal assistance
a victim of a husband's murderous hand, The body was removed to the home of Dick Douglas
and wife on North Montgomery St., and negroes though they were, their grief over the loss of
their daughter was heart-rending, forwhatever may have been her faults, she was kind to her
parents, In that little negro cottage her body remained until the next morning when it was
laid to rest in the colored section of West Hill cemetery. Sip Spears, after committing the
crime, calmly walked to the nearest saloon, took a drink of whisky, then went immediately to
the jail and asked to be locked up, informing Sheriff Shrewsbury, who met him at the door,
that he had had trouble with his wife. The Grayson County grand jury was in session at the
time of the murder, The very next day an indictment was returned against Spears charging
him with the murder of his wife...On the morning of July 1h, the 8th day after the crime was
committed, the case was called for trial in the district court. A jury was secured, It was
the morning of July 20, just 1) days after the mrder, that the jury brought in a verdict of
guilty and assessing the punishment at death,
"A motion for a new trial was made on Aug. 7, 1899, by attorneys for defendant, The motion
was overruled and the attorneys gave notice of appeal, The case went to the court of appealsg
and was affirmed by that court Feb, 21, 1900, On April 2, 1900, Spears was brought into
court and sentenced, District Judge Bliss fixing June ],, 1900, as the date of execution,
From that time until about 3 weeks before the date set for the execution, very little was
said or thought of the case, but -at that time, Judge E, C. McLean, and Mr, George P. Brown,
lawyers appointed to defend Spears, secured the signatures of all but 2 members of the jury
which convicted Spears to an application for commutation of sentence, To the petition to
the governor for clemency was also attached the signatures of the district judge and county
attorney who tried and prosecuted the case and of the sheriff, in whose charge the defendant
had been since the crime was committed, With this strong petition for commutation of sen=
tence, Judge McLean went to Austin and interviewed Governor Sayers, After hearing what Judge

i iti i eeks, in
Moda tr el ow Mineah fend the beard oF pabdons pgverpor granted 3 respabet Re kwe o¥ge hich

. j ith the
was done and which resulted in a refusal on the part of the governor to interfere wit
: Pee Lls,'' TIMES-HERALD,
arryi t of the jury's verdict and the opinion of the court of appealSe
mda =a Dallas, Texas, 6-18-1900 (1/5)

NAME PLACE -JvBiTY OR COUNT Wieieacisies D@E & MEANS
dhe A. Lhe | Fito, AZVEO A Va I-72 32 STF

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LASTV/ WORDS

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ee A

Man convicted of ’82 slayings to get new tria!

ho | a

@ AUSTIN — A man sentenced to death in connection with the 198°

torture-slayings of three teen-agers in a case known as the “Lake Waco
murders” will get a new trial, the Texas Court of Criminal Aopeals ruled

‘Aladnacday

Gayle Kelley and collect on a $20,000 life insurance policy. The case will
return to state District Court. Mr. Spence, Anthony Melendez and Gilbert
Melendez were convicted in the July 13, 1982, slayings. Ms. Kelley was

not one of the victims. Jill Montgomery, who resembled Ms. Kalley. was

SY, Fao

brutally killed, according to court documents. The other victims were Ray-

lene Rice and Kenneth Franks. Ms. Rice and Ms. Montgomery were raped
and repeatedly stabbed. Mr. Franks was stabbed at least 20 times. On

Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court turned down an appeal by Mr. Spence,

boeliliyg Jemiina i Mihi whbwee

ee ee re ee | ee inva CAR i “a piv Eewi INSEE tre
Mr. Deeb’s case, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals said the trial court

made a mistake by allowing testimony from Darryl Beckham, who was Mr.
Spence’s callmate while ha awaited trial.

2f7¥ QaAaan fTrNn aArmad man and

i HK pA

< SRT

2 <i <™

dine <2 F, 771

Testimony begins

By Selwyn Crawford
Fort Worth Bureav of The Dallas Morning News

FORT WORTH — A veteran law enforcement of.
ficer wept and a Slaying victim's brother fought
back tears Wednesday during the first day of teat}.
mony in the capital murder retrial of Muneer M.
Deeb.

McLennan County Chief Deputy Dan Weyen-
berg testified about arriving at the Lake Waco
murder scene 10 years 4go and viewing the bodies
of three teen-agers. When Special prosecutor Bill
Lane showed him decade-old Photographs of the
Victims, the veteran Officer began sobbing,
mopped tears from his eyes, and could not con.
' tinue,

Mr. Deeb, 33, is accused of hiring David Spence
to Kill Gayle Kelly Reyes to collect on an insurance
policy. Mr. Spence is on death row for the Stabbing
deaths July 13, 1982, of Kenneth Franks, 18; Ray-
lene Rice, 17; and Jill Montgomery, 18, whom Mr.
Spence apparently mistook for Ms. Reyes.

Mr. Deeb was convicted of capital murder in
1985 for his role and Sentenced to die, but the
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals last year over-
. turned that verdict, ruling that the trial judge al.
; lowed Improper testimony. :

~ Frank Douthitt

in murder retrial

Two brothers, Tony and Gilbert Melendez, also
were convicted in the Slayings and sentenced to
life in prison,

Because of Deputy Weyenberg’s emotional dis-
play, Mr. Deeb's defense attorney, Dick DeGuerin,
quickly asked for a recess, which visiting Judge
granted. After a 20-minute break,
Deputy Weyen berg completed his testimony,

Mr. Lane said later during an interview that
the deputy's show of emotion did pot surprise him,

“He's never been able to talk about this without
breaking down," Mr. Lane said. “He can't even talk
to me alone about it without crying. But it's be.
cause he's got daughters the same age as these,”

Also Wednesday, Brad Montgomery, Ms. Mont.
gomery's older brother, testified that the last time
‘he saw his Sister, she and Ms. Rice were on their
way to Waco from their Waxahachie home,

“Late that evening, the worrying started,” Mr,
Montgomery Said. “She said she was going to Waco
to pick up her paycheck and coming right back
home.” ;

A former Dallas County deputy medical exam-
iner who performed the autopsies testified that
each victim was stabbed or cut at least 20 times,
with the most severe wounds to their chests,

(all ao LK Mera t9 Apeerr
LGR FS LF F >

—

ioral jury

°EVEE Gaye regina

acquits man

n:'82 Lake Waco killings

ae |
FORT WORTH — Muneer Deeb,

who- Spent’ several years on. death
row-before a court reversed his cap-

ital murder conviction, Was. acquit: .

ted- Tuesday night’ of hiring the
triggerman in the July 1982 slay-

Waco, - -
“After more » than. 10 years of in-

Man. pio .~, “sh F why site oS : y Tats

A’ Tarrant Const: ‘iuxy deliber.
ated- for five hours Tuesday before ;

reaching. a verdict.

Mn; Deeb had been. given the

death —penalty after a Jobnson
Coiinty jury in Cleburne found him
guilty of ‘hiring David Wayne

Spericé; 33, to kill Gayle Kelly Reyes “4

fora life i insurance premium. . ar
Mr. i iDeed’s capital murder con-

viction: \ was; overtiirned + in .1991.-

wher’an- appeals ° court ruled that
testimony against him should not

have been allowed from an inmate ©

whb “had had -con¥ersations with,

Said the jury could not convict Mr.

ie sented: ~ be : eit <5 au Sear ( -+

Mr. ES, in the McLennan |
County Jail at Waco. =f

~-*Mr.~- Spence remains: on:death

row after being found guilty in the.
mutilation murders of .Kenneth |

| Franks, 15: Raylene Rice, 17; and Jil
> Montgom 17... nae
ings -of.: ‘three: _feetagers at Lake is 4

—- °. me's

-Their ~ mutilated - ‘borties "were
found on the shores of Lake hed

. on July 14, 19K. uk
carceration, Ate. Deeb left jail a free a
“3%. - Spence mistook Ms. Montgomery;
for Ms. Reyes. Two brothers, Gilbert.

. Prosecutors contended that” Mr.

Melendez and Tony Melendez, were:

also convicted of participating in

the nes and were —e life.

aah

sentences, |= +: a .

Jury foveman Felton “Mcatres
Deeb based on the evidence pre-

Mr. Deeb, a fative of Jordan, said
he is unsure what he will-do now

that: he: is. free. again.” He. said‘ he|- -

could return with his family to
Saudi Arabia or he ‘night find wate]

in the United Stateg_

(3, 1993

liteanalh Moen. (ING. NEWS

Did sexual jealousy spark the grisly slayings?...

TRIPLE MURDER

ON THE BRAZOS!

by NINA COX

known to Texans and others as

‘‘Jerusalem on the Brazos.”’ It is
the last place on earth where citizens of
the state would expect a horrendous and
sadistic triple murder to occur such as the
one that happened in mid-July of 1982.
Located in the central Texas blacklands,
is the home of the Baylor Bears of Bap-
tist University. Several other church-
supported colleges have large enroll-
ments in the city. The Methodist Home
for problem youths there does its part for
Texas teens.

The city of some 100,000 residents
located on the Brazos River is also the
home of a religious cult called the
Church of Satan.

Temperatures had reached a record
high on July 13; 1982, bringing nights
when Wacoans were finding it difficult
to sleep. But the weather was not causing
the sleeplessness of one Waco father on
that eventful night.

Three hours before sunrise the worried
father jumped from his chair where he
had dozed off sometime after midnight.
He checked the room of his teenage son
and found that the bed was still empty.
Midnight was the deadline he had set for
the youth to be home when two other

D EEP IN the heart of Texas is a city

teenagers had picked up his offspring ©

earlier in the evening. The trio was going
to Koehne Park, one of eight city parks in
Waco and a favorite gathering spot for
young people.

22 Master Detective

When Texas sleuths
finally sorted out
the bloody facts,
they came up with

a shocking answer

as to why the
three innocent
victims had to die
in such a
savage manner

‘‘What time do you want me to be
home?”’ the obedient 18-year-old asked.

‘*You be in by midnight, because you
have to go to summer school tomor-
row,’ the father warned. ‘*You know
you can’t miss another class, and still
pass the summer course you’re taking.
You’ve already missed as many days as
allowed.”’

But midnight passed and the father
was still anxiously waiting for the
teenagers’ appearance. He felt certain
something was wrong. When dawn
finally came he could wait no longer. He
got in his car and drove around Koehne

Park searching for signs of the three

errant youths.
He found the orange Pinto Ford that

Jd awher Julie

}

Eighteen-year-old Ken Francis was found
in wooded area, dead of stabbing wounds.
Bodies of two teenage girls were nearby

the three yout
night before
No one was
**T don’t h:
chill went uy
would testify
had happened
The dist:
shouldn’t tam
home and cor
youths’ frien:
they were. H
the other tee!
reported the
The police
normally the
fore invests
teenagers. B
arrived, two
ular park ¢
Pinto.
The father
Methodist m
special pray:

oo et (ts VT yarn ons a Phy Sage ~ pis
L Columbus, VO LOLAQO County,
a

‘ ares Pt (OF PERICRLAND. a
Fal at Woes tet, Hees anal eae
. We dretadebied to Sherif Townaand, b fog
agian 5" pt she eben of aires
a; ten’ miled ' below Kagle-Lake, 1a
rig county,’‘on the 27th ult.’ The Sheriff:
went through the bottom in that séttion, and '
_ exaunlaegy jpyery 998 With: refereqad it9, the |
horrible crime, and supplied }imself ‘with
data which Qnally led to the arrest af the
negro Jim Btanley'in San Antonio Friday, |
Young Strickland was killed at night, Wwhilé
asleep, In bed, with an ax, and was struck |
ba-the right-side of. the-head. with the-shayp . 4
edge of thé ax, and on the left side of the
head with the back part of the ax, his brains
anda yng)! pene ‘of: e skuii having been
; COR | saxon! tahio ‘near the bed.
Hovers¥tiegroca had baen at the'store that )
nig fall hed left, excapt Bisoley, | who
ed BYwoulg Seep hy the Hove.
yt te. areur wal cmialttod
for purpogeg of robpary, the negro obtajning

Ca Lo RA Do ¢ uty CEN sil i rl pet et oer
Cpl uNBOS, TEXAS PE IE kd etgavone eas open’ tne oor

of. the marr a the poor, boy, was found
dead in his Great” deoheent among
DEC. "hb ASE. the-nelghbors: prevailed, and it woald ‘nat
( ‘have, been well Yor. the. culprit bad he been
discovered at that time, °° -
be next morning Stanley settled up with
hla employer for whom he had been picking
cotton, ahd ‘left, stopping iid: Columbus to
purchase-a- sult. of clothes, and taking re
Jalzad | might train. for Ban Antonio,” :
BODH a the Bherif? bad information iin
te the gullt of Stanley, and being. .satisHed
he had gone west, he took the tryla for San
Antonio, and secured the servi of. Chief
of Police Shardein and his Yaka,” who ie
untiring in their efforts to secure the mur-
derer, and Mr. Townsend ex ptresacw himself
| os under lasting obligations to (ho Chief and
| his force fox their efficient ald }usthe mutter.
| "Through Townsend's deacripsjas. and |infor-
mation, Btanloy was srrpeted,, recpunizad,
; Waid broaght back to Columbus, ‘wherq he a
‘pow coafined in jail. “He acknowled
“spool ving” part.of Bjricklatid's’ mone ae:
he charges the murder upon Jeff,’ Lewis, a.
negro who was at. the aera Maudaynight |
Jeff. was also arrested; bit it Is balleved he ix
innocent of the crim» Rin Towaseud-ts
"well satiated, from the stalementa.of Lewis
gad othors in the bottom, compared with the
one made by Manley, and'the excited end.
costredictary. manpar in which! he aredy dt,
that Stanley id guilty ‘of! this| anproroked;
end: mosk strocipwe spurdagy ihe aL

_—

—_--- —_———
eer nn A LC

OcToBER [8 [883 _
Ce LeRADO CITRREN: Colom BUS, /X%:

‘to Dave Thomas’, where 1 was staying, and
ee Me) gery | Thomas asked mo where {hod
= 6obeen; and

eee er oks him a giemge “yeh
ane A ral Walker’s house, where she had becn
Compemped to he Ts ‘ picking cotton, On tho morning of Tues-
f: of obert Kexrichiand near Eagle Le! ioe day, tho 26th, 1 said to Thomas I wanted to
Dopoupde Comnsys text Nevomneye “*@ make a sottlement for board, etc, I told
HOPED ile eT os SGA SIE ores cae ci 0 Oe ee ry oo
se Ue Sipe Gat ‘of the no money, to take the pistol .
“Tapes Baaley, tho negro convicted BF thE) gud tue cov eumcsed popnds of cotton had ;;
murder of» White hoy payed Rob's Strick-+ picked for him as payment. He remarked, *’
land {a the river botiom near Eagle Lake, in} , ‘All right—I will do po.”. T walked then to '
this ounty, last November and seatenced’ | Eagle Lake, to take the west-bou. ©
Bas his’ v ¢ for Columbus, 1 came in and hung;
to ‘explate his crime upon the gallows ‘im: : town till dinner; went to John Rose's ain.
this-city lo-marrow, has made a full confes-. . got.difner; went to,bar room and goLseve-
sion, which is printed below. This confes-- fe snr ye tana to 2 H. ~ ams are
: ; hanged twenty-five dollars in silver or the
clon 'was made to the Rev. H. McKenna, the samo in gold; went to It. E, Stafford’s bank
Pastor of the A. M. E. Church here, who - and changed twenty dollars in silver for
kindly furnishes it for publication: | old; returned to bar room and took several
rinks moro. At 2, Pp, m., I started for my
; | mother’s at Thom sonville, and atayed one |
;walked from her residence, about ten miles - pcr dey tone rom toe I went.to my '
“from Eagle Lake; left Miss Walker and W e's at Mr, Tanner's placo; stayuu ...
went ine to Dave Thomas’, where I stayed | OF 5 o'clock, P. M., ane roturned to Colum.
all night. “I ‘there ate my breakfast ncxt bus about 7 o'clock. I went to Senften-
morning; left about 10, a. M., for Harry |. berg’s store and purchased $23.60 worth of
Rigging’, where I bad carried a pistol that I |; goods—namely, @ valisc, overcoat, pair of
wanted to ecil to him for tho purpose of | | shoes, pants, vest and hat. I then procecd-
-ralsing enough money to keep promise I ‘ed to A. Roach’s saloon, and there he wrotc
had made to Sarah Walker, to carr her |, & note for mo to Sarah Walker, in which I
away with me, as I had no money in band. : told her I was going to Mexico, would stay
Thdato ce fiber Bisebnae on Monisy | Cived'e hog If tat her mowers fad
: evening, at his store. n Pratt ha eC i , er’B,
two ducks and given them to young Btrick- | gave the sum of $4 for her to her sister Ma-
Jand, and he asked inc to cook them for sup- |» riah, telling her to hotify Sarah to be rcady
per; and while I made ready the supper, he when I. came. Idling around until train ,
r to a trunk, from ee he — . Sale eo per night’s train a wont to |
sack of money (a shot eack) an showed it ; , 8an Antanio, where 1 was arrested. :
to partics aurein, numbering eight or ten bo changer aro pe the OT 7 onc knows |
rsons—money. amounting to $63.50; put “anything of it, ut myself, ‘o m or
suid moncy back jn the trunk, locked itand |. mother I would say that it is my fault am
put the key ip his pocket, Ho then came ‘condemned to dic, and have: becn brought
“and eat down at the table and ate supper. to such a pass, You are not to blame; you
After he was through, Jeff Lewis and I sat |, eag ~~ ge kind hoo egting pips
down and ate. Then all partics went away || & uch what. was not-mine; but | listene
except Strickland, Lewis aad myself. Suid to women, and went astray; keeping bad
Strickland asked me to cut some wood, || company; letting the words of her I loved
mich we, omen 200 WevEL ya hr td monty ens, otk
n and ja t away in ‘store by us.> r . 7 W- t)
this we went in and sat tie amusing co 8 ral to Maxlco”——ovespowsr wey, other Bsvag
solves with a banjo until 11, Pp M. Je ‘ing at the moment the dev me alone
then loft the oma Robert and I sat up |; with the poor boy. ‘I beg all to forgive me.
| awhile. Robert arose, took up a pistol, and ||, | have? made my peace with God, and feel
ter greasing I, put ome caps noc pon | ao oy would wara al te think of my a
t, bucklip 8 around him, and sal ,
that ‘‘ per one had been trying to break in |! vg and gh orms to recollect rye pine re
several nights ago.” While Strickland was |. out of man’s aight, we arc not.out of God's.
fixing the pistol t icked up the ax and at- | - Beware of o weak, tempting woman, who
tempted to knock him in the head, but m may not think of thepower of her words.
-constience seeched me mere did aie He a by it pane oe to take anne Aes ao
was unaware’Of this fact. then made my o procure what was necessary to please er
pallet at the foot of the hed, ee laid one cons oe “ ini As, my conscience,
to rest. -JIe then got in bed, au dozed o aud brought myself to death.
soon. I'gotup, went out doors to sec if [Be Ase his.
‘any onc was around, and finding noone I jpiy James bt Sane.
‘re-entered the house, picked up the ax and | ie oe tae et / - roark, |
‘madé a second attempt, and my conscience |}. Tcortify the above to be written exactly:
again failed. I returned to the door again |} in accordance with the confession made to
to see if any one was around. After this T |} me, tho Minister wko has beed visiting him
returned and kuocked him on the head with so ymen) the past three weeks. I have heen
the ax as he lay asleep. Instantly I heard |! bl jn my efforts to show hit the need
him make a groan. I struck hima nc ve ag Saviour Aon pi ut sins, _ ore
lick with the back of the ax. He struggl n the means of bringing him to make the
and died! I then*fell back unconscious of | above confession; believe him to be enr-
myself foratime. I then went. back to the | nestly for the wicked dced for which
door, stood aud looked out; sueing no one, | he is to dle; and to have wxparlonoed, by
Fenmo back and fastened ve dove aan | Ootarce ee GLawion Miche:
' ’ if ”D ” . . . .
Tolerts pante from under his head, while |: i. Pastor A, M. E. Church, Columbus.
the blood ran down on tho side of his piitow wig * : 4 tae, Sau
; and bed, took from his pants pocket thekey |. . Gard of Thauke. | -
of the trunk unlocked it, took the moncy |. I desire, before m ob hence, to
out, which was in © shot bag, wen _. achnow lage al * my: ce er ae rn
sk door, nnd took the ax ‘ant cy sclings I entertain for dir. J. ™. num 5
ai sv then into the bayou, nbout fsa senior’ Dept foe sh eee angel a
} . [then pent | wards me wi ristian kindness,
hundred yards from, saaiedid dei and ever generous. consideration, in harmo-~
ony with nis position, I would’ like hire and.
-uners to. know I wasabie to foél the clarity”,
‘of his conduct, phone | Fa a condemned

murderer): es. STAN
‘” ry ¥) Mo oe i 7

banjo until about 11 o'clock pm, when Jeff Lewis left the sfore, Robert Strickland and I
sat up for awhile, Strickland then took his pistol and, after greasing it, put some new

caps on it, and buckled the:belt around him and said tha t someone had been trying to

- break into the store several nights before While Strickland was fixing his pistol, I

_ picked up the ax and attempted to knock him in the head, but at that time my conscience
checked me and<I put the ax down, Strickland's back was to me and he could not seemy
movements. I then made my pallet at the foot of his bed,-and laid down. to rest. He went
to bed and soon dozed off; I then got up and went outdoors to see if anyone was around,
Finding no one, I then returned, picked up the ax. and made antoher attempt to take his
life, but again my conscience failed me, and I returned to the door to see if anyone was
around, Seeing no one, I returned to his bed, knocked him on the head as he lay asleep,
with thesharp point of the axe. I heard ham groan, + then struck him a second lick
with the back of the axe, He struggled and died, I then fdl back unconscious of myself '
for a time, I then went abck to the door, stood and looked out, and seeing no one, I
fastened the door, lit the lamp and sat down, put on my shoes and got my coat and hats
then I took Robert Strickland's pants from under his head while the blood dan down. the
-sideof his pillow and bed, took from his pants pocket thekey of his trunk, took the money
out, which was in a shotbag, went out,.locked the door and took the axe and key and threw
them into the bayou about 300 yards from the storq I then went to Dug Thomas's where I
was staying and one Anthony Thoms asked me where I had been and I' told him I had been to
Sarah Walker's where she was picking cotfon, On Tuesday morning I said to Dug Thomas
that I wanted to make a settlement of board, etc, I told him as I had no money to take
the pistol and the 200 pounds of cotton that I had picked for him, He remarked: "All. -
right, he would do so," Then I went to Eagle Lake and took the west-bound passenger train for
Columbus, Wha I arrived there I hung around town until dinner time; then went to John
Rose's and got dinners I then went to a bar room.and drank several times and exchanged
$25 in silver for-the-same-amount in gold, and at Mr, R,-E, Staffokd's bank I exchanged
#20 in silver for gold, I then returned to the bar room and took several more drinks, and
at 2 o'clock pm I started to my mother's house at Thompsonville, about hhree miles from
Columbus,There I remained one hour with hers From there I went to my wife's who lives on
Mr. Tanner's farm and remained there until ) cr 5 o'clock in the evening, Ireturned to
_Columbus about-7 o'clock pm; went-to Mr, Senftenburg's store and purchased a hat, overcoat,
pair of pants, vest and pair of shoes, amountang to $23.50, J then went to A. Roache's
saloon and there he wrote: a note-for me to Sarah Walker, n said note I told her I am
going off to Mexica to stay bhree- weeks and return again for her, I carried the note and
left it at her mother's for her, and gave $l. to.Maria Walker, the sister of Sarah, to hand
to her, and told her to say to Gazah to be ready when I came, Idling around until trian
time, I took the train that night and went. to SanK&xZ*%Antonio where Iwas arrested, [In
connection wit the case no one knows anything of it but myself. JI solemnly say, I do
“not know anything about the burning dom of a houze as old lady Sealy Tannek says I do,
To my poor mother, I would say it is my fault I am conde,ned to die, and have been brought
to such a pass by my own deed, Youare not to blame, You taught. me to be kind and never
to touch what was not mine, But I listened to women and went astray, keeping bad company
and letting the words of her-I loved, which were: 'That I would do, anything if I really
loved her, to find enough money to take her to Mexico,’ overpower every other feeling at
the moment the devkxkil had me alone with theat poor boy. I beg all to forgive me, I have
mademy peace with God and feel sure of his mercy/ I forgive my enemies, and now would warn
all to think of my sad end and its cause and to recollect that when out of man's sight we
‘are not out of God's, Bewareof a weak, tempting woman, who my not think of the power of
her words, for by such power I was led to take life, so as to procure what, was necessary
to pleaseher, goaded on until I killed my conscience and brought myself to death, James
Stanley." NEWS, Galveston, Texas, Oct. 20, 1883 (1-9). |

“Tha execution of Janne Stanley took place

“With & firm treaa, accompanied by Sheriff
Townsoud, Bheriff Rankin and his spiritual
‘adviser, Rev. H, McKenaa, colored, of the
A. Mi &. Church, and Wey. Daniel Whitley,
tts Boptiet church, of this clty,
oe Ck spoke" in sing-wong kind of 4
Way © the multitude for Perhaps half
‘sa hour oF more; in Which he warned

} the world of the crime for which he had
been convieted iathat he had prayed God for
-& long time to have mercy on hig soul; had
‘walked his ce)) night after night in search
Of spiritual Consolation; that 9g had at
hngib obtained mercy through thé blood of

he chanted off In a Manner to impress the

fir >. ce aie
‘Af {ts conoffision Rev, McKenna lined off

& gong, and oak afl to join in its singing,

Preagive “mannor’ i at its Conclusion
another song was sung.” The black cap was
Placed over hig head, ead he asked the
Bheriff for moro ‘time, which being granted
he called up Sarah Walker 8ad said to her

that she wag the Cause of all of it—not that

thadeed. He showed signs of weakness to.
wards the last, but rallied, and asked the
Bheriff to spring the trap, which wag done
at his request two minutes in advance of the

and Doc. Hodison being present. “The pris:
Qner Joined {n these exercises, taking an oc--
casional doze.” At 7 o'clock this morning’
' these Cxercises were renewod, and kept up
“Until noon, The expressed a willingness to
die, and said he had found peace with hig
_Bavior and implored all to mect him in glory, |
:” The mother caine In to see him this morn-
ing, and the mecting wag ‘most affecting.
Jim asked her not to weep} that it Was not’
ther-tault that ho had come to such.p ‘pars;
the had raised bim rright; he was golng to:

Boe OMe he, hin te get Ts Pe
i | Near the acaffold was the poor mother of
“the murdered boy, dressed in sombre black, |

‘elly robbed, «9 ee Pee
. * The execution was quiet ‘and orderly, the:

| Sheriff having detailed a guard to’ prevont

@lebt fect, and was pronounced dead by-Dra,
Harrison and McDaniels jn 15 minutes. “In
fifteen minutes after tho exccution, a black
cloud overspread. the’ Northern sky,’ end a
heavy-rain Conmenced, and the apectatorg
hurried to. their homes, rr
| The body was deliversd t© one of our city
‘| physcians,’ wha: has ‘a >bill’ of salo to it,”

PMN en a Oo

TIZEy/
Colum BUS, TEXAS
OcT, 2S) (8&3

tL notorious
uty Brown,

less daring,
re he knew
izy Stanton
reason for
as at white

times, Iaith
<iller, either
was within
¢ jail.

for Pereh-
days slipped

my towns far

DYNAMIC

Sheriff R. L. Hollis, of Portales,
N. M.. points to footprints left
by the elusive Perchmouth on
a ranch he visited before flee-
ing into the hills of northern
New Mexico.

from Dallas, First, Perehmouth had
robbed a camp and then proceeded to
hammer everything of value in it to bits.
Ma Hunsucker as usual roared her ap-
proval.from the parked Chevrolet. Claire
Young as always was by Perchmouth’s
side, brandishing a gun and looking as
if she would shoot at any moment. Every
victim had the same thing to say about
her: “Force her hand and she’il be as
bad as Stanton himself.”

Then a Decatur citizen was held up in
broad daylight, robbed of his money and
slugged. Next, a woman was robbed and
brutally beaten. Fury and frustration
gripped central Texas.

But suddenly a break came for the
manhunters. It happened when a pris-
oner in the jail at Childress, Tex., walked
to his cell window and looked down into
the quiet street below, Suddenly he
started, then began thumping the floor
with his feet.

“Hey, Mack!” he yelled. “Mack, come
quick !”"

Deputy Mack Mote came running.
“What’s up?” he demanded.

Gasping with excitement, the prisoner
pointed. “Look across the street! On
the corner there. See that Chevrolet
and that woman ?”

DI PECTIVE

tt An on that al amet

A posse led by Sheriff A. Ss.
MacCamant, below, finally
cornered the two-time slayer
near Carrizozo, N. M.. only to
lose him again after a gun-
battle had claimed the life of
Deputy Tom Jones. Arrow,
right, indicates where Perch-
mouth and Hunsucker waited

to ambush the posse.

Mote failed to answer. He ran down
the jailhouse steps three at a stride. On
the corner he paused and peered cau-
tiously about. It was true. The woman
climbing into the car across the street
was Ma Hunsucker, boisterous com-
panion on many of Perchmouth’s raids.

Mote, who had been a friend of the
slain Deputy Joe Brown, knew well
the murderous, rattlesnake tactics of
Perchmouth Stanton, He looked long
enough to assure himself that the killer
was not somewhere in the background.
He had no desire to be shot in the back.
But he saw nothing. Ma Hunsucker was
alone.

Mote strode silently across the street,
slipped up behind Ma, and tapped) her
shoulder.

“Hello, Ma,” he said easily. “If you
don't like hospitals, stand still.”

Then, before the astonished amazon
knew what had happened, Mote had pro-
pelled her across the street and into the
sheriff’s office. She greeted captivity
with a volley of curses but in her shrewd,
hard mind she knew she was caught, be-
yond hope of escape. She had been care-
less once too often. It did not take her
long to tell her story.

Perchmouth and her son Glen had

Deputy Sheriff Hupert Rey-
nolds, of Carrizozo, was one of
the sharpshooting possemen
who brought death to Glen
Hunsucker, Perchmouth’s no-
torious gunman pal.

shot Deputy Brown. Meeks, who had
stepped out at the right moment, had
never been much good to the gang, she
said. Neither was the blond girl, Claire
Young.

“Neither of them really got any kick
out of it,” she grunted disgustedly. “That
gal just waves a gun to keep herself from
getting scared. Sometimes I wished we'd
let her go back to that farm she came
from.” But now Ma sighed at remem-
bered triumphs. “That Perchmouth and
my boy Glen, though, they’ve got the
stuff, You'll never catch them!”

Revenge Raids

M* HUNSUCKER was booked under
an open charge and arrangements
went forward in Dallas to try Doyle
Meeks on several robbery counts. He
would not admit firing a slug in either of
the murders and there was no concrete
evidence that he had. The definite counts
against him consisted of robbery with
firearms, and after a speedy trial he was
sentenced to serve two years in the peni-
tentiary. Other charges were booked
against him for later trial,

Soon after the news of Ma’s cap-
ture appeared in the papers, Perchmouth
struck in furious retribution, On the
edge of [fort Worth, he and Glen and
the blond girl held up a grocery store,
smashed windows and made a_ hospital
case of the owner. They wrecked two
autos by gleefully ramming them to-
gether. This last act, as good as Perch-
mouth’s signature, proclaimed that the
crime was his.

Ma Hunsucker, told of what had oc-

ee a - ened
‘ cons RE UR “o™
era Mreieg add!
7 we ee

curred, bragged: “I knew they'd do it.
Now watch them go! They'll get even.
What’s more, they deliberately plotted to

kill Sheriff Moseley. And T can take you
to the spot at Lake Dallas where they
threw away that Krag army rifle Moseley
was carrying when they shot him.”

Officers took her to the lake and she
pointed out a particularly deep section.
For three hours fire department squads
worked over the lake, with no success.
The Krag rifle which Sheriff Moseley
had prized and which he carried when he
was shot down in Tulia, would have been
ironelad evidence in court but now it
seemed lost forever. The Dallas sector
cooled off.

Then at midnight of the same day,
Sheriff Jake Honea of Silverton, Tex,
who had been watching the home of
some of Perchmouth’s relatives, received
a mysterious telephone call,

“Perchmouth and his mob held up a
filling station fifty miles from here,” the
informant whispered over the wire.
“They're on their way to his folks’ house
and they'll be there tomorrow at mid-
night.”

Honea checked on the latest robbery
report and found it authentic. The fact
that the bandit had knocked out some of

th
oti
ia
tin
Tu
Sta
tall
am
the
Z
act!
his
his
Sily
_A
pho:
Hon
shac
town
wT
seem
“The
when
they

M‘
|
tired |
the ly
the im
house ,
Cres
drove |
to find
H. O.
wrong
reason
Sonx
sucker
at the S
It. Roa:
spot wh
Moseley
Goen
that the
Wired at
themsel\
At noc
of Porta
discovery
hiker was
His face
Mass of
when he
“A cou

‘rom the throat of
vet, but the Sound
ned it out,

"p Deputy Joe
of Decatur, the

Nately summoned
vrolet had disap.
as being formed

and officers in

‘S telephoned to

‘tely detailed a
he town, Local
'§ Witnesses in
‘en came a Sur-

“Ith fright, was
brown car al-
nurmured amid
P to see if they
they got down
‘°2n with brown
running—” she
> Way.”
the sheriff Said
wheeled and
we know none
‘Town hair but
€ may be
* some motore
it road!”
‘Tried out, the
‘earch for the
he were,
‘S Car pulled

*PPed up
tng into

eh?” Faith
Not going
p in.”

“ould move
! nce in
© astonish~
'n Obvious

lave toask
‘Ss. I was

T didn't
t shooting
ey job in

geled in
prisoner
| cower
‘ls smile
grimace , ?
nemory,

'l right,
me up
ue after
it Glen
> them
’ Crazy
! you,
nuts!”
a. “I'm
I got
't that
That
she’s
's too
’ He
> you
1outh
Actus

“He never saw Brown

be,” he denied.
before in his life.”

Terror returned to the prisoner’s eyes.
“That's just it!” he screamed, “Can't you
see? That's why you cops have got to
stop him. He doesn’t just kill because he
has to. He shoots cops because he wants
to. He's gone nuts, I tell you!”

Subscquent events were to give ample
substantiation to this statement which

had poured from the mouth of a terrified

oodlum, 2

The officers listened in grim silence and
then mapped their plans, more deter-
mined than ever to end the crime trail of
the fiendish and kill-crazy Perchmouth.

The problem that con-
fronted officers was a baf-
fling task. Two brave peace

officers had fallen before
the guns of this fast-moving
mob. Personal property had
been ruthlessly destroyed in
maniacal glee. How much
longer would they escape
the net? How much more
damage would be done?
How many more deaths
would be chalked up? The
answers to these questions
and trapping of the gang
will be revealed in the July
DYNAMIC DETECTIVE,

Curse of the Sunken Geld

[Continued from page 21]

waved the salvage officials aside. Badly

frightened crew members clustered in the

bow of the tug and with terror written on

their faces looked on as the officer began

a minute examination of the victim and
is equipment.

Borselen took his time, studying care-
fully the diving suit and the copper hel-
met. They appeared in excellent condi-
tion. The valves had not jammed. There
was no visible leak. The officer took up
the air hose, following it from the con-
nection with the breastplate,

Suddenly the lines about his mouth
tightened. The inspector straightened up
slowly and stared at the men grouped be-
fore him.

“I came out here to investigate sabo-
tage,” he said grimly, “but now I have an-
other job. Fritz Schoorman has been
deliberately murdered in the presence of
all of us,”

Borselen held out ‘a section of the
diver’s air hose. Clearly visible were a
Scrics of small holes through the rubber

Coating, holes which could have been’

made only by a sharply pointed instru-
ment in the hands of a scheming killer,

Someone wanted that salvage job
stopped at all costs. Someone was will-
ing to murder to delay efforts to repair
the damage resulting from the success-
ful sabotage, :

And that someone had to be one of the
men now standing on the tossing deck of
the salvage tug Neptune! P

Unconsciously the men cast furtive
glances at each other. Which: of them
was a killer? Who would be the next
victim? What motive could there be for
this weird, deadly determination to pre-
vent the recovery of the Lutine’s gold?
Were the trouble and the death actually
the result of human scheming or were
they new manifestations of the ancient
curse of the sunken gold?

Borselen crisply ordered the captain to
return to Terschelling. If delay in re-
Pairing the salvage tube would result in
its ruin, that was too bad but it could not
be helped. The swaying steel cone was
left to the mercy of the pounding seas
as the Neptune bucked into the white:
capped waves with its cargo of death.

“No one, of course, who is in any way
connected with the salvage expedition

will leave Terschelling Island until
further notice,” the inspector said. Bor-
selen then took his notebook and obtained
the names and addresses of the men who
were on board the tug.

He was astonished to learn that there
were just 13 men present, excluding him-
self. The death of Schoorman left 13
members of the salvage crew alive. And
one of that number was a murderer.

There was the captain, two tenders, the
air gauge man, the foreman and chief
engineer of the salvage company, two
divers, the fireman, the ship engineer and
three hands. From what information he
could obtain from the salvage company
officials, each man was well known, an old
employe who should be above suspicion.

Immediately upon the arrival of the tug
at Terschelling, the town bearing the
Same name as the island, Borselen real-
ized that this case would involve work
far beyond his limited facilities. He got
in touch with the authorities at Leeuwar-
den on the mainland. Because of the un-

usual circumstances surrounding the case,.

the appeal for aid was sent at once to
Amsterdam,

Peder Van Maarsen and Lucas Ten
Eyck, crack detectives of the capital's
homicide squad, caught a boat for the
island to take charge of the case. Hours
had passed before their arrival and during
this time Borselen had been investigat-
ing the records of the 13 survivors of the
fatal diving voyage. But he had found
nothing which appeared to be of any as-
sistance.

Maarsen and Ten Eyck went to the
morgue to examine the body of the vic-
tim, then spent time looking over the
damaged equipment used by the diver.
Borselen explained what he had found.
The officers were baffled. They had 13
suspects, one of whom must be a mur-
derer. And yet there was absolutely noth-
ing to connect any one of them with a
motive for the sabotage and the killing,
There was no obvious reason why any
one of the men would have desired to
wreck the expedition, or would have
been willing to murder to prevent the
badly needed repairs to the salvage tube.

Maarsen studied the list of the 13 men.

“I'd like to talk to Schoorman’s fellow
divers, to Foreman Florian Helsch and to

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HE brutal murder of Deputy
Joe Brown, shot down in the
main street of Rhome, Tex., on
the afternoon of June 20, 1933, was
the second time a Texas peace officer
had fallen within six months before
the blazing guns of Perchmouth Stan-
ton, one of the Panhandle’s most no-
toriously brutal killers of modern times.

The previous January, the hard-
faced killer with the — fish-shaped
mouth, had shot down Sheriff John
Moseley on the outskirts of Tulia, and
had started Texas officers on one of
the state’s most crimson manhunts.
Although runty in stature, Stanton
was as tough as iron. He never hesi-
tated to throw lead at an officer, or to
hurl his fists into the face of a helpless
holdup victim. He had left a long
trail of brutality, topped by his insane
joy to tear to pieces the property of
places which he preyed upon.

All officers of northwest Texas had been on the lookout for
the killer but the fast movements of his gang—including the
gloating Ma Hunsucker, her quick-shooting blond son, Glen,
and Claire Young, Stanton’s farm-girl moll from New Mexico
—apparently could disappear like phantoms for a time, only to
pop up again with deadly results.

Such had been the case which brought death to Deputy Joe
Brown. Like thousands of other officers he had for months
been on the alert for the Stanton gang and their brown Chevro-
let. Suddenly he had spotted them in a filling station, walked
up to their car, only to be shot down in cold blood. As the car
sped from town, a man had leaped from it. Officers, headed by
Sheriff Tom Faith, quickly picked him up and learned he was
Doyle Meeks. He surrendered without resistance and with

great personal relief.
He denied having any part in the two killings, saying he

News that Perchmouth Stan-
ton, left, slayer of two Texas
officers, planned to visit his
kinfolk at the tumbledown
house above, led to a 24-hour
stake-out by grim posse mem-
bers eager for a showdown
with the killer.

by
ALLEN CARTER

had picked up with the gang, little realizing what notorious
company he was joining. After the shooting of Deputy Brown,
Meeks had decided promptly to desert the group.

Well acquainted with Stanton’s reputation for reckless daring,
Sheriff Faith decided to take Meeks to Dallas, where he knew
he would be safely lodged, and hoped that the kill-crazy Stanton
would try to spring him. Faith also had another reason for
making this move. Public sentiment in Rhome was at white
heat and mob violence might result in a lynching.

Since Dallas was Perchmouth’s favorite haunt at times, Faith
reasoned that if Meeks was at all valuable to the killer, either
alive as a fellow bandit or dead as a squealer, it was within
reason that the callous Stanton would try to raid the jail.

But although a warm welcome was prepared for Perch-
mouth in Dallas, he failed to pay a call. Then, as days slipped
into weeks, sporadic reports began to come in from towns far

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DETECT

Federal sentencing guidelines
to be delayed until after Nov. I

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pro-
posed guidelines, designed to br-
ing about uniformity in sentenc-
ing for federal criminals, are like-
ly to be delayed beyond their plan-
ned'-Nov. 1 effective date, ac-
cording to representatives of Con-
er and the criminal justice

tem.

But while supporters of the
sentencing guidelines want to use
he =postponement to _ educate
jefense lawyers, prosecutors,
udges and probation officers, op-
yonents hope to convince Con-
tress to abandon the whole idea.

Congress decided in 1984 that
ederal judges should compute

entences from uniform
uidelines, to end the current
isparity in punishment. The idea
'as to sentence a bank robber in
lawaii to the same prison time as
holdup man in Maine — if the
ircumstances of the crimes and
riminal histories of the defen-

‘eliminate

dants were similar.

A U.S. Sentencing Commission:
was created to write the
guidelines, which would become

‘effective on Nov. 1 unless rejected

or postponed by Congress.

‘‘The guidelines would
humanity. from the
sentencing process,’’ said
Nashville-based Tom Wiseman,
chief U.S. district judge for the
Middle District of Tennessee.
‘You may as well replace judges
with a computer.”’

But Commission Chairman
William W. Wilkins Jr. of South
Carolina, a judge on the 4th U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals, strong-
ly disagreed.

“‘There’s great popular appeat:
for the guidelines,’? Wilkins said
in an interview last week. ‘‘The
overwhelming majority of Con-
gress and the people believe they
will significantly improve system.
of justice.”

The Huntsville Item, Wednesday, September 9, 1987

Convicted killer hoping *
judge will stay execution .

Starvaggi was a continued hireat

HOUSTON (AP) — Attorneys -

for condemned prisoner Joseph —

Starvaggi asked a federal judge to
spare the convicted killer from the ,
Texas death chamber where he”
faced execution before dawn
Thursday.

Starvaggi, 34, was scheduled to

die by injection for a 1976—

burglary that left a Montgomery .
County man dead.

John C. Denson was shot three ,

times and killed while his wife and |
daughter were tied up in a blanket ~

at their Magnolia home. Starvaggi .
and two others were convicted of. |

the slaying, while charges against

| a fourth man were dismissed.

Attorney Anthony Griffin said |
Tuesday evidence that showed

a
¢ .

to. society was insufficient, that

Starvaggi had ineffective legal >
assistance at trial and thas: jury:
selection was improper. ¥

Griffin said he was uncertain:
whether he could win a stay from
U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes; -
but said he was prepared to.take: »
the case to the federal ‘Upppels.
courts.

“With the status of capital
litigation as bad as it is, I don’t
know,”’ Griffin said about pro-
spects for a stay. ‘‘It’s like going
to a horror movie. We’re getting
blitzed. The object is to get, a stay
atsomelevel.”” rs

G.W, Green ant Glen: East
Martin, both of Houston;. alge.

were corivicted: in the death of
Denson, 48; Green is on death
row. Martin is serving a life prison
- The three were accused. of
breaking into Denson’s home and
stealing $6,000. worth of guns.
Denson was a Montgomery Coun-
ty pivenile probation officer.

“Starvaggi, who has been on
dgath row since 1978, would be
the 26th Texas inmate put to
death since the' state resumed the
d@hth penalty in 1982 and the
sixth this yeearv-He is among at

_ least 16: Fents death row prisoners

with sie aye omermeaal

ih } nO!

AP Laserphoto
program, Hart
residency.

ons, have I been
'y faithful to my
y the answer is
never going to
juestions about

*en forced to
e that I think
Yerican polit-

Ex-resident

of Illinois ~

executed —

HUNTSVILLE; Tex. .(AP)—A_

man who spent 10 years on Death
Row was executed early Thursday
for murdering a probation officer
who begged for mercy as his wife
and 13-year-old daughter huddled
under a blanket nearby.

Joseph Starvaggi, 34, a cement .

finisher and Champaign native,
was pronounced dead at 12:30
a.m. by Charles Brown, a spokes-
man for the Texas Department of
Corrections.

Starvaggi, who made no last
statement, was executed by lethal
injection for the slaying of John
Denson in a November, 1976,
burglary at his home in Magnolia,
Tex., 50 miles north of Houston. ”

U.S. District Judge Lynn
Hughes in Houston and the 5th
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in
New Orleans denied last-minute
appeals Wednesday.

The U.S. Supreme Court on a 6-’

2 vote refused to halt the execu-
tion late Wednesday. :

Starvaggi was one of three men
convicted in the slaying of Den-
son. G.W. Green, of Houston,
also is on Death Row, while Glen

Earl Martin, of Houston, ‘is ‘serv- .. ” |

ing a life prison term.

Denson’s daughter, Susan, testi-
fied at their trial that she saw her

father cry for mercy as he was a

shot three times.

ww?

e
~ -”

STEPHENS, Joe Basil, white, electrocuted Texas State Prison (Ellis County) on
December 19, 194. (182 SOUTHWESTERN 707; 18), SOUTHWESTERN 28),

"Waxahachie, Texas, Janwary 9, 19)-The District Attorney's office said Sunday
KXANXXRX (January 9) it would file murder charges against Joe Basil Stephens, 37,
escaped convict, in the fatal shooting of Jess White, 3), Ellis County Deputy Sheriff,
"Sheriff Jess Carriker said White was shot about 11 o'clock Saturday (Jan. 8) night
while entering Waxahachie in an automobile with Stephens, whom he had apprehended

on the highway outside the county seat. Stephens escaped from the Retrieve State
Prison farm @& on December 23,

"Cariker said White had searched and handcuffed the man but was shot in the neck

and in the leg with a revolver which had been concealed. The car turned over in a
ditch, after which White shot the fugitive in the leg, the sheriff added,

"A crowd collected at the wreck scene and Loyd Nurdock, Waxahanhie wrestler, assisted
in disarming the fugitive after he and others had been threatened, Stephens, then
was taken into custody by Depyties Bill Gibson and David Fearis.

"Deputy White died just after being received at a hospital,

"Police records show that Stephens was serving sentences of 92 years at the time of
his December escapee These records also reported that he was sentenced from Dallas
County in 1925 for two years for robbery by assault; five years for burglary in 1929
from Dallas County; 40 years for bank robberyin 1933 from Hill and Tarrant Counties;
that he brokejail at Lubbock in 193) and was captured in Houston; that in June of
193 he was sentenced to 25 years from Harris County for robbery by firearms,

"A bench warrant had been issued for the custody of J. B, Stephens, held in Waxa-
hachie in connection with the slaying of Deputy Sheriff JessWhite, to stand trial

for a robbery here(in Fort Worth), Assistant District Attorney Brown said Sunday,

"He had bee charged here with the robbery of S. Gl Moncrief, Fort Worth Transit Com=
pany bus driver, on May 16, 193.

"Brown explained that there had been a delay in bringing Stephens here for some un-=
determined reason,

"Stephens was given a l0-year prison sentence in Tarrant County in 1933 for the robbery
of a taxi-cab driver,"

SXAR Fort Worth STAR-TELEGRAM, Fort Worth, Texas, January 10, 19h,

Page one = photograph,

STEIN, Bobby Louis, 29-year-old black man, electrocuted Texas State Prison (Harris Goel

icihepaieacae ieee rica inde MURDER, Clutching a prayer book, Bobby Lewis Stein, 29, of
Liana hes sien ric chair at Huntsville early Wednesday for the holdupemurder of
bsp af GE Shaman Pohaire, was convlebed for the Laval skonkseg ot Narmin, Feeét tems
"Freilich wa i : : : ‘

aot tbera few Pelt tticled Soh 0 th ee ian ae
rancovisteg of mide atd gta fe 208 ne seceny
Gay owntn, Heep Spm’, ite” Selon toy aay one som 6 Sotogah

(355 SOUTHWESTERN -2nd= 723),

on September 5, 1962,

". .Herman Freilich, 65, of 6817 Sherman, killed by two men in his liquor store at
3901 Liberty Rd., while his wife watched.....Four men were being questioned by the
police Monday (1-2-1961) in the killing of Freilich.

"Mrs. Freilich said she and her husband had just closed their store New Year's Eve
when two men approached them and said they wanted to buy some whiskey. Freilich
reopened his store while his wife stood outside, The two men were given two bottle
by Freilich, then turned to walk outside without paying. As Freilich walked toward
them, he was shot in the face and died instantly. Witnesses gave police a descrip-
cion of the car in which the two men flede...e" CHRONICLE, Houston 1-2-1961 (1)

"Two Houston men were in jail Tuesday (1-3-1961), charged with killing liquor store
operator Herman Freilich in an argument over the price of two bottles of whiskeye
Held without bond were Bobby Louis Stein, 27, of 7976 Bonaire, unemployed, and
George Washington Su llivan, 27, of 1813 #“lysian, Apb. 2, operator of a shoe shine
parlor, Stein, in a written statement, admitted he fired the shot that fatally
wounded Freilich, 65, in his Liberty Rd, Liquor Store, 3901 Liberty Rd., New Year's
Eve, Stein said he and Sullivan had been on a drinking party and had run out of
whiskey. They drove around a spotted Freilich's store. Freilich, 6817 Sherman, an
his wife, Esther, 5l, had closed the place, but reppenkd to accomodate Stein and
Sullivans Stein said he ordered two bottles of Scotch, ‘When Freilich told him the
price was 412,80, he complainéd that was more than the price tag stated and that he
didn't have that mch money. °Freilich stabted cussing me and reached inside his
coat,' Stein's statement said. 'I pulled out my gun and fired,'! He said he grabbe
the two bottles of whiskey and rane Witnesses gave police a description of the

he two men were picked up early Sunday. Stein, who said he was 'scared,'
n he had hidden in a trash barrel in his backyard.
agan's court," CHRONICLE, louston, Texas,

car, and t
showed officers the murder gu
The two were charged in Justice ™% C. R

January 3, 1961 (9-l:)

USE

By Sergeant
STEWART STANLEY

of the Texas Rangers

As told fo VIOLET SHORT

“>:
~~
mers
= Dts
“¢

Two Texas farmers while out hunting found the head of
this boy, Bernie Connally, wrapped in a tow sack and
hanging from the ceiling of an abandoned storm cellar

No one ever dreamed that
the grim clue of the hanging
head would lead to

“e

AY, your dog is acting funny.”

These words spoken nonchalantly by one hunter
to another marked the beginning of one of the most
amazing cases ever handled by the Texas Rangers.

It was the afternoon of December 9th, 1925, and

the heavy drizzle that was falling had encouraged two
young farmers of Erath County, Texas, to shoulder their
guns and set out across the wet fields in search of game.
‘Trotting at their heels was a large bulldog, which, as Alvis
Riggs had just pointed out to his companion, was behav-
ing in a strange manner.

As if to indicate that he had found a fine place for game,
the dog had dashed up to a gaping hole in the ground,
which years before had been the entrance to a storm cellar.
At the opening, however, the dog had recoiled with a yelp.
A safe distance away, he crouched close to the ground, his
tail between his legs, and gazed at the hole, whimpering.

“Must be a rattlesnake,” Ben Aycock said, going over to
examine the dog for injuries. The dog was quivering with
fright.

“Too late for snakes,” the other hunter replied. “A skunk,
maybe.”

The two men, guns in readiness, approached the old
cellar.

The light outside was not sufficient to illuminate the in-
terior, so the men scrambled down the slippery incline into
the underground room. There was a fetid, damp, wormy
smell, and an indefinable odor of something else.

‘Nothing here,” one of the men said, peering about him.
“Wait, what’s this?”

Cos L Cae »

Gllag (FFB

Sot TARE nen:

e hunter
the most
Rangers.
925, and
ged two
der their
of game.
as Alvis
as behav-

for game,
> ground,
rm cellar.
th a yelp.
round, his
pering.

ig over to
ering with

‘A skunk,
1 the old
ite the in-
ncline into

yp, wormy

about him.

The fireplace of Texas’ House of Horror in which the bodies of two women were burned. Note the peculiar

formation of the bricks and soot into a “ghost face

Suspended from between two rotting logs overhead was
a tow sack, the newness of which offered a queer contrast
to the weather worn surroundings. Aycock reached up and
prodded the sack with his gun.

“looks like someone has stored some meat in here,” Riggs
remarked.

Together they pulled the bundle from between the two
rafters. As it fell to the floor, there came an agonized wail.
The dog outside, which had ventured only as far as the
entrance with his master, was squatted on his haunches,
nose pointed skyward, making the surrounding country
echo with howls.

Aycock untwisted the top of the sack, turned it upside
down and emptied its contents on the dirt floor.

A bietelal head, with sightless staring eyes, lay at their
eet.

It was the head of a young man, abouj nineteen or
twenty years of age. It had been severed from the body
just below the chin.

One of the hunters stayed with their grisly find, while
the other rushed to the nearest residence, a mile away, and
phoned to Sheriff M. D. Hassell of Stephenville. A short
time later, when the Sheriff and an undertaker arrived at
the cellar, a dozen or more people had gathered at the
scene. Not one of them however could offer a clue as to
the identity of the murdered man.

It was first believed that the body might be found some-
where near the head. A hurried investigation however of
the cellar revealed that not only was the body not hidden

” which has led to the belief that the house is haunted

in or around the place but apparently the murder had been
committed some other place and the head carried to the
cellar. There were no signs of struggle, nor bloodstains in
or about the cellar. A posse of men began a search of the
country within a radius of a mile of the cellar for the miss-
ing body.

Examining. the head, the undertaker announced that
death had ensued more than a week before. The excellent
state of preservation in which it was found was due to the
cool, circulating air of the cellar. The head had blue eyes,
brown hair, and slightly irregular teeth. There was one
bruise on the face, and the evidence showed that it had
been hacked from the body by a very dull instrument.

In the sack with the head, the Sheriff found a coat and
an old mackinaw. There were bullet holes in the back of
both the coat and the mackinaw, showing that the boy
had been shot in the back at rather close range!

After gathering what little information was available at
the cellar, Sheriff Hassell ordered the head removed to the
undertaking parlors at Stephenville, nine miles away, to
be held for identification.

This, however, presented a difficult problem. No one
could gaze upon the head without being considerably

shaken, but the Sheriff and the undertaker endeavored to .

make the ordeal as little shocking as possible.

The head was placed on a satin pillow in a coffin, and
the mutilated neck was hidden by a shroud drawn high
about it. There, under glass, it lost some of its look of
reality. *

The day that followed was the strangest ever recorded

seemingly lost in
uile he said:

idea Td killed my
ied man, Snow. I
es away on a trip
clothes along—and
\nd no woman, no
be caught dead in
se teeth. When the
all of thease things
w the women were

things over for a
he said, suddenly :
s you've been talk-
tof difference be-
‘ look.”

chilled me. Yet it
was the one item
o the electric chair.
us quickness to find
law, that we later
new the difference
Ur

finger of his right
r—and gnawed re-
sed joint. Then he

deal just between
e sure I killed Ber-
be all right if I can
wv, if you'll agree to
and if you'll forget
l talk. Is it a dick-

wly, “provided you
tof the body is hid-
held on a warrant
murder and | prom-
hat.”

briskly, with all of
completing a profit:

blutin’ about the
mes itd take a Solo-
Mattie’, or “This was
now that) you've
your questions.”
» the body 2?" | threw
uddenly. It was the
t then.
ale on Cedar Moun-
y, adding: “I'll take
1 say the word, pro-
me look at it.”

.a good time, Snow”,
eriff Hastler to tell
ow to Bluffdale and
Stanley to meet us

ked.

intil you get me some
‘I've ‘dipped’ all my
zy without it.”

rely in the eyes and

addy used to tell me .

ames boys got away
S. Marshal once by
iff. No, that’s out, but
I'll get you a plug of

ith the most evil grin

o>
\
.
¢
.
PT OE Pe

“Then tobacco’ll have to do”, he said
coldly. “I ain’t aimin’ to harm you.”

The night was darker than the interior
of Mrs. Murphy’s pet cat but en route
to Bluffdale Snow surprised me with his
uncanny ability to see in the dark like a cat.
Sheriff Hastler and Sergeant Stanley were
waiting when we arrived and, of course,
were overjoyed that Snow had confessed,

Snow directed our course on the Cedar
Mountain road unerringly. Presently, as
we approached a steep curve, he called
out: “Hold it; it’s over there to the left.”
3ut after a moment he sank back again,
saying: “Go ahead: it's a turn just like this
one, but it’s about a quarter of a mile
further along.”

The next stop was at the place he had
described,

“Pull up at the side of the road”, he di-
rected. “We go in from here.”

He was handcuffed) and one of | the
Sheriff's men had him by the arm, but
he went up the face of the draw like a
goat, walking toward a patch of small ever-
greens ina natural clearing.

“It's—in there”, he said huskily. “And
you promised I—wouldn’t have to—see it.’

We left him with a guard, gnawing a
huge chew from his plug. Even then he
seemed to have that queer cat-faculty for
seeing us, for suddenly when we'd gone
about twenty yards, he called:

“Bear to the left a little; under the edge
of the trees.”

Right afterward my flash outlined a shoe
—and in another moment we were beside
the body. It lay in the position of a slcep-
ing child, one arm drawn up, a leg out-
stretched,

We knew it for Bernie’s body—for there
was no head.

We wrapped the body in a tarpaulin and
then went back to Snow. He was. silent,
gravely contemplative, but seemingly un-
shaken.

“What kept you from. destroying the
head too?” Lasked him, “Something fright-
en you?”

He shrugged nonehatintly, “Tt others
—!o mean other things on my mind. 1
thought it would be safe there—and_ it
would have been only for that damn’
snoopy kid and his dog.”

“And your next job was to put the
women out of the way?”

He leaned back comfortably and actually
chuckled.

“We've traded on that”, he reminded me.
“The women are out of it but I’ll tell you
this—the kid was a pretty serious risk for
me the way things were.”

It was then that the real picture flashed
before my eyes.

“Surely he was”, I said quickly, “because
the women already were dead—and he had
to die!”

He sat there staring at me evilly until
anger flooded over me.

66QNOME clean, Snow”, I snapped. “You

have our promise to bring you to trial
for the boy’s death. Why not tell us the
whole thing?”

He pursed his lips, leaned back, For
long minutes he sat there in the gleam of
our flashlights, clasping and unclasping his
hands. At last he said:

“We'd been having a lot of trouble at
home, Mattie ’n me. She was younger and

American Detective

had a lot of silly ideas. On Tuesday morn-
ing after the boy’d taken a load of wood
into town—or had started—she went kinda
crazy.

“She told me off about a lot of things;
said she was tired of being Missis Snow:
that she was goin’ to quit me.”

He shrugged deprecatingly. “That made
me kinda mad and | called her some names.
She whirled back into the house and when
she came back she had a six-gun. Her
mother came along behind her holding
something in the folds of her skirt.

