Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-03-22
THE MIDNIGHT FIEND.
\ Dwelling House Fired Into and Riddicd
with Bullets.

lGalnesviile Free Press.l
The residence of Il. Hudson, about
five miles north of town, was on Satur-
day night last the scene of deed
which for pure cowardice and un-
adulterated cussedncss, is perhaps be-
You'd the limits of anything in the
shape of decent comparison, AS TO
the preteXt that prompted the outrage
we are not prepared TO speak any
further than mere conjecture. IL Is
generally known that a bitter, relent-
less feud has for long time existed
between the Hudson family and the
Powell's, one of whom was killed in "
quarrel about September last by one
of the Hudsons, and for which he was
held and convicted ut our last term Of
court OF manslaughter and sentenced
TO the state prison for the term of six
years. This apparent lenient deter
mining OF his guilt and punishment
| it is said very much enraged the Pow
ellis and their fiiends. who as the Hud-
sons affirm at onse swore vengeance.
! AS TO the truth of this however the
writer knows nothing any further
| than to say such q statement is barely
| possible.
In company with the sheriff, the
| district and prosecuting attorneys, q
/ reporter of this paper visited the Hud.
son residence the next day after The
shooting, that the facts might be Oh
! tanned without color or Doubt. After
a drive of about five miles north Of this
! city, we reached the place--an old, di
/ lapidated frame building oftwo rooms
| without hath, plaster or Oeiling--a re
treat uninviting in the extreme, II
| the hours when blue northcr is un
| derstood to be doing its level best
humble, unpretentious, shanty-like r
evidently cut oil from all The
clements that go To make ll'
worth the living. The family was rep
resented by Hudson--a stopped, age,
old man, tinged with gray, his wifi
evidently younger and u little daugh
ter all of whom were noticeable duriu
the sitting of our district court at tn
trial Of their sons, Steve and Lig
who are now in jail
Inspection of the promises disclose
in unmis,aken terms the dreadft
ordeal through which the family pa
sed. while the house was being fire
upon. There was evidently not les
than three parties to the affair an
who were located on the soutl
east and west, The different angl,
! from which the bullets entered I'll
building without doubt prove thi
feature Of the case. The firing ;
stated by the Hudsons lasted froi
eight 10 twelve minutes, with occi
sional intervals as though engaged ]
reloading. The arms used were II
doubt Winchester rifles as the balls,
number of which were examined an
which are now in the hands of Count
Attorney Worthington, are OF larp
calibre and conical in construction. =
The shingles on the roof containe
perhaps n dozen holes, while the sid
and ends of the building were pierce
at almost every hight, from the ilof
ttp. and the fact that the occupafl
escaped untouched is AS remarkable I
the deed is cowardly. Several bal
from their position of entrance TO q
' building were evidently spent in II
bedding rs their course WAS about q
plane with the beds. Especially, "
noticed where one ball tore throug
the Notwithstanding just where III
pillow lay.
J A Young man visiting the family vi
asleep in the bed at the time the hrlI
began. Their method of defense coi
sisted only In lying down In the ni'
die of the floor and wrapping the he
clothes around them. A bay hor'
q standing near the house IA woi
horse--was shot through the shoulder
while wash tub that sat near u
door contained two holes.
Divers and sundry opinions are n
J touching upon the true inward ness
J the affair, the perpetrators OF the acc
y the motives in view, etc, put IN u
:. absence OF such data ~ would warral
/. their publication, we dsieI snch y
: further developments when ~
probability, are not far IN the lulu!