The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-11-08
THE KILLING OF L. J. DIXON.
Interview with Judge G. w. Walters
and B. f. Dixon-TheIr Account OF
the Tragedy.

A day or two ago we published a
brief account of the shooting OF l.. D:
Dixon, brother of Sam. II. Dixon, OF |
his city. At the time we were not |
able to get at the particulars OF the
affair, but yesterday Judge &. W.Wal-
.erS, of San Marcos, and u. +, Dixon |
we're in Austin, and a STATESMAN !
found the gentlemen |
and interviewed them in regard to the |
matter. as great interest has been |
taken in the affair in this city on ac-
count of the parties being well known |
in Anstin, and that the deeeased's |
brother is one of our best known citi-
zens. Judge Walters had just re-
turned from Llano, where he had been
TO investigate the tragedy, and he
has done 30 with the tact
of an able lawyer. He says from
what he has been able to learn
the facts appear to be as tolloWs1Ee
give the substance of the judges
statement, he says; On Fri
day evening Dixon and Sawyer
with others were doing some work on
a public road, when the subject arose
Sawyer'S attention 20 cat
tie in which Dixon and his. tather-in-
law, Phillips, were interested. saw
yer became quite angry and turned to
Dixon and said: "The person who
said did not act fair about the cattle
tells d an lie" Dixon replied:
SAWYER, have not in gay way inter
feared with you and The cattle, and
the party who says l did tells a d--n
lie." At this Sawyer raised his AK in
a striking attitude, when Dixon pre-
scented his gun and said: eff that is
your game, get down and We will set
tie the matter here" (They were
both on their horses at this time)
Sawyer did not accept the invitation
of Dixon, and friends of both parties
it1terteared and the difficulty was
apparently settled. Dixon and Saw
yer rode on together, accompanied by
others, until they reached Sawyer's
house, when Sawyer said: "Dixon, get
down and take dinner with me-"
Dixon excused himself, and told Saw
yer he was going up on the mountain
to look for a horse, and passed on.
This was about 8 o'clock in the day.
at 5 o'clock the same day W. G. Saw
yer rode over to the house of his
brother, A. n. Sawyer, and told him
he wanted him to go with him up on
the mountain to look for some cattle.
There was but one way to reach the
mountains narrow path-Dy
which any one could reach the plateau,
and through this Dixon had gone at 3
D. m, and the two brothers went about
5 D. m. At several places along the
path rough rocks crop out, which
makes exit by either side impossible.
Just opposite one of these rough
places, and near where chapparels
grow in the widest profusion, as
Dixon was returning from the noun
tain, he was killed. Parties who e1-
amined the wounds state, so the judge
said. that he was shot three times;
twice with a pistol and one time
with a Winchester rifle, as the balls
| found bear evidence. One shot from
the right passing through his right
arm, Just above the elbow, and rang
ing upward, coming ott near the up
per tuff of the breast. One fired from
the left, passing through his left arm
Just above the wrist and passing
through the lower extremities of the
bowels and lodging in the side. One
shot must have been fred from be
hind as his horse ran off, taking effect
in the shoulder. Either would have
proved fatal. Dixon is thought tt
have died instantly as there was ne
indication of a struggle, after falling
from his horse. The shooting oc
Cured about half a mile from Saw
yer's residence and in the hearing o
several parties who say they coulC
plainly distinguish the difference be
tween the shots, though they wer
fired in rapid succession, and it il
thought could not have possibly BEEF
| fired by the same party. The Saw
yers were seen coming from the di
rection Of the shooting and were a
once suspicioned. and search was &C
cordingly made for the party shot. w
G. Sawyer says that he did the shoot
ing in self-defense, and that Dixon
had his gun raised to his shoulder
ready to shoot him when he fired, bu
the position OF the arms when tn,
shots were fired seem to be plainly
against the theory. The Sawyers, a
soon as it was positively known
that they did the killing, Judg,
Walker says, joined a crowC
of men who have been the
terror of the community and defied
the law. Judge Walters also says
these men openly stated that Che Saw.
yerS could not be arrested and that
they would prevent their going to jail
at all hazards; and being about six
| teen men in number, and many OF
| them being themselves under indict
ment for various crimes, the sheriff
| failed to arrest and the county Judge
! failed to bind them over, thinking il
safer, no doubt, to await an investiga
tion by the grand jury, which con
venes on the first Monday in Deem
Der. This is sad state of affairs, anG
the good citizens en- masse informed
Judge Walters and Mr.. Dixon, so they
man and see that the slayers of L. j
Dixon shall be brought to trial
though it be done at the peril of life
1t is said Dixon has several brother
who will attend in person to the exc
cution of the law, and they are in
formed by friends that if force is nee
essary to have the law executed they
will always be ready. The deceased
had many friends in and around
Llano, who are d1spleased by the con-
duct of the sheriff. The sheriff's
bondsmen have withdrawn from his
bond, Judge Walters says, which is
plain testimony that the people OF
Llano do not approve of the submis.
siveness of the officers at the hands OF
| a mob. Mr.. Dixon's brothers have
little to say about the sad occurrence,
but state they have made up theiI
minds to fully prosecute the slayer OF
their brother at all hazards, and for
this have employed the best legal tai
ent. Mr.. Phillips, step-father of the
| Sawyer brothers, it is said has offered
his money and influence to see that
| justice is done them.
Such is in substance the staten ent
Of Judge Walters of the facts in re-
gard to the strange occurren ce, and if
the facts prove to be as the judge has
reported them and as stated in his
foregoing interview, all good citizens
will jain in an effort to see the law
fully indicated. If it be true that
sixteen armed men, as the judge says
took the law into their own hands and
openly declared that they would by
armed resistance prevent the arrest OF
the Sawyers, then it is high time de-
cisive steps were taken by the author
tiles. Courts in Texas, as everywhere
else, must be permitted to pass on the
guilt OF innocence of any man, and
armed resistance to law should not be
tolerated.
Every person in the city should cut
this out and preserve it. The CONT
mental Times, Geneva, says: 1t is
some time since we mentioned the
successful treatment of hydrophobia
by garlic, that DR.. Pereyra Dlas, of
Oporto, tried on nine individuals Bit
ten by mad dogs in the year 1882. The
subject has been brought forward by