“Mattie didn’t say a word: just started
shootin? at me. The first two slugs went
wild, and the next buzzed ripht under my
nose while Lo was gettin’ my Winchester,
The fourth time she pulled down slow on
me: TP could see she was. takin’ careful
aim.

“So T let her have one from the hip
with a high power ca’tridge. It bored her
under the heart, went through and smashed
the old woman's forehead. They was both
dead and I’d fired only one shot. Now,
wasn’t that self defense?”

It suited my purpose to tell him; "Yes
—if the proved facts fit your story. If
you're right in this thing, we'll fight as hard
to free you as we would to convict you,
That’s the Ranger way.”

A moment later I was adding: “You can
be sure of one thing, Snow; you'll get ab-
solute justice.”

“That'll be right fine,” he said comfort-
ably. “Now, what else?”

“Why did you have to kill Bernie?”

He frowned. “That was kinda too bad,
Ranger. Just as his mother fell over, I
heard a noise. It was the kid, He’d turned
around and was drivin’ back into the yard,
He wasn't but 16, but he knew his way
about—and he packed a gun.

“Worst of all, he had the jump on me.
| was so busy with Mattie and her Ma that
I hadn’t heard him. He’d already shot once
at me and I think he fired again as I
turned. He was out of the wagon and kinda
hunkering down against the wheel when |
pulled the trigger and shot lian,”

“Where?” Stanley demanded suddenly.

“Right through the lung—beside the
heart.”

He began shifting uneasily then for none
of us were saying anything. Finally he said
whiningly :

“You see how it was, don’t you? There
I was, after two different folks had tried
to murder me—still alive but with three
dead bodies on my hands.

“T went inside to figger it out. There
wasn’t any sense in trying to fool myself.
Everybody in the Stephenville district hated
me and I wouldn’t have a Chinaman’s
chance to make them see the truth of what
had happened. So I buried the women un-
der the floor and went about the job of get-
ting rid of Bernie’s body.”

Stanley sniffed disdainfully. “A foolish
thing to do,” he said. “You ought to kriow
you can’t hide murder.”

“The hell you can’t,” Snow rasped. ‘J
knew a case once where ” But caution
came back to him and he refused to talk
further,

Back’ in Stephenville at the jail, Snow
repeated his story almost word for word.
And next morning he repeated it again,
verbatim.

Only then he went further, placing the

SAR La ai ki a ica aac alk heres

women in the yard at certain spots, swear-
ing that Bernie was on the ground “hunk-
ered down against the rear wheel” when he
shot him.

“The way my bullet came to hit Ma,” he *
explained, “was that she was a-standin’ on
the gallery in a line behind Mattie. It was
a high power slug and it drilled her through
the head.”

It was Sergeant Stanley’s case and he
was a born detective, so I went back to
Fort Worth when Stanley, Deputy Brooks
and the Sheriff took Snow back to the farm.
Snow, who felt sure by now that he had
put his story over, was in high spirits.

Stanley stopped them just inside the
fence, and said:

“Help us get this all straight now, Snow.
About where were you standing when your
wife started shooting at you?”

Snow went to a point about twenty fect
outside the house. “Here,” he said, “and
my gun was over there.” THe pointed to a
stump six or eight feet distant. “I run over
there for the rifle when she come out shoot-
in’; guess T was movin’ so fast she couldn't
get me in her sights proper.”

“And she moved forward as she shot?
Where was she when you got the gun
finally ?”

Snow pointed to a clump of Johnson
grass ten feet out from the gallery. “Right
there, Ranger. She fell plumb onto that
patch of grass. I throwed water on it be-
cause she’d bled quite some.”

“And her mother was out on the gallery,
directly behind her ?”

“That’s right: square in line.”

Stanley glared at him for a moment
before he said:

“All right, big boy: we make a liar out of
you right now. Come on, Sheriff; you
stand where Mrs. Snow stood, and Ict Jess
Brooks stand on the gallery. Mrs. Snow
was about the Sheriff’s height, but the
mother was a little old woman.”

HY took their places as he directed.

Snow stood beside the stump which
was in a slight dip, dower than the rest of
the yard,

“See it?” Stanley called. When the others
shook their heads, he explained.

“Snow admits he shot from the hip, so it
follows that the bullet must have ranged
upward. She’d have to be nine feet tall for
the bullet to hit her in the forehead if the
same slug killed both women.”

Snow flew into a rage, but it was true.
They measured from every angle but it
checked out as Stanley had said. The sills
of the gallery had rotted and the floor was
much lower than the spot where Mrs. Snow
had been standing.

Then Stanley began to put the screws
to him.

“There’s another part of your story that
doesn’t check,” he said. “Jess Brooks and
another witness both saw you in town that
Tuesday, and you were enquiring for the
boy: you asked several persons if they'd
seen him. And later you were seen driving
with him out of town with your saddle
horse tied to the wagon’s end gate.”

“Meanin’ just what?” Snow snapped.

“Meaning that, after your killing of his
mother and grandmother, you came to town,
rode home with him in the wagon, and
killed him in the wagon before he had a

rw ftes

iar teachandoe dee actbamiaeah Lk ea ale a ca Sean - ~ EY

mght?” the Ranger continued dubiously.

Snow nodded. “They get over the road pretty good
ind I’ve let ‘em rest ever since 1 got back.” He
voked them squarely in the eyes and grinned, adding:
Yep, it was a hard trip—but I'm kind to hosses.”
That was that. There was plenty of suspicion; little
xoof, Stanley nodded to Snow.

n2” the Sheriff said
1an thirty miles over]
vife’s mother is more

h, but she’s plenty’
‘da mattress in
-y down and take it:

6 E’LL be getting back to town,” he said, “Let
us know if you hear from the boy.”

“If I do, it'll be from Mexico,” he said with a sly
gin. And he still was grinning, almost contemp-
mously, as they drove off.

But it is probable that he would have been less sat-
fed if he had known that Stanley, at a turn in the
md, had left the car and had “injuned” back to a
tnoll where he could keep an eye on Snow for the
rst of the day.

“l hope Stanley catches him moving the body,”
Deputy Piercey told the Sheriff regretfully. Hastler
bughed, casually.
“Maybe I’ve got the proof we
wok an old shoe from under his coat.

the Sheriff liked the
aything against Snow }
getting nowhere. = |
: “If you don’t mind, -
alitth. Some things |
ind.”
w narrowly, saw the |
in and the suspect’s:
en he quieted, stepped |

vith a sly grin. “And |
to bear witness that I
‘our search warrant”)
-xchanged significant:

ig but the speech of

need,” he said. He
“If this fits the

an ask for a warrant.”

nterior disclosed one ; :
Piercey literally snatched at the shoe.

s really were absent.)

OOF ETE TTT

Dead Man’s Head

footprint at the cabin where the head was found, we

“1 didn’t see

“59

began raking out the ashes, hoping against hope that
he would find some identifiable trace of the boy’s body.

What he found was vastly more important!

Deep in the bed of ashes and worked far back into
a corner were bone fragments from the bodies of two
women!

Every peace officer with the slightest knowledge
of anatomy knows that there is a structural difference
between the pelvic bones of men and women; that
the sex of skeletons may be determined thus.

So, when he found pelvic fragments of different
sizes and of:a-different degree of brittleness, Stanley
knew that be had solved the mystery of the where-
abouls of Mrs. Snow and ber mother.

Snow was a triple killer—and now there was evi-
dence sufficient to hold him indefinitely.

With his proofs, Stanley hurried back to town, ar-
riving there ahead of the Sheriff and his prisoner. When
they arrived Snow was cheerful, if anything just a
trifle ironic. His first words were startling.

“Somebody’s always accusing me of killing some-
body,” he complained. “Once before they said I'd
killed a feller I'd caught foolin’ around one of my
women—but nothin’ never come of it.”

He stuck to his story. The stepson, he declared, had

[CONTINUED ON PAGE 74]

you get that,” he muttered, “but > and
his hopefully, “if I didn’t, it’s a cinch that
Saow missed it.”

Driving at top speed they hurried out to
the abandoned cabin to fit the shoe to the
xint in the soft dirt beside the hole where
the head had been found.

And it fitted — length, breadth; even
lown to the general run-over condition of
the heel!

It’s a strange thing about shocs. A man
an wear shoes of different makes—long
mough—and each will leave ‘an imprint
dentical with any other of equal age.

“That proves it,” Hastler said thought-
fully. “Now we know it was Snow who hid
the head here, so it follows that Snow killed
the boy.” He got to his feet briskly, said:
"Come on, we'll get a warrant.”

But when they got back to town they
discovered an even better reason for haste.
Sergeant Stanley was back, after thumbing
ride into town with the news that Snow
was loading up his household goods; appar-
atly getting ready to quit the country.

In a matter of minutes Sergeant Stanley
aw the Sheriff, Deputy Brooks and a driver
whizz off in a county car. Stanley stayed
tehind to do some last minute checking up.

First and foremost he learned that the
sight train on the Katy lines had not stopped
x Iradel on the night indicated by Snow, the
oe preceding it or the subsequent one.

That cinched Lie Number One.

The next question could be answered only
x Snow’s place, so accompanied by Deputy
Sheriff Piercey, Sergeant Stanley hurried out
there. Snow was gone and the outer door
ugged on a broken hinge.

Stanley went directly to the fireplace and

Soiled dishes were
corner of the table.4
isa film of gray dust.)
dust began to bother
lrew his finger along
». Rubbing it, he got.
followed suit: sniffed |

red the word grimly,*

of native rock, sur-

beams. These in turn}
Ipiece. The back and

-thick soot which had }
uw the front and top.

‘e inches of powdery, ¢
wood fires!

‘linter and stirred the

ng bulky. After that

or where a curtain hid

ive gone with just one
ff whispered. “‘And it |
‘e their combs and the

ly’s lower set of teeth,”
a set on a chair near

ir interest was in find-
I am telling the story
t to me later, but they
hey sensed that if the
: fireplace, it had been |

able and nosed aboutl

se in one stall; a runty

o Iradel?”’ Stanley de-
drove home the same

Texas
near

front of the Texas cabin

Ranger Stanley stands in
discovered by “Spot”

which the severed head was

and young Acocks.

Bete ee

Pes WE

Ee Sort

once

Ee ———
ee Seat At

TES

quarreled with him and had run off to
Mexico. The wife and mother-in-law he as-
serted, had gone to Waco after quarreling
with him also. No, he didn’t think they'd
come back. A pretty hard-headed pair of
woinen if you asked him.

He grinned confidentially, waved a hand
airily as he said it.

By this time the news had leaked out
that Snow was a suspect and a pretty ugly
crowd was. gathering about the jail. But
before the mob could organize, Stanley
and the Sheriff had spirited Snow out of
the back door of the jail and were en
route to Fort Worth with him.

They left him there for me to handle
while they returned to Stephenville to car-
ry on the investigation of Snow’s posses-
sions, particularly the household goods and
his wagon.

Snow was sullenly alert when he entered
the room where I awaited him. I told him
who I was—Stanley’s immediate superior
—and that I wanted to talk to him about
his case.

“They haven't got anything on me”, he
muttered, “They're guessing.”

“Why didn’t you go and sce if you could
identify the head?” I asked him suddenly.
“Bernie was missing, wasn’t he?”

Snow scowled blackly.: “If it was his
head,” he snarled, “then he got mixed up
with tramps or something and they killed
him. Anyhow I don’t go traipsing about the
country looking for dead folks.”

“Particularly”, I said it quite softly,

“when you had a couple of dead folks of .

your own to burn in the fireplace after
we'd found Bernie’s head.”

That jolted him. His cavernous eyes
flashed bitter hatred at me.

“They never touched those ashes”, he
barked, “I was standin’ right there beside
’em.”

“But they went back, Snow”, T told him.
“They raked the ashes out and found the
pelvis bones of Mrs. Snow and her moth-
er.”

“And I suppose their names was on
’em”, he replied viciously. “Now you lissen
to me, young feller. I’m a-tellin’ you |
never harmed my wife or her mother, and
I never laid hands on the boy. That’s my
story and if you think you can prove dif-
ferent, you go ahead and try He.

“All right”, I told him, bringing out the
shoe they had taken from his place and
showing it to him. “This is how we place
you within inches of the hole where the
head was found. It's your shoe and it ex-
actly fits the track you made when you
dropped the sack there. It will convince
any jury and will hang you higher than a
kite.”

Though it was his second big shock in
a space of minutes, he remained cool, lean-
ing back and scratching his head contem-
platively.

“You've got to have a body before you
can convict me.” He said it cannily, “I
know the law as good as you do.”

“You're wrong”, I assured him. “If we
had a body without the head, we'd have
the burden of careful identification, but
possession of the head is proof that the

SET a ae Se RE SS

American Detective

Dead Man's Head

[CONTINUED FROM PAGE 59]

rest ‘of the body is dead too—and the head
has been identified.”

It failed to move him. Tle sat quietly in
a chair looking calmly down his nose. At
length he said;

“Suppose—without admitting anything—
I’d say to you: ‘What if he’d been killed
in self defense ?’”

“Self defense is a legal justification for
killing—if proved”, I answered. “A man

j
Nh

F. M. Snow as he appeared on the
day he was tuken into custody for
questioning.

has the right to protect himself against an
attack which he believes menaces his life.”

Snow nodded approvingly.

“You go ahead and charge me with kill-
ing Bernie, and that’s just what Il swear,
Ranger”, he said triumphantly. “So you
see you've got no case.”

I pretended to be vastly amused while
he cyed me suspiciously.

“All right, Snow”, I said, “but just wait
until you hear what the eye-witness testi-
fies.”

“There wasn't any eye-witness; we were
alone,” he snarled.

“Don't be a fool, Snow: a neighbor-—

He flew into a drooling rage. “We were
alone, I tell you”, he screamed. “Ile shot at
me twice

Then he realized what he'd done. And his
strange, gash-like mouth shut like a trap.
But I had his confession and my testimony,
backed with the proofs we already had ob-
tained, would go far with a jury.

“You had to kill the women to keep them
from telling that you'd killed the boy?”

H® glared at me, viciously. “I didn’t say

T’d killed the women, and T haven't
admitted killing the boy cither. You've just
jumped at conclusions.”

Por

oil

He fell silent then, seemingly lost is
thought. But after a while he said:

“Where'd you get the idea Pd killed my
wife and the old woman?”

“Because I’m a married man, Snow. I
know that no woman goes away on a trip
without taking her best clothes along—and
her comb and mirror. And no woman, no
matter how old, would be caught dead in
a desert without her false teeth. When the
Sheriff and Stanley saw all of those things
at your house, they knew the women were
dead.”

Again Snow thought things over for a
considerable time. Then he said, suddenly:

“Where’s those bones you've been talk-
ing about? There’s a lot of difference be-
tween say-so and take-a-look.”

The man’s craftiness chilled me. Yet it
came about that that was the one item
which finally sent him to the electric chair.
It was in his evasions, his quickness to find
protection against the law, that we later
found proof that he knew the difference
between right and wrong.

He curved the first finger of his right
hand—-the trigger fnger—and gnawed re
flectively on the calloused joint. Then he
said:

“Let's make a little deal just between
friends. You say you're sure I killed Ber-
nie, but you admit it'll be all right if I can
prove self-defense. Now, if you'll agree to
try me for killin’ him and if you'll forget
about them women, I'll talk. Is it a dick-
er?”

“Ves”, | told him slowly, “provided you
show us where the rest of the body is hid-
den. You're already held on a_ warrant
charging you with his murder and I prom-
ise you'll be tried on that.”

And then he nodded briskly, with all of
the aplomb of a man completing a profit-
able horse trade.

“I knew you was bluffin’ about the
women. Bones or no bones it’d take a Solo-
mon to say ‘This was Mattie’, or ‘This was
Mother Olds’. Well, now that you've
passed your word, ask your questions.”

“Where did you hide the body?” I threw
the question at him suddenly. [t was the
one essential fact right then.

“Up back of Bluffdale on Cedar Moun-
tain’. He said it coolly, adding: “TM take
you right there if you say the word, pro
vided you don't make me look at it.”

T said: “Right now’s a good time, Snow",
and went to call Sheriff Hastler to tell
him | was taking Snow to Bluffdale and
for the Sheriff and Stanley to meet us
there,

And then Snow balked.

“L won't go a step until you get me some
snuff’, he growled. “I've ‘dipped’ all my
life and [Um near crazy without it.”

I looked him squarely in the cyes and
laughed,

“That's one my Daddy used to tell me
about, Snow. The James boys got away
from a Deputy U. S. Marshal once by
blinding him with snuff. No, that’s out, but
if you want to chew I'll get you a plug of
tobacco.”

He looked at me with the most evil grin
imaginable,

“Then
coldly. “
The nm
of Mrs.
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chance to miss them—probably right here
in the yard.”

Snow’s queer eyes shot sparks as he
snarled; “Then prove it, damn you!”

And Stanley and Sheriff Hastler did just
that!

After Snow’s arrest, they had let one of
the deputies take the wagon and team back
to the home place. Now they threw the
load from the wagon and began an inch-
by-inch inspection of the bed and the under-
gear.

The first thing they discovered was a big,
greasy spot under the driver’s seat.

There was another on the sloping foot-
board of the dash. These smelled of kero-
sene, of rancid lard. Stanley, wise in the
way of the country folks, recognized it.

“That’s how you take blood out of
wood,” he explained. “First you rub lard
into it, then wash out the stain with coal
oil. 1t does something to the animal matter
in the blood so that soap and water will
take out the stain.”

All of the time Snow stood there glaring
like a trapped cougar. But for the first time
his face showed real fear when they re-
moved the wagon bed and began examining
the braces.

“Here's dried blood on the reach,” Sher-
if Hastler said suddenly, “He sure slipped
badly when he didn’t clean that.”

“That’s hawg blood,” Snow explained
hastily. “I killed a couple ten days ago and
carted ’em to town.”

But some of his confidence was gone. He
was shaken—and the discovery of more
dried blood in a crack in the wagon bed
didn’t help him any.

When they'd finished with the wagon,
they went back into the house and, after
removing the ashes from the fireplace, they
screened them carefully out in the bright
sunshine.

The pelvis fragments already had been
found and secreted: by Sergeant Stanley, but
there was another find of equal importance.
It was a charred feminine molar, a tooth
which once had been broken off across one
side. Some dentist had repaired it with an
amalgam patch of peculiar shape.

“We'll find the dentist who did this,”
Stanley told Snow, “and that'll give us an-
other identification.”

Snow grinned knowingly, viciously. “You
won't need it,” he protested. “Already I’ve
told you how they diced; next, you’ve prom-
ised to try me for the boy’s killin’.”

“Don’t worry: that’s what we're going
to do,” Stanley- assured him. “That was our
deal and we stick to it.”

Aeep Pp peetele) ChE nM 43 pan

American Detective

But while he talked he was keeping his
gaze on some new nails in the flooring.
Now he got a short bar and went back to
the spot. A little prying loosened the boards,
revealing a double cavity at each side of a
two-by-four. stringer,

Within lay a bloody towel anda stained,
double-bitted axe.

Then he knew he had found the imple-
ment with which the boy had been decapi-
tated.

They all went back into the house and
Snow’s eyes found the open spot in the
flooring.

“Yeh, that’s it,” Stanley told him. “When
you heard they’d found Bernie’s head, you
came.right back here, dug your victims out
from under the floor and burned them,
piecemeal, in the fireplace. Didn't you ?”

For a second Snow let his gaze fall. He
had lost something of his calm assurance.

“It took—two days,” he muttered, “and
almost—two cords—of wood.”

Then suddenly he was all defiance again.
“But what's that to you?” he shouted. “You
fellers ain’t breakin’ your solemn word,
are you?”

When Stanley said, “No, Snow,” he said:

“You see, Ranger, I had it to do: had
to get them out of the way somehow, It
was too lite to tell the straight story. You
see it, don’t you?”

“IT see what you mean,” Stanley told him,
“but I can see also that you're in one awful
tight fix, Snow. We’re going to convict
you of Bernie’s murder.”

E stared as though he could not believe

his ears. Then an all-consuming rage
shook him, Tle cursed them, promising. to
add them to his list. if and when a jury
freed him!

But, most important of all, he emulated
the clam. From then to the end of his trial,
he refused to confirm what he already had
said, or to add to his statements.

The trial, which came up in the early
Spring term of court at Stephenville, at-
tracted wide attention. In some manner
Snow managed to obtain the services of a
fiery, hard-fighting lawyer, whose chief idea
was to tear our case to bits forthwith.

Using all legitimate tricks of the law, he
tried to confuse our witnesses, fought for
admissions of error, and stubbornly fought
to get the thought over to the jury that his
client was being persecuted—not prosecuted.

It was a masterly defense, but even a
Demosthenes could not controvert the track
at the edge of the pit, the fact that Snow
had led us to the mutilated body, or that

he had been seen riding out of town with
the boy on the day of his disappearance.

Feeling ran high. Abruptly Snow's at-
torney turned to the insanity plea when he
saw that self-defense would not hold. He
called witnesses to prove that Snow “acted
queer”; that he “frightened folks.” For a
time there seemed a chance that) Snow
would go free.

Public indignation seethed. Then Mrs.
Snow’s brother, a Border immigration of-
ficial, arrived. He said openly he would kill
Snow if the jury freed him. In fact, feeling
ran so high, that the court finally appoint-
ed Jess Brooks as Snow’s bodyguard, with
instructions to shoot to kill any who
molested him.

Texas juries are pretty practical and
hard-headed. This one brought in a verdict
of guilty, which of course meant the chair.
But still Snow’s attorney was fighting. He
obtained a court order for an examination
into his client’s sanity, and several months
passed while the doctors examined him and
made their reports. As usual they were
divided in their opinions when the day of
the formal hearing came.

But finally, mainly through the evidence
of the Sheriff, Sergeant Stanley and my-
self, it was established beyond question that
Snow knew the difference between right
and wrong—-and the consequences of his
act.

The court thereupon adjudged Snow
sane and sent him to Huntsville prison,
there to await execution. He was electro-
cuted in the fall of 1926, going to the chair
wordless, unshaken.

I went to see him the night before the
execution. Tle seemed glad to talk to me
and, imoa general way, admitted most of
our findings. Also he admitted that he had
cut two inches out of the boy's neck to hide
the proof of his second shot which had
caused the youth's death.

We had believed that to be the case
throughout, but it had not come out during
the trial.

I couldn’t repress a shudder. He was the
coldest-blooded, most wanton killer I ever
saw. But I asked one more question,

“You killed the man whose headless body
was found at Mineral Wells eleven years
ago, didn’t you?”

He looked up at me coldly.

“Goodbye, Ranger,” he mumbled. “It's
too late—things is too far along—to talk
about that now.”

There’s just one thing to say for Snow:
he died, just as he had killed, quite calmly
and efficiently.

“You're und
said,

The boy tu
blusteringly: °
I haven't done

In spite of h
ried to the cot
out of the ro
protesting his
hips, armpits a
his vest. Fro:
the butt of ;
leather holster
name as Mag
of Stanley Me
Copenhaver,
county as Me:
way to the ja:
we arrested tl!

Copenhaver
porary charg:
weapon, and t
abandoned for
the girl.

Like all the
nection with
time we left |
Thurman. Un
she finally ad
were not mar
only a step to
that there we:
been staying
man, Mercer
they could be
Hall's Gap, b

Deputy Th
left immediat
two women
Somerset. The
a new name i
er Franklin,
part in the Bi
bers of the
new developn
withhold the
news dispatch
arrest him. !
was mentione

But the sti
statements of
Each swore t
Mercer who
in a hold-up
on March 8!

And Merce
called “just a

Maggie Me
mitted the ki!
could not. ste
the groans ot
Mercer told |
race at Cam;
Bowman and
entered the st
outside as g
that her hush
the night of
she “heard S$
ley Mercer ta
scrape at Cai
the shooting
Kaufman unt
They said t
Kaufman wit!

d Lr RI ee MEO ee nT RTT Gee SM NONE MERE Fone foe ean Arhaoiicihbais Er ca sisi daca

por

Sa lomo n |

‘| gees
popes and

: with: her hots op ofisat b ‘¢ t

\T now lying at for that he: woe

? edi ae Hopra i a bak neds ih dag ireenie wu commit rfroneury |

apenesiene tenet cane ¥ lof thial "yi alstep-ouita fel jet at 1. Dank of ie
‘he nday, “AThé emigrants ware te Le oe ae rf ded toad Bah an lee a: a Deke of Florida, i att x: @
\ telted when the vessels came into PRO LYHAE | ‘ this. ' - that he wou
r 7s th ra rite AA a a tat Ts Gi, ‘jachas ‘coun 2, of. “the jesus:
‘, auopox,, Sune 48°--The: Brlttah: Detonas on soos sacks, and keog
James 8. Wright) trom. Philadel “| Fatid, the laa peotor 30 of it, in eire
Mrtived “as ‘Beil th: pent eal ‘| thal conversation with gene

Ee ae ater coallatt Pad al |
8 r @ ense of
@ mttin oke’ f thet laf P which “the oft
poptaw Dn was murdered, and tw
w were placed !in irons '
with she murder. |} fa
ErRO, June 26. —The *
dant bile Willams Mallory, Jr., from
New); York, May 3, for Buenos Ayres,
ut:in here leaky. \The Taviscible! algo |.

lies eee

monar

Within that limit: he: asserted : his

| thority to d or contract at his p

hE flesg will, hen. secretaries .of ..t!

treasury Per ry nye w
t

om 4

T been added to the list o
cane of his decal this. gh

i} cause of

quested b y Govt None
A letter of recommend: ?

by Gov.} Noyes, was. subm!

proved to be merely a fo

recomméndation to Becretary.

enormous power fo. ‘reposed. im

tioning witness. as i Pats phe ts
ut into port th loss of mizzon mast, | , | men ‘BOY | hands of oe man. — | akigaay |
Ba aNat, June ‘| 28: — Arrived:| Fart pg ce Pew pooy- Bil AF te a New. York Harald: @ can: hard
| Janlata, Philadelphia. |) "| Hon to the coosidorntion Of ther sonce: | 022 & possibility of the, Republicans 1
tt Nar eae June. 28. — Arriy baad FR gringo f..the "ae oor of ‘representative
| buts | Jacob, Ravers,’ Faitf, Ross. / |: ‘Ney, Giuine Hak in oat before which th ey Tost tin the elections of 187
-} | Qpemarows,| June 28 —Arrived : | mar Ml Gee welataine Loasdcan si ig qxeopt | aoe, Wools Gils of thom, The present
) poring. Botbnis, ‘vom New York, being M oa as f ‘Shed him za oea| the
'| Homéward: Borene, Wilmingtan, {| 4‘): hie goin eal thin 1 Sy hellave ne disbaties fag ceca fad two) your 7 Tes not posi
; Spagenerowm | ‘Juno, 28, Arrived 1} speak,|.:a p thie | 1 ‘Alnchy, -sscbla ad party, snd
Va! ‘ eet that el wee cae crete eat Dennis itt th; oh Lait: frou understood |

nave xu Jobin rArrived: All Al nw po Sa “hge to. die, end wished | 4) ted | bef Jett the 8 he mg have been “5° tied the Rapub

the j Aas to fol tha hela: ft ae ae to be in readiness feel no en toe, « oblel was

: n the’Mistesic Greund.. | “| viornis toward him for, a Bows Plt pore ivger eae their organs are been sccustomed :
tn Ontzsns, June 28 —]Represep- | tion oftheir d bh “itt I: Lecargle py tt - palates .. belittle and The 2 people stieny
heater tenger arid Reed, of the Pot Bhertif, to ba chy eg oh ol : vin favor economy; 7 oak unetier ‘of the extr
Am . Y, Was not closed, vagant legis a of f the: inte late eae

‘| 'sub-cohimittes, have arrived. “Represeh- | sembla; ; Saying the One 6f:
ir eater scapeot tes [Hee Eee: ifs ne
pa 6; te will arr: q e ntly; muc (] /'
‘| Bunds mera teae iE then adjusted thé rope, ‘and { rif. Sittie at lon oe ves ore ho aid e,.
‘11 Representative Blenger is Udder t | rope was cut; at 232 the dan pro- atthe ro rape Paes ae slur ts go coc ent haree effec
‘| Impresglog that the committee will nov || noudced life aati} ie EE Des ti, ret te, ie aid : ' ,
therg sph Ppecali either, telegrams, letters 8. or vs ttagall te © advantage of
uu A

able.to in its work before Mos- | estimtatd the Hayes: and w .
| from Gov Hayne ook a log pur | Sule, Pare fA nan
in
vs, 4

ay next, and that a jpérior'of the
Onstien he ye 8 wie a the P
ings of the cany pe fe 1 2-
wsier’ before the 0 rat ee ete, Abertay
w

Bs dq wu he work of of th8

tness.

resentative of the no, sald. ¢: ite Vaasers, oto| : He undertook to find out | tow of the sduthern: states there’ w.
pret will be | te Acorn auch Prt? 6 (Weaver re sj] . hoy faots: Dg. Bef peony odd atill a " bepentastion tte
poise oh ave been ralsed before the | |* Lowpo} i eva 3, ope wing to the parti or oye not No. | years ago, apd. several. '‘Repablic
yll committes, but it is impossible at wea eh y yond owing bg mem to edngresa: /T)
this. tia. to aay rat scope will bp meres to-day}) ae narsatved atten seg, aad | orfpoeite ba | epublicans will Jose all or. most :
eves Gs wk eh ee ortschs bod w ne lost all confidence n them, steely sad are to's “men aber ta ab

what direction it wil 0. A lst
ng 8 age Sreared, but Bten- | ¢ided, in n jaccordance ; asthe

ed.to plate w witnesses | th tish plonipot
oo ‘sommoned fare Mr. Potter the British Pl fan ip rpatia i

‘testimony. of some forty or fift
publicans that they had voted! tha | Bare, of : the beter eer mee

from that etath! ava

SOLOMON, George, black, hanged Fairfield, Freestone Co., June 28, 1878.
“Fairfield, Freestone County - Execution of a Colored Wife Murderer.

“Fairfield, June 28, via Mexia, 28.-The execution of Geo. Solomon, colored, took place at
Fairfield to-day for the murder of his wife and step child, committed one year ago this month.
The murderer was about 35 years of age, of short, stout build, and possessing altogether a
repulsive appearance. It is supposed that this was not his first offense of the kind...”-Weekly
News, Galveston, TX, 7/1/1878 (1).

yea ral : Seo
airfield, Freestone nee
Caution: iy Colpred Ware | Mur-
brer, | mi
FAIRFIRGD, June 38, via} exla 28.—

‘The murd
go, of [ahd
ing altoget
t is sun

ate nse 0

0.| Solomon, col- |

( nea place at Hairfleld|to-day, for

of his wifejand| step. child,

f hat

one year ago: t is, month. *
brer: was|/abdut’ Bo. years of
rt, at ut |build, and possess-
her | re ulatve \ppearance..
red that t is ie ot i mk
fhe kind, ae

M.' the ound relechat

SaranreyT ac

got mixed though,” he continued.
“Jimmy did hire out to Snow but when
it came time to go to work Snow
couldn’t use him so he came to me. He
moved on after a few weeks. I don’t
know where to, but Fletcher might if
you were to ask him.”

Hassler shelved the question. Some
day, when this was over, he would look
up Fletcher. But now a week had
passed, a week of tremendous activity as
volunteer searchers drew a fine net
across the countryside and found no
trace of Bernie Connolly’s body. Or of
F. M. Snow, living or dead, for the police
half expected to find his body as well.

Nor of the missing women.

While posses tramped through brush
and cedar brakes, other officers drove
country roads for miles in every direc-
tion, inquiring from house to house in a
futile search for information that ap-
parently did not exist.

OX TUESDAY Hassler, in despera-
tion, picked up his Ranger friend,
Stewart Stanley, and drove south on
the Waco road. It was another gray
day. The cold lingered and slow, driz-
zling rain turned to sleet before it fell.
In spite of difficult driving, they went
farther than they had gone before, in-
quiring at all of the little towns as well
as the farmhouses. Iredell. Duffau.
Hico. Again and again they repeated
the meager description of the outfit.
Two women. Two women and a man.
Or a man alone.

But the quest seemed hopeless. So
much time had passed. No one could
remember.

Late in the afternoon they turned
homeward, tired, disheartened and
chilled to the bone. For more than
eight hours they had fought slippery
roads and an icy windshield.

Stewart Stanley had the wheel. Hico
is about 20 miles south of Stephenville.
They rode in glum silence, too weary to
talk—until midway between the towns
they topped a slight rise and Stanley
pulled up so suddenly that he all but
threw Hassler out of the seat. The car
slewed sidewise, out of control for the
moment. Stanley managed to right it,
then said, “Look, Sheriff, down yonder
Isn’t that—could that be the outfit we’re
looking for?”

Hassler already had seen it. Below
them a scant quarter mile, halted at a
small bridge over Indian Creek, was a
farm wagon with four horses abreast.
A sorrel team in harness, a black mare
tied on the right, a slim bay filly on the
left—the stock that had been in the
Snow barn. But the wagon seat was
empty. What it might mean they didn’t
try to guess. Stewart Stanley got his
car in motion, then cut the switch. It
was down grade; with luck they could
coast all the way.

ASSLER slid his gun from its hol-
ster. Stanley, reaching into the
back, caught up a rifle and laid it across
his knees. They were close now, the
car rolling silently. Close enough to see
that the cow, apparently balking at the
bridge, had broken her halter and some-
one, out of sight behind the wagon, was
coaxing her forward so the rope could
be re-tied.

“There's only one person, I think,”
said the Sheriff.

“Man or woman?” Stanley asked,
his foot easing down on the brake.

Hassler peered through the dusk. “1
can’t tell.”

“There’s a rifle on the wagon seat.”

“I know, and two small guns in the
back, I imagine. But we haven't been
seen yet.”

He stepped from the car, the Ranger
close behind. They moved quietly, lest
the horses be disturbed. But the black
mare shied when Hassler laid a hand on
her shoulder to shove her around in
line. The muffied figure whirled at her
movement.

Hassler stood within six feet, eyes
hard, gun hand steady. Behind him,
Stanley’s rifle covered every move.

Facing two loaded guns, the slender,
dark-faced man in the road couldn't
reach anywhere but up.

Hassler said evenly, “Your name, my
friend?”

“Snow,” he answered, “and I don’t
need to ask yours. What do you want?”

“You know that, too, I think. Come
forward please, and no tricks.”

Snow obeyed, empty-handed. A
quick search disclosed two small guns
in his pockets.

“A thirty-eight pistol and a twenty-
two target,” Hassler said later when
the prisoner was safely jailed. “We
would have had some shooting sure as
sundown if he hadn’t been caught off
guard. I’d hate to be his target.”

He was thinking of the riddled tin

“Can you ease out the back way?” he
asked

“I can if we work fast.”

“Fine. Take Snow to Bluff Dale. No
one would think of looking for him in
such a little place. I’ll meet you there.
We'll let slip the word that he’s been
sent to Mineral Wells; that’s far enough
to cool the hot-heads. By tomorrow we
may know whether he’s guilty or in-
nocent.”

“He’s guilty, all right,” Hassler said
grimly. “We found blood on a wagon

Her killer snipped the telephone wires in Helen Edmunds’ home. Here
Technician Pinker and Officer Fowler test the frayed end. See Pg. 14

Snow wasn’t questioned at once. The
police had other business. As word
of the arrest got out, angry men gath-
ered on street corners. Violence and
death grow out of such gatherings.
Then word came from a neighboring
town. A long string of cars had passed
through there, headed toward Stephen-
ville.

Hassler put in a hasty call for Dis-
trict Attorney Sam Russell, who was

spending the night in Fort Worth. -

“Something’s up, Sam,” he said. “The
streets are full of men and not a woman
in sight. We couldn't hold against a

Russell did some quick thinking.

wheel and on an ax he had in his wagon.
He’d tried to wash it off. He was leav-
ing the country, Sam. Trusting to night
and the storm to get away. Everything
of value he owned was in that wagon.
He apparently was hiding in the tim-
ber back of his place, waiting for his
chance.”

Snow was spirited out of town. Save
for a bad moment when Special Deputy
Jess Brooks passed the procession of
cars, the fifteen-mile drive was un-
eventful. Not until later did the Sheriff
learn that the cars were bound for a
wedding, not a lynching party.

That night a half dozen officers sat
with Snow in the tiny, one-room jail

at Bluff Dale and heard him admit
killing his stepson.

“T had to do it,” he said. “He pulled
@ gun on me. We were alone; his
mother and grandmother had gone to
Waco. I met Bernie in town. He tied
his horse to the wagon and rode out
with me. I don’t know what got into
him. We'd been getting along all right,
but just as we got inside the yard he
turned on me. He fired three times
before I could get the gun away from
him. He was hit twice in the struggle
...I loaded him into the wagon and
drove over to Cedar Mountain. You'll
find the body in the brakes. I can take
you to it.”

NOW did lead them that chill De-

cember night with storm clouds
scudding across the face of a pale, last
quarter moon and in stillness broken
only by the muffled beat of motors and
the eerie cry of coyotes on the prowl.
High up on the slope he paused.

“Inside that fence. That’s where it
is—but don’t make me go to it. I'm a
sick man. I just haven't the strength.”

They found Bernie Connolly’s body
just where Snow had said it ‘would be.
Beside it they found dull red stains on
brown leaves and the sharp imprints
of an ax biting deep into rocky soil as
it had slashed the boy’s head off.

Hassler confronted the cold-eyed
prisoner in his cell.

“Your wife and her mother are not
in Waco,” he said flatly. “You killed
them, too, didn’t you?”

Snow’s bleak gaze didn’t waver. His
thin lips curled. “You figure it, Hass-
ler,” he said. “I'll just take what I know

- with me.”

And so he did. Days passed with no
further admissions. Days when scores
of men, beginning at the house, spread
out in an ever-widening circle to sweep
timbered hills for miles without finding
any trace of the missing women. Others
took up where they left off. Still others
tramped Cedar Mountain. The entire
countryside was searched.

Hassler and his deputies started
over again, at the house. The Rangers
helped and Ranger Stanley found a
scrap of bone in the ashes of a long-
dead fire.

His shout drew the others. The great
fireplace had been built to hold five-
foot logs. An eager sifting of ashes
brought forth other bones, obviously
human. The officers found corset-stays
and hairpins and when a shoe buckle
slipped through a crack in the floor
they lifted boards and found in the
damp earth beneath the house the out-
line of a woman's body and the house-
dress that had been hanging on the
line at Hassler’s first visit. Apparently
it had been put there as an after-
thought.

Confronted with evidence he couldn't
bluff through, Snow amended his con-
fession. He had shot the women, he
said, during an argument occasioned
when his wife let the stock get into the
cotton field. Hiding the bodies beneath
the house, he went on to town. Later.
after disposing of the boy, he took them
out and burned them.

“It took me all night to do it,” he
said. “I used up a whole cord of wood.”

Snow, charged with the Connolly
murder, was indicted in December.
1925, and his trial set for the following
month. He was found guilty on Janu-
ary 28 and sentenced to death. An
appeal was filed in his behalf and the
case dragged interminably. Early in
1927 the appeal was denied and the
execution date set for July 15.

He entered Huntsville prison on June
1, with yet another delay. The governor
had granted a 28-day extension in
order that the Board of Pardons might
review the case. The Board, however,
found no extenuating circumstances
and Snow paid for his crimes on August
12, more than a year and a half after
they were committed. His unclaimed
body was buried in the prison cemetery.
His last words were, “If I could just
have got the Sheriff and the District
Attorney first I'd be satisfied to go.”

Henry Archer, Jimmy Volt and Walt
Fletcher are fictitious names in this
story to protect innocent men.

“@

_Ex-inmate acquitted of killings

in Waco now criticizes system

Continued from Page 1A.

Southern Methodist University.

®° Rick Halperin, the Amnesty Inter-
Bauonal board member who orga
nized the Nov. 11 panel, ls convinced
phat Mr. Deeb ts innocent of the grue-
some Lake Waco murders.

“He's quite an impressive young
than, very softepoken, very passionate
about what be went through And
yery concerned about educating poo
‘ple shout what is happening in this
fate, in Huntsville, concerning the
Phenomenon of innocent people on
Seath row,” said Dr. Halperin, who
aches history and human rights at

“And I'm golng to try to show,” said
. Deeb, “that I'm not the only one.”
,.. But even as he emerges on the

Tecture circuit, the court of public |

opinion remains sharply divided over
whether Mr, Deeb is a martyr of Amer-
ican Justice gone awry or a clever,
remorseless murderer who got off on
@ technicality,

“I live in fear every dav, knowing
that he's just up the road,” said Nancy
Wiser of Waxahachie, whose daughter
Jiu Montgomery was one o. the three
teens killed on July 12, 1982, at a Lake
Waco park
“It's a very uncomfortable feeling.”
Said Richard Pranks of Waco,

4 “7 whose son Ken-
neth also died in
the killing spree:
rt, “tle (Mr. Deeb) is
14>! as guilty as he can
: { be. It's just anoth-

ERAT) er example of

9 ff how the justice

iA" " system has failed

Pi “ *"t to work In so

Moneer M. Deed many situations
doday, It's let us down.”

. Mr. Deeb's dealings with the law
‘since he walked out of a Fort Worth
‘courtroom Jan. 12 have not calmed his
‘doubters. In March, he was charged in
‘Dallas with receiving and concealing
‘stolen electronics in a police sting that
led to more than a dozen charges
against three of bis cousins and an
“uncle,

‘Fears refueled

His arrest has refueled fears about
Mr. Deeb — Ms, Wiser worries that
she {s on his vendetta list — even as it
has renewed the hopes of some people
Unat the system may yet dispense some
punishment Lf he is convicted on the
third-degree felony, he could be de

ed to his native Jordan,

Mr, Deeb, H, attributes his present
problems to malicious pursuit by po
ice — the same thing that be says led
to his arrest In Waco more than 10
years ago.

“Tue way I look at it right now,
they can take anybody off the street,
because once you're accused, you have
a very, very small chance of proving
yourself innocent,” he said.

“Innocent unt) proven guilty is a
myth.”

Mr, Deeb Is not the most famous

brexas prisoner to be releaved from .

‘death row. Randall Dale Adams,
:whose 1989 release followe' a docu
mentary about his questions ble pros
ecudon for the slaying of a Dallas
police officer, and Clarence Brandley
bf Conroe, whose 1981 murder convic
Yon was overturned on groinds that
racial blases helped convict } lm, have
Tecelved more media attention,

But the case in which Pr, Deeb
was implicated stood for yerrs as the
most sensational in Central Texas —
Unul the mass murder at the Luby’s
cafeteria in Killeen and the Branch
Davidian inferno redefined sensation-
al.

Horrible deaths

The Lake Weco murder victims
were young, innocent and unsuspect-
Ing. Their deaths were an.ong the

most horrible imaginable.
Ms. Montgomery, 17, and her
‘ends Kenneth Franks, 18, and Rey-
Rice, 17, were stabbed repeatedly,
“broats were slashed and the

, There was hate mall”

“recalcitrant witnesses and the

girls were raped.
Thelr mutilated bodies were dis.

this all the time.” .
omy Mr, Deed Ukens himself to such

covered In a remote. wooded area, former inmates as Randall Dale Ad

where the macabre spectacle of Mr.”

Franks’ body, wearing sunglasses and
propped in a s{tting position against a
tree, greeted police,

The case at first stymied invest
gators. But jailhouse gossip eventually”.
led one law officer to uncover a mur
Ger-for-hire plot allegedly concocted
by Mr. Deeb, the coowner of a small
Waco convenience store,

According to the prosecution sce
nario:

Spence to kill a former ‘girlfriend,
Gayle Kelley Reyes, on whom Mr,
Deeb had taken out # $20,000 insur.
ance policy.

But Mr. Spence-and his accomplic
es, Gilbert and Anthony Melendez,
mistook Ms, Montgomery for Ms,”
Reyes. ‘

Mr. Spence wes convicted and sen-
tenced to death for the killings. The
Melendez brothers pleaded gullty and °
recelved Iife sentences, . ;

In 1985, Mr. Deeb also’ was sen-’
tenced to die for Mx. Montgomery's
murder, But in 1991, the Texas Court
of Criminal Appeals overturned the:
convictjon, saying that hearsay testi-
mony from a cellmate of Mr. Spence's

Deeb trial. ; éy
Mr. Deeb's new trial was held in
Fort Worth. That jury ecquitted him.

Called a vindication

Mr, Deeb's attorney for the retrial,
high-profile Dick DeGuerin of Hous
ton, called Mr, Dseb's release a vindl-.
cation, -

Mr, DeGuerin portrays Mr. Deeb as
an outspoken foreigner whose store
attracted “sleazy people.” He was al-

ready unpopular in largely Bapust Wa .

co for selling beer and cigarettes to
teens when he made an ill-conceived
Joke claiming responsiblity for the
Killings, Mr. DeGuerin sald,

“From that polnt on,” the lawyer
sald, “the whole town piled on and
Deeb was a pariah. His store closed
down. Nobody would go to his store.

Indeed, Felton McAfee, the jury
foreman at Mr. Deeb's second trial,
sald jurors were convinced that Mu-
neer Deeb could be obnoxious

But the prosecution failed to dem-

onstrate that he was guilty of worse.

Mr, Deeb's acquiltal was the frustrat-
ing, inevitable result, Mr, McAfee sald,
“We did not say that this man was

Innocent of the crime, We did not aay *

that,” Mr, McAfee said last weck,
“We just could not say that he was
Fort Worth lawyer Bill Lane, spe
cial prosecutor for Use second trial,
said Mr. Deeb owes his freedom to

of ume. Both made it difficult to re
assemble the prosecution's case 10
years after the murders.

Key witnesses, such as codefen-

dant Gilbert Melendez, who had tes

tfled about a murderfor-hire arrange

‘ams and Clarence Drandicy who were
{reed in recent years after their desth
sentences were overturned,

And he estimates that perhaps $ to
10 percent of Texas’ death row popu-
lation fs not guilty. He said bis work

‘with Amnesty Loternational fulfllls a

_ pledge he made to fellow inmates to
spread the word about the wrongly
Imprisoned, especially those facing
death, a punishment that he considers

“ too cosuy and a failure as a deterrent
Mr. Deeb hired David Wayne. .

“We should take this toy from the
public officials and do away with the
‘death penalty,” sald Mr, Deeb, whose
“capital murder appeals onst less than
{Most because he wrote some of them,

including the one that won his retrial.
Mr. Deeb's release from the pent
tentary, however, differs in one sig-
nificant way (rom those of Mr. Adams,
Mr. Brandley and Mr, Skelton. In thone
cases, prosecutors declined to retry
the defendants. /

In Mr, .Deeb's. case, McLennan
County spent about $400,000 to prone
cute him a sccond time.

Acqulttal shocking

» Residents were shocked when Mr.
Deeb was acquitted, sald Tommy

-had been improperly allowed in the » Witherspoon, a Wace. Tribune-Herald

_ Teporter who covered both trials. The

imajority opinion voiced around the
courthouse In Waco scems to be that
Mr. Deeb was guilty but that the cae
against him suffered because he didnt
physically participate in the killings,
Mr, Witherspoon sald.

“Spence scemed to enjoy hurting
people, where Dech seemed like a pa
thetic little fellow where Lf he got mad
at you he'd hire someone else to kill

you,” be sald

That's also the view of Ned Buuer,

‘the assistant prosecutor in the origi-
nal Lake Waco trials.

(| "There's many, many walking
around where there just never was
enough evidence to convict them,” he
sald. '

Mr. Deeb said there was nothing to
prove. He said he did not order the
killings, although he acknowledges he
had an accident Insurance policy on
Ms, Reyes, a onetime employee of his
Store, that paid off in the event of bér
death. The three killers acted on their
own, he said, ©

Like Mr, DeGuerin, he believes
xenophobia played heavily into the
case against bim, But he is undaunted
by those who believe that he is guilty,

* Mr. Deeb declines to talk about the
the? case pending against him, except
to say that he thinks the police are
carrying water for the pronecution's
bitterness over his acquittal.

+ Prosecutor Mike Sullivan said that

. Mr. Deeb, if convicted, would probe

bly get probation because, with the
tmurder ‘conviction’ erased from the
books, the theft is s first offense. Still,
because he's a permanent resident
‘ather. than: a citizen of the United
“States, he could be deported as a con-

ment between Mr, Deeb and hit man : Ycted felon. ;

David Spence, refused to testify a seo
ond time, he sald, | |” ot

A jury convicted him when the
facts were fresh,” Mr, Lane sald. “Ten
years later it's just a whole Jot harder
to prosecute a cave.”

+ Innocent or not guilty? The Deeb

‘case appears open to Interpretation,

and Amnesty International clearly
opts for the former. The printed blurb

. Meanwhile, Mr. Deeb's New York

_ book agent, Nicole Aragi, said she sees

his story as a “very dramatic” account
of an immigrant's scathing brush with
American justice zealots,

Truman Simons, the investigator
who pleced together the Lake Waco
case, agrees that Mr, Deeb’s story bias
uniquely American overtones.

“<*T dont know how_ many people

on Mr, Deeb at the Vienna conference they've got on death row right now,
asserted that after serving time on But not very many of them will tell,
death row, he was “later found to be you they‘re gullty,” sald Lt Simons,
{nnocent of all charges.” the droll ch aaene unr Puce
Department er w tective
Part of pattern work was chronicled in Careless
Dr. Halperin of SMU sees Mr, Whispers, an awarding-wioning book
Deeb’s release an part of a pattern of gbout the care by Cedar Hill autbor
Texas reversing itself in death row Carlion Sowers
convictions. ‘ ©." That some of thane inmates'will be
“His is not an Leolated case, where {reed — and move on to exercise their
you think I's a Shake and It's past one -rights.of (ree spench, —/ Is ‘all. very
guy,” be sald. “If you do the type of unsurprising, Lt. Simons said.
work I'm involved in; you hear shout “It's the American way.”

--20 anti-d.p. protestors

Attachment:
LOCATION: Koehne Park (Lake Waco)
CONFESSION: Bragged to numerous inmates about the stabbings
Bragged to TRUMAN SIMONS (WPD) about "made a game of killing"
MOTHER: JUANITA WHITE ( ), 86/03/02, found murdered at her home in

Waco, beaten to death, two men caught, no knowledge of
earlier murders, same investigator

WITNESES AT EXECUTION:
-his girlfriend, former wife, son, and brother
--body to go to AZ --he was a grand-father of two

-victims’ families
—-FRANKS -mo. & fa.
-MONTGOMERY -fa. & sr. & br. {mo. has heart problems }
—-RICE +"in. town* [jim rice’s family]
—-post execution comments about it being too easy

Fora. Osteen Mayer
Cogerel | ee OO a eae

SPECS

Man seeks $100 million for

By Bill Lodge |
Staff Writer of The Dallas Morning News

A Dallas resident is seeking $100
million from the current and for-
mer law enforcement officials in
Waco who put him on death row for
his alleged involvement in the mur-
ders of three teen-agers in 1982.

In a suit filed Wednesday with
US. District Judge Jerry Buchmey-
er, Muneer M. Deeb alleges that the
officials conspired to violate his
rights to a fair trial. The suit was
filed by attorney Douglas W. Brady.

Mr. Deeb received a death sen-
tence after his 1985 trial, in which
he was convicted as the person who
planned the murder of a former
girlfriend, an employee at his Waco
convenience store.

The Texas Court of Criminal Ap-

peals overturned the conviction in

Waco officials conspired
in murder case, he says

1991, ruling that testimony from a
prison inmate was improperly al-
lowed into evidence.

A new trial was held in Fort
Worth, and Mr. Deeb was acquitted
in January 1993.

He says in his suit that the ac-
quittal does not return the time he
spent in jail for allegedly hiring
three men to kill his former girl-
friend.

At trial, prosecutors argued that
Mr. Deeb planned the murder to
collect on a $20,000 life insurance
policy he had taken out on the
young woman.

In a grisly case of mistaken iden-
tity, the three men killed a
teen-ager and two friends at a Lake

¢ 4 | ¢ 9
Waco park. |
Jill Montgomery, 17, Raylene
Rice, 17, and Kenneth Franks, 18,
were stabbed repeatedly. Their

throats were slashed, and the young
women were raped.

One of the three men allegedly
hired by Mr. Deeb was sentenced to
death; the other two received life
prison sentences.

Mr. Deeb alleges in his suit that
former McLennan County District
Attorney Victor Feazell, Sheriff
Jack Harwell and four other county
investigators and prosecutors pur-
Sued the case against him without
any real evidence.

Neither Mr. Feazell, who now
lives in Austin, nor Sheriff Harwell
could be reached for comment
Wednesday.

™

¢&.

Fighting, the system

Ex-inmate acquitted of Waco murders embraced
by. rights advocates, but some doubt his innocence

quitted in January, bes a free man,
embraced by Amnesty International,

ma and in search of « publisher for
the book be's writing.

One of his working tives Crue! Bus
Not Unusual, : '

With the help of Amnesty Interna-
tional, the advocacy group for pris

| overs’ rights, Mr. Deeb, who lives in

the Dallas area, is fast becoming the
latest celebrity critic of Texas’ crim!
nal justice symem.

In June, the group sent Mr, Deeb to
the United Nations World Conference
oo Human Rights in Vienna, where he
served oa the Survivors Commitice
with the Dalai Lams and other Nobel
laureates. Next week, Amnesty Inter.
national will feature him at a panel
discussion on the desith penalty at

Please see EX-INMATE on Page 26A.

THURS.
Nov. 4, 1993

NAME: SPENCE, DAVID WAYNE "CHILI" DATE OF EXEC.: 1997/04/03 NUMBER: 371

S: YofE: 97 DR #: TX-000773 METHOD: INJECTION TIME: 1832
SOC. CLASS: ECO. CLASS: EXECUTION SET : 97/04/03-EXE NO.: 2
RACE: W SEX: M TO-DR: 12.5 T-C: 14.7 AGE AT EXEC.: 40 DOB: 56/07/18
STATE: TX CO: McLENNAN CITY: WACO
HOR: BOOK/MOVIE: CARELESS WHISPERS: THE LAKE WACO MUR.
H: L: 3 C: 3 E: 2 SPECIAL LIST:

DATE OF CRIME: 1982/07/13 AGE AT CRIME: 25 CATEGORY: LEO:
DATE OF SENT.: 1984/10/11 WEAPON: STABBED
CRIME: MURDER-RAPE- NO. KILLED: 2 TOTAL KILLED: 3

VICT. CODE: WF17; WF17; WM18
CMTS#1: JILL MONTGOMERY (17), raped, tortured, stabbed. Bite marks on her [D]
matched those of SPENCE. **LOOKED LIKE GIRL SUPPOSED TO BE KILLED**

RAYLEEN RICE [17], raped, stabbed ft.p: ]
KENNETH FRANKS [18], stabbed {SPENCE left his sun glasses on him} [D]
[one trial for each murder] --47+ stab wounds

KNOWN PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS: NUMEROUS VARIOUS: sex crimes, drugs, ROBBERY

ACCOMPLICE: DEEB {D-n.g.}, MELENDEZ [L], MELENDEZ [L]FIRST ENTER:

CMTS#2: ACCOMPLICES:
MUNEER MOHAMMAD DEEB [ ], hired them to kill his former g.f. {Gayle
Kelly} to collect ins. money, she “left him" because he was
"hitting on other women" [D]
—--RETRIAL IN 1993 -FOUND "NOT GUILTY" -HUNG JURY -DISMISSED
—-Earlier testimony by the MELENDEZ brother had been recanted
during the ten years {their appeals}
GILBERT MELENDEZ [ ] guilty pleas & took TEST. [L+99Y]
ANTHONY MELENDEZ [ §] police to jewelry TEST. [L+99Y]

CLAIMED "FRAMED"
—-bite marks, partial fingerprint, etc
—-2nd trial in Brazos Co.

LAST WORDS: First of all, my prayers go out to everybody. (turned to the victims
families) I understand the pain! [Brad Montgomery [brother] "No, you don’t."]
I want you to know I speak the truth. I didn’t kill your kids. I know you want
closure, but you’re being victims again. I haven’t killed anyone! {Montgomery
"Just die, * just die!"] turned to his family & told them he loved them (told
his son {Jason} to "Find God." "I’m going to miss you all." "Ok, now I am
finished." ——"“T'm going." [sucker ??]

LAST MEAL: fried chicken, french fries, chocolate ice cream

HUMOR-STRANGE: The "tough guy" was crying as he was executed.

SOURCE: THE REPORTERS, 88/12/03; AP-UPI-REUTERS; WACO TRIB IQ LEVEL: HIGH

CMTS#3: Interesting interview with jurors in the case {Waco Trib} -still all
convinced he did it. Only one believes in commutation of sentence.

-—-118 page "final appeal"

defendant’s apartment.

She testified that Spence told how he
and some friends flirted with ‘‘two
chicks’’ and then got so mad that they
tied the girls up and raped them.

The next witness was a former busi-
ness partner of Muneer Deeb’s who testi-
fied that he overheard Deeb ask Spence if
he knew someone who could get rid of
Pam Warren, the other girl who had been
the intended victim instead of Jill
Montgomery.

This witness said he was also present
when Deeb took out a $20,000 life in-
surance policy on the intended victim,
about three weeks before the triple
slayings, Spence came to the store and he
heard Deeb tell Spence that they would
be rich now if Miss Warren had been
with the trio when they were abducted
and killed.

The intended victim, Pam Warren,
who was pregnant, was called as a wit-
ness. She said that she was a very close
friend of Franks’ and would have been
with the three teenagers at the park had
she not been grounded at the Methodist
Home for running away. She told the
court that she was not aware that Deeb
‘would benefit in the event of her death.

Miss Warren also testified that she
came home one night and found a note in
her apartment placed before a row of
knives on the kitchen cabinet. The note
said, ‘‘We missed you this time, but we
will get you next time.”’

Next witnesses for the prosecution
were five men who had been in-
carcerated in jail with David Spence.
They testified they had each heard
Spence confess to the killings of the
Waco teenagers.

One of the five told the jury that
Spence told him that he cut the girls and
raped at least one of them, then sexually
abused them with what he called a
‘whoopee stick.”’

A recent parolee from prison testified
that Spence admitted to him that he
bound Ken Franks and force him to
watch as he slashed the two other victims
with a knife, raped them and sexually
abused them with a wooden stick before
the killed them.

. Another prison inmate testified that
Spence said that Muneer Deeb told him
that Franks had ‘‘moved in on his girl-
friend, trying to take over his woman.”’
For this reason, the convict testified,
Deeb wanted Franks killed and would
pay $5,000 for the slaying of both Franks
and his girlfriend, Pam Warren.

The other witness who had served
time with Spence testified that Spence
told him that he bit off the end of the

64 Master Detective

breast of one girl, then asked him if

his teeth prints could get him a convic- :

tion. ‘‘I told him that they sure could,
that your teeth are like fingerpints—
everyone’s are different.’’

On the eighth day of testimony the
state introduced plaster casts of Spence’s
teeth and photographs of Jill Montgom-
ery’s body showing the teeth print and
bite marks.

The defense attorneys had tried to pre-
vent the evidence of the plaster casts and
the testimony of the forensic dental spe-
cialist by claiming that it would be a
“travesty of justice’ if the evidence
were allowed. The defense claimed that
their client’s rights were violated when
he was forced to give dental samples
without an attorney being present.’

However, the judge ruled against the
defense and allowed the prosecutor to
call the witness. James Ebert, a forensic
consultant from Albuquerque, N.M.,
testified that he, along with Dr.
Homer Campbell of Albuquerque, were
able to match a plaster cast of Dav-
id Spence’s teeth with three of the
eight bite marks found on the body of
Miss Montgomery. ‘

One of Spence’s lateral incisors was
turned inward, giving it a distinctive im-
print, the witness said, which he pointed
out on the enlarged photographs viewed
by the jurors.

