Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-01-31
MURDER AND MYSTERY.
A Hunter Shot and Killed In His Cabin
by Unknown Parties.
Character OF the Dead Man and His
Lonely Life on the Sea Shore.

Special TO the Gazette.
Galveston, January 30.-The mai
boat which arrived from Smith
Point last night brings the intelligence
that last Sunday evening Just at dusl
terrible tragedy, which is at presen
shr0uded in mystery so far as tn
animus which prompted the act or th,
names of the perpetrators are con
cerned, was enacted on the east bay
shore at point i'm Galveston county
known as Stevens Lake, and distant
from the city of Galveston twenty-five,
miles. The particulars of the affair as
CLEANED by your correspondent from
different sources to-day, are as follows
Last Sunday evening about o'clock
as Lewis McComb was sitting ut the
table eating his supper in the
residence of Mrs. Richard Barrows
with whom he boarded, the report OF
a gun or pistol rang out upon the air
and with u single gasp the doomed
man fell from his seat and rolled out
OF the open doorway, near which his
chair had been placed. Mrs. Barrows
and the children, who were the only
occupants ofthe room besides McComb
at the time, ran to the fallen man Is
asSlsttuce, anu were hViiiHeu w HHu
upon reaching him that he was dead.
Mrs. .Barrows' SONS were in the
yard, and hearing the report of fire
arms started for the house. AS they
came in view of the doorway they
saw two men walk away and
disappear in the darkness. Justice
Charles Ely of Smiths Point was noti-
fled of the killing, and snmmoning a
Jury proceeded to hold an inquest on
the remains. After listening To the ev-
idence, the jury returned the following
verdict: The deceased came TO his
death from gunshoL wound fired
either from pistol, shotgun or rifle
at the hands of some unknown
party.
was about thirty-five or thirty-six
years of age. He had been a resident
of the state of Texas for the past ten
wears, and for the last four years has
been in the employ of the Mess-s
Barrows, a family OF hunters
who supply this market with large
quantities Of game during the season.
McComb's business was TO transfer the
game from the bay shoreto this city,
where he disposed Of II TO Mr.. VIM. -.
Nelson, the Twenty-First street game
dealer. He made regular trips 10 this
city and return, and on the day of the
shooting he had arrived home from
one of his voyages, having left here
the day previous with a. quantity OF
provisions. The deceased Is described
by parties as being brutal man and
hard person in general. Some time
ago he was Jailed in this city for
having administered an unmerciful
beating to woman with whom Inc
had been living. He was bailed out
by Mr.. Bsrrows, and continued at his
business OF transporting game In the
manner above noted. Shortly after
his trouble with the white woman, il
j. said that he began living, when In
the city, with colored woman, and
that no difficulty was known TO exist
between them.
Some time ago the BarIows family
separated, the mother and sons goinl
together, and the father and partne
living some distance from them dow
the bay. Mr.. Mci'omb went with tn
boys, and continued with them I
the hour Of his death. II
was not strictly speaking In their en-
plOy, as he received commission fc
carrying and dIsposing Of the game
! the boys doing the hunting. The dea
man Is not known 10 have . morris
enemy in the world, although he we
not considered favorite among u