The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-12-07

matter 70 me-"
The deputy finally asking her IL she was
engaged to Mr.. Shirley, she refused to an
swer; but when told that her letters to
Mr.. shirley were In the possession OF his
friends In Austin, she did not deny the
fact.
when asked IL she had had converse
lions with any Elgin ladies, upon the mat
ter, who might feel more at liberty to
talk upon the subject, she refused to re-
ply, and begged not to be questioned.
Tue deputy apologized for calling upon
her at such time on such an errand and
thanking her for according him the In
terview, withdrew.
II was with feelings of intense regret
that the Investigator found IL necessary
70 seek this interview. He certainly had
no desire to open afresh wounds which
are even yet bleeding, but the desire to
| obtain all the facts possible, which would
settle definitely any doubt In the matter,
and give 10 the public the true history o,
the case, necessarily overruled other con-
detailed just as IL occurred. Intense re-
spect and q belief In the innocence and
purity Of the afflicted girl forbid any COM
ment or deduction to be made.
The deputy then left for ElgIn, driving
over 10 McDade behind the horse which
young Maynard rode to Elgin on the day
| OF the tragedy. 1t may be proper TO state
here that the people OF Bastrop univer-
sally testify TO the upright character, pure
morals and exempla y habits of Maynard,
and Fowler also staLds very high indeed
| in the community. The family has the
keenest sympathy Of all their neighbors,
| By whom they are loved and respected.
That Maynard committed the deed in the
heat of frenzy, believing his sister had
been foully wronged, is the general opin-
ion at Bastrop.
AT ELGIN.
The deputy first saw Mr.. Meeks, who
keeps the City hotel, where Shirley was
In the habit of stopping while in Elgin.
Mr.. Meeks said he thought it was Shirley's
| 18th visit, the first occurring about SIX
weeks before tn Q shooting. 1t was about
| two weeks between the first and second
visits, and he came regularly each Sunday
afterwards. Here Is where the gossiping
propensities of Elgin begin to develop.
| The wiseacres began to shake their heads,
and because Mr.. Shirley was a stranger
| and Miss Maynard did not take the whole
town into her confidence by introducing
her intended husband as such to Tom,
| Dick and Harry, these astute individuals
| put two and two together and drew their
| own deductions. The deduction in this
case was that poor man could have no
good object in paying his addresses to a
poor blind girl. They therefore reasoned
that his visits only meant harm and
thought It their Christian duty to
watch the young couple. and henceforth
| had eyes only for Shirley's movements.
On meeting Mr.. Shirley in his subse-
quent visits, these people found they had
made a mistake. and one by one became
his friends, won by his gentlemanly bear
| ing and sincere department, and the au-
thority of very good man is given for
| the statement that by the time of his last
| visit previous to the killing, he had won
the respect and friendship of all whom he
had met. Miss Lula received his visits
In her own room, there being no other
place where she could entertain him, and
as his train lett at an unfortunate hour.
nearly five O'Clock in the morning, they
frequently remained up quite late
sometimes he went earlier, and remained
at the hotel until train time, again he re-
manned until nearly train time, the infer
ence naturally being that she preferred
to entertain him comfortably Ut home,
rather than have him sit about the cheer
less station or the hotel office. Mr..
Whisenant, who was also enamored
OF Miss Maynard, could not think
this at all right. He boarded at
DIR. Sheasby's, rs also did Miss Maynard,
and his drug store being right at the side
of the house, he had excellent opportuni-
ties Of noting the hour of Mr.. Shirley's
departure. Notwithstanding the fact
that. being an inmate of DR.. Sheasby's
household, she was properly under his
charge and care, no word of advice,
caution OF warning was given Mr.. Shir-
ley as to the improperly of their late
hours, and what people might say about
them. A hint to gentleman is sufficient.
and DIR. Sheasby regarded him as such.
Ii might not have been proper for him TO
speak to her about it, but his wife might
have done SO, or he could have addressed
Mr.. Shirley upon the matter, advising
him that such late hours did not suit his
a ..Lw. Fa.NWw InhW MT
did not feel IL incumbent upon himself to
task Mr.. Shirley with 0ishonorable in
tentlons towards Miss Lula, or suggest
that bis course towards her was improper.
Nobody who knew Mr.. Shirley Mt all init
mately would doubt tor an instant that this
was all which would have been necessary.
Young engaged couples are not especially
noted for thou htfulness Of the hour
when together. But Mr.. Whisenant
thought the proper course to pursue was
to watch them, and he adopted the pious
idea OF becoming a sneaking key-hole
detective. 1t is alleged that he prevail, d
upon MIR. Tisdale to help him in this
highly worthy scheme, and that he ap-
preached u gentleman on the same errand,
but met with n deserved rebuff. This
modern peeping Tom AYERS that he wit
messed the seduction of Miss Maynard by
Shirley. Why did he not alarm DIR.
Sheasby at the time, aud, together, burst
in the door and confront him in his crime?
Chiefly because 1t never occurred A
man who has the nerve to sneak and
watch young people AZ their counting is
tit for treason, stratagems, anony nous
letters, SANDER, GOSSIP and all other
such ennoblements of character. 1t is
now said that risdale acknowledges the
authorship of three anonymous letters
one advising Miss Lula's father OF the
rumors afi0at, the second OF similar pur-
port to young Maynard and the third,
warning Shirley not to come again at
night, but advising him to come. Right
here IL may be added that those awful ru-
mors had not been heard of by some of the
people who are most publicly occupied in
the town, until alter the murder. Those
who would be most likely to hear them
did not know anything ofthem. Itreally
looks as If the rumors were mainly circu-
lated from Whisenant to Tlsdale and from
Tisdale to MAY nard and Fowler.
FOWLER AND MAYNARD
came to Elgin on Friday, arriving there
at about 4 p. m. The most diligent en-
quiry failed to confirm Fowler's story
that he called upon Miss Lula. This Ques-
tlon was asked of more than twenty peo-
pie who should know, but no affirmative
answer could be obtained. It excites
more comment than any other feature of
the case; II they were In Elgin nearly five
hours without calling upon her, the fact
will require great deal of explanation.
The allegation has not been made in
print that either of them were intoxl-
Gated but the fact is established that both
drank several times during the day. They
were waiting near the depot wnen the
train arrived bringing Shirley, evidently
prepared to meet, If not expecting him.
Tisdale was said to be on the platform
near where young Meeks was standing.
Shirley approached Meeks and said that
the reports which had been circulated
about Miss Lula and himself had reached
his ears and he had come down to trace
them, and set her right before the world.
Ii is now said that Tisdale then APP
preached Fowler and said: "There Is
Shirley now" Shirley started. for DR..
Sheasby's house and Fowler and Maynard
followed, all arriving about the same time
What occurred at that time is q matter of
dispute. Fowler's story differing widely
from those of all others who are supposed
TO know. There is no reason to change
the account given heretofore In these
columns until something more reliable
can be learned. The parties who could
tell will say nothing more until the trial
comes on. There remains but the history
of the coroner's inquest and the trial to
give, and the task Is complete rs far as
facts are to be obtained.
THAT INQUEST
was ordered directly alter the killing and
jury was empanneled. They viewed
the body, received the statements OF
Fowler and DIR. Sheasby, took possession
OF the effects Of the deceased and adj
Journed TO meet at eight O'Clock next
morning. Instead Of the coroner's Jury
being reconvened In the morning, the
trial began at about ten o'clock-and here
Il. 81