The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-10-05
TIE TRUITT.MIronELL TRAGEDY.
A Man Eighty Years of age EXpai Hates
His Crime on The GAIIows.
His Son Loses His Life la nm Attempt
10 Convey Poison 10 Him.

| crawling on the ground, ana not KNOW
ing how many were concealed IN the
brush near by, fired, and the motion
less object that remained on the
ground told too plainly the unerring
aim Of the sentinel. Daylight revealed
the fact that the victim was Je1.
Mitchell. The young man was In
STOPPING posture, u double barrelled
shotgun, tightly clenched in his hands,
and a Colts dragOon buckled around
his waist, as though determined upon
saving his father from an ignominious
death on the scaflold. The body was
carefully lifted and carried to the court
house, where an investigation was
held. In his pants pocket was a three
ounce vial of laudanum tied up in Il rag
in such manner that it could be tas-
tened to string that might be let
down from one Of the gratings above.
The top of his head was blown off
by the heavy charge of buckshot fired
ut him. JEFF was one of the youngest
sons of Nelson Mitchell, and probably
about tWenty-one years of age. Ills
intention was to convey the poison TO
the old man Mt the risk of his life;
whether his motive was TO kill any of
the guard Is, OF course, unknown. His
horse was found hitched in the edge
of town, his hat and shoes tied to the
saddle. At the request OF the father,
the body was taken to the Jail, so that
he might take a last look at his boy.
He stood Mt the grating, and gave or
ders to raise the coffin SO that he could
see the wound. "Yes,n said he, 81 did
wrong; | wanted little laudanum and
told his mother TO send him here to-
night, and he sacrificed his life in
obeying my instructions. He was n
brave boy, and faced those guns with
out fear. There's not n drop of cow
ardly blood in that box. Take him
home to his MOTHER it was my fault"
1t was ascertained that old man
Mitchell had possession of Il pistol,
which had been sent up from the out
side, few nights previous to JefPs
last visit, and that he intended to kill
the sheriff. The jailor made peremp-
tory demand for the weapon, and had
to threaten that he would burn them
ont before the pistol was given up.
AT an early hour yesterday morning
crowds of people began pouring into
town from all directions; many from
distant counties, to witness the execu-
ton of Nelson Mitchell. The crowd
was estimated ut four thousand.
On Wednesday night the doomed
man made several attempts to hang
himself in his cell by means Off chain
which he had torn from the door, but
each time he looped the chain about
his neck his nerves failed him, thus he
passed the night In cursing the Sher-
itf and guard aud In bitter recrimina-
tons for the death of his son, who was
killed the night previous. On Thurs
day morning he was more calm, and
complained of feeling very bad. The
last night guard was stationed in tho
cell to prevent any attempt at self-de-
siruction. The doomed man slept
about one-half the night and the rest
of the time was spent in bitter denun-
Citations.
AT daylight he was in u better frame
of mind and ate n hearty breakfast, af-
ter which Elder HARRISON and Parson
Robinson visited him and administer
ed to his spiritual welfare. About one
O'Clock the wagon arrived at the Jail,
and bidding farewell TO his fellow pris-
oners, he was escorted to seat on his
coffin, which he occupied until he ar
rived ut the gallows. This consisted
of two upright posts and n cross bar.
The rope was loOped about his neck
and fastened above, when he arose and
calmly addressed the assembled multi
tude AS follows
Ladies' and Gentlemen:
al wish to address the young folks
present; lwant to give II dying decla-
ration. ! am here condemned to death.
| must be Samson, else would not be
bound with chains. | want to know
| If James Truitt and old man Truitt are
on the ground. want them to come
| forward so that | can point my finger
ut them ana say that every word jim
| 'rruitt swore was II lie do not Justify
my son, but he is al ambitious, high
strung man and would not see his faith
err imposed upon. Mr.. Truitt built up
the trouble and has caused it all.n
Here followed minute detail of the
original cause of the trouble between
the families in which he affirmed that
old man Truitt had swindled him out
of about one thousand dollars.
81 do not wish To say much. | want
to go home to my wife tonight.
have been confined in jni eighteen
months, and want to go home to her
II corpse tonight. | believe in Christ
and am not afraid to meet my Maker"
Here he related the proceedings of
law case in which Millwee was attor-
ney against him, aud in which he act
| oh yprv hnnaatlu N rafnuin, IA t,,k az,
much as the Judgment of the court al.
| lowed.
"My friends, for suppose l have
some friends here, false swearing
placed me on this coffin, and you have
no idea of what have endured from
the aggI avatione of the Truths. ask
the ladies to excuse me, for my feelings
are u little excited. want to say that
Mr.. Shaw IL innocent. have no par
ticular regard for him, but he had no
no hand in the killing was
with me, one hundred and eighty
yards away; / did not hunt after the
| FRUITS. | can excuse Governor Coke
for not granting q pardon or commut-
ing my sentence. | suppose 1t was
necessary to make an example of me.
want to know of Mr.. Wright If he
was informed that JEFF was coming to
the Jail on the night he was killed ?"'
Mr.. Wright assured him that he had
no knowledge of his coming. "Well,
there Is u lie out. Now, young men,
be wary of the company you keep.
When you find a man to be dishonest,
shun him. If had never let old man
Truitt get the advantage Of me, there
would have been no trouble. l want
the rope loose; / am not going to run
away, but want to sit DOWN.
The rope being loosened 80 that he
"A s,t lnxrn Ia ,,ula N rnnnnot that