The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-09-04
FULL PARTICULARS OF THE
SLAYING OF THE NEGRO
SHEPARD WILSON,
AS Developed at the COrOner's
Inquest, Whose Verdict I'M
plicates II. p. Weaver.
Circumstantial Evidence - The
Tell-Tale Gun-Wadding the
Basis of the Verdict.
Weaver Arrested, But Denies
All knowledge Whatever
OF the Homicide.


| Special Telegram to The Statesman.
| BRUEGGERHoFF, September 2.-Th
testimony taken before the coroner
jury yesterday evening in the case o
the killing ef the negro, Shepard Viii
| son, who was ostensibly shot Will
placing distractions on the track O
the Austin 81 Northwestern railway
| three miles east of here, reveals a ter
rible tragedy.
THE SLAIN NEGRO,
as the testimony shows, was il
the employ of q Mr.. Crook, who
owns a flock of sheep, which i.
kept under the surveillance of a herd.
er thr"u0h the dav, the negro acting
in that capacity on Sunday last during
Mr. CroUhs ;sDsence. The place of the
killing is in the range of the sheep
AT night Mr.. Crook. having returned
home, found that his sheep had not
been brought into the pens as was his
custom in the management of them
and that the negro Wilson could not
be found on the premises. He went
immediately in search of his flock and
found 1t scattered and unattended by
the man in whose care he had left it
IN the early part of the day. This,
which is in substance q part of the
testimony of Mr.. Crook, taken
in connection with that of
Mr.. J. NJ. EGlenn, who testified that
he was at Mr.. Joe Carpenters on the
evening of the day mentioned by Mr..
Crook, and between the hours of four
and five o'clock, heard two gun shots
in the direction Of the scene Of the
killing, would seem to determine the
time of the occurrence.
1t was also developed in the testi-
mony that the dead negro came into
the neighborhood an entire stranger
some seven weeks ago. and.
since that time, has been
closely engaged cutting cord wood.
lie was faithful and honest laborer,
engaged in the laudable work of sup
porting wife and three children, who
are now living at Taylor.
THE VERDICT.
The verdict of the jury is reticent as
to the cause of the killing, and reads
simply as follows:
wiiIisn.on State of Texas so;;5fv IS.
At an inquest held near Cummings
Station, in Williamson county, and
state of Texas, on the 1st day of Sep
tember, A. d. 1884, before J. II.
Faubian, a justice of the peace in and
for said county and state, upon the
body of Shepard Wilson, the following
jurymen being sworn. to enquire into
the circumstances attending the death
of the said Shepard Wilson,
find that he came to his death by the
hands of one Y. 2. Weaver, at the
town of Austin, IN the county of
Travis, on the 31st day of August, A.
d. 1884, at or about 3 o'clock in the
evening.
That deceased came to his death
from gun shot wounds in back and
left side; four shots in back and five
in side. j. B. ]. OLIVER,
G. w. CLOCK,
LOUIS FRIETAG,
ROBERT RICE,
j. A. GALWAY,
j. N. STEWART.
Weaver was formerly an employe
of the A. & n. w. railroad company,
but more recently engineer at
one of the ice factories in
Austin, which position he left about
aug uOb AO 1ioo
been seen by different persons in the
vicinity of the killing, armed with a
double-barrelled shotgun. and yester-
day morning he was seen to board the
engine of the passenger train bound
north at Waters station, with shot
gun in hand. When the train return
ed in the evening and was stopped at
the place of the killing, he was found
to be still on board with his gun load
ed with shell cartridges, the wadding
of which corresponds with one found
near the dead body of the negro. He
denies any knowledge OF the killing,
but it was thought proper to detain
him until the decision of the jury
of INQUEST could be reached,
when, in accordance with the verdict,
Judge Faubian Immediately issued a
writ for his arrest and detention until
further inquiry could be had regarding
his guilt or innocence, before an ex-
amining court, to be held at Leander,
70 dow