The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-01-05
STATE SPECIALS.
gpccinl 10 the Herald

Graham.
Special TO the Herald
GnAmAx, January LA terrible tragedy
took place here this morning, which result
ed In the instant death of four men and the
wounding Of two or three others, one of
them perhaps fatally. The three murderers
of Martin, at Belknap, named Mcdonald.
are all killed. A deputy Sheriff named
Murfee was shot through the heart, another
deputy named Davis Melton, brother Of the
Sheriff, was shot three times, perhaps IA
tally. Another man was seriously wounded
in the. leg and 1t is reported an old man
named Woods is wounded in the thigh.
The affair occurred about 10 o'clock. The
two deputies named were giving the prison
ers their breakfast. For this purpose the
two Mcdonald boys were let out
of the steel cage, as usual into an
other room, which Is called calaboose,
and which is separated from tho steel cage
by two iron doors and a heavy oak door.
There were two other prisoners, named
james Boone and Jack Baldwin, eating with
the McDonalds. Davis Melton stood in the
door of the wooden cell with
Two revolvers in his hands,
guarding them while 4 they ate, but
it seems the prisoners were carefully watch
ing HIM The other deputy was in the
steel cell with a hatchet, testing j., Watch
ing their opportunity, when Melton un-
guardedly transferred both pistols to one
hand to put his hand in his pocket to get a
match, the McDonalds suddenly jumped on
him, seized his weapons and held him as
their prisoner. In his struggles to escape
he was shot through the hand. He called
to Murfee, the other deputy, for assistance.
Murfee came immediately, but was
shot and instantly killed by the prisoners.
They then tore holein the floor of the
calaboose and let themselves through into
the room below. Taking Melton with them,
they went out the ..back door Of the jail,
carefully avoiding a fierce bloodhound tied
in the back yard, and proceeded as fast
as their shackles would permit IN
a southwesterly direction from, the, jail.
Two of the prisoners held Melton, while the
third walked backwards with his back to
Melton's back, and threatened the citizens
who had cengregated near the Jail with
guns, that he would kill the Deputy, Mel
ton, in case they freedom him. They pro-
ceeded in this manner some three hundred
yards. no one daring to open fire on
them. fearing that they would also
shoot Melton. At last citizen more dar-
ing than the rest, took careful aim and shot
the right hand prisoner, who tell MORALLY
wounded Melton seized the opportunity,
and broke loose. and ran in the direction OF
the public square. The firing now became
general. All the citizens fired in turn ON
the prisoners, who promptly returned
The ns,to, fire. They The faes a,,' anS wpnndee Leo
as 1hs' he retreated. at The prisoners % soon fell.
to the earth. but continued firing at the
citizens as they lay expiring among the
weeds and stumps where they fell, which
formed masked battery as long. as they
had breath in them. 1t was sometime after
all the shooting had ceased before any one
ventnred near the place, thinking they
might be feigning death in order to get an
other opportunity to shoot ond AT sngth e
that, although two Of them still
breathed, they were past doing
any harm. The town is q scene of the
widest excitement. A Spnday-school in
session ina church near the place OF mas
sacre was q place. of terror, Some OF tho
children hid away from the doors and win
tious, gazed out Oh the whole Tragedy. One
lady in the church, sister 10
the murdered Deputy, when the
rumor reached her of her brothers
death, gave scream of agony and tainted
away. Mrs. Mnrfee, mother of the rnnr-
dered man, is lying in precarious condi-
ton, and her life is despaired Of by some:
ouhS Meto,,' 'ne uePuty WIZ s.ii.I' sseaiIu
from the names q tile Prisoners. ho'wi.n- W..
cured gun and came back TO take part in
tne array. lie iies III u notei' where frns
siclans are now dressing MS wounus, ihe
wound IN the lace lns o'is
dangerous one nc rcelveu; n,
young man. waiter az ,iie hotei, clieu
joe had the Done Oh ms leg sha.Vereu % ly 30
That ampuiation IS necessary: Mr. W9o9s
reserved iiesn wound ~ the iiiigh ana y
DONG, well. services III the uliierei,.
churches were abanuoned, ounday-sch.ooiMs =
were cioseu III tl,e l!ltcr coniusioil, anu :. 70
thouSht no iauies VIII ven,uic ou.
70 ,chnren- -to-niSht, so great Is tne terror
III Is put 1nst 70 say tnat the otner Two PTS
oners, BALDWIN anu Dvoii tooh tsi no PAL. AZ
the snooting. Ihdeed, ~ Is salu one ., ,ii uieni
interposed 70 save me hie OF young merton,
as one oi tne hclonaias was anou, 10 - siiosI