The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1878-05-18
MURDER MOST FOUL,
The Preston Murder Case, which
Happened Ia Montague County Ia
1870, Ia tho supreme Court- Details
OF she Horrible Ansir,

| ''s' We sf'''h So h't' 'NthRs
Old man England was Baptlst
preacher, but did not depend upon his
calling for support, but with the aid
OF his sons made y comfortable living
by hard toll on his farm. One bright
moonlight night In the month and
year above named, three men ap'
preached the house, and stepping ups
on the porch, ordered the
Oldest sou, Sam, who was
sitting In front to go into the
house, ut the same time presenting
their pIstols Mt him. The young man,
terror.stricken ut such proceedings,
complied, and one OF the men fol-
lowed him INTO the house. The family
had not retired, and on going
to the room Ia which they were sit
ting, the men began shooting promls>
cuously at them, hitting the mother In
the body, who ran out In the yard,
closely puraued by the murderous
fiends. While her mother was run.
ming, her daughter, girl some seven.
teen years old, called out to her, "old
Krebbs Ia shooting me-" and the next
instant she lay corpse on the ground,
shot through and through.
The mother stumbled and fell, and
her pursuer thinking that she was
dead, abandoned his work and returned
to his comrades. Regaining her feet In
her bewilderment she ran through the
house, and while doing 80 saw one of
the men cutting the throat Of her aged
husband who sat In chair. She ran
~ fast AZ she could to u neighbours,
where she related, as best she could,
the terrible occurrence, and soon the
shocking news spread like wildfre
over the country.
A body OF thirty armed men were
soon upon the scene, where they found
the murdered bodies OF the old man,
his daughter and youngest son, who
had also been slaughtered. Strange to
relate, the eldest son had escaped
without being 30 much NJ shot at,
making his way safely to II neigh.
boris house.
The iaan named Krebbs,
whose name called out by the
dying girl, lived about quar-
ter of a mile from the murdered fam
lily, and it was well known fact in
that neighborhood that he entertained
any but friendly feelings towards
England's family. Boarding at his
house at the time, was a young man
named Taylor and man named
Preston who owned a plantation In
that neighborhood, but his wife hav.
ing died he had lived about
in different places, spending a
part of his time at Krebb's. Mrs.
England died the next day, but before
her death she made dying declara.
ton that the murderers were Krebbs
and Preston, or "a Dutchman and
tall young man with light moustaohe."
The son that escaped said that he
did not recognize In the murderers
either Krebbs, Preston or young
man named Zachariah Taylor,
who was suspected as being the one
referred to by Mrs. England, but did
recognize in the person an older
brother OF young Taylor. Hearing Of
this the three men accused, went to
the home of the murdered family
while the armed force were yet there
and presented themselves, when they
were arrested and held for trial.
1t was stated by witnesses in the
trial that Preston and Krebbs
had blood on their shirt fronts. Be-
fore Mrs. England died the one called
the "Dutchman" was carried before
her but she failed to recognize him as
being one of the murderers. Preston
begged to be taken before the woman
but from some unknown reason 1t was
never done. Tracks were found lead
ing from the house which were traced
to that of Krebbs, and the shoes worn
by the eldest Taylor corresponded ex-
actly with them.
Old man England had, but short
time before he met his horrible death,
preached the funeral sermon of the
wife of Preston. Krebbs' wife and
children, and number of children
visiting the house, swore that the three
accused men were at home at the time
OF the shooting, which they all dis
tinctly heard.
Old man England was an outspoken
man and had been denouncer Of dis
order, and 1t Is claimed by the friends
of the accused that some Of the out
laws of the countylhad committed the
crime.
Krebbs, Preston and Taylor were soon
thereafter arrested and indicted fol
the murder. Krebbs was first convict
ed, and the death penalty fixed as bis
punishment. Young Taylor was next
tried and convicted, and his punish
ment assessed at confinement In the
penitentiary for life, he being undeI
the age wherein the death penalty car
be inflicted. James Preston took 9
change OF venue to Cook county, ant