The state ended its parade of some 40
witnesses on Wednesday, June 27th, and
the defense took over. A Los Angeles
County forensic dentist testified for the
defense that evidence linking Spence to
bite marks left on the victims was

of poor quality and inconclusive.

Witnesses for the defense testified that
hair samples found on the terry cloth
Strips used to bind the victims did not
match hair samples taken from Spence or
any of the other suspects.

On Tuesday, July 3rd, the jury began
deliberation, and in less than two hours
they brought back a verdict of guilty.

During the punishment phase of the
trial, the prosecutors called a 19-year-old
woman who testified that she was
threatened with a knife, bitten and raped
by David Spence less than a month after
the Waco lake triple murders.

A Dallas psychiatrist told the jury that
Spence was an ‘‘antisocial personality of
severe type,’’ who could not improve his
behavior. He testified, ‘‘The only
change in his personality would be for
the worse, but I don’t see how it could
get any worse.’’

The jury had a choice between life in
prison and the death-by-lethal-injection.
Deliberating just under three hours, the

panel of eight women and four men re-

turned the death penalty.

Muneer Mohammad Deeb and the two
Melendez brothers are awaiting trial on
capital-murder charges. They must be
considered innocent unless and until they
are found guilty by a jury of their peers.

‘aed la

veut name of
the. ae

Why Did He Slash
Margaret 43 Times?

human flesh with friction ridges, the
kind found on hands and feet.

There was always the possibility that it
had come from Margaret. So they went
to the funeral home to see if there were
any wounds consistent with the piece of
flesh, but found none.

Trooper Hahn and Trooper Louis Laz-
zaro were assigned to check out the
area’s hospital emergency rooms to see if
anyone had come in with injured hands
or feet. No one had.

The piece of flesh gave the lawmen a
long shot—they figured that if Margaret
knew her killer, he would probably not

risk suspicion by staying away from the
funeral, If he did show up, chances are
he’d be wearing a bandage.

It was a hunch that paid off.

That evening Trooper Hahn went to
the funeral home in Delmont to observe
everyone who came to pay respects. At
7:40 p.m., a teenager with long dark hair
arrived with his thumb wrapped in gauze
and adhesive tape.

Trooper Hahn recognized him as
Wade Lockwood, whom he knew
casually. He took down the description
and noted the registration of the car the
boy drove. A check with the teletype
ascertained that they were dealer plates
issued to one of Lockwood’s relatives.

The next morning, December 20th,
the investigators met again at the Kiski
station. Lockwood, they discovered, did
know Margaret and lived not far from
her. A senior at Greensburg Salem
Senior High School, he also worked part

time with 1
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on would con-
not been eli-
ott said.
igainst Deeb
his store early
one calls, and
»le who would
e. Deeb moved
to work there.
Lennan County
ved acall from
fexas, located
Vaco. The chief
Yaco man who
- and confessed
a 17-year-old
t &th.
ad also told the
u he had killed
including three
ke Waco.
o Kerrville to
id told officers
God and wanted
us chest.’> The
» voluntarily and
y jail. .
srilled the self-
ncluded that he
e murders. The
him as a suspect
continued in-
which had de-
ssing’’ suspect
eo
re year of 1983
uspects in cus-
cinous crime.
ee officers—
on, Dennis Baier
ere still working
\ former Waco
Diego, Califor-
f the abduction,
ung of two high-
ad survived the
itically wounded

left stuck, in the
exas license tags.
was traced to
ficers were led to
With high hopes,
asked Calfornia
s of the suspect's
if evidence to the
hington, D.C. for
idence from the
ce more the Waco
ished. The results

that the 16-month

lawmencametoa .

On November
umad Deeb was

sn peenenit et at eRe

arrested again, and for the second time
he was in McLennan County jail, this
time charged with capital murder in the
deaths of thethree teenagers found in the
park. Deeb was placed under $250,000
bond.

Districts Attorney Vic Feazell stated
that three other suspects were in custody.
He declined to reveal their names until
the meeting of the McLennan County
Grand Jury on November 22nd. On that
date the jury indicted David Wayne
Spence, 23, Anthony Melendez, 24, and
his brother, Gilbert Melendez, 28, and
Deeb, 24, on three counts of capital
murder.

Spence was serving a 90-year sent-
ence in the Texas Department of Correc-
tions after being convicted in March,
1983 for the aggravated sexual abuse of
an 18-year-old Waco man. The incident
occurred in August, 1982, just a month
after the slaying of the threé*young peo-
ple in the Waco park.

Gilbert Melendez had received a
seven-year sentence in connection with
the same crime. He was still being held
in McLennan County jail. The younger
Melendez brother, Anthony, was in
Nueces County Jail in Corpus Christi on
a charge of robbery. He had been jailed

in April, 1983 in lieu of $25.000 bail.

Four days before the attorneys had
completed selection of a jury panel for
the trial of David Spence, Anthony
Melendez pleaded guilty to the deaths of
Jill Montgomery and Kenneth Franks
and received two concurrent life prison
terms. Prosecutors added Melendez’s
name to the court’s list of potential wit-
nesses in the Spence trial.

In exchange for his guilty plea and a
sworn confession, Anthony Melendez
was allowed to plead guilty to two of the
capital murder charges. He must still go
on trial at a later date for the capital
murder of Raylene Rice.

On Monday, June 18, 1984, nearly
2 years after the grisly triple slayings in
Waco Park, the state began presenting its
case against David Spence for the capital
murder of Jill Montgomery.

The prosecuting attorney, in opening
statements, told the jury that the state
would show evidence to prove that
Spence killed Jill Montgomery for
$5,000 which he had been offered for
killing another girl. It was a case of mis-
taken identity, Feazel said.

‘‘Miss Montgomery was killed in a
bobbled ‘murder-for-hire scheme in-
stigated by Muneer Mohammad Deeb,”’

the prosecutor told the jury.

In a crowded courtroom with 54th
State District Judge George Allen presid-
ing, emotions ran high and tears flowed
when a pathologist from the Dallas
County Medical Examiner’s office was
called on to testify. The doctor said that
in the cruel and sadistic attack the victim
could have lived as long as an hour be-
fore succumbing to the multiple stab
wounds.

Miss Montgomery had 14 stab
wounds to the chest, none of which were
deep enough to cause immediate death,
the pathologist testified.

A long-time friend of the defendant
was called by the state. She testified that
David Spence’s behavior changed drasti-
cally after the bodies were found in the
park.

The witness said that when she asked
Spence what was wrong, he said he had
done something bad. “‘I think I killed
somebody,’’ she quoted him as saying.

‘““When I questioned him about it he
told me to drop it, so I did,”” she told the
court.

Another state’s witness told the jury
that Spence bragged about *‘tying up two
girls and raping them’’ when she and
some others were drinking beer at the

“The doctor is so skillful, both in guiding a
conversation and in drawing conclusions, that
he persuades me that | now understand how
that incredible slaughter came to be. | do not

know of a precisely similar

murder. Speck is imperative reading.”’

A 271 Page Book

Marvin Ziporyn, M.D.

young nurses came to be.

THE IMPORTANT THING NOW IS THAT THE
UNTOLD STORY NO LONGER GOES UNHEARD!

e Preface on Crime and Punishment by

* What caused this atrocity: Sex, hate, blood thirst
or a combination of all three?

e Understand how the incredible slaughter of eight

aye

Quiver Creek Books
P.O. Box 5715
Peoria, IL 61601

(J Enclosed please find $
(1 cash, check or money order.

copies SPECK

document on
Name

@ $8.95 plus $1.05 for postage & handling costs.
Canada order, send 60¢ additional postage.

Address

Anthony Boucher

New-York Times Book Review -

City, State, Zip

Master Detective 63

--20 anti-d.p. protestors

Attachment:
LOCATION: Koehne Park (Lake Waco)
CONFESSION: Bragged to numerous inmates about the stabbings
Bragged to TRUMAN SIMONS (WPD) about "made a game of killing”
MOTHER: JUANITA WHITE ( ), 86/03/02, found murdered at her home in

Waco, beaten to death, two men caught, no knowledge of
earlier murders, same investigator

WITNESES AT EXECUTION:
-his girlfriend, former wife, son, and brother
--body to go to AZ —--he was a grand-father of two

-victims’ families
—-FRANKS -mo. & fa.
—MONTGOMERY -fa. & sr. & br. {mo. has heart problems}
—-RICE —-"in town" [jim rice’s family]
—-post execution comments about it being too easy

gone ; ‘
* nig ae ! 4 eee a]
Ot. ORR is ier as $

rs Soh amas Souter i Bat ; Pee BPA
A lank at John Moseley’s head.’ Across the street, a snarling ;
gunman had confronted’ Floyd Ward. Ba en a
“You want ‘some of the same?, Then shut up!” he barked. -
Quickly, he. rifled the cash drawer of the night’s’ receipts and.’
cked outside. » pais PRN
ds later, the car-was but, a red dot disappearing into the a3
* fee ; ag ne he. 4 sia es Tie th
vi Cig? Se. ed ft ESS Meas Sa ROR shad Within? five ‘minutes, bedlam broke loose in Tuliay! Tex, |
. * et ne Pi TARO er gh ats SAF) tae Deptity; H..O,'Goen had come in from Happy on the heels of | «
% on med ait nH oR wHe'took charge at the mob-crowded scene*!(
flat plains

‘of killers, loose orf the plains!” was the cry when
puty:Goen, tall and grim-faced, snapped out these facts: '

spotlighPinterpl

re Tati aie “Cops! Beaty \y At eleven-thirty, this same gang held up a filling station in
ley hurried’ .. Moseley threw, 4 y and got forty dollars... They beat it out of town,» I
5 car >» to life and turnedi$harplydnto the'r jotified Moseley by phone to stop them and—” isephar?
had told his ». imminent. age Ow nef Cit he rest was evident. Moseley’s car, slug-riddled and bloody,
heard him. ick ~~, With quick, instinctive movements, 8 ‘where he had stopped it. Inside, slumped over the wheel,

(-} rew.
into reverse. The rear wheels clutched: dirt,, hurling” the ‘ca See Was his body, the head almost blown off by heavy slugs.» He °°".
Y mea

sihead snapped back’ “was stone dead. Dy Se

vith excite- ae backward to a shallow ditch, Moseley’ : RS eae
Goen quickly issued orders for the news to be sent up ahead.; .

id a Krag--~; q , and the six-shooter in his hand‘went spinning.” The white glare

o the black Si. sof the bandit’s headlights‘outlined him in the darkness, mo- His photographic gaze returned to the dead man and took in’
: 4)» mentarily. stunned and defenseless, ; certain facts, poet te a
done edge He ©. With incredible agility, a man leaped from the bandit car and Powder burns on the face indicated that the gallant officer)’ -
e fe > began firing as fast as he could pull the trigger of an automatic. had been shot at close range. At his feet was his six-shooter,». -

shway, di- ~** Slugs smacked steel. Glass splintered. A cry of rage escap fired four times, Strewn liberally about the front ‘and, side’.

">. Moseley’s lips as he brought up his six-shooter and sent four of the car were 14 cartridges from two guns, proving that two |

as he saw

ating cash ‘4. - fast shots through the windshield. . ; ve, men had advanced, firing every step of the way. 4 ie a
| to hurry — .~ Another man sprang from the bandit car and began running “His rifle’s gone, too,” said Goen sharply. seman
ble trouble % toward the sheriff’s machine, a withering fire spitting from his The fact that the Krag army gun was missing suddenly as-
15 wahscites g gun. In the hail of lead, Sheriff Moseley suddenly lunged for- sumed importance. Krag rifles are not rare, but a Krag had
med: webs ,, ward, convulsed. As a bandit yanked open the door to the. «been Moseley’s trademark, his symbol. Famous for his marks- '
id Mosete sheriff’s machine he saw a;fallen, silen A ',,,Manship, he spurned modern weapons and clung to the scarred, |

y A cold smile twisted his cruel lips.:; ‘"time-worn model of 1898, The gun was as distinctive as his
stilt ebaee ness, he raised a heavy automati ; : oi name, because he had carved certain peculiar symbols on the f
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,CHILL wind swept pitilessly across the flat a tli
of the Texas Panhandle at midnight, Jan. 22, 1933. i> PC h
i”, o™ Ice and sleet had fallen that day and the dark air, — Pl Sto:
was, crisp and freezing as Sheriff John Moseley hurried 3 to life
, out-of his house in Tulia and stepped into his car, bs Lonend;
-atas“T might not be in the rest of the night,” he had told his Re Wit
-\),apprehensive wife who, a moment before, had heard him i hikes ¢
‘answer the telephone and seen him grow taut with excite- oa.
ment,
Moseley quickly checked his six-shooter, laid a Krag 7 ge
army rifle on the seat and then turned his car into the black ndiitn
macadam road. Wit

began
7 Bi snagictates filling station. ) “ae
ent Weak, 5 ' ¥) i gray cyes narrowed in thought as he saw teas si
Armed with the famous notched a dee T loyd Ward, the youthful station operator, counting cash i ‘Ani
Krag rifle which was his teeden Ro oe for the night. He had reason to want Floyd to hurry ; Soares
: Sheriff cM l nat a and close, and be out of the way when the inevitable trouble ain
marx, eriff J. C. Moseley, at Sb tt de came, Deputy H. O, Goen had telephoned not 15 minutes rb
above, set out to halt a mob of 1 ONES Ae before, from Happy, Texs A load of holdup men were sherift

gun-slinging bandits. He be- a 3 ae ».° roaring through the desert i toward Tulia, and Moseley Ee
i Bh

ets, reached one edge
pulled off the highway, di-

Scnameieas + Malttenaene’

came the first victim of mad Perch: . TE AK. “yy Was out to stop them. eu. reos,-}
mouth Stanton, below, kill-crazy 2. aay , Not more thang minute’passed before the still scene :
scourge of the Texas Panhandle. ' ae suddenly leaped into life.\The searching glare of power-
; : : ful headlamps bared the dark road and a high powered

car careened around a curve,:Brakes screanied as it half

rolled, half slid into the filling station driveways. © 0) pin. 4 ih Near |

Sheriff Moseley, parked»at right angles to the. road, . of Tul

sithe ‘car’came: lurching. wtThat's it it _ the pe

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eg Sh tare Mose]
ht his’ brilliant Zs

. 4 >," if
arunecees Be
SPS LE Pass an ey OF
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—_—

stock. Anyone caught with it would be carrying

damning evidence. or
Chief Deputy L. G. MacDonald arrived on the
scene and gave swift orders. A posse of 100 men
| volunteered and started by car and horse to cover
the roads and blank desert. In the tremendous up-
heaval a young man came dashing toward the

group.

“I just came from the telephone office,” he
gasped. “Some crazy guys came tearing into
Maxon’s farm up the road. They screeched into

: the yard, drove around the house and fired a lot
of shots!”

“Anybody hurt?” }

The boy shook his head and gulped. “All I know
is Maxon just phoned for the sheriff to come up
there. Said this car turned in and began blasting
away at the house. Shot out some windows, ran
over a dog and then whooped out to the high-
way.”

MacDonald’s jaw hardened. ‘Somebody has
gone stark crazy,” he muttered. Quickly he de-
tailed a deputy to visit the Maxon farm.

Deputy Goen, meanwhile, was questioning
Floyd Ward, at whose filling station the Moseley
murder had occurred. The witness had noticed
a lot in spite of his excitement.

“Everything happened at once,” he said, “This
car, a Ford, started to stop here when [ saw Sheriff

i Moseley turn on his lights. Two men got out of
f the car and started shooting at him, Then one of
' them came at me. And there was another in the car. She
‘stuck her head out .. .”

. “She!” Goen exclaimed.

ea “Yes. A girl. She wore a cap and a man’s jacket. But
H when she stuck her head out her cap slipped half off. In the
My lights I could see gold colored, curly hair. A very pretty girl,
f too.’ ' :

\ Still another witness, who lived almost directly across the
road from the scene of the shooting, said He had seen two men
shooting at Moseley and that a yellow haired girl had been an
Hh: : occupant of the speeding murder car.

Report From Farm

ENNIS ZIMMERMAN, an attorney famous throughout
the Southwest for his extra-curricular activities as a detec-
tive, arrived on the scene. Zimmerman served in no official ca-
pacity but made criminology his hobby. He owned a completely
equipped crime laboratory and was always on the spot to assist
officers. Zinmerman immediately produced his fingerprinting
material and went to work on the sheriff’s car. '
i Then came the report from the deputy dispatched to the
Maxon farm. “That car is full of maniacs,” he said over the

house at about fifty miles an hour and pour a hail of lead into
the walls. Luckily they didn’t hit anybody.”

But the deputy reported that he had dug 12 slugs out of various
parts of the house.

Deputy MacDonald, meanwhile, had contacted Happy by
telephone and received a hot tip. Two man and a blond woman
had been seen at a tourist camp earlier in the day.
Zimmerman and MacDonald promptly drove to Happy,

_—s

located the owner of the tourist camp and pumped questions at
him.

“They were here all right,” the man said, “earlier in the day.
They asked for a room to rest in for a while and I showed them
one.”

“What about their car?” asked Zimmerman.

Probably light blue and that’s about all I can think of except,”
the man stopped and his eyes widened. “Come to think of it,
I did notice one funny thing about their car, They had either
spilled or deliberately put paint all over the license ‘plates so
you couldn’t read the numbers unless you were up close!”

“Did you get the number ?”

The man had not, but he could show the officers to the cabin
the murderous trio had occupied.

wire. “All they did was drive into the farm, whirl around the ,

“Well, it was a Ford, covered with mud from ‘hard travel. .

Mrs. John Moseley,
determined to avenge
the death of her sher-
iff husband, donned
his badge and posted
a reward for the
killers. The bullet-
riddled headlight, be-
low, mutely suggests
the hail of lead which
poured into the slain
sheriff's car.

”~

“We've got to establish the fact that they were here. We
can’t slip up,” Zimmerman said quietly.

In a few minutes their search was rewarded. Zinmerman
obtained a particularly good fingerprint from the nickeled knob
of the shower door. They raced back to Tulia with this. -A
quick inspection and checkup by Zimmerman brought out one
astounding fact.

“The fingerprint taken from that shower door,” said Zinmer-
man briskly, “checks with the print taken from the handle of
Moseley’s car.”

Then came another exciting bit of news. A group of posse-
men, following the killer’s trail 20 miles from the scene of the
murder, encountered a parked car on the desert road.

A man and woman were in the car. The man, barely con-
scious, had been given a terrific beating. The woman was
bruised and moaning. The man gasped out his story:

“We were coming toward Tulia. A car passed us, going
the other way. In the rear view window I saw them turn
around and begin following us. I got scared and began to
speed, but they-fired a shot right over the top of us. Then
they pulled up even and a blond woman signaled us to stop.
I wasn’t going to, but a man leaned a gun out the window and
then I stopped.” , giv

Choking with helpless rage, the man went on. “They hauled
me out of the car and one of the men beat me up. I’m pretty
husky and he was smaller, but he could fight like the devil him-
self. He beat me up, then he slapped my wife and hit her
several times.”

The man shuddered as he told another incident: “He pointed
a Krag rifle at my face, turned. to his companion and said, ‘Think
I ought to try her out on him?’ “But the other man just laughed

and said °
left us.”
The vi
vaguely, :
lessness.
Throu;
as the m

Texas at

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cold had

Repor:
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Moseley,
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of her sher-
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here. We

Zimmerman
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id Zinmer-
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them turn
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hey hauled
I’m pretty
devil him-
ad hit her

He pointed
aid, ‘Think
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th this, -A +

and said they would save the bullets for coppers. Then they
left us.”

The victim of the beating could describe his assailants but
vaguely, and the officers were left with an odd feeling of help-
lessness. What would these madmen do next ?

Throughout the night, telegraph and telephone wires hummed
as the news went out. By daylight, word had flashed across
Texas and the 200 men now on the posse were doggedly de-
termined to continue, although their night’s work in the biting
cold had netted no results.

Reports flashed in from various towns. It was incredible
what had happened. In the eight hours after the murder of the
sheriff, the vicious mob had slugged three cars of tourists,
committed another robbery at a wayside station 150 miles south
of Tulia. And each report was the same. Always a. blond,
winsome girl had stood behind the marauders, brandishing a
gun, her eyes flashing fire. “She seemed to relish the fact
that the men were destroying things,” said the filling station

operator.
“Tt’s the work of maniacs,” concluded Deputy Goen. “We've

Deputy F. O. Goen, left, was a
leading player in the grim drama
of a statewide manhunt which
followed Perchmouth Stanton’s
first murder raid, Border patrol-
men, below, sealed the Rio
Grande to head off the fugitives.

got to get a line on any or all gangs operating in this vicinity.”

Surprisingly enough they received word soon with the ar-
rival of Sheriff O. J. Allen from Canadian, Tex. Allen had been
working for months on a case which concerned a gang of Okla-
homa killers, led by Haldean Vaughn, a vicious murderer.

_ “Vaughn is on the run from Oklahoma officers right now,”
Allen told Zimmerman. “He’s a cold, kill-crazy punk and he’s
armed heavily. I have information that he was coming this way
and, what’s more, I think he’s traveling with a blonde.” |

The search for Haldean Vaughn at once flared to white heat.
Mrs. Moseley was appointed to fill her husband’s unexpired
term and became that rare type of public official, a woman
sheriff on the once notorious plains of the Panhandle.

Energetically she began assisting in the search for the mur-
derer of her husband. Wisely she realized that a reward would
help, so she persuaded the’ citizens of near-by towns to put up
$1,275 for the killers’ capture. With true Western form, the
reward posters carried this succinct phrase: “Reward good if
killers are returned dead or alive.”

From Tulia west to Canadian an uncountable number of men
had formed a blockade. But the activities
of the band suddenly shifted. The next
report came from south of Tulia,

The same car with the same ogcupants
had stopped at a farmhouse. A winsome
blond girl alighted, rapped on the door.
and sweetly inquired if there was food
to be had. The housewife, suddenly real-
izing the identity of the blonde, slammed
the door. Instantly, a hail of bullets
poured through the window, shattering
shelves of preserves. With a wild, Indian-
like yell, two men advanced from the car
and battered down the door while the
terrorized farm woman retreated to a
barn,

The killers ate their fill, then methodi-
cally began wrecking everything in the

w they'd do it.
hey’ll get even.
eately plotted to
i} can take you
as where they
ay rifle Moseley
shot him.”

he lake and she
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partment squads
with no success.
Sheriff Moseley
carried when he
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The Dallas sector

xf the same day,

Silverton, bw

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relatives, recelvec

scall. .

nis mob held up a
les from here, the
} over the | wire.
y to his folks howe
“tomorrow at mid-

1 the latest egg
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the filling station proprietor’s teeth
offered more evidence that the job was
Perchmouth’s_ work. Working against
time now, Honea put through a call to
Tulia, where Perchmouth’s trail had
started with the Moseley murder, and
talked to Dennis Zimmerman, lawyer and
amateur detective, who had helped with
the first investigation.

Zimmerman, whose talents included
action as well as scientific detection in
his own private crime laboratory, loaded
his six-shooter and made the drive to
Silverton in record time.

At midnight, 24 hours after the tele-
phone tip had arrived, Zimmerman and
Honea cautiously approached a ram-
shackle frame house on the outskirts of
town,

“There’s no car around and the place
seems to be dark,” Honea whispered.
“They can’t be here yet. We'll hide, but
when they arrive they'll get all the action
they want.”

Escape Trap

M CRAING came and the next day

passed. Tfinally the two sentinels
tired of their vigil and charged up to
the house, ready to meet any resistance
the inmates could offer, They found the
house empty.

Crestfallen, Honea and Zimmerman
drove back to Tulia where they expected
to find Deputies L. G. MacDonald and
H. O. Goen awaiting them. They were
wrong again, and quickly learned the
reason why.

Somehow, Perehmouth and Glen Hun-
sucker had learned of the intended trap
at the Stanton home and had sidetracked
it. Roaring through Tulia, past the very
spot where they had snuffed out Sheriff
Moseley’s life, they headed westward.

Goen and MeDonald, receiving: a tip
that the pair was bound for New Mexico,
wired an alarm and then took to the road
thentselves,

‘At noon the next day, a deputy outside
of Portales, N. M., made an amazing
discovery. A battered, bruised hitch.
hiker was found lying on the road’s edge.
His face was a bloody pulp, his body a
mass of welts. He was still in a daze
when he told his astounding — story:

“A couple of men picked me up. Had

a blond girl with them who kept smiling
and making eyes at me. I got kind of
scared because I thought if she was try-
ing to flirt with me the men would get
mad. We kept driving along peaceful
enough, and then this guy driving noticed
me looking at the girl.”

The hitchhiker shuddered at the mem-
ory. “He braked the car toa stop, whirled
around in the seat and drew out a gun
that looked as big as a house. Then he
said, ‘Do you know who | am? Vm
Perchmouth Stanton, and I’d just as soon
kill any guy who messed with my girl
as T would look at him. I’m gonna kill
you!’”

The officers nodded. “And then >”

“But... but the girl told him not to,”
whimpered the hitchhiker. “So then he
made me get out. I was glad to do that
but he got out, too, and gave me an awful
heating. T'couldn’t hit back, because he
pistol-whipped me and if L had moved,
he would of killed me. His eyes were
plenty mean.”

The officers learned from the man that
he had been whipped about 7 0’clock in
the morning. Now it was noon. They
were five hours and 200 miles behind the
most murderous character Texas had
seen in a decade.

At Carrizozo, N. M., Sheriff A. S.
MacCamant was on the alert but the net

of men he had thrown out waited in vain
At 4 o’clock in the afternoon, Mac
Camant said quietly, “They might. be
holing up in the mountains, boys. They’
not coming here.”

The telephone rang. It was the oper
ator at Corona, 50 miles north.

“Hurry!” she gasped, “A couple 0}
maniacs just held up a store. They’v
torn the place up!”

MacCamant and his deputies made the
trip in 50 minutes. The store in question
was a mass of piled wreckage. The
owner miraculously had escaped injury
but only because Perechmouth had con
centrated on shooting open jars of pre
serves while his companions watched him
in amusement.

MacCamant’s eyes blazed when he saw
the wreckage. Furiously, he plotted
methods to cut off escape. He sent squads
of possemen in every direction. During
a night of driving rain and sleet, they
kept up the search. By morning, they
phoned in:

“He’s disappeared, Sheriff.”

MacCamant’s fist banged a table. “He
can’t disappear! It’s physically impos
sible. There are four roads leading out
of here and each one is blocked at the
other end. The only way he can dis
appear is by trying the open desert and

[Continued on page 54]

Angry crowds gathered around this
and other newspaper offices when
the news was flashed that Perch-
mouth, now a three-time slayer, had
escaped from prison, At the last
roundup, left to right, above, are:
Tom Johnson, posseman: Perch-
mouth; B. C. McCasland, county
judge: and Dennis Zimmerman.
lawyer-detective,

On Sept, 13, 1944, Perchmouth went to
trial but it was not the battery of legal
talent or the bombastic verbal fireworks
that drew crowds. It was the six-shooters
the officers were sporting, mindful of the
trickery of the defendant and the known
facts of his escape record.

In 31 minutes a jury prescribed the
death penalty for the murder of Sheriff
John Moseley.

During the consideration of his appeal
he was sent to the Lubbock jail and in-
carcerated to await the outcome. There
he wrote another chapter into his flam-
boyant career.

His cell was directly across from that
of a bank robber. The bank robber
taunted him, jeering: “They’re going to
fry you well done, tough guy.”

Perchmouth’s anger was fierce. He
rattled the bars, breathed heavily and
croaked: “I'll get you! I'll get you yet.”

Two days later word came that the ap-
peal had been denied. The bank robber
roared:

“Jest warming the hot seat, boy! Jest
warming the hot seat!”

This continued for months, into July
of the following year. Perchmouth was
about to be taken to the penitentiary.
But one night at 11 o’clock, the jail was
soundless and calm. Downstairs the jailer
rocked in his swivel chair as he read.

Suddenly a shriek ripped the silence.

Down from the desk came the jailer’s
feet. Ife raced upstairs, hurling himself
into the dimly lit corridor of steel bars
and, for an instant, was held paralyzed
and speechless. But his recovery came
quickly. He drew his gun, stood with
legs wide apart and bellowed:

“Drop your hands, Stanton, or I'll drill
you!”

The door to VPerchmouth’s cell was
open. He was standing next to the
bank robber’s cell, methodically sawing
away at the bars while the fear-crazed
bank robber inside cowered and screamed.

Perchmouth Stanton Iet the saw blade
clatter to the floor when he heard the
jailer’s order, “Okay,” he sullenly agreed,
“but in another minute I’d have showed
this teaser some tricks.”

He was taken to another cell and calmly
submitted toa frisking. But Perchmouth
could not be calm long.

Three short term convicts, also await-
ing transport to the penitentiary, were in
the cell next to Perchmouth’s. He engaged
them in conversation, speaking fluent
Spanish. Tis words were unintelligible
to the other inmates but they knew he
was brewing trouble.

On the night of July 26, 1935, it broke.
By a clever trick Perchmouth jammed
one of the cell doors as it was being
locked for the night, and later he suc-
ceeded in wedging it open. Then he quiet-
ly sawed the lock off the door to the cell
housing the three short) termers, using
another saw blade he had managed to
keep hidden. The cons moved quietly
down the corner block of cells.

Perchmouth led the way down the cor-
ridor to the end of the cell block. Sud-
denly he tensed and threw back his arm
in a warning. “Quiet! Here he comes!”

The jailer was coming up the steel
stairway, making his routine round. Un-
wittingly he stepped into the vicious trap.

Perchmouth Stanton’s hard right fist
came up swiftly and struck the surprised
jailer a knockout blow. Perchmouth
grabbed his gun, waved it menacingly.

They went downstairs and were starting
down the hall when Perchmouth sud-
denly looked at the door to the sheriff's

ofhee, A Tight burned janide, Tin eyes
narrowed,

The three men pleaded with him.

But the resolute, maniacal Perchmouth
had made up his single track mind. Cock-
ing the thumb-buster .45, he raised the
hammer over a lethal slug and walked
slowly toward the closed door.

A panorama of disaster flashed in the
minds of the others. They could sce
Perchmouth murdering the sheriff and
what was worse, they could practically
feel the hands of a lynch mob tearing
them limb from limb.

The huskiest of the three suddenly
raced for a door leading to the street.

Perchmouth whirled on one _ heel,
brought the gun down and hissed at the
others, “You wait for me, or else!”

They waited.

Perchmouth yanked open the door but
the office was empty. Then his gaze fell
on a rack of weapons. He ordered the
others to “load up” and they quickly
seized a shotgun, several six-shooters
and a sub-machine gun. Then they fled to
the dark streets.

Two gangling cowboys happened to
turn the corner at that moment. Perch-
mouth, never slow to seize an oppor-
tunity, rammed the snub nose of the
shotgun into their faces.

“Come with us if you want to stay in
one piece!"

Pushing the thoroughly surprised pair
in front of him, Perchmouth stared into
the darkness. He spotted a new Ford
sedan, It was unlocked, and as though
Fate had provided the necessary instru-
ments for a flawless escape, the keys were
in the ignition.

Seconds later, the fugitives and their
two hostages roared out of town.

It was dawn when the two cowboys
were found, unharmed but trussed, near
the city limits. Perchmouth had merely
wanted them along “if shooting starts.”
The cold-blooded Stanton had told them
they would make good shields.

Public Aroused

"THE roar of indignation which swept
Texas then knew no bounds although
the escape had not been due to official
laxness. The citizens knew this but they
blazed with anger over the deeds of
Perchmouth himself. Every officer in the
state received inflexible orders to “get
Stanton.”

The pressure got results. Inside of
three days, three bruised and battered
convicts were picked up in’ Lincoln
county, N. M. The story they told would
never have been believed had it not been
for the fact that the fourth, and_ still
free member of the escape mob was
Perchmouth Stanton, himself,

The huskiest convict, whose eyes were
puffed and purple, told the story. “That
maniac, Perchmouth, stopped the car a
hundred miles after we were away from
the jail,” he said. “Tle made us get out,
said we were yellow and then whipped
us all), We coulda't move on him.”

“Why not?” testily inquired a deputy.

The prisoner lowered his eyes. “I guess
we were afraid of his gun.”

Three men dead, several assaulted and
injured, and uncountable property dam-
age was back of Perchmouth now. What
was ahead nobody dared contemplate.

Strangely enough, the end of Perch-
mouth’s career was undramatic. His final
capture proved an anti-climax.

It came when a forest ranger stationed
at Therma, N. M., drove into town on
Aug. 23, 1935. He found an old time

country dance in progress ino a bly bara
near the outskirts and decided to look in.

In the center of the floor, his boots
clattering out to the tune of “Turkey in
the Straw” was Perchmouth Stanton,
dancing with a belle of the town.

Quickly the ranger notified Sheriff G.
R. Fletcher, who stopped only long
cnough to pocket a gun before heading
for the dance hall. There he spotted
Stanton, cavorting in midfloor. Taking
no chances, Sheriff Fletcher waited until
the dance was finished and the young
lady escorted back to her chair.

Sheriff Fletcher knew too much of this
little killer’s character to take chances.
He walked up to Stanton squarely, rest-
ing his hand on his six-shooter.

“Perchmouth,” he said evenly, “I'm
handing you the same kind of warning
that you always give. If you want to stay
on living, just come quietly. One false
move and you’ve danced your last dance.”

“T'll go with you,” he said hoarsely,
“but I'll get out of your tin can jail!”

Fletcher said nothing. He merely kept
a personal vigil over his prisoner until
Texas authorities arrived. And when they
did, they took Perchmouth to the Texas
state penitentiary at Huntsville under as
heavy a guard as ever had been accorded
a prisoner. One unusual precaution was
the constant watch of four guards dur-
ing every hour of the train ride.

But Perchmouth seemed ato last re-
signed to his fate. Sometimes he regaled
his guards with incidents in his mad
career, and once he mourned the absence
of his little blond moll. The police had
found Claire Young. She had slipped
away from Stanton and returned to her
farm home. No direct evidence against
her could be obtained and she had been
released after telling officers what she
knew of the gang’s activities.

“Funny thing about that kid, Claire
Young.” he said. “Just a young farm
girl out of New Mexico. Came to Dallas
and joined up with us easy. She seemed
to wet a kick out of it for a while.”

We shook his head disapprovingly.
“She was really scared stiff, though, and
she got to be a bother. I was sort of
glad she skipped out on me.” He chuckled.
“And you cops thought she was a goner
when she didn’t show up on some of my
last jobs! Nope, she was the only one I
wouldn't bump off, even for squealing.
Yeah, I'm glad she pulled out in time.”

Perchmouth turned curiously to one
of the guards. “Funny thing, though,
about them letting her go free when they
found out she went back to the farm.
How come they done that so easy?”

It was the guard’s turn to chuckle.
“What good would it have done, Perch-
mouth? She was just a scared kid and
we figured you were holding her against
her will. She’s trying to live straight.”

Perehmouth considered this for a min-
ute, then shrugged.

On the night of Sept. 28, 1935, Perch-
mouth Stanton was made ready to die
for the murder of Sheriff John Moseley.
He received his last solace from a min-
ister and marched to the death house
with brazen, staring. calm,

The hood was placed over his face and
he puckered his fish-like lips as if to
whistle a tune. Then the hood was pulled
down and the signal was flashed. With
a convulsive jerk his body leaped into
the air. Three minutes later he was dead.

(iditor’s note: To protect the identity of a girl
who tried crime, learned her lesson and is now living
a law-abiding life, the name of Claire Young as
used in this story is not real but fictitious.)

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It sees
Was read
Detectiyy
Stephens,
address,
house-dre
“Mrs. p
“No,” t!
have gone
rented the
gone,”
“Who cd
"Why, t
lives rivht
In a trail
the detectiy
of about 70
smiled and
Us they apps
“Did vou
Carvings?" };
. “No.” said
Mo his ehay
George Bish,
“They're
George Bist;
Anything L¢
“How lone
New York, \
The old im
wrinkles as
Problem,
“Tt must hax
In April,” he fis
“Have youh
letters or Post
“No. Ts the
they had an.
was palpably \
ley may !
Rently, “Tyo,
to the undertak;
. Downtown at

ishment, the ele

Stared at the alm;
‘ couldn't
muttered. “And
1S something ah
: , Te pass
his face Beit a
forward a chair f

moment, Then, he muttered something
under his breath, took a long breath and
spoke:

“Yeah, I shot the trooper,” he said
calmly. “I didn’t intend to, but I got
excited when he pulled his rod instead of
heisting his hands as I ordered. He
missed finding a gun I had hidden in
my trousers when he searched me. That's
how I got the drop on him.”

Genese went on to name as his accom-
plice one John Anderson, who lived in
Jersey City. Shortly thereafter, Ander-
son was taken by a raiding party to whom
he offered no resistance. Anderson denied
any knowledge of the crime at the quarry.
Even when confronted by Dan Genese’s
confession, he stubbornly stuck to his
story.

Daniel Genese went into detail con-
cerning his crime. His confession was
made in the presence of Col. Schwartz-
kopf, Sheriff Joseph Hanlon and a dozen
other ranking officials. After reading
over the transcript, the slayer signed each
page of the wordy text. Later, Anderson
broke and admitted his complicity. His
story bore out that of Genese in every
respect.

Genese stated that they had at first
intended using the blue Buick coupe while.

holding up the field oMfice, then suddenly
decided to use Anderson's red Bitek tour -
ing car with the false plates. The red
car was found in a garage in New York
City. The two police revolvers taken by
Genese were at the bottom of the Morris
Canal in Jersey City where he said we'd
find them.

A thorough investigation of the lives
of the killer’s wife and her brother was
made. This resulted in an official clear-
ing of them of any possible connection
with the crime. They were each given a
record of the investigation and findings,
signed by various officials, to protect two
Innocent people against any later reflec-
tions.

Justice moved swiftly in the case of the
scowling police killer, Genese. On March
30, 1925, he went on trial for his life
before Justice Charles W. Parker in the
Somerset court.

Prosecutor A. M. Beekman prepared
the case against the slayer. I was at his
table assisting.

The defense tried to establish that
Trooper Coyle had been accidentally shot
by his brother officer, Gregovesir. Though
actual ballistics could not be used, since
the guns found in the bottom of the
canal had been weathered to usclessness,

hi proved that Genese wan the actual
hiller,

From the angle which Coyle had been’
shot it was evident to the jury that the
bullet had come from the left-hand corner
of the rear seat. If Gregovesir had shot
his partner, he would have had to accom-
plish the impossible—race to Jersey City,
throw the guns into the canal, then get
back to the murder seene before the
arrival of the other investigators. ‘The
time clement involved made this pro-
hibitive.

The trial came to a close with the jury
bringing in a verdict of guilty of first
degree murder without a mercy recom-
mendation, Genese listened to it calmly,
a slight smile on his lips.

John Anderson pleaded guilty to a
charge of accessory before and after the
fact. He was given a year in the peni-
tentiary at hard labor.

On the night of Dec. 15, 1925, Dan
Genese walked to the electric chair in
the Trenton death house and paid with
his life for his brutal crime.

(Editor’s note: The name Joe Gage as used in
this story fy not real but fietitions to protect the
identity of an tnnocent person.)

Six-Gun Killers

[Continued from page 41]

not even aomadman would try that.”

For two weeks Perehmouth had ripped
up the country. For the following two
he stayed “disappeared.”

Meanwhile, ‘Tulia again had become a
clearing house for information. It was
noted in all reports that when the gang
had last struck, nobody had seen the blond
girl, Tulia officers shuddered. If the
boys had decided to get rid of Claire
Young they might do it their own way.
When next seen the blonde might be a
corpse.

Then, on July 14, 1934, an excited
deputy came racing into the Carrizozo
office of Sheriff MacCamant. ~

“Sheriff!” he shouted. “Perchmouth
Stanton has a relative living up the road
a hundred miles from here. It’s only a
dugout but he’s up there and so are a
couple of strangers. That’s why Perch-
mouth was able to disappear!”

MacCamant wasted no time. Gather-
ing a posse of seven men, including
Deputies Hupert Reynolds, Tom Jones
and Jack Davidson, he sped by car to the
scene, A stone house loomed on a flat
mesa, 200 yards from the suspected dug-
out shack. It was noon. The day was
sultry but the scene was bright under the
desert sun,

MacCamant left five men with orders
to guard the house, then told the others to
follow him toward the dugout, whieh
seemed deserted. lis voice was tense
as he issued instructions:

“Reynolds, Davidson, cover us from
the brush. Jones, you come with me.”

Jones and the lean, wiry sheriff walked
straight to the dugout and banged on the
door. It opened abruptly and a careworn
woman stood before them.

MacCamant tipped his hat. “Good
afternoon, ma’am. Ts your husband
around?”

The woman shook her head and. the
sheriff gently but firmly pushed her

aside. A quick search only proved that
the dugout was empty.

Still not satisfied, MacCamant threw
his men into skirmishing formation and
had them search the brush and near-by
caves. But again they found nothing,

MacCamant left one man on guard all
that night and next morning he and the
others returned, This time they carried a
sub machine gun.

As they advanced over the crest of a
hill they caught sight of Perchmouth’s
relative and a strange blond man in the
yard. The blond stranger quickly ducked
out of sight,

MacCamant, from the shield of the
automobile, called, “ITey, there, where are
you poi 2” Phere was noanswer. Chen,
“LT want to talk to you. Come out here!”

A voice yelled back, “I ain’t coming
nowheres!”

Bat Sheriff MacCamant was not so
easily refused. Years of hard dealing with
hard men had taught him tactics that
produced results.

“Albright, don't come, then,” he called,
“But get that woman and any children
in there out of the way, because I’m com-
ing in behind a sub-machine gun. I'll
tear the place apart!”

Perchmouth’s kinsman was instantly
mellowed. He came on the run.

“There's just one question,” the sheriff
snapped. “Where is) Perchmouth and
where is Glen Tlunsucker?”

‘The man gulped but finally managed to
say that he had not seen the murderous
pair.

The sheriff and his men again searched
the dugout and yard but the blond man
had disappeared. Then, suddenly, Mac-
Camant could see what had happened.
The blond had quietly sneaked away
about 100 yards to a sloping hill. Behind
that had been a parked car. Tt was an
easy matter to throw it out of gear, coast
out of earshot and step on the gas. The

car was now only a cloud of dust on the
mesa, and it was an odds-on bet that the
blond Glen Tlunsucker and Perchmouth
Stanton were in the car.

The eight officers hurriedly took up
the trail. lor 20 miles they followed new
tracks, now only a trail of dust, over sandy
roads and then, quite suddenly, into the
base of a mountain range of heavy timber,

The timber broke and became a flat,
grassy clearing. Ahead was a clump of
trees and brush. The car was in low, the
grinding gears being the only sound in an
otherwise still day.

“Jones! Look out!”

Deputy Davidson shouted the words,
but they were punctuated suddenly by the
sharp, rattling: pop of a high-speed rifle
in action. Jones brought his gun to shoul-
der level, fired once and suddenly seemed
to lose control of his legs. He fell back-
wards ina twisted heap, the third peace
officer to die in the long manhunt.

The firing was terrific for five minutes,
accuracy being discarded for volume in
the bombardment, Suddenly there came
an_earsplitting war cry.

The bandits were actually advancing!

A blond head unexpectedly popped
from the brush. The bandit's gun was
spitting. One of the deputies coolly leveled
his rifle until a blond head appeared
squarely across the sights. The deputy

fired and the blond head spurted = red,
The deputy’s man dropped heavily to the
ground.

Then came silence, swift and terrifying.

Five minutes of ominous silence passed.
Then, at a signal, the officers advanced
directly to the clump of brush.

“That's odd,” said a deputy. “This
blond fellow was alone.”

“Alone, nothing!" barked MacCamant.
“Here's thirty-thirty shells and forty-
five shells. Two guns were firing and that
man has only one gun, Perechmouth has
beat it into the hills!”

ha.
blo
hea
“A
use
ints
Per
E
Car:
Can
Per,
toile
retur
and
await:
Searc
mou;
All
credi}
have
the n
For j-
grass-
sudde:
they ¢
But
hoarse

Ordere:
Ther:
then ¢!
Use fig]
He ¢
Set, ais
30-30 1
nlatics ,
further
_ Tn jail
identifie,
lunsuek
8rowled,
wo ¢
Donald
They sha
ately to.
question jr;
any conne
Moseley a
tified by y
During
earned fry
had been ‘
and had rec
In the peni:
Shrugged,
2 Em an |
Ofticers };
Said: “\Ve
for questio
Where you |
are still mig
they might ;
Storming th,
-erchmou:
man air, tur;
“Lemme h.
_ Ue kept ni
ms his allian,
Ot enlistin
“But T didn't
Rot out o:
Moseley wan
hiked around
Tulia bump-of
Where Glen d
them again an
Ing Glen in Ne
Is attempt
Tunsucker wa
dead, Claire Y
me. Meeks an
ready “doing tis
Mouth, the real
Crime club, with
CY to answer {,

-d that Genese was the actual

the angle which Coyle ~ ee
cas evident to the jury tha _
dcome from the left-hand co pe
If Gregovesir had she

d to accom-
Jersey City,
1, then get

ar seat.
ver, he would have ha
impossible—saee to ,
i e can:
re guns into the ¢ ; +
‘ve murder scene before Be
4 the other investigators. Si
anent involved made this 1
rial came to a close with he uty
in a verdict of guilty o fi 7
without a merey recon

murder to it calmly,

ion. Genese listened
smile on his lips.
Anderson pleaded
of accessory before
le was given a year
~ at hard labor. , ra
vie night .of Dec. 15, ger 7 "
calked to the electric cha a
ton death house and paid wi
ror his brutal erme,

guilty to a
and after the
in the peni-

Joe Gage as used in

rs note: The name rap eT

«dy not real but fictitious

oan tanacent person.)

{ the
loud of dust on :
ida-on bet that the
and Perchmouth

as now only ac
and it was an oc
i Glen Hunsucker
t ‘rein the car. . -
a iatht officers hurriedly honeyed
a 1 . owe

i for 2 *s they fo

Sor 20 miles i ee tr)

- - only a trail of dust, overt were!
. 4 d :

a hen, quite suddenly, inte Ae
Scart of heavy timber.

of aimountain range ion Mg PU
timber broke and bec : ee
cae i Ahead was a chum

sy clearing,
Jand brash.
dings gears berg
rwise still day.
ones! Look out!
eputy Davidson
they were punctud
rp, rattling pop ©
ction. youst pola :
evel, fired once @ adc igh ve
ee conti! of his legs. He fet sa
-ds in a twisted heap, ieee
‘cer to die in the cr og a Fey cinatus:
he i em aiacei ded for volume 1n

-uracy being discar bet tor shore canes
- bombardment. Sudde

itti y cry. .
oe ae actuvily advancing |
1 yo head unexpectedly ponpes
: vce ink The bandit’s gun a 2
itt “ee 1e of the deputies coolly levele
wife fate a blond head. apyesre
: ee caret the sights. The sets
paras Py the blond head apintee i
ne deputy’s man dropped heavily
at came silence, swift age gil

's of i s silence passed.
. minutes of om ooiybeers advanced
ey iutelu p of brush.
deputy.

The ear was in low, the
the only sound in an

shouted the words,
ea suddenly by _
{ a high-speed 1 .
ht his gun to shoul-
1 suddenly seeme

hen,
reethy to the chum
“That's odd,’ poke a
Lond fellow was atone, SNS
mt iooewathing!" gach ahmed grin
re's thirty-thi shells anc )
Here # ae ere firing and that
Perehmouth has

“This

ve shells, Two guns Ww
nan has only one gut
veat it into the hills 1

They retreated to the dead men. Jones
had been drilled through the heart. The
blond Hunsucker had been shot in the
head.

Again they advanced and found the car
used by the bandits. A bullet had ploughed
into the carburetor, explaining why
Perchmouth had made his escape on foot:

Five officers took the two dead men to
Carrizozo, while Davidson and Mac-
Camant remained to follow the trail of
Perchmouth. All during the night they
toiled through the hills. At dawn they
returned to the silent scene of the battle
and found more possemen and supplics
awaiting them. It looked as though the
search would develop into a prolonged
mountain siege.

All day they tracked. Tt seemed in-
credible that Perehmouth Stanton could
have made 20 weary, haunted miles in
the night, but he had done just that.
For it was a full 20 miles to the dry,
grass-covered lake where a_ rifle shot
suddenly whined over their heads and
they dropped, ready to give battle again.

But there were no more shots. A tired,
hoarse voice shouted, “Ifalloool You
¥uvs coppers?”

“Come on out, Stanton,” MacCamant
ordered, “or we'll blow you to pieces.”

There was a tense minute of waiting,
then the voice called out bitterly: “No
use fighting without bullets. I'll come!”

IIe came out, heavily bearded, thick
set, a scowl on his face. He carried a
30-30 Winchester and two .45 auto-
niatics which he handed over without a
further show of fight.

In jail at Carrizozo, Perchmouth Stanton
identified the dead blond man as Glen
Hlunsucker. “But I ain’t talking,” he
growled. “I ain't saying a word,”

Two days later Zimmerman, Mac-
Donald and Goen arrived from Tulia.
They shackled the prisoner and immedi-
ately took him = to Amarillo, Tex., for
questioning. At Amarillo he loudly denied
any connection with the killing of Sheriff
Moseley although he was positively iden-
tified by witnesses,

During the following week it) was
learned from Dallas that Ma Hunsucker
had been convicted on robbery charges
and had received a sentence of four years
in the penitentiary. Perehmouth merely
shrugged.

“I’m an innocent man,” he said.

Officers hit upon a ruse. One of them
said: “We'll have to take you to Tulia
for questioning. Remember? Tulia,
where you killed Moseley. People there
are still mighty agitated about that, and
they might try some unkind things. Like
storming the jail.”

Perchmouth Stanton, for all his bad-
man air, turned pale.

“Lemme be. I'll talk,” he promised.
Ie kept his promise. He told of form-
ing his alliance with the Hunsuckers and
of enlisting Claire Young as his moll.
“But I didn’t kill that sheriff,” he insisted,
“I got out of the car after the stickup
Moseley wanted us for and then hitch-
hiked around until after Glen pulled the
Tulia bump-off. Then we went to Rhome
where Glen done in that deputy. I left
them again and wandered around, mect-
ing Glen in New Mexico.”

His attempt to throw blame on Glen
Hunsucker was too obvious. Glen was
dead, Claire Young was ominously miss-
ing. Meeks and Ma Hunsucker were al-
ready “doing time.” That left only Perch-
mouth, the real engineer of the fantastic
crime club, with the blood of John Mose-
Iey to answer for,

There’s a triple play i.
tin of Velvet... it tastes
a cigarette... if smokes
a pipe... bite is O-U-T!
from maple-flavored |
aged two years or m
wood...it rolls a bette
rette and packs easy in

j
td
a ’ \ es
§ ry,
ff . tO i
‘ OT oe
hy
¢ ff
AGL
MILD
Copytighe 1940, os
Liaaatr & Mynrs Tonacco Co, Positive.

. <
<= Bec Uugll of
+ eee see ate + Fope from the floor of the car and
j~"o- aw eene Vem = Apa 3? : eee © it asa garrote, tain Carro)
it was brought in by ent : Bh Sos yr was all Mc i. ieoarae he had crew pth 5 Tine
- © coul answer. Y to the shadows against the wall
: AEE: Sergeant Tinsley was left to keep the rug mill, and, according to Captain

it for a loan of five dollars a :
Zollo returned from the Checker Cab early Tues- we want. i
wit any: bringing one of the drivers the day's, taste ~— ey ticker wor his rogues’ sas pene i are ar te ana fan = Bape! oo a
with him. . dl Cc: was’ ’ : : ; the body and had
“This is the man who turned in that ™&de out to George Johnson of King ; a 2 d had calmly driven home
brown felt hat tovhy b office,” Zollo Street, Worcester ** AND he’s left home, He tossed Lazure’s hat in an empty cab

it e ~ dded. “His mother hasn't seen he Passed. The next mornin ha
announced. “Claims he doesn’t know moth the name and the address are : ” - ;hen in na
ep shea ee phonies Tinsley went “I ch since last night, Pawned the watch. As Soon as he had

came in. But I got a 4, etatee utinely, then, the next step should done so he realized he had made a mis
imee tion of have bee: out take, and that nigh itch-
However! he'd nied ‘avg ge ciarke- watch “¢ Man who pawned the young Miller.. But Captain n Carroll hiked to Boston, intending to stay away
4 le ving seen La- According to the - hesitated over giving the order. until the case was forgotten.
. gure on Monday night. yo, pawnbroker the Finally he explained to M Tiernan ,

“I know him well,” he insisted. “T rien beter ‘all, possibly an inch over six “I want him found at on, poss ae ,
used to live near him in Southbridge. py ee aes build. He had worn and shadowed. But not ectenied Not T
And I sure didn’t have any reason to queen” Pg age sory ee urt and yet. * Actually’ tLe puly thing we have Pawnshop,” he went on, Carrol, said
knock him off, Anyway, my trip sheets ticket, the brok Out the pawn- tieing him up with Lazure is the watch. Stretching out his hands in front of him
will show that I was in a different part 3 aren gl €r noticed that he had That’s circumstantial. . He could say and Staring down at the backs T r
of the city when it was supposed to back of his pi Fmd Pyne ena ee he found it. But I remember Miller, ™My description and about the tattoo

we appened.” ite heetin.® cs; 0 ten oe oe cee Reg h- one ag il op and not a bright. ey I — I could never get away

S : I : I - Carroll .t te — courage, either. He from them—tI was afraid everywhere I
roll reminded him. “And you still Th = ena Lieutenant Mc just about goes crazy when he knows Went people would be sok at my

haven’t explained how Lazure’s hat an. its getting hot for hi "
haven’ = Go out_to Ward's Tavern.” he* the or him. He's the type hands. Looking and maybe remem-
apper hed to be in Zour aah ke in. OFdered. “See if ar iar’ there to look for the easiest way out. So I bering. I was afraid to 80 out, afraid

; ear . fecalls a man answe that i fi we should release the Story tothe todo anything. My hands were always

cob. earwer ied Gee Re Goce orcrnte Gece S ia
I ae 3 2 if vefore Judge Allen in the
I cape aiee ry . ‘Moe rs bead members him, find out if he hadacar.” 2!Test pretty soon. That way. I'm Worcester Bistrict Court on March 19,
MW! hin an hour MeTie oe vote Sure, he'll be so frightened hey 1949, Frederick Miller entered & routine

Pras ; ’ e office. up.”
wie Pied srotnd the comet vis “este Sitoueh were he rane ete eee eB waive, rari Suc Ales
cab,” McTiernan reminded Cen track at last,” he told Carroll. “There the newspapers of the discovery of the et He without bond for the
Carroll. “He cud now ie ras Such @ man at Ward's last night. dead man’s watch, with a full descrip- and j Parte Attorncy dicted May 12,
ne, Clarke's cab just to get rid of it.” Left at the same time Lazure did. ey tion of the te cmon Pawned it. Geila has aay rmey a ee
Set rid of it. remember him on account of his size Placing particular emphasis on the tat. om neuer is bein oun his
Ani

In answer to a Question, the man

ing. Don’t forget, a policeman Saw thing—one of th The next ours nothing ! STORIGS <a ress,
rg around midnight, and off and noticed him parking ‘sey Pomene happenes.” a = : ee
on for the next two hours. And ac- an old model, that night.” Sitting in his office at Headquarters, To avoid needless embarrassment t
2 5 4

cordi :
feet ‘pal ba stra = near the on — sat enn bs ee —— = Morera ge if = at parties, the names George
died.” hen Lazure — . nnd neta oy = had bee: ash-out when a de- vid and Cari Clarke are fictitious in
pe ~ - Thi e got tecti his ;
—_ could be wrong. UP wordlessly and left the room. . “A Sa bee geet yn oat : an- Tavern einige The ne

PK /296 for Texas’ Two-Timing Bank Robber (Continued trom Page 2)

You're missing something a heap more The deputy met him with car k through Freel: Two
Vr . thin, €ys the robbers and lead them a a
—3 i . the ph and the latest word from the field. Blum is another little inland town. of his on "ment Bob Wikees
fore the denne wus Phone be- T’ve Just talked to the fellows,” he As he entered it he met a local con- Kelly Rush, stood guard over it ae
ple ood = eae oe ae. Baye ti _ — gar — — Just returned from the Search. the handbag of silver that had tenn
—e on duty there gave him de- bers = Jim. There’s a thousand this pds said. “The pace Pn dipoaerl wan too peg tteht, Co ery.
ils. ; ; iding-places not to mention friends in’ through here about half- ast oO insi
aie road pee te ave et in they might have back in the thickets. We’d heard bout the robbery and some ing 1 in or back was a feast cleaned
pinto yg ime oe “¥ = é = — to trail ‘em in a car. : young fellows took out after ‘em afore suit. On the dashboard a meter box and
sng thera thas whee" aae ABO epi tue foeore etek el eto my earthy Al Mare WO te dated mate So ne
_— ay be song That’s where the aroneh oe ie nich coe Lonely they stepped on the gas and thecs whee won mactungcatcarreeddsan
a . ; roa ead into rock-ridged can- come they bl i in’ “Stol .
Get my car out of the shop, or dig yons and the whole area is covered fast over rough hieds. See, ce a The SheHi ae rie gash dee pea
‘T'll be home as quick as I can make it.” Posses would be needed and by the time hs change. ‘Youll ing ne nave tt ay

To the Sheriff whose anxious spirit they could be formed the quarry could ten mil i
: f €s Over yonder, Sh o "
zeoel ahead, post oe piel _ a Fag Toned rant Roig ae — tured off to the nerthemet “eat 7 clipped tra name's but Houston’s a
q 5 le pa ‘only the bank’s money, i i ; ning ”
after three when he walked into his a native could find. That was the secret, men are goin’ trouen oh gemetingte BS yt oe bleak Bans

a he reasoned. Friends who would Shelter when I left they hadn't found a thing.” might put them in Dallas instead,” Bob

ad r

any darker, so if the bandits are ‘close

enough they'll see us leave. If they’ve ©

got relatives: around, we'll never get
; If not, they'll come Out in the

= Open as soon as they think we're gone.

And we'll get ‘em then. .
Officers from the adjoining coun-
ties turned homeward. Freeland posted
a few men at various intersections, then
the car towed to Hillsboro.
his office he called Fort Worth.
Police there confirmed the theory that
the cab had been stolen.

“hired the driver to take them to the

edge of town, then held him up. They

- didn’t take any money; it was the car

lows, about twenty-five to thirty, he
Says. The big, dark-headed one isn’t
bad-looking. The cabby will know them
“if he ever sees them again.”

“Big, dark-headed .. . He'd be the
one who went into the bank,” Kelly
Rush: mused when the Sheriff relayed
his news. “That's the way Davis de-
scribed him."

Freeland brushed papers from his
desk and spread out the suit of clothes.

It was well made but the merchant
who had sold it interested him less
at the moment than the cleaning-shop
that had turned it out so recently that
the odor of naphtha still clung to it.
From one of the seams he drew a tiny
Square of tape on which were stamped
with indelible ink the letters PK. A line
was drawn beneath them: under this
line were the figures 296.

FARLY the following morning the

Sheriff was on his way to Dallas.
Deputy Bob Wilkerson accompanied
him. At the office of Will Fritz. Chief
of Detectives, Freeland told his story
and asked for help. Eee summoned

‘tives Jones and Simmons.

rccland had worked with Bob Jones
before. ‘“‘These—" he laid out the suit
they had brought. the prescription blank
and the cleaner's label—“are all we have
to go on save a vague description of a
good-looking. dark-complected young
man who could be anybody. Three Per-
sons. the cab driver, the banker and his
assistant, agree that they'll know him
if they ever see him again. Our leads
point to Dallas and Houston. both too
big to take apart on short notice.

Jones picked up the physician's blank.
“Red Cross.Pharmacy, in Oak Cliff.
That’s the logical place to Start.

