The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-07-05
A DARK DEED
And Done at u Dark Hour Of the
Night.
An Ex.COunty Judge Of Marion Shot
Down,
While Returning to the Bosom Of His
Family
The Unsuspecting Widow Hastens to q
Sickening Scene.
The Inquest Falls to Probe the Secret
Cause,
And the Criminal "Still ClOaked In
Mystery"
And the Criminal "Still ClOaked In
Mystery"
What May Yet Prove Clue

JEFFERSON, July Especial. l-AnotheI
dark and bloody crime has JUST been COM
mitted in our midst last night, the circum-
stances of which are as follows: Last night
about half past 10 O'Clock Mr.. Charles
Haughn, formerly county judge OF this
county, while on his way home from this
place was shot down in the road only a
short distance from his home by some un-
which Haughn was riding returned home
riderless. Mrs. Haughn. the wife of de-
ceased, hearidg the horse outside went out
to open the gate, and not seeing her hus-
band inquired offs negro boy, "where is
Mr.. Haughn?" The boy replied that he
did not krow, but there was a man lying
in the road only few hundred yards from
the house, drunk as he supposed. She
then with the boy repaired to the spot to
find her husband stark and cold in death.
The grief stricken wife with the assistance
of neighbors, who had by this
time reached the spot had
his body removed to his home, where
an inquest will be held this morning. So
far there is no clue to the perpetrators of
this bloody deed. Deceased has resiued in
jefferson for more than seventeen years,
and has, during his time, figured extern
sively in politics. The county court was
adiourded out ofrespect to the memory of
the deceased, who was member of this
bar, and formerly Judge of this corrt
Mr.. Mayo, of the HERALD, is in the city f,
in the interest ofthat paper.
The jury of inquest upon the body of
Charles Hanghn, who was shot and killed
by unknown parties last night. have just
concluded their deliberations. The testi-
mony adduced is substantially to the effect
that the deceased was found lying upon
his face in the road, by Ben Washington
about II o'clock last night, who reported
Several witnesses heard number
Of shots fired that night near
where the body was found, but thought
nothing of it, as it was a com mon occur
renee to hear shooting in their ne'ghbor-
hood at night, and that when notified of
what had happened they visited the scene
of the tragedy and found the body as above
stated. Mr.. Zachary testified that he
had noticed fresh tracks passing through
his pasture, Just south of where the tragedy
was enacted; that it was unusual for any
one to pass through his pasture; that one OF
the tracks we're made by person wearing
about No. 10 shoe, one OF the shoes having
no heel and both shoes run down; that the
other tracks were made by about u No. 8
shoe. No one has seen any suspicious per-
SONS or circumstances during the night or
before the killing. The shoes worn by Ben
Washington ON that night were produced;
the heel of one was off, and both run down.
but did not seem to be larger than No. s
or 8. No facts were adduced sufficient to
authorize an arrest, and the affair is still
shrouded in mystery. There were
two wounds which penetrated
the body, one in each side of the breast.
The horse which he was riding received
several shots in the head. The jury re-
turned verdict in accordance with the
abtve facts. Mrs. Haughn is Of the opinion
that a negro man, whose daughter kaughn
is said to have wronged some time since, is
the principal actor in the horrible deed ,and
says that said negro has often threatened
to avenge the wrong done his child. The
that the matter should be thoroughly in
vestigated. and the dignity OF the law
maintained.
LITTLE Rock, July ESPECIAL Judge
Haugnn, of Jefferson. Texas, was assassin
ated at that place between 10 and IL o'clock
last night.