Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-10-10
TIE TALE OF 4 MURDER.


at Albany.
Of the Gazette.
ALBANY, Tx, oct. 9.--The excitement
over the Killing OF II. l.. Wilman, news
agent Al this place, on the evening OF the
Sd has somewhat subsidized, although Il IL
tho all-abs0rblng topic OF discussion on
the streets even at the present date. All
of our citizens, with few exceptions, eX-
prcss themselves as believing IL 10 be one
OF the most unproyoked, cold-bloOdcd
murders ever committed ID this section OF
the state.
The deceased, r y. Wiman, was, gem
orally liked among our people, and with
the exception OF occasionally imblOing
too much whisky, he was ii high-toucd,
honorable young man, with that happy
faculty 81 making friends.
This being the first serious difficulty
that has ever occurred In our town, pub
lie feeling was very intense for awhile,
aud the good element of our population,
which we are proud TO say includes
nearly all OF our citizens, was outspokcn
In It's condemnation Of the crime. j H..
Biggs, the man who Acknowledges TO the
killing, was the proprietor of the saloon
where the killing occurred.
There ~ mystery surrounding the
cause of the killing which there are good
reasons To believe will be uncovered be-
fore the final trial No one knows what
VIII be the result of the hnbeas corpus
trial before the district Judge, r. b.
Wheeler but IL is probable that when the
Judge hcnrs the facts in the case he will
refuse the defendant, j. II. Biggs bail.
synopsis Of the killing was
about AZ follows: The deceased,
r.. J.. Wnman, in company with
Thomas Lonier, j. II. Biggs and
George Batchilor, was drinking at the bar
of the First National saloon about 3
O'Clock on the evening of the 3D. Blggs
Lanler and Batchilor went out the back
door OF the saloon and entered into q con
sultation. The deceased Wilman in a few
minutes went out the front door of the
saloon and around the house and joined
Biggs, Lanicr aud Batchilor at the back
door. Ten or fifteen minutes elapsed,
during which all four seemed to engage Ia
an earnest conversation. Then Blggs,
I.anier and Wilman came into the saloon
and Batchllor disappeared, Biggs and
Wilman went in front of the
bar, aud Lanier behind the bar. After n
few minutes conversation, Lanier told
through the billiard room, followed by
Biggs and Wilmnn few steps behind.
All three turned into a side door leading
TO a room up stairs. At this point there
Is some conflicting evidence abOu: the
defendant, Biggs, ordering a bottle OF
champagne. In about ten or fifteen min
utcs after the party started up stairs,
shooting was heard in the room above,
4
i'm and met Biggs halfway down the
stairs with a smoking pistol in his hand.
Heron asked him what was the matter.
Biggs said, 81 have shot Wilman; had
IL 80 do,n and about this time Lanier
Briggs and sent Lanicr after the Justice of
the peace, McMurry. Whitman was found
sitting in a chair, with his left elbow
resting upon table, his head bowed be-
tween his legs and his right hand touch
ing the floor. Three forty-nve-calibcr
pistol balls had passed through his body
in the region of his heart, one directly
through and two passing downward
through the lower part of
the body near the spine.
One hail passed through his left wrist,
making four pistol-balls fred into the
N
Wesson pistol was found IN the waistbnnd
of deCcased's pants with his vest pulled
down over It, The deceased's pistol was
loaded all around showing that he had
fired no shots.
Tho substance of Lauier's testimony
who is the only living witness to the kill
ing, Is as follows; lie and Biggs werC
seated at the table In the room where the
slt fitAf RtAI flnN Ia.
deceased, came up. The deceased pulled
out his pistol and flourished /
around and said. "What have you to d,
with itYn
The witness told the deceased to pu
up his pistol, which he did, and Biggs o
the deceased ordered the drinks, and the
all three drank. Then the deceased said
"Eou tmcaning the witness, I.aner,) ma
he all right, but what has Biggs got to d,
with it? I've got no confidence i'm Biggs
III liX him, and started to place hi
/ hand In the direction OF his pistol, and h
4 Gamer said: "Bob! What-wha-
and the shooting commenced. Ianier'
testimony is very conflicting about wha
happened In the room at the time of tn
shooting.
The back of both of the deceased
hands Were powdcr-burnt, and his pistC
being below the line OF the table and hi
from Biggs ut the time OF the shooting
shows concluSiycly that the deceased
hands were not near his pistol at The tim
he was shot. The first shot penetrate
the dcccaSed's heart and his head fe
over and his body leaned toward LAME
aud the other three shots were Hrcd Int
his body after hC was Killed.
The nOsitipur of fine Yhrp,, nj thp tl hi