The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1882-05-10
4 BLOODY DEED.
Father ana Daughter Fall Ise-
fore Ihe A~~aSSin's Bullet,

Rumor reached IL on Monday OF q kill
ing which was said to have occurred in
Hamilton county. but beyond report We
were unable 10 get anything thar would
be satisfactory to ourselves or our read
eTs. Yesterday. however, We traced the
matter up and succeeded in finding that
another blood Stain has been placed upon
Texas. and father and innocent daugh-
ter have been sent to the grave by bullets
from an asSassins pistol. A. We yet the
particulars. the victims are Mr. Tom
Beckett and his -iX-vear-OId daughter
and the slayer il one John MrEuoy. The
crime was committed At the hOus, OF
Beckett, six miles from Jon, sboUO al the
foot OF the mountains. II appears that
Beckett had contracted debt with Dick
Murray, an uncle of McElroy, To the ex-
tent of twenty dollars, and agreed to can
eel il With q pony. Murray turned the
debt over TO NcElroy, and on last Friday
he went 10 Beckett house. and demaHd ~d
the pony. Not finding the one he
wanted, he went without taking
any, but before going away stited
he wa coming back next day to ret the
pony OF would xii Beckett, the latter
having previously told him that he would
bring some more ponies in OFT the pTairics.
Next day Mcklr0y. true to his promise,
came To Beckett's house and, instead of
demanding the pony, said he must have
the money, and Beckett answered that he
could not give il. WlertUpOn McElrOv
drew his siX-shOoicT in Pursuance of bis
threat and fired, Beckett being AT the time
standing in the door Of his 0 Wn residence
The ball missed Beckett, but passed
directly through the head OF his siX.year-
old daughter, who was standing Just be-
hind him, and tie innocent child tell dead
upon the floor ii was only an Instant
before that the mother saw that MCElroy
was determined 10 fire. and she reached
out her hand TO pull the child aside, but
she was too late. her agony over the
death OF her little one was in q few min
utes augmented by seei"g her husband
fall, for McElroy persisted in the firing
and Beckett also took part. The second
ball gave Beckett mortal wound. under
which he sank ana in three hours died
The aflray, If We may call it such. oc-
CURED about 9 O'Clock saturday morning
and at II m, the same day Beckett was
dead. As soon a. the assassin saw he
had accomplished his work. he rode away
and it il supposed that he went into the
mountains. and up to last night he had
not been ovcrtaken. The above as we got
II from gentleman, who made some
inquiry into the origin of the affair. Many
OF our older readers will remember old
man Beckett, tai her of the victim, who was
a much esteemed citizen and his son. who
with his daughter, lell by fatal bullet, is
said 70 have enjored the reputation of be-
ing an honorable. well conducted member
OF society. OF McElroy we can learn but
little more than that nc has no establish
edTeputation that any one knows Of Mr.
Beckett was poor man, and leave a wife
in double morning over the loss OF her
husband and daughter, while the slayer is
speeding away from the law, which all
good citZ MS will hope may overtake him.
lad hcElr, Y been caught immediltly al
ter the commission Of his bloody act. he
would have been hanged. if informant II
reaches Us right he may vet dance at the
end OF j rope IN view OF tic outraged citi-
Lens.