“So we thought. Let’s go.” The Sher-
iff’s slow grin spread over his face. “I
reckon I'm just plain curious to see how
far we Can get on such thin leads.

Freeland’s car bore no official mark-
ings. Getting into it, the four men
drove to suburban Oak Cliff.

There. the Pharmacist shook his
head over the blank

“Jt doesn't Mean thing to us. or to
the doctor either, 7 imagine. It was

“We knc
here.” Sim
about six
can tell, a
have been -
Pprescriptio:

Wilkersc
“This isn’
There's no
But by al
terday was
smooth. L
ing-shops.
best thing

Bob Jone
this sectio:
We'll see t!
on this cor

Simmons
office to te.
kerson foli:
ment he hz
ied the lab

“It’s not

PK.
296

HERE was nothing unusual about
the quiet in the little country bank.
Except on Saturdays when farmers

go to town the bank was always quiet.
This was Wednesday, January 25, and
the old man who entered shortly after
one o’clock walked over to the wall desk
without noticing that K. Davis, who
owned and operated the institution, was
not in his accustomed place.

The aging customer wrote a check.
Waving it to dry the ink, he turned to
the cashier’s window. It, too, was va-
cant. He peered inside, caught his
breath in blank amazement, then his
weathered features crinkled into a wide
grin. Davis and the dignified, middle-
aged woman who served as his assis-
tant lay face downward on the floor,
eyes hidden in their arms. bent above
their heads.

It did look funny. The old man
chuckled. “What are you-all doin’ down
there? Takin’ a noon-day siesty?”

There was no reply, no movement
from the prone pair. The mirth died
on the old man’s lips. “Mr. Davis!”

A sharp voice broke in. “Old man,
you’re too nosey! You come in and
take a nap, too!”

A firecracker at his heels wouldn’t
have been more startling. ‘The oldster
was suddenly afraid. “I don’t get this.”

“Don’t try! Just do as you’re told!
No, in here, you fool! Come inside and
lay down!”

He saw it then, the gun muzzle at
the edge of the vault door, and the
hands of the man who held it. One

_ Shoulder was also visible and a pair of
hard, calculating eyes.

Two Letters,

Three Numbers — That

Was All, and They Had to Lead the
Sheriff to the Man Who Robbed the
Covington, Texas, Bank Whenever He

Ran Out of Cash. How? Who Was He?

By Fred Winslow

Special Investigator for ;
OFFICIAL DETECTIVE STORIES

From the floor the banker, recog-
nizing his customer’s voice, spoke in
muffied tones, “It’s all right, Jeb. Do
as this fellow says. We obey orders and
no one gets hurt. Is that right, my
friend?” he asked as the frightened old
man dropped down at his side.

“That’s right! Just keep quiet and
I'll be on my way. Thanks for the co-
operation.” The bandit’s laugh was as
brittle as the clink of silver he dropped
into a leather bag. “I hope the dough
is insured.”

Davis heard the rustle of currency

being stuffed into rapacious pockets.
He heard quick steps, the closing of a
door—and then, outside, a motor roared
into action. He stumbled to his feet
in time to get a flashing glimpse of a
car as it sped around the corner.

It was a depression year. Times were
hard and desperate men had declared
open season on isolated country banks
across the South and Mid-West. In
Texas the First State Bank of Coving-
ton was so isolated. Covington, a pros-
perous little wayside community, is 55
miles below Dallas. It has a couple of

for Texas’ Two-Timing Bank Robber

general stores, a filling-station or two
and the solid little banking institution
that stands on a corner of the town’s
one street.

It lies in Hill County and Sheriff Jim
Freeland had gone to Dallas that day
to attend the trial of a notorious out-
law. Freeland was the typical officer
of his day, serving in one capacity or
another for forty years, and from his
record of arrests a large slice of his
state's criminal history may be read.
The man on trial was his latest, cap-
tured at the request of Dallas officers.

i) WAS Freeland’s reputation for fast
work that caused a Dallas deputy to
look up with a grin as he entered the
Dallas County Headquarters that crisp
January day.

“Hello, Sheriff,” this deputy said
briskly. “Caught your bank robbers
yet?”

Freeland wriggled out of his topcoat.
“Don’t know of any running around
loose at the moment. Not in my stamp-
ing-grounds, anyway. How's your
world looking, Bill? Got a good crowd
upstairs in the courtroom?”

The deputy's grin faded. ‘“‘When did
you leave home, Jim?”

“About half-past eleven. My car's
in the shop today so I came on the in-
terurban. What's up, Bill?”

“Then you haven't heard. Plenty,
Jim. The bank at Covington has been
taken for more than four thousand.
Two men, one to pull the job, the other
waiting in a car. They made for the
hills and your boys are out after them.

(Continued on Page 60)

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Dec,

Ellis Depiiy

Is Killed by’ :
: ry +.
car ° ae *S ak ® e ras “2 Z *
Estaped Feloa.
+ goats ee eee} ’ :

“Jess Vihite;34, deputy Shur? of |
Filis Cotin peony Beniah dts
twice aixi ed.at‘ll-s’clock Sat.
urday. hight when enticing W.ixa-
hachie with an‘ escapal convict he
had apprehended. on ‘he highway,
outside the county, onit. He hed
featched ‘and hahdcufied the man
but was shot fn the mick, a yague
lar vein being severed and in the
lex,.with w 38 revolver the maa
had concealed. The car turned over |
In a ditch- but. White shes 2h)
fugitive, in. tho leg’ mh. the ciffed
man was runaing. - ,

The officer’ died‘ Gh ‘routp “o' a
hospital and the ‘fugitive wus cap-
tured by Deputies Bill.Gibeom and
David. Fearis working with Sher
ff Jeas Cariker, He.was identified
as J, B, Stevens who had se. ped,
from Retrieve state farm last Dee.
17 with a life sentence for Tob pery
ond burglary, He had been handled
in Tarrant, Harris, King, Dicceng
and Lubbock County, . ae

19,

oTAPHENS, J. B., white, elec, Tex, state Prison (Ellis County), on

1944,

‘Wilkerson suggested. “Show it to him,
. Kelly.”

Rush drew a scrap of paper from the -

vest pocket of the suit. The short
Winter day was drawing to a close;
Freeland turned it to the fading light.

6*HMED Cross Pharmacy,” he read.
“Oak Cliff. That's the new resi-
dence section outside of Dallas, isn’t it?
Hm, a doctor's name but no prescrip-
tion. Probably stolen out of his office. A

_ hop-head, maybe.” :

Wilkerson shook his head. “This job
was too smooth. It was pulled by a
steady, experienced hand.” :
. “Even so, the blank could have been

. stolen by a drug addict.” 4
‘ As the officers spoke half a dozen
searchers straggled back, weary and
~ disheartened. They had nothing to re-
rt:

Nevertheless, Freeland, wasn’t too
discouraged. :

- “This isn't the way, boys,” he said de-
‘cisively. ‘“‘The thing to do is pull out,
every one of us. Do it now, before it gets
any darker, so if the bandits are close
enough they'll see us leave. If they’ve
got relatives: around, we'll never get
_them, If not, they'll come out in the

’ open as soon as they think we're gone.

».. Says.

. And we'll get ‘em then.” :

Officers from the adjoining coun-

_ ties turned homeward. Freeland posted
a few men at various intersections, then
had the car towed to Hillsboro.

From his office he called Fort Worth.
Police there confirmed the theory that
the cab had been stolen.

“Last night, just after dark,” a Fort

ze Worth detective reported. “Two fellows

fiidn’t take any money; it was the car
they wanted. But one of them stood
guard. over him for awhile and the
other drove away somewhere. I don’t
know what that was all about. After
about a half hour he came back and

ired the driver to take them to the
ge of town, then held him up. They

the two of them made off in the cab,
leaving the driver to thumb his way .

into town. They've got two six-guns
and a Winchester. They're young fel-
lows, about twenty-five to thirty, he
The big, dark-headed one isn’t
bad-looking.. The cabby will know them

< ‘if he ever sees them again.”

“Big, dark-headed ... He'd. be the
one who went into the bank,” Kelly
Rush- mused when the Sheriff relayed
his news. “That’s the way Davis de-
scribed him.”

. Freeland brushed papers from his

-+» desk and spread out the suit of clothes.

-- Jt was well made but the merchant
who had sold it interested him less
* at the moment than the cleaning-shop
that had turned it out so recently that
the odor of naphtha still clung to it.
-‘ From one of the seams he drew a tiny
square of tape on which were stamped
/ with
‘was drawn beneath them; under this
line were the figures 296.

he -PARLY the following morning the

Sheriff was on his way to Dallas.
Deputy Bob Wilkerson accompanied

J him. ‘At the office of Will Fritz, Chief

: of Detectives, Freeland told his story
and ‘asked for help. Fritz summoned

“x. Detectives Jones and Simmons.

Freeland had worked with Bob Jones
before. “These—” he laid out the suit
they had brought. the prescription blank
and the cleaner’s label—“are all we have
- to go on save a vague description of a

good-looking, dark-complected young

=3<-Maan who could be anybody. Three per- .

~ ‘sons, the cab driver, the banker and his

assistant, agree that they’ll know him

if ‘they ever see him again. Our leads

_. point to Dallas and Houston, both too
i big to take apart on short notice.”

_: Jones picked up the physician’s blank.

“Red Cross.Pharmacy, in Oak Cliff.
That’s the logical place to start.”

“So we thought. Let’s go.” The Sher-
iff’s slow grin spread over his face. “I
reckon I’m just plain curious to see how
far we can get on such thin leads.”

Freeland’s car bore no official mark-
ings. Getting into it, the four men

‘drove to suburban Oak Cliff.

There, the pharmacist shook his
head over the blank. : :

“Tt doesn’t mean a thing to us, or to
the doctor either, I imagine. It was

indelible ink the letters PK. A line .

probably stolen from: his office. You'll
find him down in the next block. Sorry
to be of no help to you.” :

The physician in question was on a
call. His nurse could tell the officers
nothing definite. “A pad of these blanks
disappeared some time ago,” she said
thoughtfully. “We supposed they had
been brushed off into a wastebasket.
This is the first we’ve heard about them
since. It’s possible they were stolen but
I wouldn’t have any idea when or how.”

Back in the street, the officers went
into a quick huddle. Jones and Simmons
favored an immediate visit to the Dal-
las Narcotics Squad.

t.
oe
ft
i

saw it before and I don't know who
uses this marking unless it’s a new shop
that opened down the street not long
ago. You'll find it in the back of a
barber shop.” He gave them the ap-
proximate street number.

They located the place. Pushing
through to the back, Jones took one
look at the owner, busy with a customer
at that moment. and nudged Freeland.

“Could be we've got something. Jim.”
he whispered. “I know this bird. He's
as crooked as a scrub-oak limb. The
job will be getting him to talk.”

An odd look crossed the cleaner’s
mouse-like features when he recog-

In handcuffs and shielding his face, this short, stocky man
hardly could be recognized as the kidnap-killer who had kept two
people in mortal terror for almost a week. See story on Page 28

“We know there is a gang operating
here,” Simmons said. “They moved in
about six weeks ago, aS near as we
can tell, and druggists all over town
have been warned to look out for forged
prescriptions.”

Wilkerson shook his head dubiously.
“This isn't the work of a hop-head.
There’s no harm in checking, of course.
But by all reports this operator yes-
terday was not hopped up. He was too
smooth. Let’s get around to the clean-
ing-shops. That label looks like the
best thing we've got.”

Bob Jones said, “I know a cleaner in

this section. Call the Chief, Simmons. .

We'll see this chap and meet you again
on this corner in fifteen minutes.”

Simmons returned to the doctor’s
office to telephone. Freeland and Wil-
kerson followed Jones to the establish-
ment he had in mind. The owner stud-
ied the label. :

“It’s not mine,” he said. “I never

nized Jones. “My old friend, the city
dick.” he said, and Freeland revised
his first opinion. It was a rat he looked
like, not a mouse. “What can I do for
you this morning?”

Jones had entered with the idea of
questioning whomever he found in
charge. With recognition came a swift
change of mind. By way of answer-
ing the oily question, he flipped through
the labels on a row of freshly cleaned
garments that hung on a rack. Though
the number combination varied, the
PK insignia was on each one.

The little man watched him with
insolent assurance. “You got nothing
on me.” he said as Jones finished. “I’m
clean.”

“Yeah, I know. Come on down and
tell the Chief.”

With the cleaner in tow, the officers
returned to the car, met Simmons and
drove back to the City Hall. Leaving
the tailor with Fritz, they went to a

near-by cafe for a quick lunch. Free-
land placed his order. then shut him-
self into a telephone booth to cai}
Kelly Rush at the Hillsboro office. Hac
anything developed in his absence?

Ten minutes later he returned to
cooling coffee. his thin face alight with
interest. “The bank robbers came out
of the woods all right.’ he said. “Rush
tells me they turned up at a farmhouse
over in the valley about sunrise this
morning and paid the farmer's wile tc
fix breakfast.

“Then they wanted the farmer to
drive them to Fort Worth without wait-
ing until he could get his chores done.
He wouldn't do it so they took his car.
It's an old Model T Ford. The boys are
out looking for it now and they've got
the Rangers on the watch. It should
be spotted before long.”

“Fort Worth, eh? If they're smart.
they’ll head for some other town now.
realizing the farmer would talk. Hous-
ton's a long way off. Looks like Dallas is
your best bet. Jim, in view of what we've
already found,” Jones said. “Let's get
sate and see what luck the Chief has

ad.” :

HEY returned to the station. Will

Fritz met them with a quiet smile

and a scrap of paper on which a name
was written.

“J. B. Stephens. He’s the chap who
left the suit to be cleaned and called
for it later.” Fritz said. “It’s not his,
however. It belongs to a friend of his
whose name our little tailor doesn't
know.”

“He's not stalling?” Jones demanded.

The Chief's lips tightened. “I don’t
think so. Not with what we have
against him. I don't think he knows.
He doesn't-know where Stephens lives.
either. But’ Stephens has a sister. it
seems. A Mrs. Grace Clement. Her
husband is a carpenter and they live
out in the Oak Cliff district. That.” he
finished affably, “is all I can tell you.
boys. You'll have to take it from
there.”

For Jim Freeland it was enough. He
turned his car back toward Oak Cliff.
Discreet inquiries brought them to the
Rome of Harry and Grace Clement. The
carpenter was out in the yard build-
ing a chicken pen.

““J_ B. lives out here in Oak Clit,”
Clement told the officers. “I don't know
the address but if you'll wait till I fit
this gate in place I'll take you around
to it.”

Clement was cooperative and talka-
tive. On the brief drive he said. “My
wife has an uncle down your way. Sher-
iff. You might know him. His name
is Fender. He lives over by Blum.”

A long-time resident of Hill County.
Freeland knew practically every man.
woman and child in it. “You mean Newt
Fender, with a houseful of kids on a
farm that doesn’t half make a living
for him?”

Clement grinned wryly. “That's the
man. Works as hard as anyone I know
yet he never seems to get ahead.”

The Sheriff was silent as talk went
on about him. Did relatives in the
community have anything to do with
the. selection of the Covington hank
as an objective? Newt Fender was a
tired, discouraged man for whom the
rains always came a little too late and
the frost too soon. Was young Steph-
ens, his nephew, the big, good-looking
dark-faced man about thirty? Freeland
resolved to see Fender at the earliest
opportunity. Meanwhile they had
paused before a neat brick duplex in a
new addition of moderately priced
homes.

‘THAT'S the place.” Clement said,

“though J. B. may not be at home.
He’s away a lot. I don't see how he
ever gets anything done.”

Freeland and Jones walked to the door
while the other officers drove Clement
back to his home. Repeated raps
brought no answer. They moved to
the other side of the duplex.

A pleasant-faced. elderly woman
appeared at once. “Those people have
moved out.” she said. “No, I don’t know
where they went. or when they left.
really. Their rent was paid up to yes-
terday but they weren’t around all day
and last night when ] went to see them

al ' dew + Hy BA RM LD 18 Seating

DEAD MAN’S
HEAD

By Former Ranger Capt. Tom Hickman

Texas Rangers ‘

As told to Margie Harris

HE odd combination of ‘a ruined shack in the hills back of
Stephenville, Texas; a curious boy hunter, the too-crafty
planning of a congenital killer-—and a single, enormous foot-

print which later was found to match a suspect’s shoe
These were the items which solved a series of three murders, threw

Jight on a fourth, and eventually sent the slayer to death in the chair

at Huntsville, his sole regret being that he had failed to lay hands
on a necessary box of snuff at a vital moment.

It all began when Benny Acocks, a young country boy from the
hills back of Stephenville, whistled up his dog, Spot, for a skunk-
hunt. The dog was a hybrid. In him was mingled the blood—and

.the sagacity—of hound, bull and terrier dogs.

In the course of time they came to an abandoned shack, its puncheon
floor broken through into a root cellar. Benny pressed closer but the
dog, growling, said as plainly as could be:

“There’s nothing here for your mother’s son, Boss — for there’s
trouble down there, with a capital ‘T’.”
| But Benny had a better idea. He cuffed the dog loose from its firm

“Spot”, Benny Acocks’ ‘dog. Spot set out to hunt skunks but instead he un-

covered one of the most horrible murders in criminal annals.

54]

Benny Acocks, the young Texan who
discovered the hanging head when his
dog set up a weird howl.

hold on the leg of his overalls and slid
down into the hole. That brought him
i to face with the first drama of his
ife,

Instantly he sensed the odor as he
brought up alongside a tow-sack whic
descended from a_ twisted
spike beside him. The top
was untied and hung dow
in an inviting “U.”

Benny, boy-like, fumbled
at it and looked inside.

Then he knew that the
dog had been right! Tha
wasn’t any place for Mn
Acocks’ son to be. Asa mat-
ter of fact, it wasn’t any
place for anybody except a
sheriff and a medical exam.
iner

For in the sack was a hy.
man bead. A bead severed
from its body by some ghast-
ly, cleaving blow!

From the abandoned shack
in the hills to the office of
Sheriff Ned Hastler in Ste
phenville in the stone cour:
house with its whitewashed
interior, is a distance of sev-
eral miles. But Benny and th
excited Spot covered it ia
Marathon time.

White - faced, breathless
trembling in every fiber of

(veal 6 a tomcat ae a

Former Ra
man who tel
of Ameri

his strong, you
into the Sheri
the story of h
Now, I’ve
through man}
service as a T
resigned out o
the old tradit
is cool, able,
the average.
shy grin as
thing men cal
So it follow
Acocks wasn
murderer any
he started Ni
the vengeance
20 minutes af
the boy’s stor
deputy, accor
county coron
ing out into t
of the county

They foun
there. But \
Sheriff Ross

recovering it,
tler was evidc
fnterest in a

of a foot in s
the side of

might or mi,
clue, but Has
with a dead |
vent further «

“sticking the money in your pocket.”
The initials (D. S.) were those of Dave
Smith, (now also dead) a convict serv-
ing a life sentence for murder. He had
the newspaper route in the prison. The
two letters mentioned by Murray were:
never found.

In the latter part of the message, re-
ferring to the killing, Murray under-
scored the pronoun “I” and the name
“Jones.” That ‘Murray killed Swany
was clearly proven at the trial, but offi-
cials had’ always held the belief that
Guard Holman was killed by Kelley.
As he did in the trial, Murray, in his
suicide message, attempted to shield
Kelley and Willos.

THE remaining two condemned men’s
cases were dragged tediously through
the courts for long weeks, for lon
months of misery, until thirty-three o
them had passed. Their attorneys car-
ried their cases to every court in the
land, and after long, seemingly in-
terminable periods, the convicts would
learn that the original convictions were
sustained. Then followed a series of
writs, temporary writs, and reprieves.

“Willos once told the author:

“It isn’t death—I am not afraid of
death. It’s these damn reprieves—this
waiting—waiting—waiting. We resign
ourselves to the fate of hanging—then
the weeks start dragging—the days—
the hours—the minutes—and then—
another reprieve. It’s hell.”

And then on the bright and sunn
spring morning of April 20th, 1928,
the last of the reprieves terminated,
and Kelley and Willos were executed,
and the crime record of the two con-
spirators which had been on the legal

The Master Detective

stage of Oregon for nearly three years
was closed.

Out in the prison yard, the warm air
was seemingly surcharged with a dis-
mal, melancholy tension. Hundreds of
restless convicts moved around dispirit-
edly, intermittently gathering in little
cheerless knots, and then moving silent-
ly away to themselves again in grim
absorption.

The two condemned men, however,
with only a few hours to live, ate heart-

ily of breakfast, consisting of fried:

eggs, buttered toast, fruit and coffee.

Immediately following breakfast,
Kelley dressed himself in a neat-fitting
gray suit with blue line stripes, and a
natty blue and red tie. He was clean-
shaven, his eyes were clear, and _ he
— to be in perfect control of him-
self.

Willos too, was well dressed in a
brown suit with line stripes of darker
brown, but his dark face showed lines
from lack of proper sleep. and worry.

Kelley was the first to enter the grim
gray walls of the death chamber. He
walked with a firm tread up the thirteen
steps by the side of Father Keenan,
unassisted. Two guards followed. He
maintained his composure, but his
mouth tightened to a thin, straight line,
and he gripped the leather strap on
his hands tightly as the black cap was
thrown over his head and the ugly
noose adjusted.

He dropped through the trap at 8:31
o'clock, and was pronounced dead by
Doctor R. L. Edwards, prison physi-
cian, at 8:43.

His fellow conspirator, Willos, as-
sumed a nonchalant air and mounted
the thirteen steps with a cigarette in

his mouth. A guard walked at his side.
Father Keenan and another guard fol-
lowed.

For a fleet instant, as he stood on the
scaffold, his heavy eyelids flickered at
the sound of birds stirring sleepily in
the eaves. From the open window, the
full splendor of the morning sunshine
was evident as the golden rays came
pouring in the room.. Far off on the
distant highway, cars hurrying through
the day could be plainly heard. He
closed his eyes against all the outside
beauty for a second. Then he grinned
wickedly.

Just before the black hood was
placed on his head, he spat out the
cigarette viciously, surveyed the 75
white faces staring up at him and said
dramatically:

“Well, I hope you will all be satis-
fied.”

At 8:53, he dropped through the trap
to his doom. For a few moments his
body jerked convulsively, then slowly
became limp and swayed grimly back
and forth like some hideous pendulum.
At 9:05, he was pronounced dead, his
body was cut down and placed gently
in the wicker basket at the bottom of
the scaffold.

Keney and Willos were no more.
They had fought their way from
the penitentiary—they were brought
back, and they paid the price in full
that only a State can ask and receive.

Thus ended a grim chapter, one of
the bloodiest chapters in te annals of
Oregon’s prison da a chapter that
was replete with thrills and dramatic
incidents, and a-chapter that is hoped
will never have a recurrence.

THe Enp

Texas’ House of Horrors” ~

was something suspiciously clean about
the thing. I took out my penknife and
inserting the point where the axe handle
joined the metal, | chipped off a splin-
ter of wood. ,

The tip of the splinter was a brown-
ish-red!

Knocking the head from the axe, we
found the wood underneath consider-
ably stained. Was this the brutal in-
strument with which the boy’s head
had been hacked from his body!

The bare floor of the wagon bed was
clean and white. Too clean and white,
in fact, for a wagon that was used in
general farm work. It had been re-
cently scoured.

The underside of the wagon told the
story. There was clotted dried blood
on the coupling pole and axles, and on
the underside of the boards of the
wagon. Water’ had been poured into
the wagon bed, which had forced the
blood into the cracks and out on the
other side, — ;

Had this wagon carried the headless
body to its hiding place?

It was beginning to look as though
we had the case in a bag, but we were
not prepared for the amazing turn our
investigations took a few hours later.

With a party of deputies, and news-
paper men, we went to the Snow home.

(Continued from page 37)

One of the oldest houses in Erath
County, it was built after the style of
Southern houses fifty years before.
There were three rooms under one roof
which served as living rooms and sleep-
ing quarters. Then, almost touching
the other house, was a separate two
room shack which served as a kitchen
and dining room, It was in the latter
place that Sheriff Hassel interviewed
Snow a few nights before, a fact which
had considerable bearing on the case.
Trying the door of the three room
house, we found it locked. Putting our
shoulders to it, we forced it open.

A HORRIBLE odor assailed our nos-
trils. Holding handkerchiefs to
their noses two of the men forced them-
selves across the room and opened the
windows, to let the fresh air in.

“Well, Sheriff,” one of the deputies
said. “Looks like we're not far from
that body.”

The air reeked with evidence that
death had been in that place. When
the fresh air made it possible for us to
go into the rooms, we believed that
our search for the body of Bernie Con-
nally had ended,

With all the furniture removed from
the house, there were few places where
a body could have been hidden. The

closets yielded nothing. In the stack of
rubbish on the floor of one of the
rooms we found several books of “boy-
hero” stories with the name “Bernie
Connally” on the flyleaves.

It was nearly midday, when we
paused in the middle of the house puz-
zled at what our search had not re-
vealed. The cold winter sun was shin-
ing in through one of the windows,
making a bar of light across the floor.

“ook,” one of the men was pointing
at the rough boards of the floor. A sun-
beam had caught and was holding its
reflection in the head of a nail. It was
a shiny, new nail. In an area about
four feet square on the floor, there were
about a dozen new nails which con-
trasted brightly with the other worn,
rusty nails in the rest of the floor.

Within a few seconds, we had pried
the first board from the floor. A swarm
of flies rose into the room from under-
neath the house. We thought our
search for the missing body was at an
end, But instead of a body, we found
only a depression in the stained, foul
earth beneath the house and faintly

outlined on the ground, in the cavity’

between the two supports, were signs
of the body that had been there until
oo had advanced consider-
ably.

May,

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The Master Detective

The Erath County Jail where F. M. Snow was held and questioned by authorities dur-
ing the investigation into the mystery of the hanging head

neath. Then he went to find Bernie.

Bernie and his stepfather drove from
town in the wagon together, the boy
never suspecting that beside him was
the murderer of his mother and his
grandmother. Snow alighted from the
wagon, and opened the gate leading
into his barnyard. As the yes drave
through, Snow shot him in the back
with a rifle. The boy fell backwards
into the wagon bed,

COVERING the body with coats and
tow sacks, Snow waited until night-
fall. Then he drove the body to the top
of Cedar Mountain. Dragging it into the
road, he chopped the head off, and
wrapped it in one of the tow sacks. To
further forestall identification, he re-
moved the clothes putting the two coats
into the sack with the head, and later
burning the other garments.

Through the night Snow drove, with
the ghastly bundle in the seat beside
him. When dawn came, he became
frightened for fear someone would see
him on the highway in his blood-spat-
tered wagon, so he made haste to find
a hiding place. ee

Léaving his wagon standing in the
road, he took the head of his victim
and began to tramp across the fields.
In a clearing he came to a mound of
soft -dirt. Sudickly, he dug a_ hole,
thrust the sack into it, and recovered
it with earth, Then he hurried back to
his wagon, never suspecting that in the
half light he had chosen the top of the
old cellar as a burial place for the
head. The roof of the cellar was only
about a foot in thickness, and in his
haste he had merely thrust the sack
between two,.of the rafters, and had
left the head of his victim hanging like
a chandelier, from the ceiling of the
cellar below.

Back at his home, Snow cleaned the
axe and washed his wagon. His neigh-
bors accepted his explanation that the
two women and the boy had left for
Waco. Snow intimated that things had
not gone well with his marriage.

Ten days later, two things disturbed

Snow’s sense of security. One was that
it was becoming apparent to even his
casual visitors that there was some-
thing dead in or about the Snow house.
Snow explained when queried that a
rat had died between the walls. The
other was, of course, the news of the
discovery of the boy’s head in the cel-
ar.

Several people (as was testified later
at the trial) passed Snow’s house one
night early in December, and noticed
that although all the doors and windows
were open the roaring fire in the fire-
place could be seen from the road.

Had these passersby investigated,
they would have found a man sitting
before the fireplace. On one side of
him was a stack of wood; on the other
a gaping hole in the floor, There all
night Snow sat, bringing from the
hole in the floor, piece by piece, the
bodies of two women.

FOLLOWING his confession. Snow

begged us to shake his hand and to
Brome that we would not let them
ill him. Although explaining to him
that the laws of the land would decide
his punishment, several of the men per-
mitted him to shake their hands. Dis«
trict Attorney Sam Russell, however,
refused, explaining that it would be his
duty to prosecute the case against
Snow.

Snow went to trial for killing Bernie
Connally on January 18th, 1926, in
Stephenville, before Judge J. B. Keith

» of the 29th District Court. Experts

disproved the insanity defense. The
jury, after a short deliberation, re-
turned the verdict of guilty and as-
sessed the punishment at death,

But that did not end the Snow case
for us. There remained still on the
records the finding of a headless body
in 1913. Was it a coincidence that
those two crimes, so similar in details,
occurred within a hundred miles of
each other? An_ investigation into
Snow’s past revealed that he was liv-
ing in the community in which the
body was found in 1913. Questioned,

he denied all connection, but admitted
that he had visited the morgue to look
at that headless body several times.

Eighteen months after that strange
session on the top of Cedar Mountain,
there was a reunion of the men who
had heard Snow’s confession. This time
we met in a little room in the peni-
tentiary as guests of the State, to wit-
ness his execution.

“GNOW, did you_ kill that man near

Mineral Wells?” Captain Hickman
said in a last attempt to clear up the
1913 mystery.

“Can't you see that it wouldn’t do
me any good to tell you,” was the de-
fiant reply.

The door opened. In the room be-
yond we could see the electric chair.

“By God, a better man never sat in
it!” said Snow as he marched to his
death.

With Snow’s death our hopes died
for clearing up the 1913 mystery. But
upon our return to Forth Worth, amaz-
ing news awaited us. A Negro who had
been held in the Erath County Jail in
a cell next to Snow had decided to talk.
To him, Snow had admitted that he
had killed the headless man found near
Mineral Wells, and had completely

Sergeant Stewart Stanley, of the

Texas Rangers, author of this strange

story that revealed three cold
blooded murders

forestalled identification by throwing
the man’s head in a deep well.

“They wouldn't have caught me this
time,” he reported Snow as saying, “If
I could have found a well that night
after I left Bernie’s body on the moun-
tain.”

But even that story did not clear up
entirely the famous Snow case. No one
has solved, although spiritualists from
all parts of the world have been inter-
ested, the mystery of the old fireplace
in the Snow home. Hundreds of photo-
graphs have been taken of that fire-

lace, each one showing dimly outlined
in the bricks that form the back of the
chimney, the face of a woman. Of
course It is caused by an arrangement
of smut and lights and bricks. But
why?

May, 1933

So engrossed were we in this first dis-
covery, that our second find percolated
slowly into our consciousness. In the
depression between the next ere
ports of the house was another grisly
outline, more swarming flies, and foul
earth. Two bodies had been stored
away under the floor.

“We have looked everywhere but the
chimney,” one of the newspaper men
said. Walking over to the old fashioned
fireplace, he bent down to peer upward.
But his face turned suddenly down to-
wards the white ashes in the grate. He
plunged his hands into the ashes.

“They're warm,” he shouted. “Some-
thing has been burned here.”

A second later, when he drew from
the ashes a small charred bone, we
knew what had been burned there!

HERE was an ash heap in the back-

yard, topped with a mound of queer-
hued white ashes, such as were in the
fireplace. In these ashes we found
larger bones, which even a layman
could identify as having come from a
human skeleton. The discovery of a
portion of a human skull and several
teeth in the ashes convinced us that
Bernie Connally was not the only one
who had met death in ‘this house of
horrors. The second victim, whoever
it was, had been burned, head and
body, in the fireplace. *

Back in Stephenville, we found a, re-
port from Waco. Although the detec-
tives had not located Mrs. Snow and
her mother, Mrs. S. A. Olds, in the city
and relatives living there admitted no
knowledge of their whéreabouts, con-
siderable information had been gath-
ered about the two women.

As | read the report on the women in
the case, | was amazed at the aura of
tragedy and violence that had over-
shadowed the short life of Bernie Con-
nally. His father, S. L. Connally, while
coming from work one afternoon in
1921 was killed by three Negroes.
Since his death Mrs. Connally had mar-
tied three times. Her third husband
had come to a violent end. A brick
had fallen on his head while he slept,
killing him instantly. Although there
were tumors that it was murder due
to a lack of evidence, the case was
never pushed. Much of the property
owned in Waco, was held in the name
of Bernie Connally.

Had the mother of Bernie Connally
been a party to the murder? Did
Snow’s statement that he wished he
was with Maggie indicate that he had
been attempting to join his wife in
some hiding place when we arrested
him?

On the afternoon of the second day
after the arrest, we received word from

The

Captain Hickman in Fort Worth that
F. M. Snow had confessed to the mur-
der of his stepson. He had promised
to lead the officers to where he had
concealed the body.

Ranger Captain Tom Hickman and

Master Detective

‘the Fort Worth officers arrived with

Snow in the middle of the afternoon.
According to the prisoner, the decapi-
tated body could be found on top of
Cedar Mountain, about sixteen miles
from Stephenville. In two automobiles
we started for Cedar Mountain, which
lies in the most desolate part of Eraph
County. There are no farms in the im-
mediate vicinity. The bleak point of
the mountain juts up abruptly from
the surrounding country, which low
scrub trees, stunted cedars, and heavy
underbrush made it almost impassable.

The road, as we progressed towards

F. M. Snow,
home became “The House of Hor-
ror’ after investigators discovered

Texas farmer whose

what had taken place within its
walls
Cedar Mountain, was narrow and
rough. Darkness fell long before we

reached the foot of the mountain, At
last the car ahead of us stopped. They
could go no further because the high,
grassy center of the road was touching
the deferential of the car,

“How much further is it?” one of
the officers asked.

“About a mile,” Snow replied. “I
drove up there in my wagon.

With Snow between us, Captain
Hickman and J] stumbled through the
darkness up the old abandoned road.

On each side of us, the officers trained .
their flashlights on the road.

Suddenly ahead of us there was a
sharp exclamation. One man _ had
focused his flashlight on a dark spot
about the size of a dinner plate in the
road.

“There is where | chopped off his

head, The body is over there.” said
Snow.
_ The: flashlight followed the: direction
in which he pointed, and caught a
gleam of white cloth under a stack of
underbrush. Then Snow broke.

{For God’s sake men,” he sobbed,
“Don’t make me look at him. I'll tell
you everything.”

The headless body of Bernie Con-
nally lay on its stomach, the right arm
extended and the left close beside the
body. Between the shoulders, there
was a wound where the bullets had
penetrated. He was clothed in a suit of
thin underwear.

“1 killed Bernie,” Snow said trem-
bling. “It was self defense. | don’t
know. why I cut off his head. [| must
have been crazy then. For God’s sake,
take me away from here.”

“No, we're not going,” Sheriff Hassell
said, “Until you tell us the truth about
all this. Where is your wife? Did you
kill her?”

“No. No!” Snow screamed, his face
distorted from fright. She’s in Waco
with her mother. Take me away from
—that!” He indicated without glanc-
ing its way the headless body.

“Tell us the truth,” one of the officers
said, as we grouped around Snow.

It was an odd circle, that gathered
there at midnight on the summit of
Cedar Mountain. In the center stood
the murderer. Just behind him was the
man he killed. And the howls of the
coyotes made a weird obligato to
the story which was pulled bit by bit
from the cowering man.

ACCORDING to his confession, Snow
had come home on the afternoon of
November 27th, and discovered his
cow in the cotton patch. He remon-
strated with his wife, and they began
to quarrel. In his rage, Snow picked
up a_ piece of stove-wood and struck
his wife over the head with it, crushing
her skull instantly. Leaving her body
in the yard, he went into the house.
Mrs. Ids, his mother-in-law, was
seated before the fire, unconscious of
the fact that her daughter was dead in
the yard outside, He shot Mrs. Olds
with a pistol and then finished the job
with an andiron from the fireplace.
Terrified lest Bernie return from
town and discover the murder, Snow
ripped up the boards of the floor and
put the bodies on the ground under-

offense in using the mails to defraud.

Stories have been submitted to this magazine w
Anyone submitting a plagiarized story through the mail, an

and piracy, and are advising all magazines, fr
with the publishers thereof to punish the guilty persons.
Notice is hereby given to all who submit stories that t

Plagiarism

The publishers of THE MASTER DETECTIVE are eager—as are all reputable publishers—to stamp out this form of literary theft
om which such stories have been copied, of such plagiarism and are offering to co-operate

hich are copies that have appeared in other magazines.
d receiving and accepting remuneration therefor, is guilty of Federal

he same must be the original work of the author.

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‘Tll issue a warrant right. away,” he
said. “That bird’s slippery. He'll try to
escape tonight as sure as you're alive.”

Not five minutes later the sheriff’s phone
rang. ‘Sergeant Stanley was calling from
a farmhouse a short distance from the
Snow cabin.

“He’s packing up his stuff and loading it
in his wagon,” he said. “Hurry out here
and we'll nab him as he’s leaving.”

Hastler and Piercey, now accompanied
by Undersheriff Jess Brooks, drove to the
cabin at top speed. Slowing down a half
mile from the place, they turned off their
lights and silently approached the. farm-
house.

Snow had finished packing his belong-
ings in the wagon and was now hitching up
his team. Presently he jumped upon the
seat and shouted “Giddap!”

A figure darted from the shadow of a
tree just ahead of him, leveling a revolver
at the driver.

“Going somewhere?” asked the Ranger
sergeant, ;

As the: other officers rushed up, Snow
obeyed the Ranger’s command to get down.
Angrily he spluttered, “What right have
you got to stop me?”

When Hastler waved a murder warrant
in his face, the lanky farmer sneered,
“You'll: never be able to prove that.”

Half an hour after he was brought into
Stephenville and locked in the county
jail a threatening mob began to gather. It
grew so alarmingly that the sheriff and
Stanley: finally decided to spirit their
prisoner out the back door of the jail and
take him to Fort Worth. There they left
him with Ranger Captain Hickman while
they returned to Pi a thorough search
of Snow’s cabin and household effects.

The first thing Sheriff Hastler did on
reentering the cabin was to extinguish the
blaze in the big stone fireplace. The ashes
lay almost a foot deep within it.

When they had cooled sufficiently the
sheriff began carefully sifting the ashes.
As he expected, he soon came upon small
pieces of charred. bone. He removed ' all he
could find and had Deputy Piercey rush
them to Fort Worth for analysis. Late that
night a pathologist identified them as parts
of two female skeletons.

Captain Hickman was notified. He had
Snow brought from his cell for question-
ing. First, however, he read the prisoner
the pathologist’s report.

Body Located

Snow gave him an evil grin. “I know
something about the law, mister,” he
sneered. “Those little pieces of bone ain’t
enough to send me to the chair. You can
try from now to doomsday without estab-
lishing them legally as the remains of my
wife and her mother. I can claim they
were among some trash I found there in a
box when I rented the place. Who can

‘prove différent?”

“Never mind,” Captain Hickman said.
“We've got more evidence than that and
we're just starting. Besides, we'll never
have to try you for the murder of your
wife and mother-in-law. .You’ll get the
hot seat for killing Bernie Conley.”

Again Snow’s mouth was twisted in the
mocking grin. “You ain’t found the body,
have you?”

“You’re crazy if you think we'll need
that. The head’s been identified. Bernie’s
been proven legally dead. Besides, we’ve
got a cast of that footprint you left in
the pit.”

Snow was still far from disconcerted.
“Suppose,” he said in a slow, teasing voice,
“I was to claim that I killed in self-
defense. Who could prove I didn’t?”

“No jury would believe you. Not after
we'd produced an eyewitness.”

“Eyewitness!” The lean farmer looked

outraged. “There wasn’t any eyewitness.
We were alone.” Suddenly he realized he
had made a’ grave admission. His face
turned red. ©

“You had to kill him after you’d killed
the women, for feaf he’d tell, didn’t you,
Snow? Better come clean.”

For a moment he didn’t answer. His
crafty eyes shifted uneasily. “I wouldn’t
be surprised if we couldn’t come to a little
understanding. You say you'll put me on
trial for Bernie’s death. I say I killed him
in self-defense. If I talk, will you forget
about those two women?”

“I can’t promise you anything. But if
you'll tell us where the rest of Bernie’s
body is, I’ll do everything possible within
the law to get the other two cases against
you dropped.”

“Okay,” Snow grinned. “I hid it up back
of Bluff Dale on Cedar Mountain.”

He showed them that same night where
it was, and the headless corpse of the 16-
year-old boy was recovered. Hickman was
confident this act in itself would: convict
the farmer. ,

“You want to know about the women,
too? All right, you’ve given me your word.
I killed Mattie with my Winchester after
a quarrel we had.- The old lady saw it—it
happened right in the front yard—so I
had to get rid of her, too.”

“Then Bernie had to go, because when
he got back from town that day he’d find
out about it. Right?”

Snow grinned. “I said I killed ‘Bernie in
self-defense, didn’t I? You haven’t got any
eyewitness. I don’t fall for that bluff:”

On the following morning Sergeant Stan-
ley, District Attorney Russell and: Sheriff
Hastler arrived with fresh evidence, and
the prisoner was led from his cell. for fur-
ther interrogation.

“We're going to blast that self-defense
plea sky high, Snow,” Russell told him.
“So you might as well give us the whole
story. We’ve learned that you were in
town on the Tuesday that Bernie dis-
appeared. Later you and he were seen
riding out of town on the wagon, with your
saddle horse tied to the wagon’s end gate.”

Snow shrugged elaborately. “So what?”
he replied derisively.

“You’d just killed the two women. You
wanted to find Bernie before he got home
and missed them, so you rode with him
in the wagon and killed him while the two
of you were sitting there—probably just
as you got home.”

“You can’t prove that. There weren’t
any eyewitnesses.”

“We can prove it, just the same,” Russell
replied sternly, “because you didn’t suc-
ceed in removing all the bloodstains from
the wagon. We found some in between
the floor boards. And that isn’t all we

found. Under the planking in your cabin.

we found the double-bladed axe you used
to decapitate Bernie and dismember the
women’s bodies so that you could burn
them bit by bit. That’s why there was

always a blaze in the fireplace. Took you a
long time didn’t it?”

Wearily Snow looked at the floor and
sighed. “It took days—and more than two
cords of wood.”

Snow’s trial came up early the following
spring. Hardly had it s before Snow’s
attorney, seeing the futility of continuing
to plead self-defense, switched to a plea
of insanity. .

- The jury. was unimpressed. Retiring
shortly after 3 o’clock on April 11, 1926, it
returned with a verdict of guilty in two
hours. Five months later, on September
28, the triple slayer was executed in the
state prison at Huntsville.

Eprror’s Nore: To spare possible em-
barrassment to innocent persons, the names
Manuel Villegas and Will Beasley, used
in this story, are fictitious.

Check
(

(Contin:

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SNOW, F. Me, white, elec. TX (Victoria) August 12, 1927

The dog that first noticed the grisly gunny sack

hanging from the rafters in an

abandoned barn. Nothing to be so
fussy about, Ben Aycock thought.
Nothing to keep his small dog from his
isual pastime of chasing rabbits.

But this wintry afternoon the terrier,
sensitive ears laid back, had taken his
stand at the cellar steps and refused to
oudge. Black nose pointing skyward,
ne ended each shrill bark with a long,
mournful howl.

“Fool pup thinks he’s treed some-
thing!" Aycock said to himself and
turned from the trap he just had set.

|" WAS just an ordinary grain sack

“Reckon I'd better see what’s so all-
fired exciting.”

A pallid sun lost itself in gray mist
as the wind, whipping across Texas
plains, veered suddenly to the north.

That was what brought to the trap-
per-farmer the scent of death, faint at
first, then very strong.

Aycock, eying the curve of an object
in the sack, was aware of a vague sense
of relief. Someone had killed an animal
and hung it there intending to return
for it later, he thought, and he took the
sack down, untied the knot and shook
out its contents.

OFFICIAL DETECTIVE STORIES,

February, 1951

Old Barn

Near

From this now ramshackle barn a farmer's stock
vanished while officers were searching for him

Stephenville,

What Was the Full Story of Multiple
Murder and Violent Death the Sheriff
Sought to Uncover When He Learned

About This Gruesome Discovery in an

Texas?

By Alison Blake

Special Investigator for

ACTUAL DETECTIVE STORIES

Like a blow in the midriff, a wave of
nausea rocked him backward. The gray
day turned suddenly black and the dog
loosed another dismal howl.

Instead of some small fur-bearing
creature, a human head lay before him,
eyes staring, mouth drawn in the agony
of sudden and horrifying death.

YCOCK closed his own eyes until

the sickness passed, then re-
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“Wait!” he said to the dog.
until I come!”

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“It’s a boy's head, Sheriff,’’ Aycock
finished huskily. ‘‘A kid I've never seen
before. He couldn’t be more than
eighteen, if that. There's no sign of his

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Triple Death

(Continued from page 17)

It was easily established that Beasley
and Vallegas had departed from Stephen-
ville on the previous Tuesday in Vallegas’
old Ford, bound for Mexico. Beasley’s
family had not heard from him since. As
for Vallegas, he had no relatives in the
Any hence no word was expected from

im,

An immediate alarm was sent out for the
two youths. Stanley phoned state head-
quarters of the Texas Rangers, who re-
quested Mexican authorities to watch for
the Ford.

“If his pals killed him, they must have
been after his money,” Hastler said to
Stanley that evening. “Although $100 would

| hardly seem enough to inspire a crime
| of that sort.”

“Wonder why they didn’t wait until they
were in Mexico?” the Ranger puzzled. “Or
at least until they were several hundred
miles away from home? There’d been far
less chance of the victim’s being identified.”

One aspect of the crime had. bewildered
the investigators from the start. Why had
not the head of the victim been hidden
as carefully as the body? It would have
been a simple matter to bury it. The pur-
pose of nearly every decapitation is to
prevent or. delay identification. The killer
in this case seemed to be doing everything
in reverse. :

While waiting for reports on the Mexico

| bound youths,: the authorities continued

| their search for Bernie Conley’s body, not
to mention ‘the weapon and other clues.
Their efforts availed them nothing. On
Wednesday they phoned Snow that the
immediate hopes of finding the body were
slim, and that there would’ be no point
in delaying the funeral services on that
| account. .

Snow’s answer surprised them a little.
“Iv’ll be delayed anyway,” he said. “Mat-
tie’s so upset over her boy’s death that
she’s had a collapse and won’t be able to
come back here very soon.”

It seemed a bit strange that the be-
reaved mother should remain in Waco, less
than 100 miles away, at a time when she
needed her husband to comfort her.

It also seemed: strange to the investi-
| gators that the mother apparentiy showed

alifornia courtroom, but the .

no interest in returning to follow their
progress and help them determine who
killed her son, Possibly, they reflected, she
knew nothing that could assist them.

Nevertheless, there were questions they
wanted to ask her. In spite of the strong
indications that Bernie Conley had met his
death at the hands of his two companions,
Hastler did not want to overlook other
possibilities. He wished to go thoroughly
into the boy’s background, and he felt that
Mrs. Mattie Snow alone could give him
complete information. The slain youth
would have been more likely to confide
in her than in his stepfather. She would
probably know if he had made any enemies
or become involved in trouble recently.

The stepfather already had disclaimed
any such knowledge. So had his neighbors.
In talking with the latter, Hastler and
Stanley received a strong impression that
the Snow family was not too highly re-
garded in the neighborhood. The reasons
were not altogether clear. Some said the
Snows “weren’t sociable.” Men found Snow
inclined toward stand-offishness. One
neighbor had turned against the man when,
he claimed, Snow had brutally whipped a
horse. ;

It was all too apparent that, however
hardworking and respectable the Snows
might be, they were not popular with
their neighbors and seldom mixed with
them socially. Consequently little was
known of the family’s private affairs.

One Boy Back

Hastler decided he would talk with Mrs.
Snow if he had to go to Waco for that
purpose. Accompanied by the Ranger ser-
geant, he drove to the Snow cabin. As
before, he was welcomed cordially by the
farmer.

“Think your wife will be back in another
day or so?” Hastler asked.

“No,” Snow replied, looking a little per-
plexed. “I phoned her relatives at. Waco
this morning and they said ‘she’d left. She
and her mother decided to go down to
Marlin for a few days. Thought it would
benefit their nerves and their health
generally.”

- Marlin is a small resort south of Waco,
popular for its hot mineral wells.

“What hotel are they stopping at?”

“They weren’t going to a hotel. They
planned to stay with some friends, but I
don’t know their names: I’m expecting a
letter from them tomorrow.”

Saying that they would return the next
day, Hastler and Stanley drove back into
town. When they reached the sheriff's
office, they found Deputy Piercey in a state
of great excitement.

“lye been trying to locate you,” he
told Hastler. “The Beasley kid is back.
He was seen heading for home just a few
minutes ago. A friend who talked with
him said he left Vallegas shortly after they
crossed into Mexico. He didn’t like it
there and decided to come back.”

Hastler and Stanley sped to the Beasley
home a short distance out of town. Will
Beasley saw them and walked out to meet
them. :

“Heard you were looking for me,” the
tall, blond youth told the sheriff. “I don’t
know anything about Bernie. He backed
out of that Mexican trip before we even
started.”

Sheriff Hastler looked him steadily in
the eye. “You and Vallegas picked him up
at his home the day you left. He carried
his valise to the car and he apparently
was killed a short time later. How do
you account for that?”

Will Beasley gave a short laugh. “I
can’t. You got the wrong dope somewhere,
sheriff. For one thing, I didn’t go out to the
Snow place on the day we left. Vallegas
picked me up in town, where I was wait-

ing with my bag;
come from Bernic
around, but his ste
Bernie’ had decide

Hastler studied
was no sign of n
three persons m!
Vallegas or. Snov
killed and robbed

“meeting Beasley

might account fo
the head. After t
the pit, he might
in the back of tl
hours later.
But one of the
was certain. Reti
began checking o
not take him lor
lunch counter pr«
the blond youth |
lishment with hi
picked up by Va!
after Snow said }
in the car.
Shortly aften °
morning the sheri
alighted from th
Snow cabin.
“Any word fro
asked as the farm
Snow shook his }
didn’t come. Shc
know, sheriff, sh
strahge since the
ought to go dow
anything’s wrong
“Might be a go
“But don’t go wit
advance. Mind gi
Snow invited t
before them. A b
fireplace.
“Pretty warm
isn’t it?” Stanley
“It was chilly v
ing. I hate to dre
a cold room.”

False
For the first «

glancing around

coating of gray
inside the cabin.
was noticeably tl!
the sheriff had p
must have kept t
constantly.
slowly back and
Hastler and thei
he reached the «
looked into the
noticed that a lo
cluding two wi
from-the hooks :
Snow and her m
than one winter
the strained cir«
lived. It seemed
have taken ver
on their trip.

In a water gla:
sill beside the kk

slept was a lowe

_she forgotten th

Stanley returr
sat down. “Whe:
folks left for Wz

“I took them
catch the train
Bernie left hom

to go on the Kat

besides, they w

hello to some
The two office

ollow their
‘rmine who
aflected, she
t them.
estions they
: the strong
had met his
companions,
rlook other
thoroughly
he felt that
d give him
slain youth
’ to confide
She would
any enemies
le recently.
| disclaimed
is neighbors.
Hastler and
oression that
» highly re-
The reasons
me said the
found Snow
iness. One
e man when,
y whipped a

iat, however
the Snows
opular with
mixed with

little was
> affairs.

dk with Mrs.
aco for that
Ranger ser-
w cabin. As
lially by the

ck in another

‘a little per-
ves at Waco
ne’d left. She
go down to
ight it would
their health

uth of Waco,
vells. ;
ng at?” ¢

hotel. They
triends, but I
1 expecting a

turn the next
yve back into

the sheriff’s
rcey in a state

ate you,” he
kid is back.
me just a few
» talked with
rtly after they
didn’t like it
yack.”

to the Beasley
of town. Will
od out to meet

: for me,” the
heriff. “I don’t
ie. He backed
efore we even

im steadily in
picked him up
ft. He carried
he apparently
later. How do

nort laugh. “I
pe somewhere,
't go out to the
> left. Vallegas
re I was wait-

ing with my baggage. He said he’d just
come from Bernie’s place. Bernie wasn’t
around, but his stepfather told Manuel that
Bernie had decided not to make the trip.”

Hastler studied the youth’s face. There
was no sign of nervousness. Anyone of
three persons might be lying—Beasley,
Vallegas or. Snow. Vallegas could have
killed and robbed the Conley boy before

‘meeting Beasley in town. In fact, that

might account for the hasty disposal of
the head. After tossing Conley’s head in
the pit, he might have hidden the torso
in the back of the car, getting rid of it
hours later. :

But one of the three was lying—that
was certain. Returning to town, Hastler
began checking on Beasley’s story. It did
not take him long to verify it. From a
lunch counter proprietor, he learned that
the blond youth had waited in his estab-
lishment with his luggage until he was
picked up by Vallegas. This was an hour
after Snow said his stepson had departed
in the car.

Shortly aften 10 o’clock the following

. morning the sheriff and Stanley once more

alighted from their car in front of the
Snow cabin.

“Any word from your wife?” Hastler
asked as the farmer opened the front door.
Snow shook his head glumly. “The letter
didn’t come. She disappointed me. You
know, sheriff, she’s been acting mighty
strange since the boy’s death. I think I
ought to go down to Marlin and see if
anything’s wrong.” ‘

“Might be a good idea,” Hastler agreed.
“But don’t go without letting me know in
advance. Mind giving us a cup of coffee?”

Snow invited them inside and set cups
before them. A blaze was crackling in. the
fireplace.

“Pretty warm day to have a fire going,
isn’t it?” Stanley asked.

“It was chilly when I got up this morn-
ing. I hate to dress and have breakfast in
a cold room.” ;

False Teeth Clue

For the first time Stanley noticed, in
glancing around the room, that a heavy
coating of gray dust covered everything
inside the cabin. It was wood ash and it
was noticeably thicker than when he and
the sheriff had paid their first visit. Snow
must have kept the fireplace going almost
constantly. ;

Rising from his chair, the Ranger paced
slowly back and forth in the cabin while
Hastler and their host talked. Each time
he reached the end of the main room, he
looked into the adjoining bedroom. He
noticed that a lot of women’s clothing, in-
cluding two winter coats, was hanging
from the hooks in one corner. Surely Mrs.
Snow and her mother did not possess more
than one winter coat apiece, judging from
the strained circumstances in which they
lived. It seemed? in fact, that they must
have taken very few clothes: with them
on their trip.

In a water glass standing on one window
sill beside the bed in which Mrs. Olds had
slept was a lower plate of false teeth. Had

_she forgotten these, too?

Stanley returned to the front room and
sat down. “When did ro say the women-
folks left for Waco?” he asked the farmer.

“T took them to Iradell in the wagon to
catch the train there on the night before
Bernie left home,” Snow replied.

“To Iradell?” repeated Hastler. “Why,
that’s a 30-mile trip over rough roads.
vay didn’t you drive them into Stephen-
ville?” :

“Well,” answered Snow, “they wanted
to go on the Katy instead of the Frisco, and
besides, they wanted to drop in and say
hello to some folks down that way.”

The two officers presently arose, left, the

farmhouse and walked to their car.

“That last question seemed to make
Snow a little nervous,” the sheriff observed.

“Pll say it did,’ Stanley agreed. Then
he told the sheriff what he had found in
the bedroom. “He said there was some-
thing strange in.the way the women were
acting—and: I certainly agree with him.
If those two went on a trip. minus their
winter coats, false teeth and most of their
other clothes, they were acting mighty
strange indeed.”

Iradell is a whistlestop on the M-K-T
railroad..Hastler phoned the station agent
there. It took but a moment to learn what
he wanted to know. The evening train to
Waco had not stopped at Iradell on the
Monday night Snow had mentioned. Nor
had it stopped the previous night or the
night after. :

Back to the Snow cabin the officers went,
this time taking Deputy Piercey with them.
Stanley remained in the car while Hastler
and Piercey. entered.

“Sorry to bother you again,” the sheriff
apologized. “We’d like to get the names

_of your wife’s relatives in Waco.”

Hastler was not surprised at the effect
the question had on Snow. A frightened
look came into the man’s eyes for a second
and he hesitated a long time before reply-
ing, “They’re named Olds, same as my
mother-in-law is. She and my wife were
visiting the old lady’s nephew. I don’t
remember his first name.” .

“Why didn’t they take their coats? And
why did Mrs. Olds leave her teeth behind?”

“We were in sort of a hurry to catch
the train and I guess:they forgot a lot of
things. It was a warm night, anyway.”

Leaving the cabin, the two men rejoined
Stanley outside. “He’s as nervous as a cat,”
Hastler said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if
he tries to skip out during the night. We'll
let you out up the road. You can slip back
and watch him from somewhere in the
darkness.”

Returning to Stephenville, the sheriff
called the Waco police and asked them
to get in touch with Mrs. Snow’s relatives’
= the city. They called back half an hour
ater.

“We've contacted every family in town
by the name of Olds,” a. Waco officer said.
“None of ’em_ have any relatives living
up your way.” ;

“That settles it,” Hastler said. “Snow will
guess-we made that call and he’ll probably
suspect that we’ve also caught him in the
other lies he’s told us.” .

“Why not arrest him now?” Piercey
asked. N

“We'll see if he tries to get away tonight.
If he does, he'll practically be admitting
his guilt. Besides, there’s one other little
job I want to do first.”

The Shoe Fits

The sheriff ‘reached under his overcoat
and pulled out a shoe. “I sneaked this while
we were out at the cabin.. Where’s that
plaster cast you made?”

Snow’s heavy work shoe exactly matched
the cast made at the pit where Bernie
Conley’s head was discovered.

“There’s our answer,” Hastler said grim-
ly. “Snow killed all three—his entire
family.”

“This will probably convict him of
murdering his stepson,” Piercey agreed,
“but where are the bodies of the. two
women?”

The sheriff gazed thoughtfully out his
window. “I think I know,” he said, “but we
won't be able to get the’ evidence until
tomorrow.”

Hastler picked up the phone and called
District Attorney Sam Russell at his home.
Hastening to the sheriff’s office, Russell was
given a detailed account of the latest
developments.

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.c The Associated Press

By MICHAEL GRACZYK

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) - A man convicted in the 1982 torture killings of two teen-agers whose throats were slashed in a botched
murder-for hire scheme was executed Thursday.

David Spence, 40, was put to death by injection for the killings of Jill Montgomery, 17, and Kenneth Franks, 18.

Prosecutors said Spence and two accomplices went on a frenzy of rape, torture and knife butchery to kill the two teen-agers and another
17-year-old, Raylene Rice, on July 13, 1982.

Their bodies were found dumped at a park the next day, their throats slashed and bodies pierced with as many as 30 stab wounds.

Bite marks on at least one of the victims were linked to Spence.

A Jordanian immigrant, Muneer Mohammad Deeb, was convicted of hatching the murder-for-hire scheme that led to the killin gs. Deeb
was sentenced to death but won a retrial and was acquitted in 1993.

Deeb, a Waco convenience store owner, wanted Spence to kill a former girlfriend and offered life insurance proceeds as payment,
according to testimony at his trials.

That woman looked like Jill Montgomery, and investigators believe Spence mistook her for Deeb's girlfriend, then killed the other two
teens simply because they were there.

Spence, a biker and self-proclaimed “tough man" who once demanded a girlfriend wear a dog collar, was convicted and sentenced to
death in separate trials of killing Ms. Montgomery and Franks.

His accomplices, brothers Anthony and Gilbert Melendez, pleaded guilty. Anthony Melendez was sentenced a 99-year prison term and
his brother received a life prison sentence.

Spence, who said he was framed, proclaimed his innocence from the death chamber gumey.

“IT want you to understand I speak the truth when I say I didn't kill your kids," Spence told the victims' family members. ‘I understand

your pain. I swear I haven't killed anyone. I wish you could get the rage fromyour hearts and you could see the truth and get rid of the
hatred."

