Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1856-06-07
Letter IRON M. Mary Bla.lnTsms.


~ IN Justice 10 The memory Of my murdered
husband and son, To lay all the facts before an
enlightened community, that they may PISS
censnTe upon whom censufe is due. You will
therefore, confer great favor upon distressed
widow, by Publishing the following facts.
Woodson and CALVIN Bassingame, who
were murdered by mob ON the Blanco, on
the l1lh Of last month"; the former was my
husband, and the latter my son. My son Cal.
YIN, who had been living with ], II, Callahan,
went To his (Callahansl house, on the Sih day
Of April last, TO have a settlement with him,
when my sou said that Callahan told him that
his father, Woodson Basingame, had been
talking disrespeciful of him and his family.
That he, Woodson Blasngame, had said that
his, (Caiiahnn's expedition TO Mexico was
more for plumber thar anything else. Calvin
told him, that he did not think his father had
ever said any such thing. nor had he spoke
dsrespeclful oi him or his family, il he had, he
rerninly would have heard him, md asked
Callahan for his author, which Callahan re-
fused TO give, and said 10 CALVIN that he did
not want him and his father TO DENY il, for il
would do no good, md also said that h" did
mi wish him and his brother to take up for
their father, ms he had norhng against either
Of them, but if they took their fathers part, no
could whip n cavnynrd of them. and for CAL
win TO tell his father to meet him on the half.
way ground. that evening, II he did not, he,
Callahan wonld get his witness and come TO
his house that evening or next morning. Cal.
vim then started home, when Callahan follow.
ed him and again told him to tell his father to
meet him on the halfway ground, that he did
/ nj ,piSh tn trU m a mn G hnuSa n I'm dill
6cultv, but II his father did not meet HIM, he
should certainly come to his house: that he had
intended going COW hunting but he had no
tied; that he had rather die than live under
such charges. and that he would either kill or
be killed. Some hour or two afterwards, Cal.
vim came home and told his father the word
that Callahan had sent him. J. II. Callahan
Maalheel Johs6h, Glenn. Kinds, and Thos.
Johnson al armed with six shooters, and Maui
heel Johnson, with rife, rode up to the fence
aud hailed. When | went to the door, Gala
han asked me if my husband and Calvin were
at home? | answered in the affirmative.
About that time the firing commenced, and j,
n. Callahan and Manlheel johnson, were
killed. and Glen. Kinds wounded. This took
Mace in the afternoon, and nv husband and son
made No effort TO escape, although they hnu
all chan es. but remained Mt home until the
next day, when they together With myself,
were arrested and carried before Justice Long,
when fhe tfia' was postponed until Monday
afterwards. We were all carried to Justice
Longs house, and guarded by large number
of men, We all expressed ourselves willing
to he tried bv the laws of orr coantFv. On
Sunday night everything defensive was ia-
ken out by one Of the guard; such as knives,
chairs, stools, even to the fire-stick, when
Wood>on Basingame observed to the guard;
10 leave him something to defend himself wirh.
One guard had been stationed ull the rt7tn
in the in side of the house, at the door. In
the night stss it'.iiv-i sss - 60
the outside, when the guard asked him what
he wanted? He answered that he had come
to relieve him. The guard then went out OF
fhe house, shutting the door after him. after u
few minutes whispering near the door, the
door was again opened, and three men made
their appearance; two remuined at the door,
and one came in and went to the fire, and
gathering piece of fire, came and examined
around tn bed where my husband, son, and
myself, were lying He then ordered us sey-
era| times to get up and 90 out Of the house.
then commenced screaming, and calling OH
Esqr. Long, for asSista ce protection, also
begging not to be murdered; pleading that we
were willing to- abide the laws of our country
had hold Of my husband by the arm, and he
had hold Of me in like manner. The individ
ual Their caught me by the feet, and tried to
pull me loose from my husband, ordering me
to hush following, that did not know what |
was screaming about; not succeeding in getting
me loose from my husband he le, go and
tho lnrr nd cnolo RI tho othpr
men, and asked them why they did not come
in as they had promised to do, when all three
came to the bed, and the first individual again
tried to break me loose from my husband, by
pulling at my feet. No, succeeding, he came
me twice on the cheek and caught me by The
throat and choked me until quit following,
and also broke me loose from my husband;
they then dragged my husband out of the door
and returned and dragged my son out; my
husband never spoke, but my son called on
them not to murder him, and asked what
harm he had done to one of them that they
should wish to murder him! So soon as they
and ran for the river had got shor, dis
lance from the house, when | heard six or
eight guns fire. then crossed the river aud
got into thicket, and there remained until
morning, when was found by Mr.. Ed. Bur-
Lesson and carried to Mr.. Georges house, at
which place was tried, before Esq'rs Harmon
and Long, and sent to Jail in New Braunfeis
where was imprisoned, until was taken out
by writ of habes corpus, and carried to
San Antonio. before his honor Judge Devne,
where the matter was investigated, and was
liberated BY his honor Judge Devoe, there be-
ing no grounds for my detention.
Twill here take occasion to state that Wes-
lev Callahan, son Of j. H. Callahan, was
sworn. a1d,bis evidence coroborated with what
Calvin BIasingame, told his father; and that
his Wesley's father, shot off his six shooter,
and reloaded it just before starting to my hus-