The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-02-15
Lively Time at a Texas Prayer Meeting.

The particulars, as near as can be ascertained,
Of the late shooting and murder in Stephensyille,
Texas, appear to be as follows; This (Erath)
county is one of the most recently settled in
Texas, and is still regarded as one of the frontier
counties. One Of the oldest residents of the
county is j. p. Holloway, who has heretofore
passed as 4 quiet and orderly citizen, his family
Consisting of several sons and a daughter. 1t SO
happened that the county official had papers for
Rnsk Holloway. one oFold man Hollowny's sons.
Previous to executing them, however, Deputy
Sheriff W. III. King duly summoned three
citizens-M. ID. Robinson, j.. L. Ross and Ell
Keith-to assist in the service. Late in the even-
ing Deputy King and party left the village of
Stephensyille and rode out some miles to the resi-
dence Of old man Holloway, where they arrived
in the midst Of a prayer meeting in full blast.
The Deputy entered among the worshippers and
inquired for Rusk Holloway, who was pointed
out to him.
The Deputy, then walking up to the young
man, said "Rusk, | have papers for you for
unlawful carrying of a pistol, but it is too dark to
read them. and | will state to you their sub
: si"nS1' Have you any arms on your person."
- Yes but none OF your sort will Getthenn.'
answered Rusk Holloway, at the same time
throwing back his. coat and retreating. In a
twinkling the Deputy was surrounded by his
enemies, and Joe Holloway, n brother of Rusk,
rushed up. and seized one of the ~latter's pistols,
at the same time drawing it. The official party
now saw their danger. Ross, one Of the Sheriff ).
party, threw MP his hands and called for peace.
Paying no attention to the request, Rusk HoI-
lOway began shooting. For a few minutes it was
like the skirmish of a small battle. King and
his friend, Robertson, ran around the. house.
just as he turned the corner a bullet stuck him,
and the unfortunate man threw up his hands,
staggered a few PAGES and fell, the blood at the
same time tricklfng out of the CORY wound and
flowing down his clothes; he was shot through,
and breathed his last just as the Deputy King,
under a heavy FIRE and the swift crack of pistols,
stopped down and asked if he was hurt.
The fight now amounted to n regular battle.
The voice of prayer was hushed in the whiz of
bullets and the bang bang bang of guns and
pistols. In the meantime the smoke of gun
powder and the groans of the wounded and dying
4 assembled together. Keith and Ross, in the
midst of a shower Of bullets, ran quickly around
the opposite of the house. Just as he reached q
small tree Ross fell, pierced by a ball. But with
his six-shooter still in his hand the doomed
victim rose to his knees, clung to the tree with
one band and tried to shoot with the other.
At this moment old man Holloway and his
daughter appeared on. the scene of carnage, and
Fastening to where Ross lay clinging to The tree
demanded the surrender of his six-shooter. Ross
replied that he might have it provided he would
let him take out the one remaining cartridge.
Holloway and his daughter, the eyes of the girl
flaming and her long hair floating ON the south
wind, which blew away the smoke of the fight.
then seized the pistol of~the wounded man, and
by main force wrenched it from his hands, en-
feebled as they were through loss of blood. The
old man then placed the muzzIe of Ross own
pistol against the side of the wounded man ard
fired. Ross with a groan fell over dead, his mu1-
derer coolly extending the lifeless body on the
ground, besmeared in blood.
2 King and Keith escaped, and the bodies oil
Robertson and Ross were shortly afterwards
found where they fell by a posse of, citizens.
The murdprerS wore suhseouentlv arrested