Ms. Montgomery's brother, Brad, muttered, ‘‘Just die, just die," as Spence made the plea.
The condemned man then tumed to an adjacent room where his son, a brother, his ex-wife and two ireads stood.
“I'm gomg to miss you all," he said.

Then he took a deep breath and, with a tear streaming fromhis right eye, stopped breathing as the lethal drugs entered his tattooed
arms.

AP-NY-04-03-97 2209EST

Copyright 1997 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed
without prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Thureday April 4, 1896 America Online: Galba33 Page: 1

Executions set to pick up
in Texas in wake of ruling

6 scheduled for April after rejection of challenge to law

Associated Press

HUNTSVILLE, Texas — The Tex-
as death chamber is about to be-
come a busy place again.

Executions in the nation’s most
active capital punishment state vir-
tually were stalled in 1996 by an
appeal from inmate James Davis,
who challenged a new. Texas law
intended to speed up the appeals
process for condemned killers.

Three Texas death row inmates
were executed last year, the lowest

number since 1988. A record-setting -

19 lethal injections were carried out
in 1995S.

But only one execution last year
was carried out after February, and
that prisoner voluntarily gave up
his appeals. Forty execution dates
were Scheduled, the smallest num-
ber of dates since 1986 as prosecu-
tors awaited the outcome of the Da-
vis challenge.

The Texas Court of Criminal Ap-
peals in late December rejected the
Davis appeal, then two weeks ago
refused a request by Mr. Davis’ at-
torneys to reconsider the case.

“T think the people
running the system are
doing so out of selfish

motives and are
changing things,
interpreting things, to
suit their own greed and
their own desires, be it
political ambition or
some other-motivation.”

—: David Lee Rerman,
convicted killer facing
death penalty this week

park in 1983 in a scheme to assume
the victim's identify. Mr. Gentry

was a Georgia prison recepee’ at the
time.

Since Texas resumed carrying
out capital punishment in 1982, 109
men have been executed. It took an
average of nine years to get them to
the death chamber.

“It’s terribly frustrating,” Betty

. Rounsaville said of the time it takes

for the punishment to be carried
cut.

A jury took 30 minutes to convict
John Barefield of killing Mrs. Roun-
Saville’s daughter and less time
than that to condemn him. In
March, almost 11 years after arriv-

ing on death row, Mr. Barefield was

@ Benjamin Boyle, set for’ injec-
tion April 24 for the 1985 abduction-

- Yape-slaying of a 20-year-old hitch-

The December ruling opened the’ hiker near Amarillo.

door for resumption of regular exe
cutions,

: 4

One condemned killer was \

Strapped to the gurney in March,
and six are set for April executions..
Five of those are likely to Hh ee
State officials say.

They are:

@ David Lee Herman, set to die
Wednesday for a 1989 fatal shooting |

"’ “All have gone through the fed--

eral and state habeas [corpus] pro-
cess," Texas attorney general's
spokesman Ron Dusek said of the
five inmates, “We expect the execu-.
eee to be carried out.” © §

’ Prosecutors in Harris County,
who have 134 convicted killers on
death row — four times more than

during the robbery of an Arlington any other county — said at least 10

topless club.

cases held.up by the Davis appeal

&@ David Spence, facing death — “now should’ ete 9 with execu-
Thursday for the 1982 stabbings of "tions.

three teenagers in a botched mur-

“It’s going’ to get very oe said

der-for-hire scheme that became Roe Wilson, “who heads the Harris

known as the Lake Waco killings.

County district attorney's appellate

H Billy Joe Woods, with an April section dealing with capital murder

14 execution date for the 1975 rape-

killing of a 62-year-old disabled
Houston woman during a robbery
of her home. Mr. Woods, on death
row for almost 21 years, ranks sixth
in seniority among the state’s 456
condemned inmates.

@ Kenneth Gentry, scheduled
for April 16 for shooting to death a
23-year-old man at a Lake Lewisville

cases,

put to death.

“It’s the system, I guess,” Mrs.
Rounsaville said. ,

Convicted killer Herman, facing
the prospect of only days to live,~
disputes the notion that the judicial
system is out of whack.

“T don’t think the system is
wrong at all,” he said. “I think the
people running the system are
flawed. I think the people running
the system are doing so out of self-
ish motives and are changing
things, interpreting things, to suit
their own greed and their own de-
Sires, be it political ambition or
some other motivation. And I think
that is very wrong.”

Nevertheless, the April execu-
tions will do little to decrease the
average time on death row. Of the
five likely candidates, only Mr. Her-
man, who arrived in June 1991, has
spent less than nine years on the
row.

And whatever the pace, it would
have to acéelerate tremendously to
keep up with the number of people
arriving annually. The three in-
mates executed in 1996 compared
with 39 newly condemned prison,
ers,

Associated Press, 04/03/97.

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) - A man convicted
in the 1982 torture killings of two teeneaaets.
whose throats were slashed in a‘botched | ~
murder-for hire scheme was executed Thursday.

David Spence, 40, was put to death by injection
for the killings of Til Montgomery, 17, and
Kenneth Franks, 18.

Prosecutors said Spence and two accomplices
went on a frenzy of rape, torture and knife
butchery to kill the two teen-agers and another
17-year-old, Raylene Rice, on July 13, 1982.

Their bodies were found dumped at a park the
next day, their throats slashed and bodies
pierced with as many as 30 stab wounds.

Bite marks on at least one of the victims were
linked to Spence.

A Jordanian immigrant, Muneer Mohammad
Deeb, was convicted of hatching the
murder-for-hire scheme that led to the killings.
Deeb was sentenced to death but won a retrial
and was acquitted in 1993.

Deeb, a Waco convenience store owner, wanted
Spence to kill a former girlfriend and offered life
insurance proceeds as payment, according to:
testimony at his trials.

That woman looked like Jill Montgomery, and
investigators believe Spence mistook her for |
Deeb's girlfriend, then killed the other two teens
simply because they were there.

Spence, a biker and self-proclaimed “tough ©“ ;

man" who once demanded a girlfriend wear a

dog collar, was convicted and sentenced to
death in separate trials of killing Ms.
Montgomery and Franks.

His accomplices, brothers Anthony and Gilbert
Melendez, pleaded guilty. Anthony Melendez
was sentenced a 99-year prison term and his
brother received a life prison sentence.

Spence maintained his innocence and said he
was framed.

The truth is, if they execute me it's not an
execution but a cold-blooded murder," Spence
said in a recent death row interview. ‘‘I had
nothing to do with the crime."

NAME: SPENCE, DAVID WAYNE "CHILI" DATE OF EXEC.: 1997/04/03 NUMBER: 371

S: YofE: 97 DR #: TX-000773 METHOD: INJECTION TIME: 1832
soc. CLASS: ECO. CLASS: EXECUTION SET : 97/04/03-EXE NO.: 2
RACE: W SEX: M TO-DR: 12.5 T-C: 14.7 AGE AT EXEC.: 40 DOB: 56/07/18
STATE: TX CO: McLENNAN CITY: WACO
HOR: BOOK/MOVIE: CARELESS WHISPERS: THE LAKE WACO MUR.
H: L: 3 C: 3 E: 2 SPECIAL LIST:

DATE OF CRIME: 1982/07/13 AGE AT CRIME: 25 CATEGORY: LEO:
DATE OF SENT.: 1984/10/11 WEAPON: STABBED
CRIME: MURDER-RAPE- NO. KILLED: 2 TOTAL KILLED: 3

VICT. CODE: WF17; WF17; WM18
CMTS#1: JILL MONTGOMERY (17), raped, tortured, stabbed. Bite marks on her [D]
matched those of SPENCE. **LOOKED LIKE GIRL SUPPOSED TO BE KILLED**

RAYLEEN RICE [17], raped, stabbed ft.Ds }
KENNETH FRANKS [18], stabbed {SPENCE left his sun glasses on him} [D]
{one trial for each murder] --47+ stab wounds

KNOWN PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS: NUMEROUS VARIOUS: sex crimes, drugs, ROBBERY

ACCOMPLICE: DEEB {D-n.g.}, MELENDEZ [L], MELENDEZ [L]FIRST ENTER:

CMTS#2: ACCOMPLICES:
MUNEER MOHAMMAD DEEB [ J], hired them to kill his former g.f. {Gayle
Kelly} to collect ins. money, she "left him" because he was
“hitting on other women" [D]
--RETRIAL IN 1993 -FOUND "NOT GUILTY" -HUNG JURY -DISMISSED
--Earlier testimony by the MELENDEZ brother had been recanted
during the ten years {their appeals}
GILBERT MELENDEZ [ _ ] guilty pleas & took TEST. [L+99Y]
ANTHONY MELENDEZ [_ ] police to jewelry TEST. [L+99Y]

CLAIMED "FRAMED"
--bite marks, partial fingerprint, etc
--2nd trial in Brazos Co.

LAST WORDS: First of all, my prayers go out to everybody. (turned to the victims
families) I understand the pain! [Brad Montgomery [brother] "No, you don’t."]
I want you to know I speak the truth. I didn’t kill your kids. I know you want
closure, but you’re being victims again. I haven’t killed anyone! {Montgomery
"Just die, * just die!"] turned to his family & told them he loved them (told
his son {Jason} to “Find God." "I’m going to miss you all." "Ok, now I am
finished." ene GoOLng.” {sucker ??]

LAST MEAL: fried chicken, french fries, chocolate ice cream

HUMOR-STRANGE: The “tough guy" was crying as he was executed.

SOURCE: THE REPORTERS, 88/12/03; AP-UPI-REUTERS; WACO TRIB IQ LEVEL: HIGH

CMTS#3: Interesting interview with jurors in the case {Waco Trib} -still all
convinced he did it. Only one believes in commutation of sentence.

--118 page "final appeal"

ut two miles
s impounded
tation where

vacuum and
\ set of keys
car, and were
Ken Franks.
es or Franks’
aying scene.
that Miss

Montgomery had just picked up her
check at Fort Fisher before going to the
park. However, the investigators could
hardly believe that robbery was the mo-
tive for such a savage slaying.

The next day, the sheriff's department
helicopter was used in an air survey as
deputies searched for signs in the fields
below that a vehicle had entered or left
the park without using the gate. The
officers could see no such marks.

Detective Sergeant Fortune and De- -

tective Ramon Salinas were assigned to
work on the case after the preliminary
investigation, and were aided by Offic-
ers Kidwell and Jimmy Wilcox,

The investigators considered the
possibility that the killer or killers had
brought the teenagers to the park alive,
killed them there and fled before the gate
was locked at 11:00 p.m. Or that the
slayers had hidden in the park until the
gate was opened on Wednesday morning
and then fled before the bodies were
found.

After the initial examination of the
three victims, the medical examiner said
that there would not have been much
bleeding from the type of multiple
wounds found on the bodies. This being
the case, officers surmised, the victims
could have been slain at the location
where they were found.

The weekend came without any im-
portant clues surfacing as to the identity
of the killers. On Friday the autopsy re-
sults were revealed by the Southwest In-
stitute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas.

The pathologist reported that the
‘‘rape kit test’’ showed no signs of se-
men in the girls’ sex organs. However,
the medical examiner said he couldn’t
rule out some kind of sexual assault,
because both had bruises and contusions
in the genital area.

The report stated that Miss Montgom-
ery had one stab wound in the neck, 14 in
the chest and one on the hand, which
indicated she had attempted to defend
herself.

Miss Rice was stabbed in the neck
and 10 times in the chest. The neck
wound was ‘‘a straight wound that pene-
trated the bone.”’

Franks had been stabbed 20 times,
once in the neck and 19 times in the
chest. The knife used in the vicious stab-

bings was five inches long, a half inch |
wide and a 16th-inch thick, the report

showed. None of the victims’ jewelry

was removed. Franks still had $1.05 in ~

his trousers pockets. The autopsy show-
ed that the victims had taken food within
an hour of their deaths. Franks had eaten

a hamburger and frieds, and the girls had’

consumed pizza.

Detectives took to the streets and con-
tacted fast-food places in the area nearest
Koehne Park attempting to find out what
time the trio had eaten, and also to locate
someone who might have seen them in
the company of any specific person.

On Saturday afternoon, funeral rites
were held in packed churches, as friends
gathered around family members of the
slain victims. :

The detectives had no good leads in
the case after the first week of intense
investigation into what one lawman
labeled ‘‘the most sadistic, cruel murd-
ers I’ve. ever seen.”’

A $5,000 reward fund was started by
one of the Waco radio stations. The
police station was immediately flooded
with calls. ‘‘Between eleven and two
p.m. we probably got a call every five
minutes, but they weren’t all tips,”’
Steve Beatty of the Crime Prevention
Unit said. ‘‘Some of the callers wanted

Suspects in probe. were David Spence
(above), Anthony Melendez and brother
Gilbert, and Muneer Muhammad Deeb, 24

Officers found the
bodies of all three

_ victims bound hand and
foot. The young man was

fully clothed. The two
girls were naked, and
one of them bore bite
marks on her breasts.
All had been
viciously stabbed

to know where to give money for the
reward fund.’’

Many of the calls were from women
reporting ‘‘weirdos’’ who sat alone in
cars at Koehna Park, watching the peo-
ple there but not mingling. One tipster
reported that she saw the Pinto there,
unattended, about 10:15 p.m. However,
although officers ran down all the in-
formation provided by the tipsters, none
produced any real evidence.

Police Captain Everett January said
the flood of calls both helped and hin-
dered officers in the investigation. He
said the callers provided helpful leads
but the call-a-minute pace kept the offic-
ers on the phone and out of the field.

The detectives began a background
check on the three victims to determine if
any of them had enemies. Ultimately,
this investigation would lead to the first
suspect in the triple slaying.

At the request of investigating offic-
ers, several psychologists prepared a
personality profile which indicated that
the killers had probably attempted sim-
ilar offenses in the past, and would likely
continue such crimes unless caught. This
spurred the detectives to begin a search
of the police files to find previous sex
offenders. Several were brought in and
grilled by officers. But this line of
questioning produced no hard suspects.

The entire Waco police department
was working on the triple murder along
with several unsolved homicides occur-
ring in the city that year. There had been
16 slayings in Waco in 1982, seven of
which remained unsolved.

Of all the homicides in recent years,
the savagery of the murders of the three
young people seemed to affect many of
the officers more.

(Continued on page 62)

Master Detective 25

Francis was found

{ stabbing wounds.
girls were nearby

we,

The other two murder victims w'

the three youths had left his house in the
night before. The small car was locked.
No one was around.

“I don’t have to tell you that a cold
chill went up my spine,” the father
would testify later. ‘‘I knew something
had happened to them.’

The distraught man thought he
shouldn’t tamper with the car, so he went
home and contacted some of the missing
youths’ friends to see if they knew where

' they were. He also notified the parents of

the other teens. Then he called police and
reported the three missing.

The police were cooperative, although
normally they would wait 24 hours be-
fore investigating a report of. missing
teenagers. Before the heat of the day
arrived, two officers were out in the pop-
ular park examining the abandoned
Pinto.

The father was at home notifying the
Methodist minister he knew, requesting
special prayers for the safe return of the

ere Raylene Rice (I.) and

Jill Montgomery, b

trio. The assistant pastor of the church
put the prayer chain into action im-
mediately. But the prayers came too late.
The shocking fate of the three missing
young people came to light late that
afternoon.

At 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday two boys
were looking for a fishing hole on Waco
Lake shore, in Speegleville Park, when
they came upon the body of a man,
bound and gagged, and lying in an iso-
lated wooded area. At first the youths
thought it was a mannequin, but a closer
examination of the torso sent them
scurrying to the nearest officer.

That was McLennan County Sheriff's
Constable Gene Thorpe.

Thorpe followed the boys back to the
scene, thencalled the sheriff’s office and
the city police department.

The sheriff of McLennan County,
Jack Harwell, Police Sergeant Dennis
Kidwell, and Sergeant Bob Fortune were
among the first officers to arrive at the,

oth 17. The

y had been bound, stabbed and raped

spot where the male body was found.
The officers saw a fully clothed man
lying face up. He was bound hand and
ankles and with what looked like a strip

. of terry cloth towel. He was still wearing

sunglasses.

The police officers sealed off the park
and began a thorough search of the sec-
luded area. About 20 feet from the first
victim, they found two more bodies, of
very young girls. They were lying nude
in flattened grass, which showed signs of
a struggle. The girls had both been gag-
ged to muffle their cries for help, and had
been tied at the wrists and ankles with
pieces of the same type of terry cloth
‘used on the first victim.

A cursory examination of the three
victims by the officers revealed that each
had several wounds to the, chest and
throat. The wounds appeared to have
been made by stabbing and slashing.
Although the lawmen made a thorough
search of the ground, there was no

Master Detective 23

MD HEADLINE CRIME!

Detect

‘. On nS ah Ms a;

weapon found. The clothing of the nude
pair was not found, except a bra with
which one of the girls was tied. Later, a

relative identified the terry cloth with’

which the victims were tied as being a
blouse worn by one of the girls.

The police officers were almost sure
they had found the three who had been
reported missing earlier in the day, but
they waited upon positive identification
at the downtown funeral chapel, where

24 Master Detective

ive Ramon Salinas (r.) helps remove bodies of the slaying v’

the three bodies would be taken after lab
crews and photographers finished work
at the park.

The remains were put in body bags in
the same position they were found, and
without being touched before they were
taken to the mortuary. There, parents of
the victims positively identified them as
Kenneth Franks, 18, of Waco; and Jill
Montgomery and Raylene Rice, both 17
years of age, from Waxahachie, a small

y "h ¥ L Git at Me bevy ® ». -”
= es ™ yy ¥ UP | We vu * Pree

ictims from wooded spot where they were found

town near Waco.

The Pinto Ford found about two miles
from the slaying scene was impounded
and hauled to the police station where
officers went over it with a vacuum and
checked for fingerprints. A set of keys
was found in the seat of the car, and were

identified as the property of Ken Franks.

Neither of the girls’ purses or Franks’
wallet were found at the slaying scene.

-Officers had learned that Miss

ATS

~—

Montgomery
check at Fort !
park. However:
hardly believe
tive for such
The next dé
helicopter wa
deputies searc!
below that a '
the park wit!
officers could
Detective S
tective Ramor
work on the
investigation
ers Kidwell a:
The invest
possibility th:
brought the t
killed them t!
was locked :
slayers had h
gate was ope!

and then fl
found.
After the

three victims.
that there w¢
bleeding fr
wounds foun
the case, oft
could have |
where they
The week
portant clues
of the killers
sults were re\
stitute of Fc
The patt
‘‘rape kit te
men in the
the medica!
rule out so!
because bot!
in the genit:
The report
ery had one s
the chest a
indicated st
herself.
Miss Ric
and 10 tin
wound wa
trated the |
Franks |
once in the
chest. The }
bings was
wide and <
showed. N
was remove

stantial criminal record who still faced

murder charges in Connecticut and Ver- -

mont.

Paul’s attorney conceded that his
client had been diagnosed 20 years ear-
lier as schizophrenic and a similar di-
agnosis was made during his current con-
finement at Trenton Psychiatric Hos-
pital.

Paul, he went on, was ‘‘very much
remorseful and the incident has affected
him greatly.’’ He asked the court to im-
pose the sentence recommended by the
prosecutor.

Judge D’Annunzio, terming the slay-
ing of Virginia Vickory ‘‘unprovoked

and inexplicable,’’ sentenced Paul to life

imprisonment with a minimum of 30
years to be served before becoming élig-
ible for parole. Additionally, he sent-
enced him to two concurrent five-year
terms for burglary and the theft of two
handguns and to an 18-month term for

forgery.

Murder Horror
On the Brazos

‘I’ve never worked on a case this
gross,’’ said Detective Salina. ‘‘Three
young people, all at the same time. And
you can’t really find a motive. I’ve seen a
lot of gory things, guys getting their.
faces shot off, but that didn’t bother me
like this. This bothers me a lot.”’

Waco citizens began circulating peti-
tions asking the city council to take some
action to protect people at the eight parks
located in Waco city limits. After several
meetings of the city council and as a
result of the petitions, a curfew was set at
the Waco parks.

By early August, the reward fund for
the arrest and conviction of the killers
had climbed to $12,000 with donations
made by concerned Waco citizens.

In mid-September, two more de-
tectives were taken off patrol duties and
assigned to help investigate the triple
murder case. Sifting through the stacks
of information already on file, the in-
vestigators noticed that the same name
kept cropping up in answers given by
people being questioned. It was the name
of a man who was owner of a store near
the Methodist youth home. The store had
been placed off-limits to the home resi-
dents because the director of the home
felt that, in his opinion, it was not
a good place for the young people in
his charge to ‘‘hang out.’’

Because the home staff members had
become concerned about the residents
purchasing junk food and using the store
at a rendezvous point for running away,
it had been unofficially off limits before
the triple slayings. After July 22nd, the

62 Master Detective

director said he issued a memo to all staff
members saying that ‘‘under no cir-
cumstances’’ were they to grant resi-
dents permission to to to the store.

Working this angle, detectives learned
that Ken Franks and the store owner
often had words, and were even consid-
ered by some to be enemies. Franks had
angered the store owner by driving his
motorcycle through the store’s parking
lot.

The police investigators learned from
a resident of the home that the store own-
er had said twice, in her presence. that he
killed the 3 young people in the park.
Another girl told officers that she and
another girl had seen the two female vic-
tims in the’ store the very day that they
were killed. Also, she had heard the
man say that he would ‘‘put Franks in the
hospital.’’

Then word came to the officers that
the store owner, Muneer Mohammad
Deeb, was going to close the store and
leave town. The lawmen rushed to the
place. of business, arrested him and
brought him in for questioning. Deeb
‘was placed in Waco city jail under
$100,000 bond as a suspect in the murder
of Kenneth Franks. The detectives con-
tinued their investigation.

Deeb’s attorney requested a hearing
and a polygraph test for his client. The
detectives objected to the polygraph,
saying that it should wait until the’ full
investigation was completed. The offic-
ers also stated that the purpose of a poly-
graph is to confirm or refute any in-
formation obtained, not to gain new in-
‘formation ‘

However, 5 days later, Deeb took a
three-hour test by a polygraph examiner
and walked out of the police station a free
man.

Police Chief Larry Scott said that
Deeb had not necessarily been cleared in

‘Waco:

the case and the investigation would con-
tinue. ‘‘He has definitely not been eli-
minated as a suspect, *” Scott said.
Public opinion ran high against Deeb
and he was forced to close his store early
because of threatening phone calls, and
the traffic of curious people who would
drive by the business place. Deeb moved
to Dallas County and went to work there.
On October 27th, McLennan County
Sheriff Jack Harwell received a call from
police chief in Kerrville, Texas, located
200 miles southwest of Waco. The chief
said he was holding a Waco man who
had walked into his office and confessed
to the shooting death of a 17-year-old

‘Axtell woman on August 8th.

Furthermore, the man had also told the
Kerrville police chief that he had killed
as many as seven people, including three
teenagers found near Lake Waco.

Waco officers sped to Kerrville to
question the man who had told officers
there that he had ‘‘found God and wanted
to get the murders off his chest.’’ The
suspect returned to Waco voluntarily and
was placed in the county jail.

Waco investigators grilled the self-
confessed slayer and concluded that he
knew nothing about the murders. The
officers had to eliminate him as a suspect
in the case, but they continued in-
vestigating all the angles which had de-
veloped when the ‘‘confessing’’ suspect
was questioned.

Waco residents saw the year of 1983
ushered in without any suspects in cus-
tody in the city’s most heinous crime.

In February, three officers—
Lieutenant Marvin Horton, Dennis Baier
and Ramon Salinas—were still working
doggedly on the case. A former Waco
man was arrested in San Diego, Califor-
nia, for investigation of the abduction,
sexual assault and shooting of two high-
school girlst: They had survived the
ordeal, but were left critically wounded
on a California beach.

A truck which was left stuck, in the
sand on the beach had Texas license tags.
When the registration was traced to
Texas, the California officers were led to
the former Wacoan. With high hopes,
investigators asked Calfornia
police to send samples of the suspect’s
hair and other pieces of evidence to the
FBI laboratory in Washington, D.C. for
comparison with evidence from the
Waco killings. But once more the Waco
officers’ hopes were dashed. The results
were negative.

It was in November that the 16-month

investigation by Wacolawmencametoa .

successful conclusion. On November
14th, Muneer Mohammad Deeb was

2 RAN POL ER EN

arrested again, ai
he was in McLe:
time charged wit
deaths of the thre:
park. Deeb was |
bond.

Districts Attor
that three other su
He declined to re
the meeting of t
Grand Jury on Nx
date the jury 1
Spence, 23, Anth
his brother, Gilb

Deeb, 24, on t!
murder.
Spence was

ence in the Texas
tions after bein:
1983 for the aggr
an 18-year-old \
occurred in Aug
after the slaying
ple in the Waco
Gilbert Mele
seven-year sente! |
the same crime
in McLennan Ci

Melendez brot!
Nueces County
a charge of robb

“The doct

conversatic
he persuac
that incred
know of

murder. S;

‘suers; and Deputy Hupert Reynolds of Carrizozo,

Principals who took promi-
nent parts in one of Texas’
wildest bandit hunts — posses
scoured desert and mountain wher-
ever outlaws could find shelter. (From
left to right) Sheriff John H. Moseley,
who was cold-bloodedly shot to death
while on duty; Ed “Perchmouth”’ Stanton,
one of the outlaws who brought out a big
posse; Jack Davidson, of Corona, one of the pur-

who helped in the round up

attendant, who was leaving for home when the battle starte,l,
had ducked back into his office and was crouching behind a
counter. As the shooting ceased, he raised up over the tele-
phone, just in time to see an armed man enter the station.

“Were you telephoning?’ demanded the visitor.

“No.”

“Darn good thing! I’d kill you if fou had been.”

Te bandit jammed a sixshooter in Ward’s ribs. “Now
get me some gis!”’

Still covered and wobbling from fright, Ward stepped out
and began filling the Ford. The lights of the Sheriff’s car
were full in his face. ‘‘Won’t you please stand back there?”
said Ward. ‘I don’t want to be in the line of fire if the Sheriff
starts shooting.”

“Don’t worry,’’ was the contemptuous retort, “he won’t
shoot any more.”

As Ward finished filling the tank, the bandit ordered him
back into the station.

“Where’s the money?”

Ward opened the register and handed over $25. The ban-
dit then tore the telephone from the wall and dashed from
the station. He sprang into the Ford and with two com-
panions raced out of town. Ward spread the alarm.

When I reached the scene of the gun battle, ten minutes
later, Sheriff Moseley was dead, killed by a bullet that had
penetrated his temple. Powder burns on his face indicated
that he had been shot at close range., At his feet was his six-
shooter with four empty shells. Empty cartridges scattered
about on the ground some distance from his car showed that

a fusillade of bullets had been fired by the assailants. Inside
the car was a bullet from a .45 automatic. One-of the Sheriff’s
guns, a8 Krag army rifle, was missing. I knew it had been
stolen by the killers, since the Sheriff always carried it.

All this I saw within a few minutes, but there was no time
for further investigation until I had taken steps to stop the
bandits, who were now well on their way. As hurriedly as
possible, I organized a posse of citizens and sent them scur-
rying in every direction in search of three men in a black 1932
model Ford coupe which Ward had described to me—he had
failed to read the number, the license plate having been smeared
with mud. In a short time every road and by-road leading

‘out of Tulia was being covered by enraged men, bent on

finding the murderers. Not only was Sheriff Moseley one
of the finest law enforcement officers in West Texas, but he
was one of the best loved men; an old timer who was widely
known. His murder was a terrible shock.

The information Ward was able to give us was meagre:
The man who had held him up was young, slim and dark;

‘while Ward was filling the Ford, he saw another man pointing

a gun at him from behind a telephone post across the street;

were
broke
1g siz

STANTON, Ed, white, electrocuted Texas (Swisher) on September 28, 193).

"Tubbock, Texe, June may 25, 193k. = Officers tracked a condemned murderer and three
other escaped convicts today, offering them a chance to make good the boast that they
would 'shoot it out! Z##iaaA with their pursuers, The forces of the law snapped up

the challenge with a counterorder to 'shoot to kill' issued to the officers combing the
west Texas plains, The hunted men = Ed Stanton, convicted slayer; Andrew H,. Nelson,
burglar; Bill Doupe, hijacker, and J. B, Stephens, burglar - slugged their way out of
the Lubbock County Jail yesterday, carrying two hostanges, Walter S. Posey, vice
president of the First National Bank of Lubbock, and Campbell H,. Elkins, an assistant
justice of the peace, their captives, were finally released 75 miles away last night
near Big Springs. 'They told us they just wanted to have us as their guests in case
there might be a little shooting because they knew the officers wouldn't hurt us,!
Posey said, ‘They took Zlkins' car and told him he'd find it around somewhere after
they got through with it.' The convicts used iron bars from their cell beds to pry -
the doors off their cell blocks; slugged Deputy Sheriff Bedford Carpenter over the~head,
took his gun and keys and sped to the ground floor and freedom, Stanton, convicted of
slaying Sheriff John B, Moseley, of Swisher County, was awaiting transfer to Huntsville
penitentiary, for execution." DAILY & NEWS, Jackson, Miss., June 25, 193) (1:32)

STAN Ed, white, elec. Texas SP (Swisher) 9/28/1934 |

Trapping ©

NTOM —

EP igen Nahe 8 Fortress-like in the desolate waste stood the
“bare gangster stronghold—menace in its dark
~ shadows. | Would the’ -sullen silence yield a
blast of gunfire?—the officers wondered as

| As : they drew near.’. (Below) Mrs. John Moseley,
| : ma, oy ‘ ey ae : ‘ _:. who bravely finished out her husband’s term
; geal ea PR 2, i of office when the Sheriff was wantonly done

{ ; to death . -

Across the arid desert lands of Texas
and New Mexico, over dizzy mountain
trails and deep into gulches and
gullies, fled the escaping killers, leav-
ing death in their wake. Like bad
men of the early frontier, these gunmen
of today shot down sheriffs and
robbed tills. A dugout on the mesa
offered the bandits refuge until...

Sheriff John Moseley was awakened by the telephon

at his home in Tulia, Texas. He jumped out of bed

and took down the receiver. F, 0. Goen, a deputy
stationed at Happy, eighteen miles from. Tulia, was on the
line. :
“Gangsters, you think, headed for Tulia?’”’ asked the Sheriff

“Yes, three men in & black Ford coupe, 1932 model.”

Sheriff Moseley hastened into his clothes, dashed from th .
house, and drove to a filling station where the Happy highws} |
comes into Tulia. A few minutes later the Ford whirled pas
the station and turned eastward down the main street. Honk:
ing loudly, the Sheriff raced up beside the Ford. It flashe
ahead at terrific speed. He shot at the receding tires, bu
missed them. At the end of the street where it curves pas
another filling station, Moseley again overtook the fleeing cat

A FEW minutes before midnight, January 22nd, 1938

Roe PEE CTIVE M YSTERIES ,
O ateBER, \I3S

1933,
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the Southwest’

SLAYERS

The gas station at ‘Tulia whi he scene

of Sheriff Moseley’s harrowing encounter with 8
the bandits. -Deputy Goen ri Chief Deputy
Sheriff McDonald, co-author, are standing al

‘esialy Monty Ae ete (Belo nt [BROADWAY SERVICE STATION

eee

wok, Conic cksayt!

By Chief Deputy
SHERIFF
L. G. McDONALD

Swisher County, Texas
As told to A. D. NUNN.

It slowed, stopped. He raised his gun.

“Back up there!’”’ he ordered. ‘Go on back to town.’

Both cars started, maneuvered, backed until a were
facing each other.

“Who the deuce are you?” demanded one of the bandits.

“Get on back there, I say.’”’ Moseley forced the Ford
farther back. Suddenly it lurched forward. As he reversed
to avoid a crash, his rear wheels dropped into a ditch at the
side of the road and the jolt knocked his gun from his hand.
Before he could recover it, the bandits were blazing away
at him. They jumped from the Ford and advanced, still
firing.

Discovering the Sheriff had been disarmed, one of the
bandits ran up to the car and shot through the windshield.
The officer slumped over the steering wheel.

While all this was going on, Floyd Ward, filling station

Se Se

— =

house. Then the short, stocky bandit went
to the back door.

“If you call the coppers, something’s
mighty liable to happen,” he called out
loudly, “When you git enough nerve to
come back into your house, look on top
of the kitchen table!”

Gleefully shooting in the air, the ban-
dits departed.

When the woman returned, she hurried
to the kitchen table. A picture of her son,
one which had stood in the living room,
was on that table. The glass frame was
shattered. A bullet hole had been drilled
between the cyes of the boy in the photo-
graph. Like every other act of the bandit
leader, it was a senseless, purposeless bit
of destruction. ;

While the stories of these rampages
poured into Tulia, MacDonald and Goen
were co-ordinating the searchers for the
Haldean Vaughn gang. From Dallas, far
distant to the cast, came another promis-
ing tip.

Not many months before, the entire
surrounding district near Dallas had been
raided constantly by a nervy gang known
as the “Ma Hunsucker” mob,

“Ma Hunsucker,”. MacDonald said
slowly to himsclf. Suddenly he rose from
his chair. “Isn’t that the woman we once
had for robbery ; the one who swore she’d
get Moseley ?”

A quick check of the records proved
that Mrs. Ida Hunsucker was the woman
who had made the threats. An embryo

Deputy L. G. MacDonald, Jeft, headed
the first investigation and: repeatedly
took to the roads in pursuit of the elusive
Stanton mob, wanted by every officer
from Dallas to New Mexico,
possemen kept grim

_ Ma Barker, she had trained her son, Glen,
in the ways of crime and had obtained
the services of the West’s most vicious
man,

According to Dallas officers, Ma Hun-
sucker’s mob included a desperado named
‘“Perchmouth” Stanton. Everybody in the
Panhandle knew of Perchmouth and his
reputation. Short, husky and with a
pursed, oval mouth like that of a perch
fish, he was “plain bad plumb through”
according to ranchers. He had a mur-
derous past, one of murder, bank robbing,
slugging and general crime. He was
known to be extremely excitable and
would shoot on the slightest provocation.

Hunt Two Gangs

ALLAS officials reported that this

man, along with Ma’s gang, had been
robbing Dallas stores. They had sud-
denly left the vicinity.

“How did they leave?” MacDonald |

asked over the long distance wire.

“In a Ford car,” came the answer.
“According to last word we got, they
were seen going out over the Dallas pike
in the direction of Fort Worth, with
Perchmouth Stanton in command. Ma
Hunsucker’s son, Glen, was with them.”

“What about a young, blond girl? Was
there one in the car?” MacDonald asked.

“We've had a few reports of a blonde
being with them, but no definite proof.
However, if it’s Perchmouth Stanton

here thes

you’re after, you can trace him through
his actions with women, all right. On top
of being a shooting maniac, he’s a fool
about women.’ Particularly blondes !”

Word of the new clue flashed through
Tulia. One name was on all lips: Perch-
mouth Stanton !

Haldean Vaughn, the “Oklahoma
Solo” bank robber was tough, but Perch-
mouth Stanton was tougher. A native
Texan, he had blazed a trail of crime
across the state. No jail held him. He
had outslugged jailers and trusties and
made several escapes from hard prisons.
He had “done time” in so many places
that a complete checkup of his record
would have taken months.

“We have.to look out for two gangs,”

‘said one deputy. “Either Haldean Vaughn

committed the murder, or Perchmouth
Stanton did, While I'd like to see a rope
around both their necks, it’ll be a lot
easier to get Vaughn than Perchmouth.”

The last trace of Perchmouth and Ma
Hunsucker was lost somewhere in the
open desert, A store in a small town had
been held up, the owner relieved of $300.
Then, the owner later said, the bandit
seemed to go crazy. He began firing
wildly in the store, shooting out the win-
dows and smashing everything in sight.
He hopped into a waiting Ford car which
ran through a hail of lead past the
sheriff’s office and headed for the blank
desert.

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Six-Gun Killers !

[Continued from page 17]

Quickly the search concentrated and

two hours later, news flashed back to °

Tulia. The sheriff from Lamesa, Tex.,
called:

“We've found that blue Ford.”

“And the killers?” MacDonald snapped
tensely.

“No, All we found was the car, three
miles from town. It was burning and from
the looks of it, it’s a torch jobs Deliberate
effort to destroy it. But it’s the car all
right.”

In a frenzy of action, MacDonald dic-
tated orders. Every commercial radio
station in an area of 500 miles was tele-
graphed a plea. MacDonald wanted every
person to know what was up. He wanted
citizens to keep a close eye on their cars.

“If,” he said logically, “the bandits are
now on foot, they're going to steal a car.
We've got to stop them.”

But he was too late. Exactly one hour
and 15 minutes after the wires were sent
out, a Chevrolet sedan was stolen froma
house 30 miles from Lamesa; Three per-
sons had been seen leaving a village in
that car..

Desperately, they had set out to run a
blockade through half of Texas, but the
hysterical tension was yet to be height-
ened. Long distance from Canadian, Tex.,
brought news that 40 deputies were hot
on the heels of a speeding, mysterious car
near the Canadian river.

Reinforcements were raced toward the
scene. All night a raging gun battle en-
sued. By morning, 30 miles from Cana-
dian, the battered, bullet riddled Ford car
finally ran out of gas. Cautiously ap-
proaching, deputies trained a sub-ma-
chine gun on the car.

“Come out with your hands up!”

A lanky, bearded man with piercing
black eyes stepped from the car. The
officers needed no second look. He was
Haldean Vaughn. With him was a blond
woman.

They were rushed to Canadian. There,
a checkup ‘of known facts proved one
thing. Hlaldean Vaughn, despite his other
crimes, had not murdered Moseley. He
was identified as the gunman who had
held up a filling station 200 miles from
Tulia at almost the hour the sheriff was
shot. ; .

The future looked black to Haldean
Vaughn, and events bore out his pessi-
mism, In March, 1933, he was found guilty
of a murder which loomed out of his lurid
past and in due course he entered prison
for life.

But to the officers who still searched
for Sheriff Moseley’s slayer, Vaughn was
a past issue. Now Perchmouth Stanton
was their only quarry. It was not long
before he struck again.

From Amarillo came the new lead. It
concerned a vagrant who, upon entering
town, had narrowly missed being run
over by a speeding Chevrolet car. The
incident should have called for apologies
from the driver, but the tall, blond man
who alighted as the vagrant picked him-
self out of the dirt, proved a motorist of
a peculiar type.

Dragged into the car, the poor vagrant
was whisked five miles away, brutally
thrown to the ground, and subjected to an
inhuman beating. But the man who beat
him, he said, was not the tall blond.

“He was a screwy looking little guy,”

the vagrant told officers through bruised
lips. “A screwy looking little guy, with a
funny mouth. There was a big, husky
woman anda blond girl, too, but I didn't
have much time to look at them, Oh,
how he beat me!”

Officers throughout Texas nodded
when they heard of the story. “That,”
they said, “is undoubtedly Perchmouth.
He practically wrote his signature with
his fists on that poor devil's face.”

The next raid occurred at near-by Mule-
shoe, when the same “screwy looking
little guy” with the pursed mouth and
his blond partner took $60 at gunpoint
from the proprictor of a tourist camp,
then gleefully went on to wreck the place.
Their characteristic last touch was to
smash the gas pumps, out of which poured
300 gallons of motor fuel. A wrecked
camp, a looted cash register, a wanton
piece of vandalism to cap the job—that
was Perchmouth’s style.

And by this time his blond moll was
known to the trailing officers. Intensive
investigation finally had revealed that a
young farm girl named Claire Young,
missing from her New Mexico home, had
been drawn into criminal ranks in’ Dallas.
From there, the police learned, she had
gone to join a gang of two men and a
woman, The descriptions of the two
men and the woman left no doubt as to
their identity.

Nincteen-year-old Claire Young was
roaring through Texas with big, roister-
ing Ma Hunsucker, her blond son, Glen,
and vicious little Perchmouth.

Telegrams of alarm now covered Texas,
resulting in one of the tightest blockades
ever formed in that state. It failed to
work. In Fort Worth a man on his way
home from work turned to stare at a
Chevrolet which had pulled up beside him.
The next moment he heard a shot and
felt a sting in his leg. Wild laughter
poured from the disappearing automobile.

Perchmouth’s Progress

ERCIHMOUTII was at play, blockade

or no blockade.

Clear across Texas he led his band. In
a single week they had held up 11 filling
stations, wrecked three automobiles and
robbed no fewer than five private homes.
There could be no mistake in laying the
blame upon them, for the technique never
varied. Always the scowling little man
held the gun while the tall blond took the
loot and two women watched gleefully.
And always the foray ended in an orgy
of destruction.

For weeks, then months, Texas official-
dom remained far behind the raiders in
spite of precautions. One promising tip
led Tulia officers to Tucumcari, N. M., to
question three men who the informant
said, knew something about the murder of
Sheriff Moseley. The trip was useless.
The suspects, prisoners in the town jail,
proved a total loss to the investigation.
They knew Perchmouth, yes; but always
they had tried to place as much of Texas
between themselves and the little gun-
man as they could.

Deputy MacDonald returned to Tulia
with but one thing to comfort him. By
this time he had completed his dossier on
Perchmouth. The desperado.had started
on his career of crime many years before.

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Under a bandit named Pebworth he had
robbed banks at Olton, Haleyville, Broken
Bow, O'Donell and in Arkansas.” On the
last two jobs a man named Reed had been
in Perchmouth’s company and at the time
of the Tucumcari fiasco Reed lay in a
hospital with a bullet in his lung.

The wound had come to him in the
course of a bank stickup he had attempted
after parting company with Perchmouth,
but MacDonald thought Reed might still
know something that would he!p his case.

' But when Reed was approached by the
Police, he merely raised himself on one
elbow and coughed out a snarling answer:

“Sure I worked with Perchmouth. I
don’t know where he is now and [I
wouldn’t tell you if I did. But I can tell
you one thing. Nobody will ever take
him alive. He’s a killer and he'll get more
of you coppers before he’s through!”

Reed had been the last straw. All over
the state police were wondering what
would happen next. They had tried every-
thing, yet Perchmouth was still on the
loose. He’ seemed unusually quiet lately,

but this might merely be the calm before |.

another storm.

It was.

Rhome, Tex., a small town not far from
Dallas, was quiet in the afternoon sun of
June 20, 1933, Cars moved lazily down
the one main street. On the corner,
Deputy Sheriff Joe Brown watched the
traffic listlessly. Ie had been on a long
tour of duty and was more than ready to
go home,

Second Victim
UDDENLY Brown stiffened. Directly

across the street a brown Chevrolet
car was being serviced. Brown, standing
at an angle which gave.him a clear view of
the car’s license plate, was momentarily
stunned, The plate bore the number of
Perchmouth Stanton’s raiding car.

Before he could recover from the shock,
Brown sawa powerfully built woman and
a blond girl walk toward the car. Their
appearance jolted his memory. Ma Hun-
sucker and Claire Young no longer were
cold descriptions on a “wanted” circular,
Here they wére in the flesh.

Starting to move across the street,
Brown suddenly stopped. Walking swift-
ly toward the car from the restroom were
two men, One was a tall blond and the
other a smaller man whose face was
twisted and vicious. There was no mis-
taking the small, oval-shaped mouth, the
close-cropped hair. That man was Perch-
mouth Stanton!

Perchmouth paid the station attendant
and started to get in behind the driver’s
seat. His movements galvanized Brown
to action. Fhe deputy moved swiftly
across street, bringing his six-shooter
into play as he approached the driver’s
window.

“Just a moment, Perchmouth,” he said
quietly,

The air froze. In the back, the petite
blonde sucked in her breath. Perchmouth
Stanton turned his head ever so slightly
and said ina soft drawl:

“Beg your pardon?
me?”

Brown’s gaze flickered over Ma Hun-
sucker and he spoke clearly: “I am, and
what's more... .”

With the speed of a striking snake,
Perchmouth Stanton’s free hand whipped
upward and the dusk was filled with the
roar of pistol shots. For a split second a
deadly silence reigned in the street. Then
came the soft thud of a falling body. A

You talking to

scream was wrenched from the throat of
a woman across the street, but the sound
of a racing motor drowned it out.

When they picked up Deputy Joe
Brown, he was dead.

Sheriff Tom Faith of Decatur, the
county seat, was immediately summoned
to the scene, The Chevrolet had disap-
peared but a blockade was being formed
on roads to the north and officers in
Dallas were already being telephoned to
watch their sector,

Sheriff Faith immediately detailed a
squad of men to scour the town. Local
officers began questioning witnesses in
the gathering crowd. Then came a sur-
prise.

A little girl, sobbing with fright, was
led to Sheriff Faith, “A brown car al-
most ran over me,” she murmured amid
her tears. “They didn’t stop to see if they
hit me; that is, not until they got down
the street. Then a big man with brown
hair got out and started running—” she
gulped and pointed— “that way.”

“A brown-haired man,” the sheriff said
in puzzlement. Then he Wheeled and
faced his men. “So far as we know none
of the Stanton gang has brown hair but
we can’t miss this chance. Tle may be
one of them after all Get some motote
cycle men out to cover that road!”

In a rush the order was carried out, the
sheriff himself joining the search for the
running fugitive, if fugitive he were,

An hour later the sheriff’s car pulled
over to the side of the road as a tall,
huskily built man stepped from behind a
tree and jerked his thumb in the universal
hitch-hiker’s motion. Faith grinned. The
tall, brown-haired hitch-hiker stepped up
to the car and found himself looking into
the bore of a .45,

“Trying to get to Dallas, eh?” Faith
said quietly. “Sorry, we're not going
your way but you'd better hop in.”

Before the astonished man could move
he was seized and handcuffed. Once in
the car, he sighed. Then to the astonish-
ment of the officers he smiled in obvious
relicf,

“Listen,” he said, “you don’t have toaske
me. My name is Doyle Mecks. [ was
with Perchmouth Stanton but I didn't
have anything to do with that shooting
back there or with the Moseley job in
January,” A

Tells Of Terror
AS FAITH and his aides roggled in

wonder, their astounding prisoner
actually began to tremble and cower
against the back of the seat. His smile

of a minute before had become a grimace .

of terror; terror that lived in his memory,
He talked on in a tense monotone:

“Perchmouth killed Moseley, all right.
He told me he did. They picked me up
later and I couldn't get away. Time after
time I saw Perchmouth and that Glen
Hunsucker stick up places and rip them
apart. It was awful. They were crazy
and so was Ma Hunsucker. I tell you,
they've gone completely kill-crazy nuts!”

Meeks licked dry lips and went on. “I’m
no lily but it was too much for me. I got
my chance to pull out after they shot that
copper back there and I took it. That
poor fool of a girl, Claire Young, she’s
scared to death, too, but I guess it’s too
late for her to make a break now.” He
turned to Sheriff Faith and said, “Do you
know what? That guy Perchmouth
planned to shoot that copper. He actu-
ally planned to shoot him!”

Faith stared at the man. “That can’t

be,” he denic
before in his ..--
Terror return
“That’s just it!” |
see? That's why
stop him. He doc
has to. He shoot
to. He’s gone nu’
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“Someone w

stopped at all :
ing to murder

the damage r

ful sabotage.

And that so:
men now stan:
the salvage tug

Unconscious
glances at ea
was a killer?
victim? Wha
this weird, de
vent the reco

Were the tro:

the result of

they new ma

curse of the s:

Borselen cr
return to Te:

pairing the s:

its ruin, that)

be helped. T!

left to the n

as the Nept:

capped wave:
“No one, 0!
connected w

SE ese ERNE NNR hl, kann 105 Tow ‘ aa . ¢
Naas Te ae lee sali: nt iS Si ~ RS tS ae

“And what about Perchmouth Stanton?” asked a deputy. “That is,
if he’s in it.”

There was only one motive for Stanton to be in on the rampage.
He was a cop hater. He killed because of the lust to kill. He had
hooked up with a woman who swore she would “get” Moseley. There
was something almost inhuman in that motive.

“But,” warned the old timers, “‘Stanton is inhuman anyway.”

A line of deputies was flung along the route to Borger. The
Canadian river was under constant surveillance, day and night. A
running gun battle ensued when a mysterious car tried to shoot its
way from the river road. But the fight ended tamely, because the
occupants were merely afraid of bandits. '

: “We thought the deputies were those killers,” explained the two
-* hardened ranchers who had been in the car.

MacDonald chuckled. “And you’d risk gun fire rather than let the
PaaS, bandits rob you?”
ee er One of the ranchers looked straight at MacDonald. “Mister, I’d
hee att a hundred times rather be shot than let Perchmouth Stanton get his
ae i hands on me, He’s a wild man, I’ve seen what was left of some of the
od places he held up. All he thinks about ‘is destroying.”

; That, coming from a man used to the rigorous life of the plains,
ai was a stiff testimonial.
Be For five long, nerve-wracking days, the investigation continued
at white heat. All through Central Texas a murderous wave of rob-
beries continued. Then, at a small town 100 miles south of Tulia,
the already famous blue Ford car stopped at a filling station. The
operator resisted the robbery. Enraged,
a small, husky man fired.

The operator went down with a bullet
in his side. He did not die, but was
seriously injured.

[Continued on page 59] ;

Big, boisterous Ida “Ma” Hun-
sucker, gleeful companion of
Perchmouth on his many raids,
cheered when he beat up his
stickup victims. Tulia’s Swisher
county courthouse, below, was
manhunt headquarters.

stopped. The high crime of highway rob-

‘*s

DETECTIVE

through
On i bery was committed. The tourist, still
sa fool trembling from his experience, told ofa
es |” “blond-headed man” whose car had been
‘hrough parked across on the road. :
Perch “T slowed down and he and a short,
husky man jumped out of the brush. They
homa took my watch and wallet. Thentheshort,
Perch- husky man shot holes in all the tires and
native they left me, yelling like mad. And when
crime ; they got down the road a way, a blond b.
n. He girl stuck her head out of the window and
s and a shot zinged over. my head.” a high powered rifle and two .38
isons, _He described the car as a blue Ford. pistols. Take No Chances.”
places “Did the girl take the shot at you?” he The letter was signed by R. B.
ecord was asked. Conner, sheriff of Osage county,
“I don’t know for certain,” he replied. Pawhuska, Okla.
ngs,” “But I think she did.” “From this letter,” said Deputy
ughn q Goen, “we can suppose that the high-
:outh Receive Letter way robbers, and therefore the
rope killers, are Vaughn and his gang,
t lot HIS news was relayed to Tulia. The because they are heading for Borger.
ith,” fact that the crime had been commit- | However, we have taken a slug from
Ma ted near Borger was significant in lieu the deflated tire of the tourist’s car,
the of a letter which came to Sheriff O. J. and it’s a .45 slug. If Vaughn and
had Allen at Canadian. The letter read: his bunch haven’t got .45’s, then
300. “Dear Sir: they’re not the gang. Furthermore,
ndit “In request for additional information | Moseley was murdered with a .45,
ing on Haldean Vaughn: We holda warrant if you remember.”
in- on him for murder. He is trying to get to “Let’s look at it this way,” said
cht. Borger, Texas, and will cross the river Zimmerman. ‘“Vaughn’s boys held
ich there. He is driving a ’33 model Ford up the Happy station to get money
the sedan and, although it is not generally to go on. Then they had to kill or rob
nk known, a blond woman is with him. We __ to get to Borger. So, when Moseley
are offering a one thousand dollar reward _ interfered with ther plans, they killed
‘as for him—dead or alive. He is armed with him to get away.’ .

eft.)

feat Ge and

“STARVAGGI;
~on Sevt. 10;

orn’
Ae
sin

Ste

Joseph, whi
1987

—
By FRANK KLIMKO
Houston Chronicle

W/0f87

e x Wet} f
“Sy SHUNTSVILLE — Joseph Starvaggi
“* | Was put to death today, more than 10

_ years after he fired three shots into a

tgomery County juvenile probation

{ officer, killing the man as he begged for

_ statement before

tened to him plead

_ his life during a home burglary in which
_ 2$6,000 gun collection was stolen,

»The 34-year-old killer made no final
being injected with
lethal drugs at 12:22 a.m. today in the
death chamber at the Huntsville
“Walls” Unit here. He was pronounced
dead at 12:30 a.m.

‘The convict, a former Houston ce-
ment finisher, was condemned for the

Ov. 19, 1976, slaying of Johnny Denson,
48, of Magnolia. Denson’s wife and
daughter, bound in another room, lis-
for mercy. An
accomplice is also on death row for the
killing.

‘Three federal courts refused to stop
the execution Wednesday, and judges in
two of them criticized the last-minute
nature of stay requests filed by the
killer — condemned for shooting to
death a juvenile probation officer.

The convict was calm as his final
hopes for a stay ended before 10 p.m.,
when the US. Supreme Court turned
down his appeal. :

“When told about the Supreme Court
decision, he said ‘I was expecting that.
Thank you,’ and he stil] appe. calm
after that,” said Texas Department of
Corrections spokesman Charles Brown.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
and U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes of
Houston earlier denied stays.

Hughes, in a memorandum to his

}

| al

Boe a

NN iia i ag

'Starvaggi executed by TDC —

denial, described the crime asa “casual,
gratuitous killing of his burglary vic-
tim” and noted that Starvaggi had an
earlier execution date — Nov. 25, 1980
~~ Stayed. He said the order lifting the
Stay was signed Dec. 30, 1985,

“Not until three years later on the eve
of; the new execution date was the
request made” to halt the execution, he
continued. “No reason for the Gelay is
pleaded. None is imaginable.

“Starvaggi’s “pretiete claims have
been exhausted if not abused,” Hughes
wrote,

Hughes said Starvaggi’s criminal re-

cord “while short, was violent” and
noted “the burglary during which he
slaughtered an unoffending burglary
victim was during his probation for
burglary.”

The three-judge 5th Circuit panel of
Justices Charles Clark, Jerre illiams
and W. Eugene Davis, was also highly
critical of Starvaggi’s legal tactics,

“Starvaggi deliberately withheld any
action until Sept 8. His petition to this
court was filed a scant three hours ago.
Such a deliberate delaying tactic is
merely a continuation of the pattern
clearly evidenced through this proceed-
ing,” the court’s order said.

“The right to pursue the writ of
corpus to seek constitutional
relief has been asserted at such time
and in such a fractured way a8 an
obvious attempt to secure relief by
urgency rather than constitutional
merit,” the court said.
“The present effort is a classic exam-
ple of a abuse of the writ.”

In the appeal, defense attorney An-
thony Griffin of Galveston argued that
Starvaggi did not receive proper legal

yo. WwW white, eth. ing? Texas (Montgomes# y) 11/12/1991 }/
a) cn Si atiags Millia nw

bey leth.:inj. Texas (Montgomery)

representation during his trial and was | .

not 4 continued threat to society.
Prosecutors disagree.
“I certainly felt he was a threat to
ciety at the time,” said state District
Judge James Keeshan, a former Mont-

g ' County district attorney who |

prosecuted the case in 1978,
Watching TV on a
having a murder committed is always
disturbing,” said Keeshan,
Starvaggi, who had a criminal back-
und that included arrests for rob-
ty, burglary j

and marijuana posses-
sion, spent the day quietly Wednesday

— refusing visitors and the traditional .

last meal for the condemned man.
_The night of the killing, Starvaggi and

his accomplices burst into the Magnolia .

home brandishing guns and caught Den-
Son’s wife, Grace, as she ran to fa
bedroom to pick up a loaded pistol.

Starvaggi tied up Mrs. Denson and .

her daughter and forced them under a
blanket in the living room. He shot
Denson in the kitchen when the Officer
grabbed a gun away from one of the

intruders, prosecutors said.

Denson’s daughter, Susan, testified
she heard her father plead for his life
before he was killed, Saying, “I beg of
you, please don’t do this.”

G.W. Green, 47, and Glen Earl Martin,
38, also were convicted in the shooting.
Green was sentenced to death, and
Martin is serving a life sentence. Char-
ges against the fourth man were
dropped for lack of evidence.

After Denson was shot, Green urged
Starvaggi to kill the wife and the
daughter, but Starvaggi refused, saying
that he only killed “dopers and pigs.”

Zit

Houst@h CHRONICLE, Houston, Tex,
f. as Sept. 10, 1987

Se i
_ “The idea of my iran 5 pre
Y mignt and |

“Te,

bg ay

HOUSTON peat Ic
or Sunes

“Grace Denson and her ‘daughter Su-
san, then 12, were forced to lie face-

down under a blanket in the next room |.

while Starvaggi shot Denson three

es.
' “Starvaggi said to me ‘I killed your
old man, you know. You had a old
man, you know.’ I don’t know why he
said that to me,” Mrs. Denson said.
“Maybe in the short time he met m
husband in the kitchen, he could tell
what a good man he was.”
| “I saw his body that night, but I
wished I hadn't,” said Hill who was a
close friend of Denson’s. “It still kind of
gets to me.
' “He was about as good an officer as
I've ever known. Other people have
hunting and fishing as their hobbies. To
Johnny, his hobby was law enforce-
ment.”
» Susan Denson, an administrative as-
sistant at a Houston valve company,
recalled a happy childhood as a tomboy,
riding horseback with her father and
helping him as he tinkered with cars.
“We were very close. He was strong,

LF, ‘Houston, Tex. 1910/1987

Slain officer
called good
family man

By CATHY GORDON
Houston Chronicle

' Johnny Carl Denson, a husky Mont-
gomery County juvenile probation offi- . .
cer with a flat-top hair cut and baby-

blue eyes, was foremost a family man.

_ Mention his wife, Grace, and daugh- _
ter, Susan, and he would whip out a

worn leather wallet and proudly display

their pictures.

Rather than
miss out on

spending time’

but a very gentle man,” she said. “He | with his young
was well liked all through the county. daughter, . he
He’d do anything for anybody. would take her -
. “I can remember being under that |... to the courthouse ©

blanket that night and praying and |
hearing him plead with them, saying |
‘Please, don’t do this.”

on weekends
when he caught . . -
up on paper

| She said she respects the judicial | _ work,
sone her father spoke about oftenin, “His daughter »
heir father-daughter chats, but thinks | _ Denson and his wife —

Starvaggi’s execution should have hap-
pened long ago.

: “My father raised me to love and
' respect the judicial system. I was
brought up with it. But I think it’s been
10 years too long,” she said.

‘She said she feels cheated by her
father’s killers.

. “I felt cheated when I graduated from
the eighth grade and my father wasn’t
there. I felt cheated when I graduated

from high school and my father wasn’t

there,” she said. “I guess if I ever get
married, I'll really feel cheated because
I'll have to find someone else to give me

away.”

they were the center of his life. He was
just a good solid officer who would have
on 10 people to defend his an
ar | amend County Constable Da-
vid Hill.

. Denson, 48, was with his family when
he was shot to death at his Magnolia

home during a burglary on Nov. 19, 1976.
Authorities said $6,000 worth of guns
were taken from the home.

' Joseph Starvaggi, 34, of Houston, the

convicted triggerman, was sentenced to
die for the capital murder. Co-defen-
dants G.W. Green, 50, of Houston was
also given a death sentence. Glen Earl
Martin, 38, of Houston is serving a life

sentence.
. . db

. = rd 4 e
wn ERY se Eh aac eR are eT

WIREGRASS: TODAY, 9-11-1987, page 9A

Texas inmate

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A

man who spent 10 years on death a

Tow was executed early Thursday
for murdering a probation officer
who begged for mercy as his wife
and daughter huddled under a
blanket nearby.

Joseph Starvaggi, 34, a
cement finisher and native of
Champaign, Ill., was pronounced
dead at 12:30 a.m. by Charles
Brown, a spokesman for the
Texas Department of
Corrections.

Starvaggi, who made no last
statement, was executed by
lethal injection for the slaying of
John Denson, murdered during a
1976 burglary at his home. °

U.S. District Judge Lynn
Hughes in Houston and the 5th
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in
New Orleans denied last-minute
appeals Wednesday, ‘The U.S.

