The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-03-20

son was one OF the most singular o.
men, and although his hand has SEM
many mOrtalS to untimely graves, and
brought upon his memory the worlds
frown, l still think that when the
great day of reckoning comes, and the
recording angel reveals our common
sins and shortcomings, the record of
Ben Thompson, the Austin desperate,
will be far from being as black as
those who knew him not have tried to
paint it.
LATER.
Special Telegram to The Statesman.
SAN ANTONIO, March 12.-Last
nights tragedy is still the absorbing
topic here, and feeling is beginning
to manifest itself in certain quarters
that-let the coroner's jury find as it
may-the killing of Ben Thompson
and King Fisher was a downright
and premeditated murder. AS TO ac-
tual facts, matters are now as mixed
as when l wired you to-day, but the
strange circumstance presents itself
that although police Officers We're pres
ent when the killing took place, and
actually took part in the struggle, no
person as yet has been arrested. 1t is,
indeed, asserted that trap was laid
specially for Thompson, and that a
number of men, some of whom fired
from ambush, done the shooting. This
however, is mere surmise, for it is
an unfortunate and strange fact that
the police officer present, nor none of
those who acknowledge being in the
fight, seem to know anything at all
about the matter, further than that
Ben Thompson used offensive Ian
guage toward Foster. Their recOllec.
ton on this point is singularly clear
when contrasted with their short
sightedness in other respects. All
sorts of rumors are now flying around,
and it is feared that the end is not
yet. Had such an occurrence as this
taken place in Austin, and the police
failed to make arrests, suspect your
city administration would be sub
jected to rather severe criticism.
Foster, wounded by Ben Thompson,
still suffers very acutely, and the
chances are as much against as in
favor of his recovery.
STILL LATER.
SAN ANTONIO, March 12.-The
grand double act at the Vaudeville
continues to be the topic of the hour.
The coroners' jury, which was empan-
elled Immediately after the murder,
continued in session up to late hour
to-day. Their findings were, that
Ben Thompson and King Fisher came
to their deaths from pistol wounds in
flicted by the hands of VIM. Simms,
Joseph Foster and Jacobo Coy, and
that the slaughter was justifiable
homicide.
Lifting the mass of evidence by
putting two and two together, the fol-
lowing predicates and deductions may |
be had: Thompson had ruled Austin, |
and the police of San Antonio were |
determined he would not do likewise |
here. He was of reckless personal |
courage, and reckless of human life, |
when under the influence of liquor;
and he was in that condition last |
night. He had killed Jack Harris.
The people of the Vaudeville liked |
him not, and from the moment he
entered the theatre of death he
was a doomed man. He became
involved in an alteration with the
men named above. There was
crowd around, and in the struggle he
and Coy went down together, Coy
holding Ben's pistol, during which the
dance of death opened. That is the !
evidence. No man can say who slew
the unfortunates. No man can swear
that Simms, or Foster, or Coy, or
Thompson or Fisher fired shot.
When the smoke cleared away Fisher
was lying across his companion,
and the instruments of their
deaths are identified, 1t is believed
that Thompson was killed by his own !;
pistol in the hands of Gov. Coy's pis- /
toll was fully loaded and Fishers was
found in the scabbord.
Fosters leg has been amputated,
and he will in all probability die. Ben |
Thompson's life is well known. His
deeds are of record, and his mankill-
ing reputation is world wide, Fish
er was originally from Goliad
and was a thoroughbred. He
was, for number of years, leader
of the celebrated Bruton gang, long
ago scattered throughout the Rio
Grande country. He was the incar-
nation of desperadoism. 1t is re
GREETED here that he was killed, as he
has been leading a reformed life for |
the last two years, and hopes were en- |
tertained of his future. He was per- |
sonally popular in the west, and his /
death will be regretted by many. 1t |
is the irony of fate that men with the |
reputation for personal prowess pos
sesSed by the departed should be shot |
like dogs and butchered like sheep in |
the shambles, without one life in eX- |
change for their own.
The Express of tomorrow will con- |
tain full biographical sketches of the |
murdered dead.