The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-06-21
DISTRICT COURT.


Jury Obtained in the Cowart Case-Hung
1 Jury in the Murder Case Of Shropshire
Evans.
The case of the State vs.. R. E. Cowart,
charged with killing ]. M. Thurmond, was
called in the district court Thursday, and
after exhausting a number of panels the
following Jury was obtained last evening to
try the case which will be regularly taken
mn tomorrow morning. Their names are:
J. r, Yearout. r. b. Arthur, d. T. Rain
water. L. w. Cline A. l.. Tschiffely, j. f.
blackstone, c. G. Eason, ], ]. Parks, s. d.
Ritter, t. Jones. J. r. Bosley, John Morton.
The Jury was sworn, and after giving them
the usual instructions OF not to talk about
the case, etc., they were placed in charge oil
deputy sheriff.
STATE VS.. SHROPSHIRE EVANS
The case of the state vs..
shropshriro Evans, charged with
killing William Engers was called
Monday in the district court, and after the
examination OF large number OF witnesses
il was ably argued by County Attorney q.
F. Clint and r. B. seay for the prosecut;
Captain John Mccoy for the defense: The
Arguments of Mr.. Clint on the one side and
Judge Barksdale on the other were able
efforts, and were generally commented up
on, The case went to the jury Thursday
evening and late yesterday afternoon they
reported again, as they had already done
before, that they could not agree, and the
court finally discharged them, They stood
eight for conviction OF manslaughter and
four for acquittal.
This case has fingered in the courts since
the spring of 1876, and is sad commentary
upon court murder trials.
A brief statement of the facts OF this case
will possibly be Of interest TO the rear ers OF
the HERALD. 1t seems that on the 18th OF
November, 1875, William Engers, the de-
ceased. rented ofthe defendant, Shropshire
Evans fifty acres Of land, including at least
thirty acres Of land which had been cult:
yated and plowed the year previous and
three acres which had not been plowed
since the year before; the remainder OF the
ffty acres TO be in grass land inside the
fence. together with the tenement houses
thereon. Fingers paying for the rented
premises $50 in sdysnce.
tween landlord and tenant until planting
time, when a controversy arose between
hem as TO the amount OF cultivated land
Fingers had received under the contract,
Engers contending that be had not received
ali the land he had paid for. A few days
before the killing the deceased and the de-
PENDANT met in the field and had an slterca-
49,
contspding that he was In possession Of the
land under q written contract and meant
70 defend his possession even 70 blows.
on the morning Of the killing I'm
gers was found dead ct bis plov,
With the pillow lines around bis neck,
Evans had previously stated 70 his neigh,
bors that be had stsked on the land, ano
should Fingers attempt 10 cross the line be
would Kin him; that the Law would justify
him in % doing; and, after the killing, be
shsf 10 hed shot 4 Dutchman, that he was
blowing mp his ground, and requested him
~ a peiehbor, 20 20 20 his place and see
about Il; that he. defendant, vas going 70
DsIlss 70 give himself mp.
AT The February term Of the district
oo1rf. TIE defendant vns put upon bis trial
and found guilty Of msnslsughter, and two
ve.rr Irnurfsoument assessed agnlnst him
sDd Of course, b. that verdict, scquitted Of
fhs hieber grades Of murder, which was q
fhst time q great Surprise. 81 puonc seDtl-
msnt uss overwhelmingly agsinst the pms
rIrm~