Supreme Court refused on ‘a 6-2
vote to ‘halt ‘the ‘execution late»

seta . RCE

Wednesday. ;
Starvaggi was one of three men
convicted in the slaying of

Denson. G.W. Green, of Houston, |

also is on death row, while Glen
Earl Martin, of Houston, is serv-
ing a life prison term.

The three broke into the Mont-
gomery County juvenile proba-
tion officer’s home in Magnolia,
50 miles north of Huston, and

stole $6,000 worth of guns Nov.’

19, 1976.

On the night of the break-in,
Grace Denson said she and her
husband were watching televi-
sion, and that their 13-year-old
daughter, Susan, was upstairs.

“They rang the doorbell,” she
recalied in an interview Wednes-
day. “It was during a commercial.
I started going upstairs. On the
third step, I heard something and
looked around and this guy was
pushing inside with a gun.”

- One of the burglars ordered

executed

that she and her daughter
remain upstairs, throwing a
blanket over them. .

“He went downstairs and we
heard a shot,” she said: adding
that he later ordered them
downstairs but kept the blanket
over their heads.

Susan, however, could see
through a hole in the blanket.
She testified that her father, shot
ence, begged for mercy while one
of the burglars shouted, “Kill
him, kill him.”

"according to S. S, Story, death watch, Stanton did not close his eyes dn sleep Thursday
night. He spent the time in wirting letters and in all he wrote 38 letter to his closest
- Yelatives. ; Many of these letters were to out-of-town relatives. Asked for a statement
Friday morning the prisoner declared he had nothing further for the press. He rested on his
cot in the early hours of the morning. He ate som fried eggs for breakfast, drank a cup off
coffee, and ate a bit of bread, He ate no lunch but drank a bottle of soda water, All
during the morning he smoked ‘cigars and even while bidding his relatives farewell held the
cigar in his hand. :

"According to Mr, Story and other officer who have know Staton say he has made an ideal
prisoner, He always ‘gave way to the requests of the officers and has given no trouble
fhatever. Sheriff Brandenburg also declared the prisoner had been one of the best men he
had known to be umer death sentence, Father McSweeney declared theprisoner had held up
‘better than any he had ever seen, He has been with a number of men convicted. for murder
executed from the scaffold, |

"Stanton was convicted in December for killing his wife, Naomi Stanton, The killing
occurred at the plant of the Harry Harlan Produce company on East Main St. Dec, 3. The
testimony ft the trial showed that Stanton fired nine shots at his wife. Seven of these
took effect in her body and she died in a moment, Three days after the killing the grand
jury returned a bill of indictment. Judge Miller, then presiding in criminal district
court No, 2, set the case for trial. Two weeks later the trail began, and after less ‘than
three days the jury had returned its verdict assessing the death penalty.

"Members of the jury which tried the case were L. K. Stephens, foreman; R, A. Sugart, D. T.

ichburg, Herman Huetchell, W. S. Uhl, A. ws Henry, D. P, Beach, J, B, ‘Wynn, Joe Butler, G.
. Heer, S. I. Moore and J, D, Jackson, the jury's verdict was returned Dec, 17. The

case was appealed after Judge Miller had overruled the motion fora new trial. It was
affirmed by the higher court on May 28 and the mandate was received in Dallas 61k, ;
"Numerous telegrams were sent to Governor -Colquitt Thursday afternoon -and night and Friday
morning, asking that the sentence be commuted bo lifeimprisonment, County Attorney McCutch-
eon wrote a letter to Governor Colquitt in opposition to a life term and several. days: later
issued a statement saying 'let the law take its course,' ¢

'The letters which Stanton wrote to his friends Thursday night were urging them to live
right lives. ° He declared thatGod had saved his soul and wanted all his relatives to meet
him in another world, One of the 38 letters he wrote was to his brother, Will Stanton,..
eeeThe body of Stanton was taken in charge by the Peoples' Undertaking Ciompany, 1% will be
held’at the chapel unti#l Satruday afternoon when service will be held at theCatholic church
on Allen St. Burial will follow immediately," TIMES HERALD, Dallas, Texas, August l, 1918
(1/7) Photograph of Stanton and the priest.

"Iwo Dallas negresses were shot down by negroes Tiesday; one being instantly. killed with
9 bullets through her body.,..the latest victim is Naomi Stanton, 27-years-old, who was
killed by her divorced husband, Floyd Stanton, in the Harry Harlan commission house, 2110
East Main St., Tuesday afternoon, Floyd Stanton was arrested by Officer Keatts shortly
after the shooting and is being held in the county jail on charges of mrder, Stanton
used an automatic pistol and pumped all of the 9 steel capped bullets into his former wife's
body. Not a single shot missed and almost any one of them would have been sufficient to
cause death, which was almost instantaneous, Stanton, while in jail, declared that Naomi
“tanton had come to the store and demanded money from him He said that the woman, after
he had refused her request, threatened to have a man beat him up. He thereupon drew his
pista@l and‘ commenced shooting, Floyd Stanton had worked for the Harlan company for several
yearse He was trimming celery im the rear of the establishment at the time of the shooting
and several employees of the company were eye witnesses of the affair. Sam Stanton, a bro-
ther of Floyd, was present while Naomi Stanton was talking, He says that he ran away as
soon as’ the shooting commenced, Examination of: the body of the woman at the People's Under-
taking establishment showed that two bullets had entered the left side, one of which pherced
the heart,” three bullets entered her head, one tore through the reck, two took effect in the
stomach and one“ near thebase of the spinal column," TIMES-HERALD, Dallas, Texas, 12-1912

(14/7)

(} by 2g

&; conierence . ADS SLAB Asef allebow> clerk of the highway dep
ed: to-come an ‘aiouncément }ever,. was replaced - By. Webb Ruff,| 1978," hoiding: Asati Boi
that: eating ‘House as-: who- has: ‘been - Serving as’: matlager resignation: fn) 1925, He: “Wasa
, ictal wereia hike: its . $260,000 | of the’ municipal airport. for .the | mer acting auditor for the Cit;
| purchase of. refi Winds. V6: 3500, ) past!six months. es ontract Dallas and later was in the ré
was” fabtcat however, if: pers pol. ‘ "| furnittre © bysiness “in © Oak. €
ey| other . clearing. house" rare te ae ae Nera Failing ‘health. caused: BIS ret
~ would | ‘follow- ‘Dallas’, -lgad. - ment, He. was one otOak C}

oy base ae £ a :
ose AS CMGI 3 oo a eee * early. residents Ahavini mov
ag oe bEAS, ot £2mHo ex A
| .__Enough- For: Three Weeks. a ‘Ra ff Rec app d "j from - Loulsiana:
ee The bond: commission: finaiel eG inte [ee ies mee a ake :
that 300,000 realized L.° She es
om bid nn: THE. DEAD =
DIESON—Funeral Services \

i} trem bids already received. on” a :
Te fea for W. GC. Dieson’ from:

} $3,750,000: \vorth, of bread.” bonds
it offered ne isale.:: %
“aaig| The. $4,300,000. eepuia cares for f-

<< : aN

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| beadq eartere estimat ‘Shout | ee for “months: ‘operation. nad Rt ero stile. Pha coe.
gfe agua 000- satya be‘sold, Shente: ie oy with- Webb Ruff. as| MF. ae ma bors a Ti
| funds showld “lash inti the middle manager of. the. Robert’B. Mueller | COUntY, Dec, 22, 1365." "rhe -
* ot Februa peat ou ‘airport, Ruft- was<appeinted last home. place: dad where the-Au
yte: either: “feed. Rae ‘or. “fight | July, following’ the’ tragic death of eos Bchool,. no serie Hea:
"em," said ‘Relief Comme’. Swe ve [Bat 8. “Naylor in a plane accident. 73 any: ae DAES peed
| Krooks, Jr, Dallaw.: -He> ‘recalled | ME. Morgan said” receipts. to -the | Fi pred e wee 4 sei E
‘gp. | ther time 590. discontented ‘relief | ‘elt, ‘during -Rutft's' six months ‘as or + re ake fe Re s

there: s-' P double 4 ‘were used ~ “put the first
; at Le } forthe “Ams in: ‘Street: Rail
beet oe eS UNO) £

tere come me metic ito: <i sompanyhrHe.helped to; Jaild

Texas: counties oh bi “Fresent< power plant, unive:
tenate to “their Sree a howe “teas Qe ete Bel pietl ngs and. capitol building.

7 _| retiet during ‘the past’ — mon “a oa! habs Dicson- 3 ar
i 17%: dirs} #200, County - “would: eet ye ie - pecs
T are of" +th:

sury yors are. three sons, Ve R..
‘Ted’ of Austin and W, C, Ja
of. Houston: tao’ daughtérs,
‘We Cy. Lloyd and Mrs.T. L. 3
ley, of Austin; three: bréther:
| L. CoH? and A.-L; Dieson, Aus
Awo- Sisters, Mrs, . H. Stelfox
Mrs; J Ri; Gasser Austin. Bi
Was aioe: Fiskville. cemetery,

| ployment.“ gan S Wwa'se: dis
while J. Cc. cere tehan ount giad?!

~ =") ministrato ea meiors the. - corm=<
. aiasion. ee va the a dak Mtoe &

ta | MFI $ #1 ea ~ ; 2 y “a fe tn = |
“prick act the CWA. ‘Ten: Hhounand intervenes. Oy. geahtlig® executive were MERCIER = Sunerata mers

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Be Minter. ‘officiating. fe

pag Jobs: ‘resulted in a Tages G.inz4 alco a eonvieted nord eae were Fl

wt] Crease Jn cases’ ts Stee ‘scheditied teate tiny 3 fe ihe oss “elec- seers :
er-| thet, not. formerly, dn Yelle : pie, opel at. ae) cyte early. Fri: | Miller: and Joe Matthews, Bi
Ps she impression sha th_be_on. day. Orpiitg PS a ea efes in Oakwood cemetery, °.

} Adele; Woods, of Austin, He

S2-Wc

ea. a born’ in. Buckingham, Canada,
®- $3.78 | ct eee epeak, peek reanatarend hive ; ; core “Dees.
= -(n pers na a cha ‘of venus, oe UPreaor % <Mirray’s we

5 anc Saree 7 peas sin a me

oe moore e candidacy af aon

‘Rovernor,

rk} RICHMOND, Vii, bee 3s <StUP) |
2} en, Wiliam ‘0. aieados, ot Cait]. WASHINGTON, Dec. 25
| forni “te outs northward to’ the} The. poe peL oe ee
poe his: Ghoghiar andedsat | Trboried 2 “aun
wae sicport at me 25 a m. that” all Roce gleannes ta
ue horth, ; ern. bet lines “in “Tex as a
Louisiana. shave. beat

ai ws 2)

| F. M. Snow, Texas farmer whose stepson,
| wile and mother-in-law disappeared. What
| did he tell the Texas Rangers?

way where curious townsfolk might file past it.

The news spread through town like a prairie
fire. Then, twelve hours later when the mail edi-
tions of the Dallas and Fort Worth papers had
been read generally, a parade of buggies, wagons

American Detective 4

her fearfully befo
© “I’m sure it’s |
y-eyed man v
ut on the Glenw
“You’re a real h
be so positive in y
© She stared at hi
Pparently sctraighte:

and cars blocked the roads in all directions.

The remainder of that day and all of the next passed with 7
out identification. On the third day Sheriff Hastler tee 9p™
phoned me asking for help. So, in accordance with the Ranger
rule of keeping out of local cases until help is requested, |
assigned Ranger Sergeant Stewart Stanley to aid the author-
tics.

Stanley, one of the most efficient of the old Ranger force,
knew the district as a country boy knows his way to town
He was on the job within two hours, cool, well trained and
efficient.

Later in the day, while Stanley and the Sheriff were ex-
amining the head through its surrounding walls of glass, a
deputy came to tell the Sheriff that he was wanted for aa
important telephone call.

When he returned some moments later, Stanley saw there
was a glint of suppressed excitement in his eyes.

“Something?” he asked quietly under the cover of th
crowd’s incessant chatter.

“Yes,” Hastler said. ‘“Come over to the drug store; I think
we'll get an identification.” Then, while they were crossing
the courthouse square, he continued:

“The call was from a Mrs. Griftey. She sounded scared,
but I’ve got an idea she’s going to bu’st the case wide open
She says she’s pretty sure she recognized the features, but she
won't tell us anything unless we promise to keep her out of
it until the killer’s in jail.” MP inchester where:

They strolled into the drugstore casually and talked a few Morse to death
moments with the druggist. Then the Sheriff introduced MR There wasn’t n
Stanley to Mrs. Griftey as the Ranger in charge of the mur BR yex¢ eee
der case. Later, when a customer demanded the attentioa Morcey gee ont
of the druggist, Hastler said: DAs oe went i

“You can talk now, Mrs. Griftey. Sergeant Stanley bs BR o¢ the tt ile open
agreed to keep you under cover until we arrest the kille. Iq meet them. Hi
Now, who was the boy—and where did you know him?” *Sloping nid dacs

“I’ve seen him
Bur I'll tell you h
‘he has a small, wl
Pan extra long ‘d
showed when he :
| Trust a woman
-assuring her that
Stanley and the §
that night when
‘more searching e>
~ Mrs. Griftey w
scar and the ove)
was that the scar
'quarter inch in |

“That settles it
derstand why she
Poucfit, the sort ou
father, F. M. Sno

The woman was badly frightened. She looked all abou

jl ct itastalad Abs taladous Madi il Di cll es Ac isc, ash ila aI ats Ls

An official examines the ground near the Snow farmhouse for remains of bones. What did
Snow tell authorities that was later found to be false?

sai Fe aren i tte A nls a NB tl Ea tn be ~ sad

wT ae ‘

A former Texas Ranger takes you
behind the scenes of primitive
murder as he unravels one of the
weirdest real life tragedies ever
known to the Southwest.

Then Deputy Piercey came out of the hole with the sack and they
went to the shade of a big live-oak tree where they shook out the con-
tents gingerly.

It proved to be the head of a boy of about sixteen years with a
great shock of black hair, regular features, full, pouting lips and a
high forehead. It had been severed from the trunk with a single
sweep of some sharp instrument—possibly a machete-like cane knife.

The Sheriff and Piercey looked at each other, shaking their heads
in- token that neither recognized the dead features. After that. they,
made a cursory search about the place for the remainder of the body
but without result. When. it was apparent that days and a large
force of men would be required to make a proper search, the Sheriff
said:

“We'll.go back now and try for an identification—and something
tells me that there’ll be plenty of grief and hard work before we
find the fellow who did this.”

Former Ranger Captain Tom Tick-

Texan who :
man who tells this story to the readers

‘cad when his
howl.

veralls and slid

t brought him
t drama of his

ve odor as he
»w-sack which
m a twisted
im. The top
d hung down
. “uy,”

-like, fumbled
ed inside.

new that the
1 right! That
lace for Mrs.
be. As a mat-
it wasn’t any
body except a
medical exam-

cack was a bu-
\ head severed
by some ghast-
ow!

yandoned shack
o the office of

Benny and the

covered it in’

‘ed, breathless,
every fiber of;

of American Detective magazine.

They were back in Stephenville in half an hour, succeeding in
reaching the local mortuary before the news spread that murder had
been done. Before leaving they had ordered absolute silence on the
part of all who knew. The undertaker, faced with the problem of
his strong, young body, the boy tottered preserving the grisly human fragment while yet making it possible

into the Sheriff’s office and stammered for it to be exhibited, finally solved it with a huge glass bowl.

the story of his ghastly find.

Now, I’ve known Ned Hastler sheet rubber and then sealing that into place with partly cooled
through many of my twenty years of paraffin. The Sheriff and deputy carried the bowl to the courthouse
wrvice as a Texas Ranger—a service I an a covered wicker basket, placing it on a stand in the main hall-

resigned out of deference to
the old traditions. Hastler
is cool, able, brave beyond
the average. I’ve seen his
shy grin as he faced the
thing men call “Death.”

So it follows that Benny
Acocks wasn’t doing the
murderer any favor when
he started Ned Hastler on
the vengeance trail! Within
20 minutes after he’d heard
the boy’s story, Ned and a
deputy, accompanied by the
county coroner, were rush-
ing out into the hills in one
of the county cars.

They found the sack still
there. But while Deputy
Sheriff Ross Piercey was
recovering it, Sheriff Has-
der was evidencing strange
Interest in a huge imprint
of a foot in soft ground at
the side of the hole. It
might or might not be a
due, but Hastler covered it
with a dead branch to pre-
vent further examination.

This he filled with a formaldehyde mixture, covering the top with

yr rei

The fireplace in the Snow farmhouse. What did Texas officers find hidden in
the ashes of this peaceful looking country fireplace?

[55

° “p's

xt passed with-
f Hastler tele-
vith the Ranger
is requested, I
aid the author-

1 Ranger force,
s way to town,
vell trained and

sheriff were ex-
valls of glass, a
wanted for an

anley saw there
es.
ie cover of the

ig store; I think
‘y were crossing

sounded scared,
case wide open.
features, but she
keep her out of

ind talked a few
ieriff introduced
irge of the mur-
ed the attention

eant Stanley has
arrest the killer.
u know him?”

looked all about

Ezy-eyed man who lives on the Riggs place seven miles

Be extra long ‘dog’ tooth in his right upper jaw which

fearfully before she said in an awed whisper:
‘I'm sure it’s Bernie — Bernice Conley; stepson of that

zon the Glenwood road.”

"You're a real help,” Stanley told her, “but how can you
positive in your identification?”

She stared at him several moments before she spoke, ap-
atly straightening the facts in her mind. Finally she

"Ive seen him often; he’s delivered wood at our place.
I'll tell you how to make sure. If he’s the Conley boy,
has a small, white scar just over the right eyebrow, and

wed when he smiled.
Trust a woman to catalogue and recall such things! After

scring her that he would keep the information secret,
aley and the Sheriff returned to the courthouse. Then
bat night when they were alone, they made another and
mee searching examination of the head.

Mrs. Griftey was right. They found both the frontal
sand the over-long canine looth! The strange thing
s that the scar was a mere scratch hardly more than a
er inch in length!

“That settles it!” the Sheriff told Stanley. “Now I un-
nd why she’s so scared. The boy comes of a queer
t, the sort our kind don’t trust over much. The step-
ther, F. M. Snow, is a hard-looking citizen. He totes a
achester wherever he goes and folks say he once clubbed
horse to death for balking.”
There wasn’t much they could do that night, but carly
at morning Ranger Stanley, Sheriff Hastler and Deputy
scey went out to sce Snow on the old Riggs farm.

As they went through the fence at the farm, the door
‘the house opened and a strange appearing man came out
smeet them. He was tall, stringy, yet powerful looking.
feping shoulders supported a scrawny neck. His small

Dead Man’s Head 57

Undersheriff Jess Brooks, official guard for

Snow during the days of the investigation.

dish black eyes
der the broad,
ch would fas-

head was almost square and red
flamed out from deep caverns un
low forehead. It was a face whi
cinate any student of criminology.
The ever-ready Winchester was in t

The exact spot where the grim discovery was made. It was here that the dog “Spot” barked
and young Acocks found the head in the sack shown above.

Se Sees

American Detective

“JTradel—in the wagon?” the Sheriff night?” ¢

incredulously. ‘“‘More than thirty miles . hia
rough roads, and your wife’s mother is an ‘
: ; , looked th

than cighty years old?” _

Snow nodded. ‘Yeah, but she’s ple Yep, it
tough. Anyway, I fixed a mattress in ay That :
wagon so’s she could lay down and uk ;
easy.”

Neither Stanley nor the Sheriff liked Se 66 W
story. But they hadn’t anything against Samy

j proof.

F. M. Snow in custody. Texas authorities questioned him
Jength concerning the disappearance of hia relatives but
stuck stubbornly to his story.

of his arm and its muzzle jerked upward slightly as
he approached his callers.

“Just what do you men want here?” he demanded
brusquely. He hitched the gun again with an odd
motion of elbow and shoulder—and then Stanley rec-
ognized him for a hip shot! Later he made the boast

in my presence that he could shoot straighter from his

hip than most men could by aim!

“I’m the sheriff of this county,” Hastler told him.
“I want to talk to your boy, Bernie. He got into a
little trouble Y

Snow’s expression, Stanley declares, did not change.
“When?” he snapped.

“Two-three days ago. It wasn’t much

“Te wasn’t him, then,” Snow growled. “He run off
three-four days ago.”

Then he swung about to stare at Stanley. “You’re a
Ranger sergeant; I remember you,” he said briskly.
“Well, you fellers get around a lot so I wisht you’d
ask the other boys to keep an eye out along the Bor-
der. The kid was crazy about Mexico.”

Before Stanley could answer, Hastler said:

“Let me talk to his mother. Maybe she can

*She’s gone away with her mother. They wanted
to visit their kinfolks in Waco, so night before last I
hauled ’em over to the railroad at Iradel in the wagon
—and put ’em on the Katy train.”

»”»

”

ry, f + * 9 J . J
Sa we ora eet ay ear press Disael retell eden eel, ween

but suspicion and were getting nowhere “It T.
Presently Hastler said: “If you don’t mi grin. A
Snow, we'll look about a little. Some thingit tuously,
aren’t straight in my mind.” ; But it
Stanley, watching Snow narrowly, sway isfied if
rifle muzzle jump again and the suspect road, ha
eyes flamed viciously. Then he quieted, su knoll w
back. rest of t
“Sure,” he answered with a sly grin. “Age “T ho
I want you other fellers to bear witness th Deputy
ain’t even asked to sce your search warram! laughed.
Hastler and Stanley exchanged significa May
glances. It was anything but the speech took an
an innocent man. footprin
But search of the interior disclosed wan aa
thing; the women folks really were absaiiy Pierce.
The beds weren’t made. Soiled dishes vam YOU Bn
stacked in a pan on a corner of the tai this a
And over everything was a film of gray Snow nm
Something about that dust began to body Driv
Stanley. Presently he drew his finger the aba
the oilcloth on the table. Rubbing it, he print in
a familiar odor. Hastler followed suit: snié the es 8
at his finger. An
' *Ashes!”? He whispered the word gril gor ‘
at nodding at the fireplace. the —
ig It was huge, built of native rock, It's a
rounded by heavy oak beams. These in og ©?" ‘.
supported a long mantelpiece. The backa puOURN
side walls were covered with inch-thick soot which identic.
overflowed onto the stonework at the front and & Th.
In the bottom was a solid twelve inches of powd fully.
gray particles from many hardwood fires! the hea
The Sheriff took up a long splinter and stirred 4 the boy
ashes without uncovering anything bulky. After & Come
he and Stanley crossed to a corner where a curtain own
a quantity of women’s clothing. Seca
66 OMENFOLKS must have gone with just eo .
dress apiece,” the Sheriff whispered. “And \e “t _
looks odd to me that they'd leave their combs and¢ oe y}
hand mirror behind.” - ms
“Saying nothing of the old lady’s lower set of teek shiz; ‘
Stanley answered, pointing to a sct on a chair m behind
the bed. inc
But right at that moment their interest was in f . First
ing the trunk of Bernie’s body. I am telling the sm my ~ i
as Stanley and the Sheriff told it to me later, but td ac ae
had come to the point where they sensed that if% one Pr
body had been destroyed in the fireplace, it had bay Tha
a pretty complete job. fF The
So they went out to the stable and nosed ab act Sno
There was a big, iron-gray horse in one stall; a Sherifl
pony in the next. there.
“This the team you drove to Iradcl?” Stanley pees
z

manded sourly. ‘‘And then drove home the s

eae
a

body. I was setting traps over on the
old Riggs farm. You know the place,
abandoned years ago.” He brushed a
jacket sleeve across his forehead.
“It's kind of rough, coming across some-
thing like that all unexpected. No
telling how long it’s been there.”

Hassler listened patiently. “It's get-
ting late. How about riding out with
us, Mister Aycock? We'd save time if
you were to show us the way.”

Aycock agreed. “I'd just as well.
Without me along you'd have to shoot
my dog before you could get close.”

The Sheriff called in and introduced
his chief deputy, Ross Pearcy. This
was the evening of December 8 and dusk
had fallen like a blanket by the time
they reached the Riggs farm. The dog
rose, stiff-legged and defensive in the
headlight’s glare as they pulled into the
weed-grown yard. A word from his
master quieted him.

The gunny sack was lifted down, its
contents examined briefly. It held the
severed head, wrapped in a tattered
shirt, a dress coat and a bright scarlet
jacket.

Grimly silent, the two officers
dropped Aycock and his dog at their
home. In the presence of death like
this, they had no words. Back in
Stephenville, with the head in a local
mortuary and the clothing spread out
at Headquarters, they could talk far
into the night.

But first they examined the gar-
ments. The coat pockets held a pair of
pliers, a stubby lead pencil and. a few
small coins. In the jacket they found
crumpled cigarette papers, a five-cent
bag of smoking tobacco and, from a
local store, a merchandise slip record-
ing the sale of a halter. It was dated
November 27.

“A cash sale,” Hassler said. “Nothing
there to help in identification.”

“This could.” Pearcy held up to the
light a tailor’s label stitched into the
lining of the coat. “Amarillo,” he read.

Bernie Connolly: He survived
two slayings, but not a third

Sheriff Hassler with the rifle
used in the last three slayings

“Blackburn Brothers. They might—”

He broke off at the sight of two bullet
holes, one just below the collar, the
other between the shoulders. ‘Shot
in the back!” he said thickly.

Hassler fingered the garment. “Part
of a suit. I wonder if the Blackburns
would know who they sold it to. Sup-
pose we send it out there, Ross. If a
man started tonight he could be back
by this time tomorrow.”

“Amarillo is close to four hundred
miles, and the roads that way are all
under construction. It couldn’t be
done that fast, Sheriff.”

The Sheriff glanced at a calendar
above his desk. ‘This is Tuesday. By
Thursday morning, then. It’s a thin
chance but we'll take it. How soon can

you start, Ross?”

Pearcy grinned ruefully. “I figured
that was coming. I can start now if
you'll tell my family.” He wrapped the
coat in a paper, pulled his collar close
about his throat and walked out into
the blustery night.

Stephenville is a small town about
70 miles below Fort Worth. Word of
the gruesome find spread through it like
feathers loosed in the wind that raged
about the eaves of the picturesque old
courthouse. Hassler’s telephone rang
the whole night through. The morn-
ing ‘edition of the Fort Worth Star-
Telegram carried a banner story. Other
metropolitan papers picked it up. By

Part of the Snow home and the
chimney the Sheriff found cold

noon the telephone company had put
on special long-distance operators as
from one end of the nation to the othe:
the parents of lost sons called, begging
for a description of the dead boy
Many who lived within reach came in
person, adding to the morbidly curious
who passed through the funeral home
in droves once the head was ready fo:
exhibition.

Hassler talked to as many of them
as he could.

Among them was a man named Volt
whose son, Jimmy, seventeen, had been
missing for over a year.

“He and another boy, Walt Fletcher
came to Stephenville Summer before
last and hired out to a farmer named
Snow who lived south of town.’ Mr
Volt said. “We had one card from
Jimmy before he disappeared. I un-
derstand the Fletcher boy is missing
too.”

A quick walk to the funeral home set
the anxious father's mind at rest. The
dead boy was not his son. Could it be
Walt Fletcher? Mr. Volt didn't know
and there the matter rested, one inci-
dent out of scores equally fruitless

These visitors kept the Sheriff so oc-
cupied that night came again before

A murderer's flight ended
at this now dry creek-bed

he found time to visit the harness-
maker who had sold a halter on No-
vember 27.

“You got my message, I suppose, and
went around to the mortuary?”

The reply came crisply. “I did. Stood
in line for an hour. I'll bet a thousand
people went through that place and
most of ‘em were just curious to see
what a head without a body looks like.”

“We're encouraging it. Someone
among them might be able to identify
the boy. Did you recognize him?”

The harness-maker shook his head.
‘Not by name. Oh, he was in, all right,
and bought the halter, but what really
interested him was a saddle. I remem-
ber he spent quite awhile looking at
em. Sorry I can’t help you, Sheriff.
I figure he’s a stranger around here be-
cause he asked how to get to the wagon
yard. Seems he was supposed to meet
somebody.”

EAVING the shop, Hassler went
again to the mortuary, alone this
time. He wanted the coroner’s report.

According to that official, the boy’s
death had occurred several hours be-
fore the head was severed—two weeks
ago or longer; the coroner couldn't tell.

“How was it done? With a knife?
A razor, maybe?”

“Neither. The job is too rough. I
should say a hatchet or an ax.”

Hassler studied the boyish features.
A broad forehead, thick black hair,
blue eyes. A good face, he thought,
and his friendly mouth tightened. For
a crime so thoroughly vicious, the killer
must be made to pay no matter where
they might have to go to find him or
how long it would take.

The Sheriff's living-quarters were in
one section of the three-story brick
jail. He snatched a few hours’ sleep
and was back at his office by seven in
the morning. Ross Pearcy followed him
in, back early but weary and depressed
by the failure of his 800-mile drive.
The Amarillo clothiers remembered the
suit, all right. It was part of a discon-
tinued line. They’d had several in
varying sizes but no idea who had
bought them.

Special Deputy Sheriff Jess Brooks: He
had to slip through a caravan of cars

Hassler dropped his hat on a filing-
case and rubbed one hand across his
eyebrow. “So we’re right where we
started, in spite of yesterday’s mob.”

“Had plenty of curious, eh?”

“The town was packed. I’ve never
seen so many people. And not a soul
recognized the boy.”

“What do we do now?”

“Have a bunch of pictures run off the
first thing. I’ll bet we’ve had a hun-
dred calls for them from all over the
country. You got any suggestions,

been wondering how it would be to put
this and the jacket on exhibition, too.
Down on the lawn, maybe, if the rain
holds off. Folks who wouldn't like to
look at.the head might recognize the
clothes.”

Hassler’s face lighted. The sugges-
tion became an order and an officer was
placed on guard to watch all who
passed for some sign of recognition. .

That is how a gentle little farm
woman happened to be drawn into the
investigation. Mrs. Ned Gristy never
would have thought that she might be
of any assistance. She went to
Stephenville on Thursday for her
week’s supply of groceries and was a bit
appalled to find herself caught in the
morbid crowd that milled about the
courthouse square.

HE clothing didn’t interest her at

first. Only as she paused to speak to
a friend did the bright scarlet jacket
catch her attention. She started, her
gaze went past it to the coat and the
alert officer saw her face grow white.
He pushed through to her side.

“Ever see these things before,

Ma’m?” he inquired.

Mrs. Gristy hesitated. ‘I don’t know.
That coat—could I see it closer?”

He handed her the garment. She
looked it over and returned it without
comment. But her hands were shaking
and the officer said, low-voiced, “If
you’d like to speak to the Sheriff, Ma’m,
he’s up in his office.”

Relief flashed in her eyes. “Yes.
Yes, I know Mister Hafsler. I'll talk to
him.”

Hassler, watching the crowd from an
upper window, witnessed the incident
and came to meet her on the stairs.

In his inner office, her nervousness
vanished.

DA Russell, left, and a friend

at remains of the murder house

Read It First In

Secret of the Gunny Sack. (Continued from Page 43) oFFiclAL DETECTIVE STORIES

out of the narrow, one-way trail to let
them pass.

The Sheriff knew this man and
halted. “Morning, Jake. We're look-
ing for your neighbor. Do you know
anything about him?”

“Snow? Don’t reckon I do, unless
he’s over on Chalk Mountain cuttin’
wood. I ain’t seen him in more’n a
week. I heard about all the excitement
up in town, Sheriff. Did you ever find
out who the boy is?”

Hassler nodded. “That’s why we're
looking for Snow. It’s his boy, Bernie
Connolly.”

The aging farmer’s mouth gaped
open. “You don’t say, now! Bernie!
Well, who ever’d ’a thought bad luck
would follow him here!”

The Ranger said slowly, “What do
you mean bad luck, my friend?”

The man called Jake shook a solemn
head. “Why, another killin’. An’ him
the victim this time. He was tellin’
our Joe not long ago about bein’ scared
somethin’ might happen to him. But
I didn’t take no stock in it. I figgered
it was just kid talk.”

“Another killing, you say? Has
someone else in this family been mur-
dered?”

“Someone in Bernie’s family was.
His father first, some years back, he
said. Then his mother married again,
an’ that fellow was killed, too. Some-
body must have a powerful grudge agin
the fam’ly. Bernie was a good boy. I
wish we’d known he had reason to be
scared.”

“How much of a family does Snow
have, Jake?”

“Just his wife an’ her mother, Mis’
Olds, now that the boy’s gone. Funny
thing, Sheriff, I was sure Bernie went
visitin’ with the women folk. That’s
how come Snow decided to cut wood.
He was doin’ it while they was all
away.”

“Jake!” Hassler halted the garrulous
tongue. ‘Where did the women go?”

The old man shoved a battered hat
back to scratch his head. “Well now,
I just don’t know. ‘Back home,’ he said,
wherever that is. But I didn’t know
‘em well. You see, Snow just got mar-
ried in October an’ brought her family
here to the farm. Them women was
awful close-mouthed, Sheriff. I never
did hear where they come from. This’ll
be a right smart shock to Snow.”

Hassler wasn’t so sure about that.
“Did he and the boy get along all right,
Jake?”

“Oh, sure. They’ve been doin’ odd
jobs together ever since the farmin’
season let up. I don’t figger it was his
stepdaddy Bernie was scared of. I
think it was somebody out of the past,
an’ now Snow just could be the next
one. I wouldn’t like to be in his shoes.”

Again the Sheriff cut through the
flow of words. ‘“‘Was Snow living alone
up to the time of his marriage?”

“Yep. I never knew of him havin’
nobody around.”

“You don’t know anything about a
boy named Jimmy Volt, or maybe two
boys, who worked for him Summer be-
fore last? Think hard, Jake. It’s im-
portant.”

The aged man considered, spat re-
flectively over the wagon wheel and
shook his head. “No, Sheriff, I never
heard of nobody by that name, and if
Snow’d had any hired hands I’d ’a’
known. We used to neighbor quite a
bit afore he brought the women here.”

Hassler didn’t pursue the Volt mat-
ter. The investigation at hand was
complicated enough. Jake didn’t know
the name of Bernie Connolly’s father
or his first stepfather. He had no idea
where the earlier murders had oc-
curred.

|* WAS then midday. The cold hung
on and the two officers stopped in a
near-by village for food and hot coffee
before undertaking the 25-mile drive
to the picturesque landmark known as
Chalk Mountain. It was a rough
drive over unpaved roads, and useless,
for they walked from one end of the
great mound to the other and found no

trace of Snow or his outfit. Nor did
they see any signs of recently cut
timber.

Turning homeward at dusk, they
mulled over three questions, two of
them sinister. Old Jake might have
misunderstood his neighbor’s destina-
tion; he might have been intentionally
misinformed, or the same fate that had
followed young Bernie had overtaken
F. M. Snow before he reached the
mountain.

Hassler made his third trip to the
Seldon community the following morn-
ing but further inquiry proved disap-
pointing. Not until he had gone far
beyond it, to question a man who owned
the quarter section of wooded pasture
that adjoined the Snow place, did he
learn anything definite.

“T don’t know Mrs. Snow,” this man
said. “I know him slightly and I met
Mrs. Olds a few weeks’ back when I
was over there fixing fence. She came
along looking for some turkeys. We got
to visiting and she spoke kind of wish-
faa of home, as if she didn’t like it

ere.”

Home! That was the question.
Where was her home?

The man didn’t know.

“Unless it could be Waco. It seems
to me she mentioned living there at
one time.” Then he added candidly, “I
don’t think she liked her new son-in-
law much. She seemed to think he was
kind of shiftless. "No-account,’ was the
way she put it—and I don’t know as I
blame her, considering the way his
place has gone to seed.”

ACO is 90 miles southeast of Ste-
phenville. The police there re-
membered the four-year-old murder of
Sam Connolly. Hassler’s hope of tying
the old crime in with the new, however,
was jolted when he learned that the
senior Connolly was believed to have
been killed by a holdup man.

Then an ugly thought hit him right
between the eyes. What sort of woman
was the thrice-married Mrs. Snow?
Wasn't it stretching coincidence rather
far that two of her husbands had been
killed and a third was now missing?

As Hassler went about asking ques-
tions, other curious bits of information
reached him. The marksmanship of
Mrs. Olds, for instance.

“That old lady could shoot better
than any man I know,” a long-time
Waco resident said with a dry chuckle.
“She lived down by the wagon yards
and used to shoot up the place right
regular—just for the Hell of it, I reckon.
She never aimed to hit anybody. Seems
she just didn’t like her man loafing
there’and that was her way of discour-
aging it.”

Hassler listened, poker-faced, but his
mind flashed back to the lonely farm-
house and a certain tin can he had seen
there. That can had a number of small,
round holes in it. Bullet holes! They’d
had no significance at the time, but
now— The oldtimer was still talking.

“About Mrs. Olds’ daughter, she’s
just the marrying kind. I’ve heard say
Sam Connolly was her second man.
That would make the man that got beat
to death while napping on a park bench
Number Three. A year ago in July,
that was. And last Fall she caught an-
other man. It’s surprising how good
that boy of hers turned out. I never
felt he had much chance.”

With this mental picture of the two
women, the Sheriff tried to locate them.
Former acquaintances hadn’t seen
them since they left early in the Fall.
Apparently they hadn’t been back. He
returned to Stephenville, disheartened
by the dead end at Waco and anxious
for a closer look at the tin can he had
seen on the Snow doorstep.

Just what sort of ammunition did
Mrs. Olds favor, he wondered. Would
bullets of the same caliber lie between
Bernie Connolly’s shoulders if his body
were ever found?

That was the baffling thing. Where
was the body? Not on the old Riggs
place, as shown by an exhaustive search,
nor any other place the score of peace

officers working night and day could
think of. They were still hunting for
it when Hassler got back.

7. WAS too late to go to the Snow farm

that night. He drove out the follow-
ing morning. The place was still de-
serted. Concern for hungry livestock
took him to the barn first. The doors,
closed on his former visit, now stood
open. The animals were feeding inside.
And Hassler’s quick relief that they
were not suffering turned to wonder.
Who had fed them? Had the Snows,
husband or wife arranged for their care
before going away, or had they re-
turned to see to it in person? If so,
where were they now?

He walked back to the house. The
doors here remained closed, the chim-
neys cold. Something was different,
however. At first, he couldn’t place it.
He paused on the step, his glance rov-
ing over the premises. The littered
yard. The chickens huddled between
the two cabins.

Then he knew. The housedress. It
no longer flapped in the wind. Some-
one had taken it down.

Hassler mulled that over as he picked
up the tin can he had noticed on the
earlier visit. The holes in it had been
made by bullets of small caliber, He
picked up another can, gave it a casual
glance and then looked again. The
holes here were much larger.

Hastily, he gathered up all the cans
he could find. Placed in a row, they
made quite an assortment. He studied
them and selected three which he put
in his car. For whatever it might be
worth, those three cans would prove
that the person who did the shooting
had used a .22, a 38 and a high-pow-
ered rifle and was equally adept with
each weapon.

The missing garment continued to
bother him. That and an urge to see
the interior of those cabins. Hassler
tried the south door. To his surprise,
the knob turned in his hand. He
pushed it open, entering a combination
bed- and living-room. The cavernous
fireplace occupied most of one wall. A
bed, carelessly made, stood in one cor-
ner, a cot in another. Across the third
a curtain had been strung to serve as
a closet but no clothing was in it.

The house contained no clothing at
all, in fact. Hassler made a quick
search. Save for a broken comb on the
mantel—a comb with several long, gray
hairs clinging to it—he found nothing.
And right there Hassler knew that Mrs.
Snow and her mother were not coming
back. No woman, leaving for a brief
visit, would take with her all personal
effects > every scrap of clothing she

possessed.

After that realization, came the ques-
tion of when the packing had been
done. Since his former visit, apparently,
since the housedress was missing. Hass-
ler sighed. Time would have to supply
the answer. He closed this section and
went around to the kitchen.

Here a locked door barred entrance
but he could see through the window.
It, too, showed no signs of violence.

So intent was the Sheriff that he
failed to notice a horseman who pulled
up until the credk of saddle leather
caught his attention. He turned to face
a man he had known for many years.

“Henry Archer!” he exclaimed. “Of
all the people I didn’t expect to see!
What are you doing here?”

ARCHER, tall and unshaven, swung
down from the saddle. “I might
ask you the same question, Hassler, only
I reckon I know,” was the mild reply.
“Snow ain’t here. I should ride over
and tell him about Bernie, I reckon,
but it’s a long piece’without a car and
I need to get my cotton in. I live yonder
in the woods.” His thumb pointed back
over his shoulder. “Moved up here a
couple of years ago and I’ve been lookin’
after Snow’s place while he went to cut
wood.”

“Over on Chalk Mountain, I sup-

Archer nodded. “I kept thinking he’d

hear about the boy and come on home.”

Hassler shook his head. “Snow either
told you wrong or something has hap-
pened to him, too. He’s not there. He
hasn’t been there. Henry, what do you
know about these people? When did
you see them last?”

“I saw Snow a little over a week ago,
when he came to ask me if I would look
after his stock. His family was going
to Waco, he said, and he wanted to use
that time to get in his wood supply for
the Winter.”

“When did you see the others?”

The lanky Texan chewed a thin
underlip. “I saw them two weeks ago
last Friday, it was. That’d be Novem-
ber twenty-seventh, because I went to
Fort Worth with a load of hogs on the
twenty-sixth and I came over here the
next morning.”

“Was Bernie at home?”

“No, he’d gone to town horseback, his
mother said. Seems there was a saddle
he wanted and Snow was going to look
at it that afternoon when he went in
after a wagonload of feed. Mrs. Snow
set out a plate of doughnuts she’d just
made. They tasted mighty good.”

“Did the women say anything to you
about taking a trip?”

“Nope. The talk was all about pick-
ing cotton. They were both going to
help. I was right surprised when he
told me about the change in plan.”

“Henry,” the Sheriff asked thought-
fully, ‘what sort of woman is Mrs.
Snow? Would you call her attractive?”

It was a pointed question. Archer
had been answering readily enough.
Here he hesitated, his eyes suddenly
veiled.

y t would be as a man thinks,’ he
replied warily. ‘“She’s a good cook and
a hard worker, and a woman four times
married must be attractive to some.”

Hassler inquired about the missing
husband.

“Snow? He's a tall, black-haired
man, close to fifty, I reckon. A good-
looking man in his day but awful thin
now. His health isn’t too good. He’s not
what you’d call sociable but we get
along all right.”

“How does he get along with his new
family?”

Again the man hesitated.

ASSLER’S voice sharpened. “Look

here, Henry, we’ve got one boy dead
and three persons missing. Snow did
not go to Chalk Mountain. The women
haven’t shown up in Waco. I have to
know more about them and you seem
to be the only one they’ve neighbored
with of late. Talk up, Man! Did you
ever observe any friction between these
people? Any hard feelings? Did you
ever hear any hard words?”

“Well,” Archer declared reluctantly,
“to hear Snow tell it, his mother-in-
law was a mite hard to get along with.
And I don’t think she liked him much.”
Then he added quickly, “I figure the
trouble followed them up here, Sheriff,
and I’m worried about him. If two of
Mrs. Snow’s husbands were killed,
maybe whoever killed them got Snow,
too. Wo@idn’t you think so?”

The Sheriff's reply was non-commit-
tal. Archer, he decided, would like to
leave that impression. What Hassler
really thought was that Snow might
well be another victim. But that rea-
soning brought him back to the death
of young Bernie and the disappearance
of two other boys eighteen months be-
fore the women came to the farm, and
he rubbed a troubled hand across one
tufted eyebrow. He had too many pieces
to this puzzle. No one answer could fit
all of them.

He inquired about those lost boys.

“You might remember, Henry, if
you’ve been around two years. It was
Summer before last they worked for
Snow and—”

Archer broke in abruptly. “Hold
on, Hassler. You've got that wrong. I
remember the kids all right, but Jimmy
Volt was working for me. And Walt
Fletcher isn’t lost. I saw him not more
than a month ago. He’s married and
lives down by Duffau. I know how you

“I know that coat, Mister Hassler, be-
cause I mended it just a few weeks ago.
But I’d rather not say who it belongs to
until I’m sure. Someone might have
borrowed it, you know.”

“Did you mend it for Walt Fletcher,
Mrs. Gristy? Or Jimmy Volt?”

She shook her head. Those names
meant nothing to her.

Asked if she had seen the head, she
said quietly, ‘‘No, I haven’t wanted to
but now maybe I’d better. Only—well,
I guess I’m nervous, Mister Hassler,
There’s been so much talk and if I were
known to be mixed up in this something
might happen to me, too.”

The Sheriff understood her fear.
Many people were uneasy. Posses were
out searching for the body and tension
mounted with every hour that the dead
boy remained unidentified.

“Here’s what you do, Mrs. Gristy,” he
suggested. “Get some friend to go with
you and step around to the funeral
home as though you were merely
curious. I'll be there. If you recognize
the boy give me a sign. Then I'll drive
out and see you and no one need know
you are involved.”

[+] ASSLER didn’t need a signal. The
shock in her eyes. was enough. That
evening, in a borrowed car, he went to
her home in the Seldon community, ten
miles south of Stephenville.

“The boy’s name is Connolly,” she
said. “Bernie Connolly. He and his

_ stepfather, I believe it is, did some

butchering for me this Fall. He
snagged his coat while he was here and
I mended it for him. Such a nice, well-
mannered boy he was. They live back
in the hills. The stepfather’s name is
Snow.”

Hassler was amazed and the name,
for the moment, did not register. “You
mean that boy could live right here in
the neighborhood and the hundreds of

we ek
. 4 ’
«

os
ws Pt ca
, i v ast 4

—-

The handcuffed killer, who wanted
only to take the Sheriff with him

people who have looked at his head ~

wouldn’t recognize him?”

“Oh, he hasn't lived here. He’s new
in the neighborhood. .I don’t know
where they came from. They live, ’way
off the road. How could anyone kill a
boy, Mister Hassler? I don’t under-
stand it!”

The Sheriff pondered that question
himself on the way back to town. The
motive for murder often points to the
murderer.

Then, as though a switch had been
touched, the name of the dead boy’s
stepfather rang a mental bell. Snow!
The man who had employed young
Jimmy Volt and his friend Fletcher!

Two boys missing and another dead.
Mr. Snow would need some good
answers, Hassler thought, and he re-
turned to the Seldon community early
Friday morning. Stewart Stanley of
the Texas Rangers accompanied him.
Snow, apparently, was not well known.
They made three stops before finding
anyone who could direct them to his
place.

“It’s an out of-the-way spot back in
the woods,” this third man said. “You
go on to the next section line. There’s
an old road off to the left. Follow it a
couple or three miles and you'll come to
a log house. An old-timer, two separate
cabins with a runway between; you
know how they used to build them. You
can’t miss. But look out for high
centers, Mister. That road through the
timber ain’t built for cars.”

Following a rutted, winding trail, the
two officers found the place without
further trouble. No one was at home.
An enormous ‘stone chimmey stretched
across one end of the south room but
no smoke rose from it, or from the
smaller one in the other section. A
single roof joined the two into one
structure. Beneath it, in the open
space, chickens and a few turkeys

The Snow fireplace, spacious enough to
accommodate five-foot logs—or humans

sought shelter from the cold mist th:
still threatened rain at any moment

The place was indescribably lone!
Both men felt it. Hassler stumbled ov:
some litter in the yard and kicked asi
a battered tin can. His rap went ur
answered. He could discern no mov:
ment from inside the house, or outsic
either, except for the flapping of
woman’s housedress that hung, forgo
ten, on a clothesline near the kitche
door.

He moved on to the barn. In U!
lot four horses, a sorrel team, a blac
brood mare and a bay filly, stood wii
their backs to the wind. One lone c
huddled in a sagging fence corner

At the house, the Ranger laid
hand on the stone chimney. It was c¢
to his touch. No fire had been bu
there that morning.

YSTIFIED and uncertain, they :
turned to their car. At the ros
Hassler swung again to the left inste:
of going back the way they had con
Someone living close by might kn
about the Snow family.
They had driven about a mile wh
an elderly man in a farm wagon pull
(Continued on Page 56)

SPEER, John W., white, hanged Waco, McLennan Co., September 23, 1878.
“A Murderer’s Tardy Doom.

“Waco, Texas, September 20.-Between four and five thousand persons assembled to-day
to witness the execution of John Spear, who was convicted and sentenced to be hang twenty days
ago, but had been respited for twenty days. He was executed in the jail yard privately at five
minutes to four o’clock. The fall only being four feet it failed to break his neck, and he died from
strangulation. He is the young man who, three years agol so foully murdered Parson Fledger in
this county, being then but nineteen years old. He died without confessing his terrible crime,
though undoubtedly guilty.”-National Police Gazette, New York, NY, 10/5/1878,

| “ F large card
- Hanged at Wace, McLennan Co,, Texas, on Septe 23, 1878,
for the mrder of Rev, Je S. Pledger on July 13, 1875,
Speer was the first white man hangedin McLennan County,

GALVESTON DAILY NEW, Galveston 9 Texas, 9=2);-1878

Vigo Tay (sot F~

Se aia ’
rdy' Doom, oW

AM arderer's Ta

SPEER, John w,

muerte fan =e man, lived near Mudtown, McLennan Co
‘ €ideriy neighbor, Rev, J. § Pledger, had been i a
. 0 De en involved
a Aro tah with some of Speer's relatives though Speer Weel? was
a a party to the matter, On the morning of July 14, 1875, while
eve Pledger and his son’ were plowing in one of their fields, Speer

| pach an when Pledger neared the end of the row, he rose with a
Pa e barrel shotgun, Pledger's son saw Speer as he was about to
re and warned his father, but the older man was unable to dodge
charge from the gun and was killed. As Speer fled. he dropped
is hat, subsequently identified, at the scene of the crime ae

the neighbor asked him if he had kill
ed Pledger and h
re nds, giving as his only motive thestatement "T ate dein
rial, his attorneys sought to show that the murder had been

committed by another neighbor who had shortly afterwards left the
area and could not be located, but the eyewitness testimony of Pled-

ger's son, the circumstantial evidence of his hat and footprints and
the testimony of the neighbor that Speer }ad MMKWaHHK adknowledged the
slaying to him were sufficient to result in his being convicted and
sentenced to die, The conviction was revi rsed on appeal on the ground:
that he had been served with the special venire on one day and the
trial began on the succeeding day, the Covrt of Criminal Appeals rulin;
that one HX full day should have intervened, Once again he was tried,
convicted and sentenced to die and the second conviction was appealed
on the grounds that the neighbor should not have been allowed to give
testimony concerning Speer's admission of zuilt to him, This time

the conviction was affirmed and, after receiving one respite of 20
days he was hanged at Waco on Sept. 23, 178. The execution in the
jail yard was witnessed by between four ard five thousand persons and,
as the drop was only four feet, his neck was not broken and he died of

strangulation,

GAIV ESTON DAILY NEWS, Galveston, Texas, Sept. 2, 1878
NATIONAL POLICE GAZETTE, Oct. 5, 1878, page 11, column 3
2 TEXAS COURT OF APPEALS 26

TEXAS COURT OF APPEALS 74

Fe REID ie AM ge! cal MN aRpa Te AO AMON RMR RID Sa NS AR A ee hel
AS 3PE ER, John W., white, hangedWaco, Texas, 9-23-1879

thr Murder, Sr F rover Mae!

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place bere y for. the, murder pf the
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ALD

SPENCE

Killer maintains
innocence
Cl From Page 1A

At that point, 6:25 p.m., Morris
Jones, prison senior warden, re-
moved his glasses to signal offi-
cials behind a two-way mirrored
wall to start the flow of lethal
drugs into an intravenous tube in
Spence’s left arm. About 20 sec-
onds later, Spence looked toward
his friends and family and said,
“I’m going.”

A few seconds later, he took a
deep breath and then lay motion-
less, his eyes partially open. As
the six members of the victims’
families continued to stare at
Spence through the glass win-
dow, a tear rolled down Spence’s
right cheek and bounced off his
light blue prison uniform.

For the family members who
had waited almost 15 years for
justice to be served, Spence’s
death will serve as a form of bit-
tersweet closure. They say his
death was too easy, especially
compared to the way the three
teen-agers died at Koehne Park,
with their bodies strewn later at
Speegleville Park.

“He gets to pick what he
wanted to eat last, he gets to say
what he wants to say last without
getting any rebuttal from us, and
Jill, Raylene and Kenneth never
had that option,” Brad Montgom-
ery said at a prison news confer-
ence about an hour before
Spence’s execution. ‘“He’s not
going to die hard, to die in pain.
He is not going to suffer. He’s just
going to sleep.”

The three teen-agers were
stabbed, slashed and cut with a
knife about 20 times each. The
crime scene horrified and deeply
affected even the most grizzled
law enforcement veterans.

Nancy Wiser, Montgomery’s
mother, and Sandra Sadler,
Franks’ mother, said Thursday
their hope is that people, partic-
ularly media, focus on the young
victims and not Spence.

The girls, who had driven from
Waxahachie that day to pick up
Montgomery’s final paycheck
from her job at Fort Fisher, were
found nude and sexually abused.
Franks, 18, Montgomery’s best
friend, was found clothed with his
sunglasses on. —

Gilbert Melendez, who con-
fessed to helping Spence kill the
teens and rape the girls, testified
at Spence’s second trial in Bryan
in 1985 that Spence went back to

Statt photo — Duane A. Laverty

Peter Rose (right), David Wayne Spence’s spiritual adviser,
speaks to reporters after Spence’s execution Thursday. Behind
him are Elizabeth Spence, the fiancee of Spence’s brother; and
Beth Portela who exchanged letters with Spence for years.

Franks’ body before they left
Speegleville Park to put his sun-
glasses on him as a surprise for
investigators:

“That will freak them out,”
Melendez testified, quoting
Spence.

Gilbert Melendez and his
brother, Anthony, who also testi-
fied against Spence at his second
trial, are serving life prison
terms after confessing to their
roles in the slayings. Both have
since recanted and say they had
nothing to do with the killings and
that investigators fed them infor-
mation to form the basis of their
statements: ~~

Prosecutors and Sheriff’s De-
partment Lt. Truman Simons,
who cracked the case, have said
that former Waco convenience
store owner Muneer Deeb offered
to pay Spence to kill one of his
employees, Gayle Kelley, be-
cause he had taken a life insur-
ance policy out on her.

Spence and the Melendez
brothers killed Montgomery, who
resembled: Kelley, by mistake,
according to trial testimony.

Kelley was seated next to Si-
mons Thursday during the press
conference held by the victims’
families before the execution.

The testimonies of the Melen-
dez brothers helped put Spence
on death row the second time.
However, neither brother testi-
fied at Spence’s first trial in
Waco in 1984. He was convicted
there largely on the testimony of
a forensic dental specialist, who

linked Spence’s dental patterns to
bite marks on the girls.

Spence’s atforney, Raoul
Schonemann of Austin, attacked
the bite mark evidence tm writs
filed in recent weeks, submitting
for appellate scrutiny dental ex-
perts of his own who viewed au-
topsy photos and -said it would
have been impossible to telLif the
marks were bite marks and if
they were, who made them.

Schonemann also offered are- -

port from a blood spatter expert
from Oklahoma City, who also
viewed autopsy and crime scene
photos and determined that the
bodies were not moved as the Me-
lendez brothers had said after the
teens were killed.

Witnessing the execution were
Rod Montgomery, Monica Mont-
gomery and Brad Montgomery,
Jill’s father, sister and brother;
and Sandra Sadler, Mary Beth
Sanders and Byron Sadler,
Franks’ mother, grandmother
and stepfather.

Spence’s witnesses included
his brother, son, girlfriend, for-
mer wife and Waco businessman
Brian Pardo, who has waged a
four-month crusade to try to
prove Spence’s innocence and to
win him a stay of execution and
new trial.

Spence’s execution was
cleared Thursday when the Court
of Criminal Appeals, the U.S. Su-
preme Court and the Texas
Board of Pardons and Paroles re-
fused to consider his last-ditch
appeals.

eet

— Duane A. Laverty

‘elebration after
jeath execution
rder victim Ken-

murderer is
put to death

Spence again denies
fatally stabbing 3
teens in 1982

By TOMMY WITHERSPOON
Tribune-Heraid staff writer

HUNTSVILLE — Moments be-
fore he died, David Wayne
Spence on Thursday told family
members of his victims that they
twice were being victimized
through his execution and denied
that he killed their loved ones at
Lake Waco in July 1982.

In a voice wavering with emo-
tion, Spence denied his guilt, then
told his own family members
that he loved them and would
miss them. The 38-year-old
grandfather of two then suc-
cumbed to the lethal mixture of
drugs injected into his left arm.

Spence, twice convicted for his
role in the slayings of Jill Mont-
gomery, 17,fRaylene Rice, 17,
and Kenneth: Franks, 18, was pro-
nounced dead at 6:32.p.m., seven
minutes after prison afficials be-
gan the lethal injection.

When asked for his final words,
Spence, strapped to a table with
his heavily tattooed arms
shackled outstretched to his
sides, turned his face toward the
side of the witness gallery where
the victims’ families were stand-
ing.

“First of all, I want you all to
know that my prayers are with
everybody involved in this today

Convicted
killer David
Wayne
Spence died
seven min-
utes after he
was injected
with a mix-
ture of
drugs.

— everybody,” Spence said. “And
with all the guys back on the
(death ) row. I want you to know
that I understand your pain.”

At that, Brad Montgomery, the
35-year-old brother of Jill Mont-
gomery, said, “No, you don’t.”

“T speak the truth when I say I
didn’t kill your kids,” Spence con-
tinued. “I just wish there was a
way for you to get the hatred out
of your hearts.”

“Just die. Just die,” Brad
Montgomery said, his voice
filling the tiny: death chamber
witness room.
_ Spence then turned his head,
raised it as far as he could and
looked to the side of the room
where his family and friends
were standing, separated by a
wall from the victims’ families.

Spence told his son, Jason
Spence, to make sure that he
helps Spence’s grandchildren
“find God.”

“That is very important. OK,
now I am finished.,” he said, end-
ing his 90-second final statement.

See SPENCE, Section Back

speed up traffic count

dortions.

gridlock is likely
rated near the

of Fort Worth in

some delays because of the back-
up that’s expected,” Havelka
said.

_ The speedway is located near

8 TAbanctata IBV

foe
<—/ es (ee Le

new Texas Motor Speedway, with
the Busch Grand National Coca-
Cola 300, followed by the Inter-
state Batteries 500, a Winston
Cup race. on Sunday.

ACE

Way Officials wan
35 snarls

om Page 1A

ists to avoid Texas Hi
14, a direct route roa
‘he speedway. :
‘elka said her departme
| message boards on fre
approaching the speedwa
1g of possible delays, i
g boards south of the “¥
Jillsboro where Interstag
des into east and west.
om our department
oint, we really don’t kna:
going to happen, traffiz

Havelka Said. ‘Eve
going to be observing thi
1d to see what happens.”
ler roads near the trac
ll shift from two-way trai
ne-way traffic to help cy
idelays, Havelka said.
dential streets in town
@ speedway will be close
gh traffic.
ugh traffic delays can b
g, the money and TV ex
brought to a city by .
R event is well worth thi
, Said Darlington, S.C,
tonnie Ward.
ington Internationa
y opened in 1950, and the

|
|
|
|
i
| ged track is NASCAR”

‘Iperspeedway.

bt there are many place:
't know where little Dar-
South Carolina, is be
the two races we have
‘ery year,’ Ward said
d for the economy. ... J
all will be happy it’s

ITA #6750
GO

ek wee ewer eg we mews esme m Uee

not symbolic, solutions to the plague o :
violence, and positive aid--not legalized —
vengeance--for all those victimized by*
murder. ‘
Contact local Amnesty International
folks or the Justice & Mercy Project for
further details on the upcoming forums.

