The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-04-21
An A,taohed wi.ues..

| Deputy Sheriff John w. Spencer and As
sistant.City Marshal james Arnold, yester-
day morning arrested a black man, William
Thomas, who is wanted 10 the Ellis County
District court as witness, and he is now in
the county Jail awaiting the arrival Of the
proper officers to return him to Waxahacie.
About two months ago Morgan Harris. a
white man, ia alleged to have poisoned well
on the premises Of Mr.. Lamp Pace, at Pal
mer. Harris and Buck Smith were accused
of having stolen beef from Jesse Smith,
and Lamp PAGES wife was witness
against them. Buck Smith gave bond, but
Morgan Harris was confined in Jail two
months before he secured bond, and hiS en-
nifty for the Pace family is alleged to have
prompted him TO attempt to poison them
by THROWN three small bottles Of strychnine
in the well. A man en- route to Dallas
wstered his horse from the well, and the
animal died from the effect. This made tie
people aware of the condition Of the water,
and no one was harmed. The water was
bailed out and the well thoroughly purified.
The bottles that had contained the strychnine
we're found in the we'll and bore the name Of
q man doing business ut Ennis. This gentle
man said he had sold the bottles of strychnine
to Morgan Harris, and party of citizens
began search for him, to secure
his arrest This marty had
called at WIN. Thomas this attached wit
ness,) house and learned from him that Harris
had been there and sent him (Thomas) to
kz. C. plnihfu ha (Ilarrtal had
lift there. Harris was soon after arrested,
but escaped while being conveyed to WsYa-
hachie fail, and is still at large. Soon after
thisa party of Harris friends, believing that
thu information given the searching party by
Win. Thomas had SO ured their fdend's ar
rest, called ut Thonias's. He imagined
they also were in search Of Harris.
His mistake led him to tell things
he would not have told had he known
the party were friends of Harris. Thomas
saws there were live men IN the party--Joe
Barnes, man named Butler, Dave Steward,
Hall Davis, and another whose name he did
hot know--all white men. They whipped
aud beat him nearly to death for his alleged
betrayal Of their friend, Thea they took
him into Barnes drug store, msde him take
large quantity Of whisky, and no became
unconscious of what happened for some time.
The next morning he was discovered by
woman from secton-housc lying across the
track Of the Texas Central railroad, where II
is presumed he had been placed by
his. assistants for = train to
run over him. The authorities began
criminal prosecution of the above named
parties. Thomas, of course, was N be the
principal State witness. He says he became
alarmed for the safety ofhis life at the hands
Of his old assslants, and that Barnes offered
him So to leave the country and not appear
against them. He says he took the Sis and
went to the Indian Territory, where he re-
NAMED till recently, arriving In Dallas last
Thursday night to see his wife, and his arreet
followed. Ho says he wants the authorities
to protect him when be is taken to Waxa-
Ehschie, and in lesving that section when the
prosecution Is ended.