The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-03-08

Thsee NJ the nsmpten iifothefa IN Tow on
the Ohsrge ~ Hobbina = treia" ow o.
the Tesss Tfunh Hos" Confess i"e''


the change ~ nobbinn = Freight cw %
tbe Tesss Tfunh itosT Confess Their
quit BY written Statements
The Hampton bfolners, William ieines
and Dick, who we're arrested lew days
since, along with Jasper, the youngest OF
the brothers, and Mrs. Sarah Hampton ANA
Mrs. Lee, u pfcposaossing WIDOW ~
appearance, who is stopping with
thom. on the charge Of robblng D
freight car on the Texas lrunK
road OF merchandise squealed separately on
each other yesterday morning; 0ut, as WIZ
be seen by their several statemenls,they ex'
culpate their youngest orot1er, Jasper
Mrs, Sarah Hampton, Jim's VILE, ana Mrs
Lee of participating In the theft which they
openly, OF their tres will and accord,
acknowledg e they committed County At
torney Clint got Il cue from Mrs. Hampton,
and from this he worked the parties IL the
most adroit manner, which reflects
great credit on him as an officer
of the law. The prisoners are confined IN
separate cells, and he succeeded yesterday
morning in pumping confession OUT OF
each of the three brothers, which gibe and
dovetail so nicely that the veriest skeptio is
convinced they are telling q straightior-
ward tale of the affair IL will be remem'
bered that good portion of the goods were
found in their possession, and that the four
brothers, including the two women,
Mrs. Hampton and Mrs. Lee, were subse'
ouently released, as WE'LL also, IN all prooa-
bility, Jasper, the youngest OF the brothers
| IL appears that there are more concerned,
and that the Hampton boys are the mem
hers OF large gang OF freight train rob-
hers. who have TOR the past nix months or
more been robbing the freight cans
of the different roads that centre
| here. To City Marshal Arnold and two we'll
| inown detectives of the Missouri PAclhc
rail way is due credit for the able and officer
| lille manner in Which they ierreten out tue
parties concerned. The statements OF the
thfee brothers are given below, but as will
| he seen, after making his statement, Dick
refused to swear TO it, though be confessed
TO being one of the party nat robbed
the car. He said after he WAS taken back
tn iail from the Office OF Justice Edwards,
where he WAS taken 10 make oath 10 ms
statement, that the reason he dld not do SO
was because some fellow mad told MN tnat
he was u id fool. The following are thelr
statements:
W. HAMPTON.
State of Texas VS. William Hamilton ct
al.-MGistrates Court, Precinct No. l, Dallas
County, Texas, 1883 =.
Evidence in the above entitled cause,
taken February, A. ID. 1855
William Hampton, one of the defendants,
saws: About the 18th OF January, 1883,
nv brother James and went from home
down into the city of Dallas after supper
Dick went from home to the Gamer loon;
about 10 O'Clock at night, as jim and was
returning home, Dick overlook us about
the crossing Of the car-shops; there were
three freight cars between this point ana
where we lived; as we came up to the hrst
4
that is, they were not sealed. ana the
doors of each were slightly open; we looked
INTO them and discovered they were loaded
with ploW stocks we then went
on to the third, when Dick
said, Lets see what is in there" the
door of this car was closed. but not sealed
or hooked; we then opened the door and
lin and got into the car, and waited until
Dick could 10 off and get lamp; few
minutes afterwards he came back with
little prass lamp, which he lit; we discov-
cred, after getting into the car, that boxes
containing hams, cigars. canned beef, wine,
cakes and apples had been knocked ope
and part of the goods stolen or taken; we
carried off three hams, three SACKS OF honr,
apnut five boxes of cigars, one keg OF pow
der, fonr cans of beef. one box of cheese.
two csddils of tobacco and three sacks OF
.aot; | carried in my first load one sack OF
anar, and in my second load one box
of cheese and cigars; Dick carried Din
his first load two sacks OF flour,
and in his second the tobacco and shot;
Jim carried the powder in bis first trip
with the beef, and hams in the second trlp
with the cigars; this is some OF the tobacco,
cigars, shot and powder, empty oeetcans,
etc, we got from the car; all OF us got into
the car and took things out. took every
thing right home and put it away put
everything but the cigars and tobacco INTO
the closet, which we put into the tIunks
belonging to Dick and jim. and the tobacco
and part of the cigars in Dicks, and the
rest in Jim's trunk; Jasper, Jim's wife ana
Bette Lee had nothing to do with the
theft.
W. x HAMPTON.
mark.
Witness, w. f. Morton, j, p Smith,
Sworn and subscribed before me this, 2Sth
of February, 1888.
w. M. EDWARDS, j. T.
JAMES HAMPTON.
I am guilty of the charge preferred
against me in this case of stealing the goods
from freight car on the Trunk railroad,
about January IL, 1888, a part of which are
now in court, and which / recognize as part
of the goods help steal; my brothers, Dick
and William, helped to steal the goods; we
committed the theft somewhere about 10
O'Clock at night; William and |, after sup.
per that night, had gone down town, and
Dick had gone some other place; as William
and were returning home that night we
met Dick on his way home; we HAD TO pass
on our way home three freight cars, the one
we robbed being the last OF the three on
our way home; we discovered the
first two were open, that is, the
I'm and saw that they were loaded with
implements; we then went on to
~ q third car when we came M TO u we \
discovered that the door was shut. but the |
seal was broken and it was unlocked.
Dick said, Let's see what is in here we
hen pulled the door open and William and
/ got into the car while Dick went OIL alter
brass lamp, got into the car and lit 1t; we
Lhen saw that some one had already been
Id the car, and taken out some hams.
apples. wine, cigars. tobacco, etc; we then
carried in two loads each to our
house, some flour, tobacco, cigars, hams,
cheese, shot, powder,
m one load carried the keg OF powder and
ZONE other things; in the second load !
,arried hams, ETC.; we all live together. and
agreed TO do the stealing together; we took
he things home and put them In a closet
md trunks; put everything In the closet
Except the tobacco and cigars, which we
mt into Dicks and my trunks; Jasper,
Dicks wife and Bette Lee had nothing 10
10 with the stealing; | am satisfied that my
rot her Dick knows who did the first steal
ne out of the car. JAMES HAMFTGE.
I certify the above statement made and
.igned to be rue, and made bv me volun-
arilv and Of my own free will and accord,
his 18Th February, 1888.
JAMES HAMPTON.
w. II. w. SMITH.
w. r. MORTON.
Sworn 70 and subscribed before me. Feb
nav 1sth- 1gg3. w. AZ. EDuARDs, j. i.