Q VICTI

Murder is horror. The deliberate -
snuffilng out of a human life is a wrong
that not only ends the possibilities of one ,
person, but indelibly scars the lives of >.
loved ones. Survivors of the victim are.
innocent victims of intense suffering long |
after the rituals of burial or litigation.

While society needs to express its pain
and anger about murder, it also needs to.
restore a spirit of life by aiding the
victim’s family and redeeming life-cespect
in law and action. The execution of the
offender only pours blood on spilled blood,
puts a killing on a kitling, and multiplies
the innocent victims to include the family
of the offender.

Many murder-victim family members are
against the execution of the murderer ,
believing that it only continues’ the
violence that has wounded them so deeply.
And they must heartfully know the brutal
aching of the offender’s loved.ones.

The 1% of murders that result in death
penalties insult all other murder victim’s
families. And what does it say to those
with loved ones on death cow? Those family
members are victimized by the state, which,
reduces itself to the level of premeditated
murder, and then veils it all under the
guise of justice. Is this what society has
to offer in a time so hungry for heal ing?

Unless willful killing is abandoned by
law, society will only multiply the
innocent victims and breed further
lethal crime with its perversion of
justice: sanctioned murder. ‘i

The Clarion is a Joint publication of

DCADP Justice & Mercy Project
PO Box 3850, Sta. A Steven & Lisa Haberman
Dallas, TX 75208 2020 W. Main, #8
214/426-5333 Houston, TX 77098
713/527-8942

David Spence #773, contributes this poem.

For those of us who believe in life,
Life is our spirit and heart.

For those who believe in death,
Destruction was theirs from the start.

People cannot believe in life and |ove,

And support a killing machine;

When wisdom becomes theirs and their
hearts begin to love,

They’1] know what compassion means.

Until that time, things will only get
worse

And they’11 wonder what’s to plame,

Then when their eyes are opened and they
look in the mirror,

They’11 hang their heads in shame.

1860 FIRE J

Persons opposed to the practice of Capital
punishment will be interested in the
little-known Dallas Fire of 1860. However it
started ahd whatever the motives of tne
people who started it, three black men were
hanged for it--without anything resempling
due process--and every slave man, woman and
child was whipped.

While the fire is considered a significant
slave uprising, second in importance only to
Nat Turner’s rebellion, not many people in
Dallas remember this fire today. Some
members of the Dallas Committee for the 1860
Fire believe it is because of racism that
this story has. been largely forgotten.
Reviving the memory and repenting for the
lynching of the three are the main purposes
of the Committee. More concretely, we hope to

1) procure a city proclamation
commemorating the death of the three plack
martyrs: Samuel Smith, Patrick Jennings, and
Old Cato, on July 24, 1860;

2) have an annual march commemorating the
death of the three;

3) have a historical marker placed at the
location of the execution of the three;

4) have the facts ot the Dallas Fire of
1860 included in public school history
curriculum.

Persons interested in learning more or in
getting involved can call Sondra Brent, c/o
Holy Cross Catholic Churcn, S7SB715.

- Bill McCoy

Aus HINOCCMHL Wail

bJ OSC LAcCLULEU

David Spence is scheduled to be executed in Texas immediately after 6:00pm On April 3. 1997

for a crime he didn't commit. Habeas corpus petitions challenging Spence's conviction and sentence are

now pending in the TeXas state courts. and a clemency petition has been filed with Governor Bush and
the Texas Board of Pardons & Paroles. The Texas Constitution authorizes the governor. only with the
recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles. to grant clemency in any criminal case except

treason or impeachment. Governor Bush may independently grant one reprieve of up to 30 days.

Contact Governor Bush. Urge him to grant David Spence a 30-day reprieve. Contact the Texas State
Board of Pardons and Paroles. Urge them to recommend a reprieve for David Spence to the governor.

Clemency Section

Texas Board of Pardons & Paroles
8610 Shoal Creek Blvd.

P.O. Box 13041

Austin, TX 78711-3401

Voice: (512) 406-5852

FAX: (512) 467-0945

George W. Bush

Office of the Governor

P.O. Box 12428

Austin, Texas 78711

Voice: (800) 252-9600 (Texas only)
Voice: (512) 463-2000

FAX: (512) 463-1849

On July 13. 1982 three Waco, Texas teenagers were tragically killed: Kenneth Franks. Jil] Montgomery
and Ravlene Rice. It must never be forgotten that they. their families and their friends are the ultimate
victims of that tragedy. But David Spence did not commit those crimes. Executing him will be vet
another tragedy. only tarnishing the memories of Kenneth Franks. Jill Montgomery and Raylene Rice.

The Most Significant Points For David Spence's Innocence

This case was unresolved for a long time, and
there was enormous pressure on law enforce-
ment agencies to come up with a suspect

High-ranking law enforcement officers, includ-
ing the Chief of Police at the time, who were
involved in the investigation of this case still do
not believe that Spence is guilty. ‘hey also did
not and do not trust the lone arresting officer.
Deputy Sheriff Truman Simons, nor his meth-

ods in solving this case on his own.

The majority of those who testified against
Spence were either jailhouse informants, or two
co-defendants: Tony Melendez and Gilbert
Melendez. They all admitted after trial that they
were either offered favors by the Truman
Simons, or received deals from the prosecution
in exchange for false statements against Spence.

The fourth co-defendant in this case. Muneer
Deeb. was also convicted of capital murder. but
his conviction was overturned. He was then
acquitted on re-trial when the prosecution tried
to present the same version of the crime that
was used in Spence's trial.

Evidence now shows that the prosecution failed
to reveal before trial extensive information that
supported Spence's innocence, evidence that
pointed to other suspects. In particular. there is
considerable evidence indicating that another
person, now dead, was involved in the murders.

Important new evidence regarding the crime
scene contradicts the version of how the crime
occurred that the prosecution and the Melendez

brothers presented at trial - and that the
Melendez brothers now admit is false.

Spence, David Wayne

David Wayne Spence, born
July 18, 1958, in Waco, Texas,
died on April 3, 1997.

Services will be at 2 p.m. om
Saturday at Rosemound Ceme-

tery.

He was preceded in death by
his mother, Juanita White and his
father, Edwin Spence. He is sur-
vived by two sons, Joel W.
Spence and Jason P.E. Spence;
one brother, Steve Spence; and
two grandchildren, Lacie
Spence and Joel W. Spence Jr.

Your Friend: Smile my friend,
don’t shed a tear, listen to what ‘I
say cause what I say is sincere.
When Loneliness seems to come
creeping in, remember, across the
miles you have a friend, one ws
is willing to offer a hand and will
do for you whatever he can. Ode
who'll listen when no one ©
will, one whose friendship
molded from steel: So when loné-
liness seems to come creeping if,
just whisper my name and call én
your friend. 4

By David W. Spence \
BrookView .. : |

bed

+ SPENCE 7 Ma wed ly, ~e 7*

Volume 1 + Issue 5 * September 1996 « “Serving Central Texas”

Special Edition

The Lake Waco Murders Revisited

Is An Innocent Man About To Be Executed?

proached Police Chief Larry Scott about

i: 1984, David Wayne Spence was Home, a special school for kids with a

convicted of one of the grizzliest and
most heinous murders ever commit-
ted in Central Texas. A triple murder
sO notorious that it would

variety of problems.
After several months of inves-
tigating the murders, the Waco Police

being assigned to the case. According
to Scott, Simons claimed that he could
solve the case in seven days. During a

spawn a successful novel
and a made-for-TV
movie.

But new evidence
shows that Spence may
have been a convenient

deposition taken years later,
Scott stated, “It seems like
early on in this case, regard-
less of what case it was, that
Simons always had kind of
a gut feeling of what hap-
pened and who did it. And

scapegoat for a justice sys- once he focused on that, it
tem more eager to obtain seems like the whole inves-
a conviction than find the tigation tumed toward trying
truth and was convicted of 4x4 to prove that his theory was
a crime he may not have right rather than investigating
committed. the case.” Scott said Simons
Actual court had a tendency to “cut cor-
documents, sworn depo- ners.” “As far as Iam con-
sitions and police records cerned, Truman Simons is
support this chilling story. not a trustworthy individual,”
July 13, 1982, Scott said.
three teenagers were bru- Even though hundreds
tally attacked and mur- of man-hours of police
dered at a popular , work including examination

lakeside park in Central 2 :
Texas. Eighteen year old Bs
Kenneth Franks was Sis

stabbed 21 times in the chest tnd

neck. Seventeen year old Jill Mont-
gomery and 17 year old Raylene Rice
were both sexually brutalized and
stabbed to death. All three of the
teens were residents of the Methodist

= Of physical evidence and in-
een terviewing dozens of wit-

aad Tae eer ‘ nesses had failed to produce
Department had identified numerous a prosecutable case, Simons continued
suspects, but nothing substantial enough to claim that he could solve it within seven

to crack the case. So the decision was
made to put the case on the inactive
list. At this time Truman Simons, a
Waco Police Officer for 17 years, ap-

days. Scott gave him the seven days.
Simons developed a possible

suspect the very next day. On Saturday,

September 11, 1982, he began to focus

his attention on Muneer Deeb, a Jor-
danian convenience store owner.
Simons theorized that Deeb initiated a
murder for hire scheme to kill a young
girl that worked for him.

Two days later, Monday, Sep-
tember 13, Simons arrested Deeb and
charged him with the triple homicide
against the advice of the police com-
mand structure.

On September 18, exhibiting
“no deception at all,” Deeb passed a
three hour polygraph exam adminis-
tered by police. Chief Scott ordered
Deeb released from custody at 5:30
PM. Scott recalls Simons’ reaction:
“Simons caught a lot ofheat from other
detectives...Some just, you know, pok-
ing fun at him that here you make this
comment that you are going to solve
this case in a week and now you jump
out and you make this arrest. And now
you have got it so screwed up that no
one can solve it.”

Simons resigned from the po-
lice department the following week.
Within the next two weeks he went to
work for the McLennan County
Sheriff's Department and resumed his
investigation.

Simons was assigned to the
night shift at the McLennan County Jail.
According to several inmates, it was
there and then that he began coercing
jail house testimony. According to
sworn affadavits, favors were be-
stowed upon those inmates that coop-
erated. For inmates providing useful
information, time in jail may have been

6614 Sanger « Waco, TX 76710

Brian Pardo - Publisher
John McLemore - Managing Editor
Contributing Staff
Pat Fadal - Vidal DeLeon
- Tracy Manuel

easier. For those who didn’t cooperate,
things may not have been so pleasant. “I
told them he hadn’t told me anything about
this,” inmate Randy Joe White recalls. “He
punched me in the stomach and told me to
get out ofhis sight.” According to White,

_who was in jail on burglary charges, the

prosecutor who punched him also threat-
ened to spread a rumor around the jail that
he was a snitch. White eventually agreed
to help and says he was fed information
by other inmates about the Lake Waco
murders.

David Spence and Gilbert
Melendez found themselves in the
McLennan County Jail in September of
1982. They were charged with and later
convicted of, aggravated sexual assault.
The case was unrelated to the Lake Waco
murders, Although, the case was involved
a fight between several men it was classi-
fied as a “sexual” assault. When ques-
tioned about the deaths of the three teen-
agers, both men told authorities they knew
nothing about it.

Simons began to befriend Spence,
pulling him out of his cell late at night giving
him cigarettes and telephone privileges. The
other inmates were well aware of the pref-
erential treatment Spence was receiving.
Rumors began to circulate throughout the
jail that Spence was taking credit for the
triple slayings and that he was implicating
Gilbert Melendez as well. Court docu-
ments allege that these rumors were insti-
gated by sheriff’s deputies and the pros-
ecution. “I had other inmates coming up
to me all the time and telling me that Spence
was telling Truman Simons that me and him
killed those kids. People would stop me
and say ‘your boy is telling them you did
it,” said Gilbert Melendez in a recent in-
terview.

Simons eventually offered Gilbert
immunity from prosecution if he would
confess to the murders and give a sworn
statement implicating Spence. Gilbert says
he refused at first but, when Simons threat-
ened to implicate his brother Anthony, he
agreed to give a statement. He gave sev-

eral statements on each of which, ac.
cording to Gilbert, Simons Coached
him. “I would give them a statement
and when Simons would find an er-
ror or something that did not match

their evidence, he would come back :

and help me change it.” Curiously,
Gilbert had a change of heart about
two weeks after giving his first state-
ment. He informed Simons that his
statements were not true and that, as
he first claimed, he had no idea who
killed the three teenagers at Lake
Waco.

Shortly thereafter Anthony
Melendez was arrested. He told the
authorities that he knew nothing about
the Lake Waco murders. According
to former McLennan County District
Attorney Felipe Reyna, “It was com-
mon knowledge that Anthony was
given the worst court appointed at-
tomeys.” Private investigator Leon
Cheney obtained evidence he be-
lieved could prove Anthony was
working about 100 miles away from
Waco the night of the murders.
“When I presented his attorneys with
this information they asked me to sub-
mit my bill and told me I was relieved
of my duties on the case. The next
day they pled him guilty,” Cheney re-
calls.

On January 24, during an in-
terview with Capital Watch, Anthony
publicly recanted his testimony for the
first time. “My lawyers, I asked them
what’s gonna happen if we take it to
trial? They said you’re gonna get the
death sentence. You aint gonna beat
it.” “Did you kill those kids at the
lake?” “No. I wasn’t even in town.”
Anthony would eventually succumb
to the pressures around him and
plead guilty in exchange for a life sen-
tence as well as, according to An-
thony, the promise of Truman Simons
that he would help him make parole.
There is no official evidence to sub-
stantiate claims by the Melendez

reenagers that night, and several tcld
police they heard him talking about, and
even taking credit for the murders
shortly after they took place.
Harper told police he was home
| watching “Dynasty” the night of the
| murders but according to TV Guide list-
| ings, “Dynasty” did not air until the next
night. Police also had information that
one of the victims, Kenneth Franks, may
have owed Harper more than $1,000
| for drugs.

Tab Harper was never Officially
| dismissed asa suspect. He killed him-
_ selfin 1994, when police tried to arrest
| him inconnection with the slaying of an

80 year old man.

Harper was just one of several
suspects jurors did not hear about.
James Russell Bishop failed a lie de-
tector test when questioned about the
murders. He is currently serving a life
sentence in California after admitting to
raping, shooting and leaving for dead
two Japanese exchange students at a
secluded California beach. Judge
George Allen ruled that evidence about
Bishop was irrelevant and would not be
admissable. Jurors did not hear about
Bishop.

Robert Freuh was also seen the
night of the murders with the victims.
Freuh, who lived in the same apartment
complex as Kenneth Franks, had been
arrested and investigated for several
acts of sexual perverseness. He was
stabbed to death years later in his home
by a 20 year old man after allegedly
refusing to pay the man for his partici-
pation in a homemade porno-movie.
Jurors did not hear about Freuh either.

Defense attorneys did know of
one suspect, Ronnie Lee Breiten, and
tried desperately to present evidence
about him at the trial. His step-mother
was called to testify by defense attor-
neys, but when Judge Allen ruled that
he would allow the prosecution to ask
questions about the woman’s sex life,
Catherine Breiten decided not to'tes-

tify. She would testify outside the pres-
ence of the jury that Ronnie Breiten’s
wife came to her house the morning af-
ter the murders. She said Joyce Breiten
wanted to wash her husband’s clothes,
which were covered in blood and dirt.
According to police reports, Joyce
Breiten was a grocery store cashier that
cashed paychecks for two of the vic-
tims - Jill Montgomery and Raylene
Rice - the day of the murders. The ju-
rors never heard about Ronnie Lee
Breiten, who himself was murdered
some years later.

Several high ranking law en-
forcement officials, to this day, believe
justice went awry and that the real killer
or killers got away scot free.

But the Sth Circuit Court of
Appeals doesn’t see it that way. Ac-
cording to the Court’s opinion, the fact
that jurors were not made aware that
some of the inmates may have received
inducements to testify, “would not have
been reasonably likely to affect the ver-
dict.” Schonemann, who wrote the
briefs and argued the case, disagrees.
The court “unfairly minimizes the sig-
nificance of favors and privileges that
were bestowed on the prosecution’s
inmate witnesses, and ignores irrecon-
cilable contradictions between the tes-
timony of key witnesses at trial,”
Schonnemann wrote.

On the issue of violating the
“Brady” standard for withholding ex-
culpatory evidence, the court deter-
mined that the district court’s initial rul-
ing was wrong but called the error
“harmless.” The Sth Circuit Court ruled
that even if the police reports implicat-
ing Tab Harper and the other suspects
had been presented to the jury, it would
not “undermine confidence in the jury’s
verdict.” The court said that in the mat-
ter of Tab Harper “the police reports
furnish no other evidence of Harper’s
involvement” in the murders other than
two witnesses to whom Harper alleg-
edly bragged about killing someone.

Schonemann Says this is “flatly wrong”
pointing out that seven people either
heard directly or indirectly that Harper
was bragging about having committed
the Lake Waco murders specifically.
Surprisingly, the Court also Stated that
Harper had an alibi. His alibi of being
home watching “Dynasty” was proven
wrong early on by investigators.

Schonemann also claims the
Court of Appeals dramatically under-
stated “the full extent of the suppressed
evidence exculpating Spence.” He
points out that, “The Court conveniently
fails to mention Harper’s criminal
record, which paints a substantially dif-
ferent and more accurate picture: In
the eight years leading up to the Lake
Waco murders, Harper’s record re-
flects more than 25 assaultive offenses.”

As far as the expert dental tes-
timony is concemed the Sth Court ruled
that, “Because Spence filed these re-
Ports after the district court’s discov-
ery deadline” they did not have to ad-
mit the reports. The Court stated,
“Spence is simply trying to re-litigate
this aspect of his defense 11 years too
late.” Schonemann and others wonder
why it would ever be too late to pro-
duce evidence that would exonerate
oneselffrom a crime & the ultimate pun-
ishment.

After seeing Spence get con-
victed and receive the death penalty,
Gilbert Melendez’s options were thin.
With the promise a life sentence and
parole assistance from Simons, Gilbert
agreed to confess and testify. In a re-
cent interview Gilbert said, “To avoid
the death sentence and hopefully that
the truth would come out later I went
along with them. I thought that when I
told them some of the things they wanted
to hear they would see that I wasn’t
telling the truth.” At that time, parole
could be reached in less than 10 years
on a life sentence and “Simons prom-
ised he would help me get parole,” said
Gilbert. There is no official evidence of

ent

brothers that they were told they ‘vould
receive assistance in obtaining parole.

Even though he had signed a

confession, Anthony would not be
called by the state to testify at Spence’s
first tal. “I didn’t have my story down.
| would not have known what to say,”
he says.
In November of 1982, Vic Feazell, just
four years out of law school, would be
elected McLennan County District At-
torney. He lost a high profile murder
case in March of 1983. Feazell, Simons
and Ned Butler were determined to
work long and hard on the Lake Waco
murder case so it would be airtight when
the time came to try the case.

On Monday, June 18, 1984,
unable to secure a change of venue,
David Wayne Spence went on trial in
Judge George Allen’s 54th District
Court in Waco for the murder of Jill
Montgomery. Electricity filled the air
of the customarily complacent court-
house. The third floor was packed well
before 9:00 AM when the proceedings
were scheduled to begin.

The prosecution alleged that

Muneer Deeb had hired David Wayne.

Spence to kill Gayle Kelley, an em-
ployee that worked at Deeb’s drive in
grocery store. Evidence showed that
Deeb had taken out a $20,000 group
health insurance policy on Kelley. The
prosecution alleged that Spence and the
Melendez brothers killed Jill Montgom-
ery, mistaking her for Gayle Kelley.
Even though testimony would show that
Spence knew Kelley - and Deeb’s in-
surance agent, Richard Gonzalez,
would testify that Deeb knew the in-
surance policy would not pay offin the
case of murder or suicide, the prosecu-
tion continued on with its theory.
Physical evidence found at the
crime scene suggested Spence and his
co-defendants may not have been the
ones who committed these brutal kill-
ings. During the crime scene investiga-
tion, several human hairs were found on

the victims and in their bindings. An
FBI crime lab determined that the hairs
did not match the victims, nor did they
match Spence or his two alleged ac-
complices. In addition, a complete
analysis of Spence’s car also turned up
no trace evidence that would link him
to the murders. Also, no fewer than 12
witnesses would testify to being at the
park the night of the murders, none of
whom recalled seeing Spence or the
Melendez brothers there that night.

The prosecution wisely chose
to use jailhouse testimony and expert
dental testimony in presenting their case.
They were successful in obtaining both
a guilty verdict and a death sentence.
Since that time, however, the dental tes-
timony has been discredited and at least
three inmates who testified against
Spence have admitted to lying at the
trial, claiming they were bribed and
coached by Simons and Butler in order
to implicate Spence.

Jesse Ivy, who had been to
prison five times, was one of the inmates
recruited to testify against Spence.
“You could say that Truman Simons and
Ned Butler put the facts of the case in
my mouth, and I put them into the
mouths of the other guys in the jail. After
Truman Simons and Ned Butler knew
that I was going to testify against
Spence, I was allowed numerous privi-
leges that ordinary inmates were de-
nied. I was allowed to keep alcohol
and marijuana inside the jail. Another
thing I got that other inmates didn’t get
was that I got to have conjugal visits
with my wife in the DAs office. I would
be taken over to the DAs office on Sat-
urday afternoons and my wife would be
waiting there. We would have com-
pletely unsupervised visits in the office,
and Truman Simons would leave me
alone so that we could have sex,” Ivy
stated in a deposition taken some seven
years after the trial.

Kevin Roy Mikel, also a ha-
bitual criminal, testified against Spence

and he too has since recanted his story
“Many times Simons fed me specific
pieces of factual information about the
crime, and then later asked me to re-
late the information back to him for one
of my statements. Simons provided me
with numerous favors in exchange for
my help. I received food frem the out-
side, cigarettes, use ofa telephone etc.
I was allowed to have unsupervised vis-
its with my wife in the DAs office and
the library a number of times. There
was a black leather couch in one of
those offices, and Simons would leave
me and my wife alone for up to two
hours at a time so we could have sex,”
said Mikel.

Inmate James Jordan, who also
testified against Spence, has yet to re-
cant his story. But there are some glar-
ing problems surrounding this witness.
His first statement given February 15,
1983, in no way implicated Spence in
the murders. He gave a second state-
ment in September of that year. In the
second statement Jordan claims Spence
admitted to killing the teenagers. One
month after giving his second statement
Jordan was released from prison.

The real damage to Spence
and his attorneys was done by Dr.
Homer Campbell who presented the
expert dental testimony and swore there
were teeth marks on the breast of one
of the victims - Jill Montgomery. He
further testified that the teeth marks
matched a dental mold he had made of
Spence’s teeth.

The autopsies performed on the
three teens made no mention of bite
marks. Waco Police Detective Ramon
Salinas was present during the autopsy
and, to this day, maintains there were
no bite marks on the victims. Nonethe-
less, the jury convicted Spence and sen-
tenced him to death by lethal injection.

Years later, Raoul
Schonemann, an adjunct law professor
at The University of Texas, began
working on Spence’s appeals.

whether the teeth had

Schonemann sent the exact same evi-
dence used by Dr. Campbeli to five
leading dental experts across the United
States. Experts with credentials rang-
ing from teaching at the FBI Forensic
Academy to being the head dental in-
structor at a major university. All five
of the experts concluded that given the
poor quality of the evidence there was
no way to determine with any degree
of scientific certainty if the marks were

was “inadequate” and can produce
“false or misleading results.” He went
on to say that Campbell did not use
commonly practiced methods such as
“overlays” in his assessment of the ori-
gin ofthe wounds. Dr. Krauss has taught
at the FBI National Academy, Univer-
sity of Colorado, American Academy
of Forensic Science and Northwestern
University.

Dr. Peter Hampl, a respected

any further analysis,” Hamp! wrote. Dr.
Hampl is board certified in the states of
New York, Minnesota and Washing-
ton. |
Prosecutors withheld important ,
exculpatory evidence from defense at- |
torneys. This evidence was not discov- |
ered until after Spence had been on }
death row for several years. Conceal-
ing evidence that may shed a favorable
light on the accused is a di-

made by human teeth, and
if they were, they concluded
that it would be impossible
to determine with any de-
gree of scientific certainty
which set of teeth made the
marks.

Forensic Odontolo-
gist Dr. Henry Mincer of
Memphis, Tennessee con-
cluded, “In no instance was
[able to determine with any
degree of scientific certainty

caused the marks.” Dr.
Mincer teaches at the Uni-
versity of Tennessee and
has published over 100 ar-
ticles.

Dr. Richard
Souviron, of Coral Gables,
Florida, reported, “There
are numerous artifacts on
both of these bodies con-
sistent with insect bite pat-
terns. Ifindeed you are at-
tempting to identify insect
bite patterns and match
them with these teeth, I
would find this to be an ex-
ercise in futility.” Dr. seegets
Souviron is licensedinthe
states of Florida and Georgia andis isa
consultant for the Florida State Crime
Lab and the Miami Police Department.

Thomas Krauss, DDS a nation-
ally respected forensic expert, reported
that the method used by Dr: Campbell
at the trial to enhance the photographs

4x4

Ellis One Unit - Texas Death Row

rect violation of criminal pro-
cedure. Police reports by
Waco Police Officers
Ramon Salinas, Mike
Nicoletti, Marvin Horton
and others were never turned
over to Spence’s attorneys,
who claim this was a blatant
violation of the “Brady ma-
teriality standard” for excul-
patory evidence.

Waco attorney Russ
Hunt represented Spence in
his first trial. He recalls, “Vic
Feazell explained to me and
Hayes Fuller that this was
going to be a no-discovery
case, where the only discov-
ery that we would get is
what we fought for and won.
So he said, ‘There is one de-
fendant we are going to kill,
and we are not going to give
you anything without fighting
for it and that defendant is
David Wayne Spence. And
if you want anything you re
going to have to fight us for
it”

Among the exculpa-

odontological expert from Tacoma,
Washington, was also unimpressed with
the evidence. “Given the poor quality
of the evidence for the purpose of bite
mark analysis and my own reservations
regarding whether injuries A and B are
in fact bite marks, I would not advise

WS3=25 tory evidence withheld were
alles reports implicating several other
likely suspects. Terry Lee “Tab”
Harper had a rap sheet with numerous
assault type charges. Police reports
listed several eyewitnesses who saw
Harper’s van parked next to the vic-
tims’ car the night of the murder. Other
eyewitnesses saw Harper talking to the

any parole promises.

Muneer Deeb, the alleged
“master-mind” was tried next, in March
of 1985. Gilbert and Anthony
Melendez both testified against the Jor-
danian they now claim not to have even
known. Like Spence, Deeb was con-
victed and the death penalty was as-
sessed. After spending six years on
death row Deeb was re-tried and ac-
quitted in 1991,

On Tuesday, October 8, 1985
Spence went on trial for the second
time. This time for the murder of Ken-
neth Franks. His attorneys would, how-
ever, be successful in obtaining a change
of venue. The trial was held in Bryan,
about 70 miles southeast of Waco. This
time the prosecution held a trump card,
two trump cards to be exact. The
Melendez brothers.

Gilbert Melendez had given no
fewer than five differing statements to
police before testifying at Spence’s trial,
most of which contained information that
could not possibly have been accurate.
In his first statement, Gilbert stated that
after killing the teenagers they used
Spence’s white station wagon to dis-
pose of the bodies. After it was dis-
covered that Spence had not purchased
the station wagon until several weeks
after the murders, Melendez amended
his story to say they used his own
pickup truck to dispose of the bodies.
Years later it would be discovered that
Gilbert’s pickup truck was ina repair
shop at the time of the murders, miles
away from the crime scene, with three
flat tires and an ignition that would not
start. Gilbert says, “Simons coached me
through each statement. When he
would find information that did not
match evidence we would change it.”

In one glaring instance of this
coaching, Detective Ramon Salinas ac-
companied Simons and Gilbert
Melendez to the crime scene one after-
noon. “Right off the bat,” according to
Salinas, “it was obvious this guy had no

idea what he was talking about.”
Melendez took them to the wrong lo-
cation and could not accurately tell them
where the bodies were found once they
took him to the correct location. “I was
Just guessing at it,” Melendez said

Waco Police Lt. Marvin
Horton witnessed Simons and
Melendez rehearse and tape record the
very first statement. Horton says
Simons would interrupt Melendez, turn
the tape recorder off and say they were
going to get the story straight. “Truman
was talking to him and then at one time
he says ‘We are going to turn the re-
corder off and then we are going to get
Our story straight and we will tum it back
on,” Horton said.

Despite the coaching, testi-
mony by the Melendez brothers at
Spence’s second trial still did not match
each others. For example, Anthony
testified that he, Gilbert and S pence
stopped and partied with the teenagers
for “a couple of hours” before killing
them. He told jurors that “they all
smoked pot and drank alcohol.” Au-
topsy reports indicated no signs of drugs
in the victims bodies, Tests for alcohol
also came up negative. Gilbert, on the
other hand, testified that they picked the
teenagers up right away and killed them.

Their accounts of the killings
differed as well. According to Anthony
he stabbed Jill Montgomery, the heavy
set brunette. Gilbert without a doubt
remembers Anthony stabbing Raylene
Rice, the slender blonde.

Tony’s testimony that there was
a considerable amount of screaming
does not coincide with reports given by
12 people who were at the park the
night of the murders. None of them
reported hearing screams or anything
unusual.

The question remains, however,
why would Anthony and Gilbert con-
fess to a crime they did not commit?
And why confess before Spence is tried
the first time? It is obvious why they

would now recant their stories because
they have nothing to lose. Or do they»
They both have one murder charge oy.
standing and could be tried for it at an
time. Both brothers say they were toig
by their attorneys that the evidence Was
overwhelming against them and that
they should take the plea agreement and
not risk getting the death penalty. Both
also say that they were told they would
probably make parole in ten years and
both say they were promised by Simons
that he would help them make parole.
There is no official evidence of any such
promises.

With Gilbert and Anthony in
hand, the jail house testimony was not
needed at Spence’s second trial. But
Dr. Campbell testified again that
Spence’s teeth matched bite marks on
Jil Montgomery’s breast. Spence was
convicted and sentenced to death a sec-
ond time.

The Sth Circuit Court of Ap-
peals would deny Spence’s motions for
a new trial in this case also. The Court
decided that even thou gh there may be
evidence to indicate that the Melendez
brothers were coerced into testifying, it
did not mean their stories were false
As far as the inconsistencies the court
saw them as minor.

What would take place two
years later is especially eerie. David
Wayne Spence’s mother, Juanita White,
was murdered in her home. According
to the autopsy, she was raped, beaten
and had bruises resembling bite marks.

What makes Ms. White's mur-
der so suspicious is the fact that it oc-
curred shortly after she received a let-
ter written by one of the inmates, David
Snelson, who had testified against
Spence in his first trial. The letter re-
canted his testimony and asked for for-
giveness. Russ Hunt, Spence’s first at-
tomey, notified the Waco Police De-
partment about the contents of the let-
ter. On February 28, 1986, an inner
office memo detailing the letter Ms.

in oo)

—_e wm TF 4 OS fh

6614 Sanger * Waco, Texas 76710

BULK RATE
U.5. POSTAGE
PAID
WACO, TEXAS
PERMIT NO. 277

qnEEEREENEn TEER

‘

ct =~“

White had received wa released a” the
Waco Police department. The foilow-
ing day, in her very own home, she was
murdered.

Former McLennan County
District Attorney Felipe Reyna recalls
that the word around town just before
Ms. White’s murder was that she was
keeping an extensive journal, that she
was talking with informants and inves-
tigating things herself in an effort to prove
her son’s innocence. “Word was out
that Juanita White was about to take
some evidence to the media just before
she was murdered,” Reyna says.

A few hours after the crime
scene had been marked off, her home
was broken into a second time. Noth-
ing of value was taken but police re-
ports indicate that her room was ran-
sacked and personal items such as let-
ters were gone through. Ina sworn af-
fidavit Waco Police Detective Jan Price
recalls, “the intruders appeared to have
ransacked Ms. White’s personal pa-
pers. The papers had been in a box in
a small closet in the bedroom. The box
had been set on the bed, and papers
had been taken out and thrown down
as though someone had been looking
for a particular document.”

Detective Price was assigned to
the case and develéped an early sus-
pect.

Several weeks after the break-
in, Deputy Truman Simons approached
Price about getting a key to enter the
home. According to a sworn affidavit,
Price let Simons and District Attorney
Vic Feazell into the house. She claims
the two men “proceeded to climb into
the attic of the house.” Price said she

could not tell if either man had removed
anything and said neither of them vol-
unteered to tell her what they were look-
ing for.

Shortly thereafter Price was ap-
proached by Scott Peterson of the Dis-
trict attorney’s office. Peterson in-
formed the detective that the D.A.’s

office had decided to present the case
to the grand jury based on an investi-
gation conducted by Simons. Even
though semen and hair samples found
at the crime scene did not match either
suspect the grand jury indicted Joe
Sydney Williams and Calvin Washing-
ton.

What happened next is like an
episode of the “Twilight Zone.” In an
exact replica Spence’s first trial, the two
men were convicted on the heavy reli-
ance of jailhouse testimony and the ex-
pert dental testimony of Dr. Homer
Campbell. Many of the jailhouse con-
fessions were later recanted and the
conviction of Joe Sidney Williams was
overturned. Washington’s case is on
appeal.

According to her deposition,
Detective Price is convinced that Simons
had jail inmates fabricate stories impli-
cating Washington and Williams. “My
Own investigation into the conduct of
Simons and the District Attorney’s Of-
fice indicates that Simons routinely sup-
plied information to jail inmates in or-
der to help them fabricate apparently
authentic statements. I have obtained
statements from a significant number of
witnesses in that case, which uniformly
attest that Simons offered deals to pro-
spective jail house witnesses in order
to secure their cooperation,” Detective
Price says. She went on to say that in
the Juanita White murder case, “The
prosecution’s case against the defen-
dants in that matter was utterly fabri-
cated and that the prosecution knew it,
and presented it anyway to secure a
conviction.”

Former Waco Police Lt.
Marvin Horton has stated in a deposi-
tion, “In my opinion, I do not think
David Spence committed this offense.”

Meanwhile, David Wayne
Spence is now scheduled for exectuion
sometime after 6:00 pm on April 3. If
carried out he will be the 108th Texas
lethal injection execution.

_ Publisher’s Note:

sith

SPENCE, David Wayne, white, LI TXSP (McLennan Co.), April 3, 1997.

‘“Huntsville-Fedeeral Judge granted second stay of execution for death-row inmate
David Spence, 33, who was to have been executed by lethal injection today. He was convicted in
the ‘82 slayings of Jill Montgomery, 17, and Kenneth Franks, 17. First stay for Franks’ murder
was issued Tuesday.”-USA Today, 12/19/1991 (10A-6).

‘Federal judge stays ‘execution of Lake Waco killer —-

HUNTSVILLE, Texas —.A federal judge granted a stay Wednesday.toa _
eath,row:inmate convicted of the-1982 slayings of two teen-agers, the ©
ctims.of mistaken ‘Identity. David | Wayne Spence, 33, had already won a

ave for one of the ‘Lake ‘Waco rows -but ‘had faced lethal ‘injection
Rest lap Smith in

-- Si aia

u wm at whee +”

w he so ice

und o of

~ oa weewsawe sasaus DALUUIUSE WILE ID Te

‘the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled

Melendez were convicted In the July 13, 1982, Slayings. Ms. Kelley was

* not one of the victims., Jill Montgomery, who resembled Ms. Kelley, was
* brutally killed, according to court documents. The other victims were Ray-
lene Rice and Kenneth Franks.’Ms. gomery were raped

east 20 times. On

return to state District Court. Mr. Spence, Anthony Melendez and Gilbert

ne nad seen two armed men and

DALLAS
MoPninG- MEWS

THURSDAY
Juve 27, /99/

S feAsce ee

‘By The Associated Press
-.A: federal judge has granted

.. Texas death row inmate David

Wayne Spence a stay for one of
two Lake Waco murders. .
' But Spence still faces death by

lethal: injection early Thursday
go for the second slaying.

Spence, 33, was convicted in

. two. separate trials for the slay- -
“ings of Jill Montgomery, 17, and.
' Kenneth Franks, 18. The McLen-’
~ nan County teen-agers were
- among three kidnapped and
stabbed to death at Koehne Park |

on Lake Waco on July 13, 1982.

_ All three bodies were found at

Speegleville Park.

Spence was not tried for the
. slaying of the third victim, Ray-
‘lene Rice, 17. Both women also
had been: raped. oy
~ US. District Judge Norhen'

Black on.Tuesday stayed the

| scheduled execution for Franks’ .
murder, but the death penalty re-

mains in effect for Miss Mont-

‘!” gomery’s slaying. Frank’s mur-
der was tried in Brazoria County
on a change of venue, while Miss

_Montgomery’s slaying was tried

in McLennan County.

Assistant Texas Attorney Gen-

4 eral Bill Zapalac said the state
’ would proceed with the execution
by injection unless a judge stays

. the second case.

- Co-defendants Gilbert Melen-

dez and Anthony Melendez, who -
_ are brothers, testified against:
Spence.

ae aie anata
aie

The i Item, ‘Wednesday, December 18, 1991 — Pais 7B

“Man convicted in Lake Waco.
“murders faces. execution tonight

var nepry sayewul MOl
as WO sjeodde

-"=—eer° et
meap sexol uUdA

* - whose death
viction for his role in the buy
forture-slayings of three teen Deeb, 2 39-year-0l 3 Jorda-
ers in 1982 was thrown out ‘ rs
jast week gaia Wednes ay he mer native ® rmmex conv”
iad coset nt any trial nience store owner, recelve
would vin jicate him. the death penalty for partic)
Mes Decb, who 88 ys he ‘5 pating 1 the deaths of Jill |
; Montgomery» 17, Raylene Rice, |.

East.

-*] am trying © get me a
‘lawyer right now, gaid Deeb,
whose own motions after 772
| years on death row convince
| the Texas Court of Criminal
| Appeals last week that hear-
eee evidence improperly
}used to convict him of what
| pecame known as the

Waco Murders.”

17, and Kenneth Franks, 18,

David Wayne
kill Gayle Kelley, 2
who had gpurne De

ae ap es ee on May lh, 1936.

Fax: ma NEES Sig Ps Se ae meer we ee
othe Cri Sg om = Pa CTI RN RE aK SOR: Ser rk tsa - . >.
at oe a SEE eR ee es STENT Sage cae ne ts So

ee i

: ae 1 Satay

| Firiad And fabvidueld4 3
ne foto Committee At
« leneg “Petition Ts Bes
State Legislature ‘

Be: hate Stagpériay Tax ted
i Will Be- Increased wna
ably And People Are in (Now
‘Mood To Stand It,

4By" veciadpete of ey: age
BILENE -O¢t. :
fina and
organized thle

pleware odsy with & pF kD : poems
<4 Iegts! arbre, ; nett ed hestanried tt
4 brqueh Lane: ewer ago:
nd Luni aad sand
of pa :
gndred year bi sctisinpa 94 bf
F i pear the, peti diens : :
; she Austin’ St Inca y fdr prckehie ites ig + we ed
/ 4-4 “Sud-comimnitter bf Abe! en ’ ¥,
i t sos drefting the final |/ gente
grr ath a, bill ap bearbog,

Premonition rulfiiles
‘ populer 47-year-old eheritt's:
Ww nh I Shes was Fee teltitien ent of « premoni-:
‘ tion Tet by Mra. Artenr,

@ Cf weesint dary phy
‘ Heavens Are Givet
. Reasons givert for ebpos
a whetevet by on Fam
isticre at.this tine wt the de

When the officer wax wowided
‘Yarbrough at McA@od inst July
) Mrs. Arthur said she had urged het
Is i husband 0 quit. law. eplermement

‘ame red and enter less dangerous YorsHor” ;
dof.-a: centensiat eciebratign se : “{ bad pabher pick colton-tin i
. l@ire-xisth of thd ates
Sots ts paw” on pete)

= : more. then unes oD ; E. msece se:
ip toca) srea pt the State Fee i ; : aaa: Bal he wae @/sucesmtful cetuayae:

Ree suliictent to pret eit pal ghareht aut mourit~ | for nosiiration for a third tern.
: {39 E Y oh, auare | Novenber 6 he would have bev te!
5 elected

‘gt mob spirit The wide search made by
din Was Inch’ | tatied to flush im despericdona, al+
. nia t is pita 3 Lrg ® white | though an airpisse circied Une eee<
; and “hese t toad! ea eh ah a emrmaloed | tion, taking Off: from and retarniog ©
jays, upon which at fe Roy, erikiint ty : eee mle Sput. A Port a resident, 7

’ , F . but

ce Winich. f¢ reed Onrie yes

the state atreade fae
et, a bespashhaal

pila Ny
‘There rol report “hetieved fi-
eee aie

tee eet ete Iw rocks a ee Me
, ie eel frei Rheritt Arthur
7 i ee belts piriks) pointes of thie at) vont. Except for.
4 : nk ty igh N ‘lan, with} Tegyrough Mrs, “Arthur: wes fires
Peas ONY ict an "|e aR iivon $0 reach the wounded tall
te 2 oe 4 3 rea! Ney The “Arb ura Mend on We finst Tage
he : ett ¥ riveree 5) arrived, @ 1 Of the fait,
ap 2 #6, [sO pet Marks Second Earape -
cmt Ae cGurghonne | Todhy's este was the weeobd by
Loge: wert 1b get |Bhaloup ane roe trom ‘the, CAGK:
mee Hes : sour bees poll, a ake td Chey. farted
no Rodgers Stabbed Te Dew "ae, fee Arsipcoen, wily iBegin
peil' By Notorious ° Killer | : meet eet
ont iiSasloney: Prisoner. al
Moe ¢ Trouble Between Tye}
eee us
ae a ey Pin hates: shad inet?
ee i oie

See ae Yt wai ?
Seviiewtti ise fight we)

am tA
We cabot,

ft eerie J
a $

aptelet Presi.” :
May 4-— Joytul
ton oof a charge
3@ death of one of
8H. poisoning.
PUM confidently
‘ostcution move re.

Pr cherge, in |) Che f

aaagicer

> Brunet te vidow,

¥ O81 an’ accusa-
heres Dorothy Mc¢-
f administration
District: Attorney
td meve for. dis-
r charge in the

MeCas.and, i.

1 desist that
PAM ebiain b her

vest T have been
a +4, ,
bies Back -

the jury gave me
prit give me beck
ie that’s ory

Dm ae roa back

mild Jtrequently
mnatncy with

4 ee

*. reineg aitor-

: the “second
riee-wed Com.
Pbstetoes nA bet

eae fonsicted if
killing Sherit

; Ge pad coilesied
Prison’ senlences ‘Aagregating more
than 300 wears during the 28-year

span of his ‘life, watked tyemly / to.

the electric chatr'at/12:08 a. En. atid
died calmly without making

two. custom Of cor-

faemned: men wher. he refured the

last “xpecia) meal” and went to the

With his-shoea, on instead of
3s ‘carpet slippers.

MICUP! ds pronounced dead

ty Inwintes after be entered the

fy) He had been aurly and somewhat
unrmly as a prisoner, officials “said.

| but his attitude as he Went to his
Was thal Of a jeoni pose:

WATCH YOUR STEP walking’ 20 Bee.
of Ae persons Killed in automod ia
of "those

“shen be A

“jaat beat 23%

by which Staleup
pe the chair was clos«
‘Gor. Walter Woodul

tein th a ieee on the

iT a DN ,

1), TEXAS CRIMINAL APPEALS 315

STANLEY, James, black, hanged at Columbus, Texas, on October 19, 1883,

"At quarter past two this evening, James Stanely was hanged for the murder of Robert Strick-
land in November, 1882, He was escorted to the gallows bya guard of 30 men, and in the
train followed about 1,000 people... The gallows was erected and mile from town in the cen-
ter.of a clump of large live oaks on the Sunset railroad property, The condemed man
ascended the gallows with a firm tread, accompanied by Sheriff Townsend, Sheriff Rankin of
Fayette County, Parsons H. McKenna and Ban White, Sheriff Townsend requested the c rowd
to be quiet as the doomed man was desirous of .saying something. Stanley then made the
following remarks: ; | ; ;

"'FPriends, you see me standing here. In a.few moments I will be ready for the grave, About
two weeks ago today I thought that I would never be able to face you all and tell you of my
horrible crime; but, thank God, that by prayer.and the goodly advice given me by Deputy
Sheriff James Cummins, H. McKenna and others I have found my way to glory. I have repented
my sins am God will send angels from heaven to meet me, I amgoing straight home to clory.
Whisky, cards and women have brought me to this pass, and I must die - must be hung by the —
neck until I'am dead." (dnd here the sheriff adjusted the rope around his neck.) B& He then
went on to say: 'One year ago I was drinking whisky, playing cards and base ball with some
of the parties in this crowd, but he hoped that his sand end would be a lasting lesson to
then and to all sinners, I have repented and am going to heaven and want you to meet me
there, (Shouts from the colored crowd of: 'Bless God, we will,') 'Some of you have had
little ones to die and-go to heaven, Tomorrow my spirit will be flying around in glory

with them, Sinners}! You that drink whisky, play gards and attend balls, you had better
repent and pray or God will damn you soul, My mother raised me right, to be kind and to

not take what did not belong to meese?eeemy horrible endings -«ecese?eceeetter control, I
went astray, commenced to gamble and keep the company of bad women and drifted on until I
have landed here. I forgive all of my enemies, You:all know why I am here today. Because
I loved a woman (Sarah Walker) I die here today, because I loved her too wells but I am ,
willing to die. Look at this rope around my neck, I die and a wman put it there and

love will break my neck. I have but a little more to say, God waits for me, Wave your,
lights, I am coming. Don't forget what I told you, that a wman brought me here, The devil
got in me and made me take a life that I could not returnesseceteceseelhe renembrance is-
always with me that after I had confessed I felt better. evecee? |

"At 2sh5 the arms and legs were ticdeeses %eee.%e said he wanted to see Sarah Walker and the
woman was brought to the foot pf the scaffold, He saids '0, Sarah, see what you have brought
me to! You did not hell me to commit this crime, but I did it for you, Farewell, Sarah,
farewell, never to seeyou again until I see you in heaven! '

"The. black cap was then adjusted and the drop fell at 2:58 o'clock, He died without a stru-
gegle and at 3:13 pm the,doctors declared him dead and he was cut down by the sheriff and

his body deliverd to Dr, James Buars who had purchased it for $30 from Stanley some days
before, Stanley ordering the doctor to pay said amount over to his child who lives a short
distance from this place, When the body’ was turned over to Dr, Byars it was placed in a
small spring-wagon and driven to a place where the doctor applied a strong battery to it

in an effort to restore life, but the fall had broken his neck and the &ffor was unsuccess=
ful, e . ‘

"The following is the mrder's confession, made to his minister, H, McKenna, pastor of the
Afbican Methodist Episcopal Church: . 'I was in company with Sarah Walkeron Suday at 5:30 pm,
November 5, 1882, Walked from. my residence about ten miles from Eagle Lake to MissWalker's
and went doen to Doc Matthews where I stayed all night and ate my breakfast. Teft there
about 10 am and went to Harry Kiggans'. where I had carried a pistol which I wanted to sell,
to raise enough money to redeem a promise that I had made Sarah Walker, which was to carry
heraway with me. I had no money, On Sunday evening, Nov, 25, I went to seeRobert Strickland
in his store. Ben Pratt had killed two ducks that day and given them to Strickland, and he
asked me to cook them for supper, and while I was cooking bhem, he went to a trunck from
which he tooka sack with money in it and showed it to the mrties in the store; at the time
there were 8 or 10 of us present, and the sack contained $63.50. Strickland placed the
money back in the trunk and locked it, putting the key in his pocket, After this he came

to the tableand ate his supper, and, after he was through, one Jeff Lewis and I sat down and

j from the store except Mr. Strickland Lewis and my-
aeit. ‘ee StriekLana Petes werhe to cut some wood, which Lewis and myself’ did. We too

the wood into the store. After this we sat down in the store and amused ourselves with a

“Glen said Stanton did. Glen robbed
the filling station. Stanton was standing
behind a post across'the street while Glen
was making Ward fill his tank.”

“What became of the Ford coupé they
left Tulia in?” : ;

“Glen said they burned it up, or tried
to, at least.” ; :

“What time that’ Thursday night did
the crowd start to Dallas?” :

“At about eleven-thirty. I was working
for Mrs. Hunsucker and she had me do
the driving,” said Meeks.

“Why didn’t you turn these murderers
over to the law?”

“I was trying to get a chance to; but
I-couldn’t. get away from them. I had
to be careful; I knew they. would kill me
at the drop of a hat.”

“Did you see anything of a Krag army
rifle? It was missing from the Moseley
car.

“Yes, I saw that gun. Stanton threw
it in a lake on the way to Rhome. I can
show you right where it is.”

There was no longer any possible doubt
as to the identity of the Moseley killers.
The story Meeks had told and his willing-
ness to assist in the investigation con-
vinced us that he was innocent of the
Rhome slaying, and he was released from

jail. ;

EDRICK informed us that he be-

lieved Ed Stanton and Bernice Inman
to be hiding at the Pebworth ranch, a
gangster stronghold located near Portales,
New Mexico. He offered to go to ‘the
place and see if they were there and, if
so, to persuade the girl to leave with
him. Then he would bring her to us. We
accepted his offer.

Hedrick went, and returned with the
news that the quarry had flown from the
ranch; he thought Bernice had gone to
her brother’s home, some twenty miles
from the ranch. Several officers, including
myself hurried: over to the Inman place,
only to find that she had not been there
for some months. ;

Meantime, in Dallas, Sheriff Faith had
finally obtained a- confession from Ida
Hunsucker. Glen was the one who killed
Deputy Brown, she said. She had left
him and Ed “Perchmouth” Stanton at-a
house in the vicinity of Lake Worth. She
was taken to Lake Worth and induced
to point out the house which she said _be-
longed to relatives of Stanton. Fifty
officers searched the lake district that
night and the next day, but without
results. *

Ida Hunsucker, Glen Hunsucker and Ed
Stanton were now charged with the mur-
der of Deputy Brown.

Zimmerman succeeded in obtaining fin-
ger-prints of both men. Hunsucker’s
came from Abilene where he had been
arrested on a minor charge; Stanton’s
were from the state penitentiary—he had
served a term there: Circulars describing
these men and stating the amount of the
reward which had now been raised to
$1,000 each for them, were sent to all
parts of the United States and Canada.

Sheriff Honea and Zimmerman believed
that the fugitives would return to. West
Texas or go to New Mexico. Will Stan-
ton,. Ed’s brother, was living near Silver-
ton. .In the belief that the murderers
would sooner or later stop there, Honea
had the place watched. Then, sure
enough, he got word through “under-
ground” channels that they were ex-
pected on a certain night. Planning to
raid the place when they arrived, Honea

‘and Zimmerman waited for twenty-four

hours in readiness to start; but the mur-
derers failed to appear.

Next we got word that the fugitives
had been seen in different small: towns
along the Texas-New Mexico border.

he Me

Sheriff A. S. McCamant, Carrizozo,

New Mexico, whose outstanding

work in capturing one of the slayers

brought him commendation from the
entire Southwest

Goen and I, with other officers, spent a
week’ or more “shaking down” these
towns. Undoubtedly, the outlaws had
been in them recently; but where they

chad gone no one seemed to know. On my

return to Tulia from this fruitless search,
I got a tip from Ramonsville, a town on
the other side of the state from us, that
Hunsucker was working on a ranch near
there. He had been identified by two
men who had formerly lived at Quitaque.
I had to run down so many false clues
that I was pretty skeptical by this time;
but the Ramonsville tip seemed the
most Sipneaing one I had had so far. I
sent Goen and two other deputies to in-
vestigate. They found the man-suspected,
all right; but he was not Glen Hunsucker.

B* this time, owing to the size of the
rewards offered, every officer in the
states of Texas and New Mexico was
making a desperate effort to capture the
criminals, The Tulia office was literally
flooded with tips. We worked day and
night checking them; but always with
the same discouraging results.

The scene now shifts to New Mexico,
to the wilds of Lincoln County where
from the earliest days of a glamourous
past to the present time, bandits have
found refuge. This country, part moun-
tainous, part desert, and thinly settled,
offers ideal security to those who live
outside the law.

It is in Carrizozo, Lincoln County, that
Sheriff A. S. McCamant holds forth. The
West has produced no more daring or
more relentless man-hunter than this wiry,
untiring officer. He believed that Stan-
ton and Hunsucker, crowded from the
more thickly settled region of Texas,
would eventually flee to New Mexico.
In this he was right.

On February 20th two men answering
the description of the two outlaws robbed
a store at Corona, fifty miles from Car-
rizozo. McCamant failed to capture
them; and it was not until the middle of
April that he got further trace of them.
He was then informed that they were
hiding in the hills at the home of a man
wn had suspected of harboring
them.

With Deputy Hupert Reynolds, Mc-
Camant hurried to this place; but the
outlaws had fled. Their trail was picked
up, however, and followed one hundred

‘and twenty-five miles toward Texas. The

aes? aaa aed) Lod

Sheriff was sure he had run them out of
New Mexico. Immediately after this,
West ‘Texas was swept by a violent crime
wave. Bank robberies and hi-jackings of
every description kept the officers on the
go. Aided by the Texas rangers, they
drove day and night, scouring the plains
in'a futile effort to capture the phantom
bandits who would appear in places least
expected, and then disappear as if by
magic. We soon found out that Hun-
sucker and Stanton were the ring-leaders.

Sheriff Honea had been close on their
trail all this time, and when they left
Texas, he followed them three hundred
miles into New Mexico, where he lost
them in Lincoln County. McCamant
took up the search where Honea left off
and succeeded in getting definite trace of
the outlaws, but this resulted only in
driving them back into Texas.

Shortly after this I had a telephone call
from the sheriff at Brownsville, informing
me that he had captured Hunsucker, and
from his description of the suspect I was
sure that he had. The name given by the
suspect, Haldean Vaughan, the sheriff be-
lieved to be one of Hunsucker’s aliases. A
comparison of finger-prints, however,
blasted my hopes. The man was actually
named Vaughan and had had nothing to
do with the Moseley case. .”

In May, McCamant got word that Will
Stanton had moved to “somewhere in
New Mexico.” Belieying that Ed Stanton
would show up at Will’s place, wherever
it was, McCamant had every town in
the state checked and finally Taeatet the
place in his own county, one hundred and
ten miles from Carrizozo.. Will Stanton
lived in a dugout about two hundred
yards from an old stone house that stood
on a high mesa. A number of men were
said to come and go mysteriously from
this house. Who they were, no one
seemed to know.

McCamant believed that he had dis-
covered a gangster stronghold which he
would have to raid in order to catch Hun-
sucker and Stanton. The problem was
to know when they would be there. He
hdd the place watched; but it was not
until July 14th that he was informed they
were staying there. With seven deputies,
including Tom Jones, Hupert Reynolds
and Jack Davidson, McCamant went to
the gangster hide-out, reaching there
about nine in the morning. Leaving five
of his deputies on guard near the stone
house, McCamant took Jones and went
up to the dugout. A woman appeared in
the doorway.

“Where’s Will Stanton?” asked Mc-
Camant. .

“T don’t know,” she replied.

“Are Ed and Glen here?”

“No!”

“Where are they then?”

“Can’t say.”

he gr er that to question the woman
further would be a waste of time, Mc-
Camant called the other officers and ad-
vanced on the stone house. It was de-
serted. Leaving two guards at this place,
he led the other men on a wide search of
the surrounding country, which included
the invasion of several big caves. Night
came but it brought’ no news of the out-
laws. The officers stayed until noon the
next day, then, having had nothing to eat
or drink, decided to abandon the search
for the time being.

Early the next morning the posse was
back at the Stanton place, this time car-
rying a machine-gun. Will Stanton and
two other men were in the yard. Me-
Camant, stationed three hundred yards
away, ordered Stanton to come and talk
with him.

“If you want to talk to’ me,” yelled
Stanton, “you'll have to come up here.”

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are the only persons who have handled it.”

His tip was a good one. The bulb
yielded a plain print. With this print,
our first real lead, we hurried back to
Tulia to make comparisons with any we
might find on the Moseley car. We were
overjoyed to get a duplicate print from
one of the windows. This gave us good
evidence against one of the killers; but
we were as much in the dark as ever re-
garding the identity of the other two.

Next we went to the mortuary where
we obtained additional evidence; the bul-
let tuken from Sheriff Moseley’s head had
been shot by a 45 automatic. It will be
remembered that the bullet I found in
the car was the same kind. We now had
the finger-prints of one of ‘the thugs and
the type of gun that had killed Moseley.

Toward noon we had what appeared
to be another definite lead. Sheriff Allen
from Canadian, a small town in the north
Panhandle, came to Tulia to see if he
could link the evidence we had obtained
with a notorious criminal from Oklahoma
who was on the dodge in our section of
the country. Allen believed that this
man, Haldean Vaughan, was the one who
robbed Ward’s filling station; he was
young, slim and dark, carried a 45 auto-
matic and was traveling in a Ford coupe
of 1932 vintage. The only hitch was that
Haldean Vaughan had a couple of men
with him, while our man had a man and
a woman. In spite of this discrepancy, we
decided that Vaughan was the man we
wanted; there might have been an ex-
change of partners somewhere along the
way. But where was Vaughan?

| se the next few days there were no
further developments in the case. Sev-
eral suspects had been arrested by various
oflicers throughout the country, but none
of them proved to be of interest to us.

By this time Mrs. Moseley had been
appointed to fill her husband’s unexpired
term and she was now assisting with the
investigation. Awards amounting to $1,-
275 were offered for the arrest of the mur-
derers, and officers all over the country
were redoubling their efforts to assist us.
But for several days nothing of value
came to light.

Then on January 26th, four days after
the murder, a Ford coupe, 1932 model,
which had been partly burned, was found
ninety miles south of Tulia. We believed
this to be the car the killers had been
using; but there was no further trace of
them.

The next day we got news of the mur-
der of another officer, Deputy Joe Brown
of Rhome, ‘Texas, 2 small town some two
hundred miles east of Tulia. Advised
of the theft of a can of lubricating oil
from a truck which had passed through
Decatur, Brown had gone to meet a Ford
sedan in which three men and a woman
were riding. He had arrested the four of
them and was holding them in a barber
shop while he called Sheriff Tom Faith
of Decatur over Jong distance for further
instructions. Suddenly, one of the pris-
oners Jumped up and seized Brown and
they started scuffing. The Deputy, taken
entirely by surprise, was too slow on the
draw. The next moment he was dead,
shot through the chest. a

The thugs dashed from the building.
Two of the men and woman jumped into
the Ford sedan and drove out of town;
the other fled on foot in another direction.

Notified of the tragedy, Sheriff Taith
and three deputies rushed down to
Rhome where they obtained) descriptions
of the fugitives—the license number of

True Detective Mysteries

the Southwest’s Phantom Slayers

(Continued from page 21)

the car they were driving was already
known to the officers. A few minutes
later the prisoner who had escaped alone
returned and surrendered. He gave his
name as Doyle Meeks and insisted that
he had nothing to do with the shooting.
He offered to do anything he could to
assist in locating his companions who,
he said, had expected to go to Dallas.
Taking their informant along, the officers
headed down the Dallas highway.

Meantime, news of this latest murder
had been broadcast and officers from all
near-by cities, armed with riot guns and
gas bombs, were soon canvassing the
various highways. But nothing was
heard of the slayers until late that night,
when Sheriff Faith received a report that
they were seen near Lake Dallas. A
twelve-hour search in that vicinity, how-
ever, brought only disappointment.

