Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-12-15
A VERDICT OF MURDER.
The Allison Murder Trial Ends in a
Verdict Of Guilty and Life
Long Confinement.
A Review of the Killing of Allen Pub
lie Sentiment Divided as to the
Guilt Of Allison
Special TO the Gazette.

Special 70 the Gazette.
SHERMAN. TEX, Dec. l4,-An inn
pOrtant murder trial that had engaged
the attention OF the district court for
two days, the State against John ALI
son, for the murder Of a negro named
George Allen near Gordonsville on the
22nd Of December last, came to close
last night at IL o'clock. The jury
found verdict Of guilty, and assessed
the punishment at confinement In the
penitentiary during his lifetime
There was for time considerable
mystery surrounding the killing, and
public opinion fixed II upon two wild
young men, George Belk and Charley
Coe, who were on a drunken raid in
that neighborhoOd st that date. They
were indicted, and BelS WAS arrested
by Sheriff Douglass In the Oklahoma
country, brought back 10 I exas and
lodged Ia the Sherman jail. Coe
has 30 far eluded the Of
fcers and IL stll at large
Subsequent facts developed that the
two had been at the house OF Allison
on the night Of the murder, and the
neighboT5 by diligent investigation
arrived at the conclusion that Allison
was party TO the killing, From all
the evidence adduced on the trial II
appeared that Belk was dead drunk
and could not have participated in the
murder, but witnesses swore that
Allison admitted of his par
ticIpatiOn i'm the killing OF
Allen, and also the burning Of aschool-
house near by on the same night
They also swore that empty shells
picked up az Aliens house the next
morning fitted the caiiber Of the gun
that COe had land the pistol of Belk
that Allison was accused OF using, the
one being a ii and the other a l5.cali-
her, Belk, while lyingin jail, agreed
to tell what he knew Of the nights
work, and the attorney for the
state dismissed the case against him 20
let him testify. Belk swnre that he
was drunk and asleep at the house un-
I'll about midnight, when he awOke
aud found his companions gone, a part
Of his clothing, his pistol and horse
gone also. An hour later he says the
TWO returned, and, both being in
liquor, boosted that they had killed a
fat negro and burned "A negro school
house; that they ordered him
10 get up and build fire 80 that they
could burn the old shoes they wore on
the raid, they having left their boots
Mt the house. After the fire was
kndled afresh, Belk says Allison
burned the shoes. One other witness
testified that Allison told him he had
assisted IN killing the negro, but de-
sired the witness to swear to certain
facts on the examining trial that
would go to release the defendant from
the charge. The defendants testimony
proved that he had not
been absent from home during the
time when the negro was killed, and
fer several hours thereafter, one wit
ness remaining at the house with
them until nearly midnight, about
the hour when the crime was commit.
ted, and that when he lett them Belk
and Cue were both drunk and asleep
A lady living within few yards testi
fled that she was up all night In com.
pany with Mrs Allison, the wife OF
the defendant, waiting at the bedside
OF u sick lady, and knows that the
men were In the out house up TO near.
ly two O'Clock in the morning.
! After very able arguments from
/ f'N'NAAhAAAA y NNhANfAf 9NAat AAhlt NllAl
Capt, j, ID. Woods, and an equally
able and vigorous speech from COUNTY
Attorney Rsndell, the jury took TN,
case at a few minutes after 10 o'clock
last night, and about ii o'clock re
turned into court with the verdict IA,
above stated.
Public sentiment is much di
| vided on the question of gull
/
surprise was expressed at the conclu
sion of the jury IN 30 short time
Another case for murder Is pending
against Allison, but this has heen con
tinued until the March term of court
j. l.. Andrew addressed the pcopl
at the other end of the court-hous,
while this case was In progress, but IA
had u small attendance. Those VIII,
heard him speak highly of his abilit,
as a speaker, but many Of them do M
indorse the skeptical views he ad