The apparent desperation of the kill-
ers of Brown led Decatur officers to be-
lieve them on the dodge when arrested
at Rhome and that they might be the
ones wanted at Tulia. However, from the
descriptions furnished me, I felt they were
not. We were looking for a tall man
about thirty-five years old, a slight dark
youth and a blonde girl. The Rhome
slayers were described ‘as “a large man, a
short man and a large middle-aged wo-
man. I was more interested in trying to
getsome trace of, Haldean Vaughan than
I was in the Rhome crowd.

Doyle Meeks was placed in jail at Dal-
las. He gave the names of his compan-
ions as Mrs. Ida Hunsucker, Glen Hun-
sucker, her son, and Ed Stanton; and said
that he, Meeks, had been in the employ
_of Ida Hunsucker, who was operating a
tourist camp at Quitaque, a Panhandle
town, and at her order was driving the car
when arrested.

Ida Hunsucker and her son were well
known to Tulia officers. The woman was
under a suspended sentence for robbery ;
Glen, for whom we had a felony warrant
at that time, was charged with several
serious crimes. I had never heard of
Stanton.

To be certain that I was not overlook-

ing a clue of any kind, I sent two dep- ,

uties to Dallas to check information on
the Rhome killers. But from what was
learned regarding them, I still did not be-
lieve the two murders had any connection.

ENTRAL Texas was at fever heat
over the murder of Joe Brown, the
third peace officer of that section to be
shot down by thugs in the past. three
weeks. One of the biggest man-hunts
ever known in Texas was now in progress,
stuged in the thickly settled districts.
That whole country, especially the vi-
cinity of Dallas, was literally combed;
but two days went by without a clue to
the whereabouts of the murderers.
Then on the afternoon of January 29th,
a prisoner in jail at Childress, a town
about midway between Tulia and Rhome,
saw a Ford sedan with the much adver-
tised license number of the Ford in which
the killers had escaped from Rhome
parked at a filling station across the strect.
By pounding on the floor of his. cell,
the prisoner succeeded in getting the at-
tention of Deputy Mack Mote who
dashed upstairs to see what was wanted.
This led to the arrest of Mrs. Ida Hun-
sucker who, sans her former colleagues,
was heading for Quilaque. She admitted
her identity, but insisted that she did
not. know the men with whom she was
traveling when Deputy Brown was mur-
dered. She said they forced her to leave

Rhome with them after the shooting and
drive all ‘the afternoon over circuitous
roads near Dallas. Finally they got out
of the car, leaving her to drive to town
alone.

The woman further stated that on the
evening of January 26th, these two un-
known men had come to her tourist camp
and ordered her to drive them to Dallas
in her car. She dared not refuse, so tak-
ing Doyle Meeks along to do the driv-
ing, she had complied with their wishes.
She was sent to the Dallas jail.

Meantime, there were no further devel-
opments in the Moseley case. Tips were
pouring into our office from all parts of
the country, and everyone of them was
run to earth as fast as we could get to
them; but after five days and nights of
incessant work we were as much in the
dark as ever. Rewards’ had been in-
creased to $1,000 for each of the killers
and $100 for the girl who was with them.

Then Sheriff Linn Irwin of Olton, a
hundred miles from Tulia, telephoned me
that he had a man who said he knew who
killed Moseley. I hastened over to Ol-
ton and talked with this man. His name
was Stanley Hedrick.

“All right, Mr. Hedrick, tell me what
you know about this murder,” I said, as
Irwin, Hedrick and I sat in the Sheriff’s
office.

“ ALL I know is what I heard at the

Hunsucker tourist camp at Quitaque.
I stayed there the Thursday night follow-
ing the Sunday when Mr. Moseley was
killed. While I was there, Ed Stanton
and Glen Hunsucker came in. They had
been gone for several days.”

“Where had they been?”

“I don’t know. They were drinking
and doing a lot of talking. They said
they killed Moseley, and laughed about
it.

“Why didn’t you report this sooner?” I
asked.

“Because I didn’t believe them. But
after I heard about the Rhome shooting,
I decided they had killed Moseley.”

“Do you have any particular reason for
telling me all this?”

“Yes,” the young man promptly re-
turned, “I’d like to see Glen Hunsucker
behind the bars. He’s threatened to kill
me once too often. He would have done
it Thursday night, tried to, but old lady
et grabbed the gun away from
nim.’

“Did anyone but you hear what Stan-
ton and Glen said?”

“Doyle Mecks was there. THe heard it.”

Just previous to the time'of my talk
with Hedrick, Sheriff H. R. Honea of Sil-
verton, thirty miles from Tulia, had gone
to Dallas to assist in the search for Hun-
sucker and Stanton. Honea had had con-
stant trouble with this pair and at one
time had narrowly escaped being killed by
Stanton. With Hedrick’s story as a lead,
Honea questioned Meeks who corrob-
orated everything Hedrick had said.

“Who was the girl with Stanton and
Hunsucker at the time of the Moseley
murder?” asked Honea.

“Bernice Inman. She lives in New
Mexico. I saw the three of them at
Happy that Sunday afternoon. They had
been to Amarillo and were going back to
Quitaque.”

“Did she come to Quitaque that
Thursday night?”

“No, they didn’t say where she’d lefi
them.”

“Did they say whieh one fired that last
shot, the shot that killed Moseley?”

there was another person in the car, whether man or woman
he could not say. .

D. T. Layton, who lives across the street from the filling
station, had witnessed the fight. He said he saw two men
on the ground shooting at Moseley, and a woman in the Ford.

By daylight a drag-net had been spread throughout the
Southwest; but our limited description of the fugitives gave
officers little to go by, especially since it was more than likely
the bandits would change cars at the earliest possible moment.

Members of the posse of citizens trailed in during the morn-
ing without news of the bandits who, apparently, had made
a complete get-away.

Y this time, Deputy Goen had come over from Happy.

He said that about eleven-thirty the previous night he had
seen a Ford coupe parked at a filling station which was closed
for the night, and had started over to investigate. Before
he could get there, however, the car drove away. There
were three people in it. They stopped at another station,
broke the pump and began filling the car. Then, upon catch-
ing sight of the officer again, they whirled out of town. It

(From left to right) De-
puty F. O. Goen, who sent
-out the first alarm on the
bandits; Floyd Ward, the opera-
tor of the Tulia filling station,
scene of the murder and hold-up,
Sheriff Tom Faith of Decatur, and
Chief Deputy L. G. McDonald, co-
author of the story. (Jn circle) The car
which tracked the killers and became the
death trap for the Sheriff. The windshield
shows the bullet hole through which the lethal
bullet sped, killing Moseley almost instantly

was then that Deputy Goen had telephoned Sheriff Moseley.

Dennis Zimmerman, well-known lawyer-detective, was now
called into the case, and together he and I drove over to
Happy to see if we could pick up any further information re-
garding the trio Goen had seen. A few careful inquiries
brought us to a tourist camp, owned by G. R. Gazzaway.

“T believe the crowd you are after were here at this camp
yesterday,” said Mr. Gazzaway. “They came about two
o’clock in the afternoon.” ‘

“How many were there?” I asked.

“Two men and a woman. The men looked to be about
twenty-five and thirty-five years old; the girl was young—
a blonde dressed in men’s clothes. All three had been drinking.”’ .

“Was there anything about them that made you at all
suspicious?”

“Yes, there was. The first thing they did was to ask for
a garage with a key, so they could lock their car up. I won-
dered at this, since I have only open garages. Then I noticed
the license plate had been painted so you couldn’t see the
number.”

“What time did they leave?”’

“About eleven thirty that night.”

“Well,” said Zimmerman, “these people are undoubted 1 y
the ones Goen drove out of town.’”’

“And the ones who killed Moseley,” I added.

We searched the cabin the trio had occupied, ‘but they
had taken all their belongings. Then Zimmerman, who is a
finger-print expert, started taking prints.

“You might find some on this light bulb,”’ offered Gazzaway.
“T gave it to them new, and they (Continued on page 65)

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“All right, get the women and children
out of the way,” McCamant came back,
“we're going to tear that place up with
a machine-gun.”

This brought Will rushing to the offi-
cers; but he denied Knowing anything
about his brother and Hunsucker. The
stone house was again searched and found
deserted; but the premises yielded a
startling clue! Fresh car tracks which
had not been there the day before! Un-
doubtedly they were made by the out-
law’s car, since Will Stanton did not have
one. These tracks were followed twenty
miles over an old road leading through
heavy timber. The trail. was difficult
owing to other cars having passed during
the night. McCamant and Jones were
walking, searching the brush; Reynolds
and Davidson were driving their car,
moving it about thirty yards at a time.
It was a grim march, with the officers
momentarily expecting shooting to start
from ambush.

ho the posse reached an open
glade surrounded by low sparsely tim-
bered hills. The tracks of the bandit car,
which had crossed the glade, were now
plainly visible in the tall thick grass.

“Good death trap for us,” remarke
McCamant.

“We'll make good ‘targets when we get
out there in the open,” said Reynolds. |

“Come on, boys!” said the Sheriff
grimly. “This is the place. Watch your
step and when the time comes, shoot!”

Straining their eyes for some sign of
life from the silent hills, the officers
slowly advanced to the middle of the
glade. Jones was about sixty yards to
the right; McCamant was about the same
distance to the left of it. Davidson and
Reynolds were following with the car.

Suddenly Davidson shouted, “Look out,
Jones, there’s a man over there!”

The next instant a fusillade. of shots
crashed at the car, plugging it in several
laces. The officers who had dropped
into the tall grass vollied a return: fire.
Bullets were whizzing thick and fast, but
with all the advantages to the ambushed
murderers. Suddenly one of them stepped
from the timber, shooting as he came. He
fought until he fell, literally riddled.

The firing was still heavy when Mc-
Camant noticed there was no sign from
the place where Jones was lying. McCam-
ant sprang to his feet and dodging bul-
lets as he ran, dashed to the aid of -his
friend. Jones was stone dead, bleeding
from the head.

After an exchange of one hundred or
more shots, there was no further response
from the hills. Stanton was either dead,
or had escaped. The officers ran to the
spot from which his shots had come, but
all they saw was his car which had been
parked behind some brush. :

While Reynolds took the bodies of Tom
Jones and Glen Hunsucker to the nearest
town, McCamant and Davidson remained
to guard the glade. The next morning
Reynolds was back with more help and the
search was resumed. A man’s footprints
led the posse twenty miles through a
sandy rolling country to a dry grass cov-
ered lake. In the center of this lake a
dog was wandering aimlessly about. As
the officers advanced toward it, a man
jumped up out of the grass and with hands
above his head he ran to meet them. It
was Ed Stanton. He was armed with a
Winchester and two pistols, one of them
a 45 caliber army automatic.

Two days later, Zimmerman, _ Honea
and Goen came to Carrizozo to identify
the body of Hunsucker and to get Stan-

ton, whom they brought back to Texas -

and placed in jail at Amarillo, He stoutly

True Detective Mysteries

denied any connection with the killing
of Sheriff Moseley. woe

Without a confession from Stanton, our
case against him was not complete.
Through the identification of him by Gaz-
zaway, we could place Stanton at the
Happy tourist cabin on the night of the
murder of John Moseley, and prove that
he left. Happy with another man and a
girl, Meeks’ statement,’ which was to
the effect that he heard Stanton and Hun-
sucker boast of having murdered the
Sheriff was strengthened by recovery of
the stolen Krag army rifle from a lake
on the way to Rhome. The bullet which
killed Moseley was found to have been
fired from the .45 caliber automatic: Stan-
ton was carrying when arrested.

D. T. Layton, who witnessed the gun
battle, said there were two men shooting
at the Moseley car,:and that one of
these men advanced to the front of the
car and shot through the windshield, then
hid behind a post while the other robbed
the filling station; but Layton did not
know what either of these men_looked
like. Floyd Ward, after seeing Stanton,
was positive Stanton was not the man
who forced him to fill the Ford car that
night; he identified the body of Glen
Hunsucker ‘as that of his assailant. Since
the matching finger-prints from the Gaz-

zaway camp and the Moseley car belonged”

to Hunsucker, they were no help in prov-
ing anything on Stanton. Our: evidence
was sufficient to place him in Happy on
the fatal night; but it by no means
brought him into the gun battle at Tulia.

We grilled Stanton for ten long days,
but he flatly refused to tell us a thing,
even went so far as to deny that he was
armed when arrested in New Mexico. At
last I hit upon the plan of taking him
from Amarillo to Tulia, in the hope that
his fear of mob violence at that place
might do the work. It did. On the way
he said he would confess if I would not
leave him in Tulia.

TANTON’S confession was long and
tedious. He detailed the trip made

by Glen Hunsucker, Bernice Inman an
himself from Amarillo to Happy and then
on to Tulia. He admitted that they were
followed by Sheriff, Moseley in Tulia, and

, the subsequent’ gun battle, a battle in
which he said he had no part, other than

to try to keep from being illed. He

further stated that after Glen had killed
Moseley he robbed the filling station.
Twenty miles out of Tulia he had parted
company with Hunsucker and the girl and
had hitch-hiked to Quitaque.

He told

Billy tte Kid, famous outlaw of

the Old West. He spent much time

in Lincoln County, New Mexico,

where the Phantom Slayers operated.

His unsavory career undoubtedly en-

couraged present-day bandits to
follow his example

of the trip to Rhome and of Glen’s mur-
dering Brown; then of his own aimless
wanderings through central and east Texas
and New Mexico.

Although in this confession Stanton de-
nied firing a single shot, he admitted that
he was in the thick of the gun battle at
Tulia; and this was all that was needed to
supply the missing link in our evidence.

Stanton’s trial began September 13th,
1933, at Tulia. Owing to the rominence
of Sheriff Moseley and to the hair-raising
elements of the case, the trial was one of
the most sensational ever held in West

_ Texas. The State’s testimony, delineating

incriminating facts as I have narrated
them, together with Stanton’s confession
in which he accommodatingly placed him-
self in the Tulia gun battle, furnished in-
contestable proof that the defendant was
the actual murderer of John Moseley.
He was found guilty and sentenced to
death in the electric chair. He was not
tried for his part in the slaying of Dep-
uty Joe Brown of Rhome. Ida Hun-
sucker was the only one of the group
to answer for this: in June, 1933, she was
sentenced to two years in the state peni-
tentiary. Bernice Inman was never cap-
tured, nor have we heard of her since the
Moseley murder. We will make no state-
ments implying any guilt to her but we
would like to talk with her. Perhaps
when she reads this she will kindly come
forward—perhaps not. _

But this story is not yet finished, Stan-
ton not being the type to take his'death
sentence lying down. In the first place
he was one of the Southwest’s most ex-
Re rsa and desperate criminals. He

ad served two terms in the Texas pen-
itentiary and one at Leavenworth and
had broken jail three times. He appealed
to a higher court and was sent to the pen-
itentiary for safe keeping until a decision
should be rendered. Then in January,
1934, his conviction .was upheld by this
court and Stanton was returned to Tulia
for re-sentencing, but there being some
delay in the proceedings he was placed in
jail at Lubbock. While there he at-
tempted to imitate John Dillinger’s. last
jail escape by making a pistol out of
soap. However, before he got to use it,
a la Dillinger, it was discovered by the
officers.

It was five months before he made an-
other attempt at escape. Then on Sunday,
June 25th, Stanton and three other pris-
oners wedged open two doors in their cell
block, undressed, soaped themselves from:
head to foot and crawled through one of
the narrow openings. When the jailer
came to feed them, they overpowered
him. Taking his gun, they dashed down
into the sheriff’s office. where they seized
several six-shooters and a machine-gun.
Then kidnapping two citizens of the town
who happened’ to be the only persons in
the office, they ran_out of the. building,
found an unlocked Ford and whirled out
of town. is "

gone forty officers started a wild hunt
for the fugitives that covered all sec-
tions of West Texas. The kidnapped men
had been released in a short time but they
could give no help to, the search. Monday
morning the officers got trace of the out-
laws in Lincoln County, New. Mexico,
Stanton’s old haunt. He had been recog-
nized by a forest ranger. ‘The furious
search went on for weeks and did not end
until August 23rd, 1934, when he was cap-
tured in Therma, New Mexico, by Sher-
riff G. R. Fletcher and his deputies. Stan-
ton was at a dance at the time of* his
arrest.

He was taken right on to the death
house in the Texas_ penitentiary, where
he was electrocuted September 28th.

"According to S. S, Story, death watch, Stanton did not-close his eyes dn sleep Thursday
night. He spent the time in wirting Letters and in all he wrote 38 letter to his closest
relatives. ; Many of these letters were to out-of-town relatives. Asked for a statement
Friday morning the prisoner declared he had nothing further for the press. He rested on his
cot in the early hours of the morning. He ate som fried eggs for breakfast, dank a cup of
coffee, and ate a bit of bread, He ate no lunch but’ drank a bottle of soda water. All
during the morning he smoked ‘cigars and even while bidding his relatives farewell held the
cigar in his hand. ‘
"According to Mr, Story and other officer who have’ know Staton say he has made an ideal
prisoner. he always ‘gave way to the requests of the officers and has given no trouble
fhatever. Sheriff Brandenburg also declared the prisoner had-been one of the best men he
had known to be umer death sentence. Father McSweeney declared theprisoner had held up
‘better than any he had ever seen, He has been with “a “number of men convicted for mrder
executed from the scaffold,
"Stanton was convicted in December for killing his’ wife, Naomi Stanton, The killing
occurred at the plant of the Harry Harlan Produce’company on East Main St, Dec, 3. The
testimony &t the trial showed that Stanton fired nine shots at his wife. Seven of these
took effect in her body and she: died in a moment, Three days after the killing the grand
jury returned a bill of indictment. Judge Miller,’ then presiding in criminal district
court No. 2, set the case for trial. Two'weeks’ later the trail began, and after ‘Less ‘than
three days the jury had returned its verdict’ assessing ‘the death- penalty.
"Members of the jury which tried the case were L. K. Stephens, foreman; R, A. Sugart, D. T.
ichburg, Herman Huetchell, W..S. Uhl, A. J. Henr ry De P, Beach, J, B, ‘Wynn, Joe Butler, G.
Re Heer, S, I, Moore and J, BD. Jackson, The jury's verdict was returned Dec, 17. The
case was appealed after Judge Miller had: overruked the motion for -a new trial. It was
affirmed by the higher court on May 28 and thé mandate was received in-Dallas 6-1, «
"Numerous telegrams were sent to Governor ‘Colquitt | Thursday afternoon -and night and Friday
morning, asking that the sentence be commuted bo ‘Llifeimprisonment, Caunty Attorney McCutch-
eon wrote a letter to Governor Colquitt in opposition toa life term and several days. ‘later
issued a statement saying 'let the law take its course,’ ¢
"The letters which Stanton wrote to his friends‘Thursday night were urging them to live
right lives. : He- declared thatGod had ‘saved: his'soul°and wanted all his relatives to’ meet
him in another world. One of the 38 letters he: wrote was to his: brother, . ‘Will Stanton...
eeoThe body of Stanton was taken in charge ‘by the’ ‘Peoples®: Undertaking Ciompany, It will be
held*at the chapel until Satruday afternoon when"Service will’ be held at theCatholic church
on Allen St. Burial will follow immediately, " hig wa jared vars Texas, August i, is
(t/7) Photograph of Stanton and the priest.’

"Two Dallas: negresses were shot’ down! by negroes! Mibsddy3 one eink: inetant Ly. killed with
9 bullets through her body...the latest victim is Naomi: Stanton, ‘27-years-old, who was
killed by her divorced husband, Floyd Stanton, in'the Harry’ Harlan commission house, 2110
East Main St., Tuesday afternoon, Floyd Stanton was’ arrested by Officer Keatts shortly
after the shooting and is being held in’ the county jail-on charges’ of mrder, Stamton
used an automatic pistol and pumped’ all! of'the re ‘steel capped bullets into his former wife's
body, Wot a single shot missed and almost’ any’ one of ‘them would have been sufficient to
cause death, which was almost’ instantaneous.” Stanton, while’ in jail, declared that Naomi
“tanton had come to the store’ arid demanded money from him,” He'said that the'woman, after
he had refused her request, | threatened ‘to’ have’ a’ man beat! him’ up.’ He thereupon drew his
pistal and: commenced shooting, Floyd Stanton ‘ad worked for the Harlan’ company’ for several
years. He was trimming celery ii the rear: of the ‘establishment at’ the time of the shooting
and several employees of the company were eye’witnesses of the affair. Sam Stanton, a bro-
ther of Floyd, was present while Naomi ‘Stanton’ was’ “talking. He’ ‘says that he ran away as
soon as’ the shooting commenced, Examination ‘of* the bedy of the woman at the People's-Under-
taking establishment showed that two‘ bullets’ jhad'-entéredthe left ‘side, one of which pierced
the heart,” three bullets entered her héad,' one’ tore through the re'ck, two took effect in the
ey and one” near thebase of the BS sec pot ‘column, Any ee 9 Dallas, Texasy meee
© (14/7) Som 9 pr taal

aot ode ay iy i es e

158 SOUTHWESTERN 99),
Floyd STANION, black, hanged at Dallas, Texas, on August 1, 1913, for wife murder.

"Repentant and hopéng for forgiveness in the world to come, Floyd Stanton, negro, self-ack-
nowLledged wife slayer, paid the penalty for his crime on the scaffold at 12:02 0 clock Fri-
day. He wasprnounced dead at 12:ll) P.M, For several days Father McSweeney, a well-known
Catholic priest of Dallas, has been in constant attendance on the prisoner, and it was
through the kindly efforts and gentle teachings of this priest, that the negro realized the
enormity of his act, Two days prior to his death he made a written confession, and on the
morning of the day of his execution he declared he was prepared to meet his Maker and
trusted in the mercy of Divine judgment. His fortitude was remarkable, and not by word or
act did he indicate the slightest symptom of a physical breakdown,
"Stanton had been a model prisoner, Throughout his life he had been industrious, Not until
the trouble with his wife and the resulting tragedy had he ever been in any serious trouble,
He won friends among the officers and the prisoners at the ‘county jail. There was a great
crowd around the jail, all morning, About 200 witnessed the execution from the inside of
the building while about 1,000 stood outside.
"Evincing no signs of fear or fright, without.a quiver of the voice or body, Stanton stepped
on the scaffold at lls 58, Sheriff Brandenburg pulled the ‘black cap and placed the noose a-
round the Bocmed man's neck, The trigger which sent the body dangling in the air was pulled
at 12:02 o'clock and Stanton waspronounced dead at 12: 1h ‘by Drs. Hale, Watson and Hendrix,
The neck was broken vaccording to the physicians, During the morning hours many relatives
were around Stanton’ s cell, He conver sed with. them, and frequently a pleasant smile
flowed from his faces He was “in the best of humor and declared he was ready and willing to
die. Stanton spoke a few words from the ‘jail window to the throng which stood on the out-
side of the jail building, He spoke slowly, and without a tremble of the voice, 'Dear —
friends, |. he said, 'l am guilty. of the crime of which I was convicted, I amready and
willing to pay for it, I want you all to be good, | Don't follow in my footsteps, I want
to meet you in heaven, for that's ;where' 1 am.going. Boodbye to you all,' He then stepped
frem the window, He was. taken back then, and, stepped coolly and slowly on to the trap.
I'he straps were placed, and Sheriff Brandenburg then pulled the black cap over the face and
placed thenoose around the neck. He made ho statement from the scaffold,
"Father McSweeney held the first service with the doomed negro about.9 o'clock, The inter-
vening hours until 11 0 "clock was spent by the prisoner in conversing with relatives and
friends, Father McSweeney conducted another service reading the Penitential *salms and a
number of Stanton s favorite verses. A.few moments Later he conducted another service. ;
Then acter the negro was dressed for the execution the farewell service was conducted, At
11:10 o'clock Sheriff Brandenburg enbered the cage with a new black serge suit 6f clothes,
a stiff bosom shirt, a collar and tie. The negro dressed himself, all the time talking with
the officers, Fracmently he smiled, Then at 11:30 he was taken from the cell and allowed
to kiss his relatives good. bye. There were women and children in the crowd and as Stanton
began to bid his last farewells the women, began to cry and scream, It was expected that
Stanton would break down but he did not, The. scene brought tears to many strong men, After
this Pather McSweeney conducted the farewell, service.
"Sheriff Brandenburg began reading the death wanrant at 1lsl0 Oclock. He concluded the
reading of the warrant at 11:7, then the prisoner bade farewell to his relatives, While
the sheriff was reading the warrant Stanton tood erect, He made no move whatever except
for the, batting of his eyes. He, made no statement nor a request to read the warrant him-
self, While walking around the run around in the. cell he showed not a bit of excitement,
he smiled at many of his friends, indicating he was at peace with all the world,
"Sheriff Brandenburg was assisted at the trap by his son who is a deputy sheriff and by
John Chiesa. At the base of the trap Deputies Sheriff Preston, Roberts and Woolsey were in
charge. At times it was difficutl:- to keep the staring crowd from under the scaffold, Dr,
Wm, M,: Hale, Dr, J.. I, Watson and Dr, 0, H. “endrix were present to attend the man, The
body swung after the spring of the trap in the air for 12 minutes. Life was then found to
be extinct. The noo e was undone,and the. body placed in an undertaker's casket. The neck
was- broken, it was found after the physicians, had made a close examination,
"Among the out of town sherrs attending the execution were Sheriff LeeSimmon,Grayson County,
Sheriff Rea, Tarrant County, and Sheriff Wilson of Ellis County, Deputies Bob Thompson and
Buck Williams of Fort Worth were present, and Jailer J, M, Moore, also of Fort Worth. Dep,
U. S. Marshal John Honea was also present, Among the county officials who witnessed the
execution were County Attorney Currie McCutcheon and First Assistant Noah Roark, who Pragey
’

cuted the cases 'I would not ask a jury to give a man the death penalty and run o
said County Attorney McCutfheon, 'for that reason I cametto see the execution,'

STANTON, Floyd, black, hanged Dallas, TX, August 1, 1913.
Transcription of information on 3x5 card.

“Dallas, TX, August 1, 1913- Floyd Stanton, negro, was hanged here in the county
jail today at noon for the murder of his wife last December.”-Star-Telegram, Fort Worth,
TX 8/1/1913, page 2, column 4.

“Dallas, Dec. 3, 1912-Naomi Stanton, a negress, aged 27, was instantly killed this
afternoon at 3:20 o’clock following a quarrel with her divorced husband who is an
employee in an East Dallas commission house. A pistol was used and nine bullets took
effect in the body of the woman. Floyd Stanton, the divorced husband of the woman,
was arrested immediately after the tragedy and is being held on a charge of murder. After
being arrested Stanton made a statement in which he said his divorced wife continued to
‘bleed’ him for money, and when he declined to assist her today she threatened to have
another man call on him.”-News, Dallas, TX, 12/4/1912, page 3, column 4.

Affirmed on appeal: 158 Southwestern 994.

158 SOUTHWESTERN 99),
Floyd STANTON, black, hanged at Dallas, Texas, on August 1, 1913, for wife murder.

"Repentant and hopéng for forgiveness in the world to come, Floyd Stanton, negro, self=ack-
nowLedged wife slayer, paid the penalty for his crime on the scaffold at 12:02 o clock Fri-
day. He wasprnounced dead at 12:1) P.M, For several days Father McSweeney, a well-known
Catholic priest of Dallas, has been in constant attendance on the prisoner, and it was
through the kindly efforts and gentle teachings of this priest, that the negro realzzed the
enormity of his act. Two days prior to his death he made a written confession, and on the
morning of the day of his execution he declared he was prepared to meet his Maker and
trusted in the mercy of Divine judgment. his fortitude was remarkable, and not by word or
act did he indicate the slightest symptom of a physical breakdown, 2
"Stanton had been a model prisoner, Throughout his life he had been industrious, Not until
the trouble with his wife and the resulting tragedy had he ever been in any serious trouble,
He won friends among the officers and the prisoners at the county jail. There was a great
crowd around the jail all morning, About 200 witnessed the execution from the inside of
the building while about 1,000 stood outside.
"Evincing no signs of fear or fright, without a quiver of the voice or body, Stanton stepped
on the scaffold at 11:58, Sheriff Brandenburg pulled the black cap and placed the noose a-
round the doomed man's neck, The trigger which sent the body dangling in the air was pulled
at 12:02 o'clock and Stanton waspronounced dead at 12:1) by Drs, Hale, Watson and Hendrix,
The neck was broken according to the physicians, During the morning hours many relatives
were around Stanton s cell, He conversed with them, and frequently a pleasant smile
flowed from his face. He was in the best of humor and declared he was ready and willing to
die. Stanton spoke a few words from the jail window to the throng which stood on the out-
side of the jail building. He spoke slowly, and without a tremble of the voice, ‘Dear ~
friends,’ he said, 'l am guilty of the crime of which I was convicted, I amready and
willing to pay for it. I want you all to be good,. Don't follow in my footsteps, I1 want
_to meet you in heaven, for that's where I am going. Boodbye to you all,' He then stepped
frem the window. He was taken back then, and stepped coolly and slowly on to the trape
The straps were placed, and Sheriff Brandenburg then pulled the black cap over the face and
placed thenoose around the neck, He made ho. statement from the scaffold.
"Father McSweeney held the first service with the doomed negro about 9 o'clock, The inter-
vening hours until 11 o'clock was spent by the prisoner in conversing with relatives and
friends. Father McSweeney conducted another service reading the Penitential Psalms and a
number of Stanton s favorite verses. A few moments later he conducted another service.
Then after the negro was dressed for the execution the farewell service was conducted. At
11:10 o'clock Sheriff Brandenburg entered the cage with a new black serge suit of clothes,
a stiff bosom shirt, a collar and tie, The negro dressed himself, all the time talking with
the officers, Frequently he smiled, Then at 11:30 he was taken from the cell and allowed
to kiss his relatives good bye, There were women and children in the crowd and as Stanton
began to bid his last farewells the women began to cry and scream, It was expected that
Stanton would break down but he did not. The scene brought tears to many strong men, After
this Pather McSweeney conducted the farewell service. ;
"Sheriff Brandenburg began reading the death wanrant at 11:0 Oclock, He concluded the
reading of the warrant at 1127, then the prisoner bade farewell to his relatives, While
the sheriff was reading the warrant Stanton tood erect, He made no move whatever except
for the batting of his eyes. He made no statement nor a request to read the warrant him-
self, While walking around the run around in the cell he showed not a bit of excitement,
Ke smiled at many of his friends, indicating he was at peace with all the world,

"Sheriff Brandenburg was assisted at the trap by his son who is a deputy sheriff and by
.John Chiesae At the base of the trap Deputies Sheriff Preston, Roberts and Woolsey were in
charge. At times it was difficutl to keep the staring crowd from under the scaffold, Dr,

. Wm, M,: Hale, Dr, J.. T. Watson and Dr. 0, H, “endrix were present to attend the man, The
body swung after the spring of the trap in the air for 12 minutes. Life was then found to
be extinct. The noo e was undone and the body placed in an undertaker's casket, The neck
was- broken, it was found after the physicians had made a close examination, |

"Among the out of town sherrs attending the execution were Sheriff LeeSimmon,Grayson County,
Sheriff Rea, Tarrant County, and Sheriff Wilson of Ellis County, Deputies Bob Thompson and
Buck Williams of Fort Worth were present, and Jailer J, M, Moore, also of Fort Worth. Dep,
U.. S. Marshal John Honea was also present. Among the county officials who witnessed the

execution were County Attorney Currie McCutcheon and First Assistant Noah Roark who Presey
cuted the case. 'I would not ask a jury to give a man the death penalty and t én run off,
said County Attorney McCutéheon, ‘for that reason I cametto see the execution,'!

—

about a special-delivery letter the
postman was trying to deliver T found
Ul thei luegage and personal things
“one. I’m just as glad,” she added. “I
rented it to one couple, not two.”

“You rented it to J. B. Stephens, I
understand.”

“Yes. He and his wife. a right-nice-
appearing couple. But that other wo-
man...’ The landlady'’s mouth set. She
shook her head. “I didn't like the looks
of her.”

Freeland stated his business. She
didn’t seem surprised.

“The other man told me he was D.
M. Smith but I don’t believe that’s his
real name.” she said flatly, “The trunk
that came for the girl. who was sup-
posed to be his wife was shipped to
Kitty Tyson. Either Smith isn’t their
name or they're not married. Maybe
neither couple is. I don't like such
goings-on.”

A I'}W guarded questions gave the
police the gist of the situation and
a description of the missing tenants.
Stephens was young. About 23, the
landlady thought, and a slender, thin-
faced youth. Smith was larger and
older. Mrs. Smith, otherwise called
Kitty Tyson, was a_ brassy-headed,
loud-voiced girl in her late twenties.
“Thes came in after the Stephens
couple had been here a week or so,”
the woman continued. “I don’t like it

but their rent was paid for a month and
I let it go.”

“This trunk you mentioned— how
do you happen to know who it was
shipped to?”

“I know because it came while they
were out and I signed for it.”

“Remember the shipping address?”

“Yes. It came from Brownwood.
There's some other mail,” she went on.
“The postman took the special back
but the other letters came on the reg-
ular delivery before I knew the folks
had gone. They're inside if you'd like
to see them.”

Here was a break they hadn’t hoped
for. Two letters, one addressed to
the Tyson girl, postmarked Brown-
wood and signed “Mom,” and the other
to Dave M. Smith, from Wichita Falls.

Back at Police Headquarters, Free-
land turned once more to the tele-
phone. Could the police at Brownwood,
170 miles to the southwest, tell him
anything about a woman named Kitty
Tyson?

The Chief could and did. She, it
‘eemed, was a town character, a friend
of thieves and bootleggers, and every-
‘hing he knew about her was bad.

“Do vou have a Dave Smith out your
way? A big chap who may or may not
be married to the Tyson girl?”

THe Brownwood chief had a grim

chuckle. “Smith, the national alias!
We've got a Dave Cates who answers
vour description but he dropped out of
ight a few weeks ago. He and the girl,
‘oo, I've been wondering where they
went, What's up, Sheriff?”

Freelana explained briefly, requested
a pick-up if either of the pair returned
and swung back to explain to the man
with whom he was working. The Brown-
wood chief had said Cates had a prison
record. Probably Stephens had, too. On
that chance he wired to the warden at
Huntsville a request for pictures of
these two men.

It was late afternoon when the Sher-
iff and Deputy Wilkerson got back to
Hillsboro. In their absence three things
had developed. Neighbors of Newt Fen-
der had been questioned. On the night
before the robbery they had seen the
Fort Worth taxicab standing in his
yard. And the Model T Ford in which
the bandits fled the Blum community on
the morning of January 26 turned up
on aside street in Waxahachie.
Waxahachie police learned that two
men resembling the fleeing bandits had
boarded a Dallas-bound interurban.

Early Friday Freeland received pri-
son-made pictures of the pair in ques-
tion. Banker Davis and his assistant
identified David Cates, and Freeland,
ivain accompanied by Bob Wilkerson,
drove on to Blum, descending upon the
home of Newt Fender while that mid-
dle-aged farmer was still occupied with
his morning chores.

A public road ran through this place,
separating the house from the barn
lot. Wilkerson went in to talk to Mrs.
Fender, Freeland found the farmer in
the barn and from the first word he
knew the man was lying. Fender said
he didn’t know David Cates. He hadn't
seen his nephew in months. He knew
nothing about any bank robbery. He
was an honest, religious man trying to
make a living for a growing family—
and at this point Freeland cut short
the voluble protestations.

“It's no good, Newt,” the Sheriff said
flatly. “We know Cates is the man who
entered the bank. We’re convinced that
your nephew drove the car. We, know
they have been living in the same
house and playing about together. We
know that the taxi they stole in Fort
Worth and used in the robbery stood
in your yard at eleven o’clock the night
before the robbery and was still here
at five in the morning. Now you have a
houseful of kids. They need you more
than the warden down at Huntsville
does. You know all about this bank
robbery. As sure as you're standing
there you'll be charged if you don’t come
clean and tell me where to find these
men.”

FENDER wilted visibly. “I can’t do
that, Sheriff,” he protested. “I don't
know where they are. I haven’t seen
them since they left here Wednesday
morning. You're right about their be-
ing here—but I didn’t know what they
were going to do. They said the taxi
belonged to a friend and they’d bor-
rowed it.”

Freeland's raised hand cut him short.
“You'll have a tough time convincing a
jury of that, Newt. Your best bet is to
cooperate from now on, as well as you
can.”

Fender sighed. “What can I do,
Sheriff?”

“You can go to Dallas with us,” Free-

land said. “See your niece, Grace Clem-'

ent, and try through her to locate her
brother. She may know where J. B.
is or why he is wanted. If she does, tell
her the best thing to do is to talk him
into surrendering. And then tell us
what you learn from her. If you follow
through on this and do exactly as you
are told you may save yourself a peni-
tentiary stretch. I’m not promising, you
understand, but if you are willing to go
along on this it just might help.”

The abject Fender appeared more
than willing and the officers took him
to Dallas that morning. Freeland again
picked up Simmons and Jones. The city
men Jaughed at him and Jones said
skeptically, “Jim, you don't think Fen-
der will do it, do you? Turn him loose
with that girl and he’ll give the whole
show away.”

Freeland shook a stubborn head. “I
don’t believe it. We take a chance, of
course, but if it fails we’re no worse
off than we are now. And I don't figure
Newt will let us down. He’s got too
much to lose.”

They drove once more to the Oak Cliff
neighborhood. Around the corner from
the Clement house, they let Fender out.
He had been well briefed. From a dis-
tance they watched him enter his
nijece’s home.

XACTLY 30 minutes from the time

Fender first entered they saw him
leave and walk to a corner where he
boarded a street car.

Jones was in favor of taking him off
the trolley. Freeland dissented. “We
told him to meet us. Let’s give him a
chance," he said.

For half an hour they waited. Three
in-bound street cars passed at eight-
minute intervals, then a fourth and a
fifth. Fender had had plenty of time
and still he didn’t come. Sheriff Free-
land took good-natured ribbing as they
waited.

Secretly he grew anxious as still an-
other trolley passed without stopping.
He was about ready to admit he'd been
wrong when one finally stopped and
the man they were waiting for, white
and obviously excited, swung from it
and came across to them, '

“T couldn’t make it any quicker,” he
said nervously. “Grace doesn't know
where J. B. is but she knows the neigh-
borhood. I went out there to look around

and that fellow Cates drove past the
corner where I was waiting. He was
in a big yellow car, brand new or else
it was.a fresh paint job. I turned my
back so he wouldn’t recognize me but
I watched until he turned a corner,
then I walked down that way. I even
went around a block or two thinking I
could spot the car, maybe, but it was
taking so much time I decided I’d bet-
ter come and let you do the hunting.”

Reassuring the nervous Fender,
Freeland took him into the car and they

all rode back. A few minutes’ drive
‘through the section he indicated and

they spotted the yellow car standing

‘in a driveway.

Fender was allowed to leave. The
four officers. quietly surrounded the
house. Jones and Simmons took posi-
tions at the back. Bob Wilkerson kept
an eye on the front. Freeland went up
to the door and rapped.

It opened immediately and David
Cates found himself facing steady gray
eyes and an equally steady gun. ‘“‘We’ve
got you, Cates,” Freeland said evenly.
“The place is covered. You can’t get
away. Do you give up peaceably or
do we take you apart?”

Cates’ hands went up. From across

the street Wilkerson saw them and.

moved in. Simmons and Jones stepped
to the back door just in time to
catch a panic-stricken’ younger man
who all but fell into their arms. It was
J. B. Stephens. Inside the house they
found his wife, Cates’ girl, Kitty Ty-
son, and another young woman who
proved to be her sister.

THE two men admitted the robbery.
Both declared that. the women had
no part in it. Cates’ share of the loot,
less what he had spent for the flashy
car, was found on the premises, in a
hiding-place he disclosed, in his pocket
and in the handbags of the Tyson wo-
men. Stephens’ pockets were practi-
cally empty. His wife’s bag contained
only a small amount of loose change.
He had given his portion to a friend
for safe-keeping, he said.

A hasty long-distance call brought
Kelly Rush with reinforcements and
a second car. The five prisoners were
taken to Hillsboro that night. The men
talked readily, freely admitting the
robbery.

The money Stephen had given to his
friend never was recovered.

The two women were released. Tried
for robbery with firearms, Cates and
Stephens were found guilty and given
long prison terms.

They were taken to Huntsville in
May, 1933. Jim Freeland thought the
case was closed, turned to other mat-
ters and didn’t know when a district
judge out in west Texas issued a bench
warrant that allowed the sheriff of
Lubbock County to take Stephens from
the prison to be tried on a hi-jacking

that had preceded the Covington raid.

A year rolled around. It was May
again, then June, and far out in Lub-
bock three men staged a sensational
jail break withall the trimmings that

made headlines from one end of the .

country to the other. One of them was
J. B. Stephens. .

Three days later a young man en-
tered the First State Bank of Coving-
ton, herded the employes into the vault
and walked out with m@re than $1600.

Stephens! The name flashed into the
Sheriff's mind as word reached his
Hillsboro office. But M. T. Davis, the
official on duty at the bank at this
time, studied Stephens’ picture and
shook his head.

‘*THAT'S not the man,” he said. “I
saw him plainly.”

However, pictures of the two men
who had escaped with Stephens, Carl
Barry and Eric Thomas, were shown to
Davis and he _ identified Thomas
immediately.

“Stephens has: relatives in Waxa-
hachie and Houston,” Freeland said.
He pulled the telephone close. “I’m go-
ing to set a watch over their homes.
If it doesn’t work we haven't lost any-
thing.” :

But it did work. Stephens was cap-
tured in Houston, near a relative’s
home, late that night.

Barry and Thomas escaped from

Houston but were captured later in
New Mexico. Barry, already sen-

tenced to death at the time of his es- 9%
cape and his appeal forfeit, was re- —

turned, to Huntsville where he died in
the electric chair on September 28, 1934.

Eric Thomas, brought before a Hill>
County grand jury, was indicted for
robbery with firearms but he was never
tried..It was deemed unnecessary since -

as an habitual criminal.

f
NCE more; insofar as J. B. Stephens. ~

was concerned, peace descended
upon Hill County. But the saga was not

finished. On December 23, 1943, a cold _

and sunless day, he escaped once more,

from Huntsville this time, and word «'

reached Hillsboro just about dusk.

the Stephens dossier, again telephoned
both Waxahachie and Houston.

Deputy Jess White passed the home
of Stephens’ relatives in Waxahachie
three nights later and saw a car stand-
ing out in-front. These people, he knew,
didn’t own an automobile. He circled
back just in time to see: the car pull
out from the curb and head in the
direction of Fort Worth.

White was too shrewd not to know
the chance he took when he followed.
There was no time to summon help,
He overtook the car about a mile and
a half down the road. Cutting ahead,.
he forced it to the side of the road.
Though he didn’t recognize Stephens
he was sure of the man’s identity when
a slender young fellow with a hat pulled
low over his eyes got out of the car.

Holding him, gun pressed between
his shoulders, White felt through his
clothing. His right coat pocket held-a
loaded revolver. A pair of brass
knuckles was tucked into the waist-
band of his trousers..

THE deputy emptied the gun, dropped _

it behind the front seat of his car
beside his own rifle and ordered the
prisoners in. Stephens complied with-

-out protest—and Jess White died that

night. Died because in spite of his
precaution he had failed to find. the
small automatic the man carried -be-
neath the brass knuckles. As they
neared the center of town Stephens
suddenly drew this gun. White caught
the movement too late. His answering
shot tore through the prisoner’s left
leg. In the brief struggle the car
crashed into a gully far off the road
and overturned.

Somehow the desperate Stephens
managed to crawl out of it, dragging
White’s Winchester with him. Once
on the ground, he found he couldn’t
stand. The crash drew residents close
by from their homes. ‘They. rushed out,
eager to help, and found themselves
facing a rifle and a deadly voice that
ordered them back. .

- Minutes passed while the wounded

convict, automatic in hand and rifle’

across his knees, held off more than a
score of persons. | ; f

A man named Paul Murdock was
walking home from town with his little

. son. The enterprising youngster darted

out in front of the crowd.

As the gun came to rest on the child,
his father leaped for the man who held
it

"The gun sailed through the air, leav- .

ing the killer helpless in Murdock’s
grasp. He surrendered without a
struggle, mouthing a whimpering plea
that he had shot Deputy White in self-
defense. . ; .
Jess White died in the ambulance.
Stephens spent several days in the
hospital and on January 8, 1944, he
faced a grand jury that promptly in-

dicted him for murder in the first de- .

gree. ,

Justice moved swiftly and surely. He
was tried two, weeks later and testi-
mony was introduced to show that he
already was serving three terms. He
was convicted; his attorneys made the
customary appeal. It was rejected and
he died in the electric chair on Novem-
ber 20, 1944..

In this story the names Kitty Tyson,
Newt Fender, Carl Barry, Eric Thomas
and Grace and Harry Clement are
fictitious. . .

THE HOUSTON POST. ///5/

09 (13:5 )

UCK
VING”
STORY

E] Campo Cotton Crop
Practically Harvested
Houston Post Spectal.
CAMEO, Nov, 17. -— The
ropoya practicoally all in im thts
the wtotal

Danevang and

Tenras,

here,
tulle

sinned

10,000 bales

> than expected before
theugh if ms cons
of what should have

.
all harvested

ep is about
sore fa be threshed,
the continued wet
y the ries in the
are osatd to be de

~orit

ortce vield
milywand the

tae

Tow wnat it

‘som

scall ed

wround the pubhe

Aged Baptist Minister
Passes at North Zulch

NORMANGER, Texas, Nov, 17—Rev.
A. T. Farrar, age SO years, a Baptist
preacher of great prominence, died at
the home of his son, R. NM.
North Zulch.

The deceased Is survived by

Farrar, in

a wid-

ow and six children, all of whom are
Srown and married. Rev. Farrar was

a ploneer preacher of Madison count 1 ll

and aman of great learning.

LIMIT AUTO SPEED.
Houston*Post Special
SMITHVILLE, Texas, Now. 17.--Ctry
council has passed an ordinance limit.
Ing the speed of autos on the
schools to eigh
Hving a penalty ff

streets
tiles
ano hour and the
Violation i

Slow sign boards have been pu
at all the street crossings warning
drivers to slow down,

The crowded condition of the schoo!
gkrounds Was the reason the Jaw was

TEMPLE LIONS INSTALL.
Houston Post Spectal.

TEMPLE, Texas, Nov, i.—New of-

Ticers Were inaugurated by the Lions
elab this week us follows: Dr J. M
MM urphy, preafdent: W. KK. Wingdeld.

Charles) W. In-

t vice-president:

gram, second vicerprasident: J. 1,
Ronmner, third vieb-president: Andrew
vecretary-treasurer; John A

McBeath. x
Cole, tniiee

VICTORIA ROADS PASSABLE.

VICTORIA,
the execdption:
Pasty (WO Weeks,
Victorfa county
uloodtrectlons are good However
Crossing the county dine inte
Jackson and gotng east the roads are
impassable.

Nov. 17.—Despite
rains Qk Che
conditions tn

Texas,
heavy
read
to the county

pirves ott

iffer

pud made if even more disap.
. Rene ny te the farminer,
kson Dies |
| TICK WORK PROGRESSES.
neile nts BIIINEEAM. Texas, Now. 17.--A. tt
ed 0% piss !. sper Nisor oof tOK eradication
vouok no oW nafiiug en ceunty, reports
tA AOL BS THTESETT TTT | thas fe, Dyuaetnas
{othe sie u ‘ hot bers cattle were
ecatled op ! toothed ormiy ash euatie showed tm
ret ’ ' Vito this rete the county wall
Horse rsp Pawo be free of Che cattle lick
ns te JOINT CLUBS MEETING.
tra: he Houston Post Specun
he St SeeMPLEL Vexus, Now 17, -- Lions
foods ie ik a wail ‘
~ MTepe etn fas
is tfow Banh
“ wr bales ae
: an HeSaAN | Temp. Gro of tnspection,
s b tea ae
a he wae tae ANGELINA LEGION ELECTS.
Le tte ss LUPFRIN. Texas. Now. t7.--The An-
’ reverses | awe lica Aner iy Leg Post cleetead
643 J Besar Hawthorne pest eomoimarehaa@ cat
Yrest, thre t wucar Tur sdas gh MeeOl ny
nev & oP Tragat eves
s and ver der, George wiluta: uric
MooSimith, serpretart is
7 9
\LARIES,
to—-Satary |
Tole ge of In-
Was xed
rdf control
increase of
dears of that
laries of the
Tarietor AR
! > and
diary of the
Prairie View
reased fron
Seah of the

if Boy

OOO Mee

: = Ke
ody
Water .
ha "
=a ray 4 ir
a we

woeuek =

bee wis ee pes

< AN expart
yee Jetty we a
eSeful sisters

1 for
Officer

ectal

Nov 7A
here vester-
OTRO ATIOR OF

|
|
|

iondeenoueie

—<<7 ATURDAY—a
j Wi
i st dren's Wear St

erately priced.

COATS FOR THE JUVENTI

Galveston Officials
Go After Bootleggers

Associated Press Report.
GALVESTON, Texas, Nov, 17.—City
officials Friday were preparing ‘to en
force ordinanoes closing soft drink
stands and providing for the dismisaal

MAN HANGED.
“McKINNEY, Texas, Nov. 17.--Ezel!
Stepp, charged with the murder of
Hardy Mills, was hanged here today.

Stepp went to his death at 11:22
o'clock thts morning. ’
Mills’ body was found in an aban-
doved well September 16, 1921, after

he had been missing 14 days

CORSICANA FARMER DOIES,
Houston Post Special.
CORSICANA, ‘Texas, Nov.
AV; Martin, 62, a well
r of the Wortham community,
died in @ local sanitarfum, His wife
and seyeral children survive.

Fire Kalls 23 Horses
And Mules at Dallas

Associated Press Report.”

DALLAS, Texas, Nov. 17.—Fire in
the ban of the Klerkold Ice company
early Friday caused the death of 23
horses and mules. Destruction of the
barn amounted to an’ estimated loas
pf $10,000, while a like surh was‘said
be lost in the burning of the ant-
Is. The fire apparently originated
i loft where hay and grain was

QEFENDANT WINNER.
“Houston Post Special.

CENTER, Texas, Nov. 17.—In_ the
injunction case of Miller et al vs.
Live Stock Sanitary commission, the;
motion of the defendant was upheld

and the case dlamissed. Appeal

taken tow "higher court.

was

githonnice can national con-
ention of the French radical party
Friday adopted a platform advocating
international capitalization of the Ger-
man reparations debt through the Is-

suance of bonds. -*

Any guaranteed Oak Closet
delivered for

Preston 96-1132 “#

CLOSET SEAT SALE

Use the “GREEN CAR SERVICES for Repairs
to Your Plumbing Fixtures

J. B. COLLINS COMPANY

Seat in our stock = So. 50

1210 Congress ve,

Bring the Childre

holiday—we always
feature Children’s Apparel in our big Chil-

school

ore on the fifth floor.

Garments that have those up-to-date style features
that every growing girl is so anxious for—and mod-

DRESSES FOR THE

GROW-

GIRLS

Mos of the Coats are full
lined: materials are Broadcloth,
Velour, Bolivia, Zibalines: Vek 4
dine and Wool! Mixtures; in the
mannish and fancy styles; many 4

are shown with fur collars,
Sizes 8 to 14 years.

$7.95 to ™ $75. 00
COATS FOR. THE SMALL
MISS—Of Broadcloth, Velour,

‘Chinchilla, Veldire; some plain
tailored, others in the dressier
models; colors are brown, re{n-
deer, Pekin, Burgundy and Java

ING GIRLS—Materials are wool
jersey, wool crepe, serges,
Polret twill and velvets; in the
cegulation and long waist styles;>
some have touches of handwork,
others trimmed in contrasting

colors; sizes 8 to 14 $42.50

years; $13.60 to....

SWEATERS FOR GIRLS—In
the close knit weave; with col-
lar; pockets and belt; colors are
tan, navy, brown and cardinal:
ma very charming assortment to

Sizes 2 to 6 years. ;
awe tn 45.00

choose from; extrd fine val-

ues; ages $7 95

On oe rr e
Fifth Floor

GIRLS @
GIRLS

JIMMIE

oe tststet 66 tststat S64

a
°

(mm oOoo

MATINEE

Respo onsible' for Pes ce,

ng oe

apie a hig j country did rie :
‘conten Be n

missing. two: with: a Pw
f: three. and:towed. wed ‘wafety.

: Books ee Be na render
‘Clarence: er: ven me
G ‘pena

seater e Cameron,

> prestige. selaryroae§
moant: attended, the’ dirth

=—{Cofiel, Jarrell.

ions. ‘Overeuled”. an
° errult ec metendes wsottone:
7 verance and: - centinuance,:
foie j- McMillan impaneled the
following ary ‘to try Branton and

Lampasas:
e, Driftwood; W..B. Bow-
scarp ines Henry H. . West,

ct Ernest: McElrey- Austin: 1B. An-

Mason;

MWe: Jennings,
; vis, HRI; |
\ Joe’ Radotinsky, Kansas athe are

ness, told ‘the jury ~ his -Marmon.

sit

a City, In September 1930.

Car’ PoundcHere:
“Mrs. Mary’ A...Cole of: 7 "Kansas.

to her brother,'. Fred. McC ullough, :
| disappeared Ndv. 28, 1930" and’later
Lwas-recoxered in Austin. vA
spector of ‘weights and: meast es
testified that\his Ford coupe; dis-—
‘appeared: Dec. \ 40; 1930 within: Fone:
hour after: ‘he, left: it parked on* @&

Blanco: O: LE. Brady, Rtound. Rock; -
wa drewartha, Lockhart? O. V. Mbssey, |
Caldwell; S. M: Loeffler,’ Masen?;°M.
zane. > George:
‘lehitect: and first government. wit-.| |

roadster disappeared from. een

Ji ¥. ‘Hogan of Havikas Cite satd.
Bul ed 2

{bers which) have reached him, ey ‘in preliminaries to trial of the cane,

‘}group of dry leadérs ‘that jhe® would

| oat gaid:a Ford coach helonging :

‘John B. Crowe, Kansas City, ao

the . pending referendum has
“<Ebrought about: among, FOUN ‘com=
mittees.” :
» One of the points. | enised: “was
how fiinds-should be supplied for
hoiding the réferendum. . After: ®
number of counties had indicated
they: would not stand thi cost ait
printing. the prohibition: ballot, |
annountement wis made that
executive comrmnittes planned |
bear this: expanse, Doubt Btil
prevailed. in’ some: éircles heré,
however;-as to whether the « wate
organization weuld > “have sufficient
funds (to. meet any? other, Re
that would: he involved: : ;
Collins expressed” pellet. AS “ma-
jority of the comnitttes: would va
rescinding. the referendum.» orders
He. based “his opinion’ on- exprts-
sions from other cdmmittee memn-=_

ng
‘to

Huggins . «recenily Piast

rectly and recently
not call -the committee together tp. J
rescind its: adétion. * He took ‘the
position then he was not in ae “par.
Hamentary | ‘position: to do 89,

Gp ati

ae CAR KILLS: BOY.

“FORT. WORTH {June - 22. py
Soule Robertson, 9: was killed when

trial¢ ¢€
attorne
questig
own
Requait
friends
ney. -
Afte
had he
tifte, u
inen in
likely +
verdict
pbs: y
thiake.
The ¢
i they, Wi
stain. ts
f urors
ot }distrt
rigtit
"The
one irg
the ap
tri. ite
trial RE
questit
The
W. oR.
yeark
In’ Witt
Young
ing of
Worth
near

ouster suit today plann 6
motion setkitizg uamavin sean
{Martin of Wichita. Falls fram the
staff of the attorney. general jn the
Ag of the CAaBné,

artin’a removal was sought *
terday (By ithe Citles Hersice ar
., company’ and the Texas @ Pacific
Mlreoal and Of. tompany on the
ground he hid heen employed” by
‘the Qinker-: State Off com hein “AT
Pennsylvania and others

0 ea] t
Atty. Gen. James V, :

against 150i companies and two
oll associations.

The nfotion of.the defendanta Was
onan by Dist. Judge JOD. Moore

on+ state's Gemurrer that it- he
not£Been sworn to and-> was |
prfigerly supported: by affidavite
@- Martin has ben assisting A}lred

Special.exceptions to the- ete n
second amended ‘original petition
have been under considération sev-
erak Weeksa ci,

+o o

ies FARMER JAILED

° MCKINNEY, June 22—(UP)—
“win ¥,- Vaughn, 47, farmer, is in
4 jail here and Charles= Lane, 46,
garage operator, is dedd as the
result. of a shooting jate: yesterday

struck « by a woman: Motorist pete

en, Coe

at Wylie in front of a grocery st gr ien, C
ted ing Bi

Recuony ere, ‘on. Page si fhe

ne “.

» eg’ Ee Snadioining Lane’ s garage.

dina
Frank
those
been a
+}* Rich
Johnse
death
durft's
Was a
recent

‘ttion d

a Working 00: a “elue! ‘that. ‘involves.
& motive other than robbery: for the.

iS brdedas ‘night kidnaping and “sla

jing of UBS ritarabos 55, |W te
Austin ‘negro- undertaker, Sheriff
Coley. White announced. Wednesday,

“| was: being questioned cpeee ie ‘con-,
nection: She the case,, : Ne

lestomobile, near Dawson, Moses ‘22°
Miles. west of ES rate about tre
m. Wednesday by passing motor~
lists, according to. reports © froth.
| Corsicana. county. He: had» been”
} jehot as well. as severely beaten.” 5
% Rhambo- not: been: seen. gince :
bout 9:30..p:.. m.-Tuesday when. a.
negro-came to the undertak-
ata bilabrsent. ‘and bout tive:
bo to. rege with him’ about fiy
‘Round:

A Felative! ‘of his ‘had area, fe pair |
jleft. in Rha Hog. Bt Buick,sedan, em-*
1

“that a Texarkana negror}

ing: ‘patlor< at’

ployes at. ‘sae i
‘street: eat k te sont mF 4

603. Néches

a “Subposition ¢ thvestigating of-"
ficers is) that Rtnambe ‘was. kid-
naped by the caller and possible ace

rcomplices and forced to accompany

{near Dawson to’kill “him had not
been’ deterniined.-
Corsicana said: ‘the Rhambo bedan’
was wrecked. » Chand ee, 4
Robbery’ was: scouted. a Sheriff.
White as a “motive: ,for. 2Rhambo's
death. Also reports ‘from Gorsicana”
said Rhambo's large diamond. ring |w
was unmolested. B bver ik: White said

them, Whether he was beaten> and}
‘{slain-en route and left ‘dead dn the
‘tear: or whether his abdt
waited “untll they, reached the spot.

“Reports -froni®

negro
conned
ing.
Caldw
yenue,
Hunts
pexecut
urday
repri
positi¢
on ap

The. negro whe ‘appeared at the
undertaking- parlor Tuesday night
‘s described as being about 25 or
years of age, five feet eight or
nine» inches”: tall, and” weighing
about 135 té.150 pounds. He was
Gressed, in ‘Bray suit and. panama

Sheritt White at noon was en-
Soevoting AOR ee! to. estnblish telephone
i¢ation with

Revehouse of Navarro county,
where-“Rhambo's body was found,
but:Pevehouse had not returned to
his<office. ‘from Dawson where he
went to. investigate the “Austin
negro'’s’ death.

Rhambo is treasurer of the Texas‘
Négro Undertakers’ association and

was well. known “among: “Austin
negroes.:. Described as. well-to-do,
Rhambo was said to carry. large

.. ¥ |umes, ©

sume of money ‘on Ais person at

Metadata

Containers:: Box 39 (2-Documentation of Executions), Folder 11
Resource Type:: Document
Description:: F. M. Snow executed on 1927-08-12 in Texas (TX)
Rights:: In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Date Uploaded:: July 4, 2019

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