Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-05-11
A TRAGIC TEXAS TALE.
A Tragic Antl.War rals--A Father Con.
yioted Of Murder and Rescued
by Fair Daughter,
Tho Man Now sixty.roer Years Of Age
Arrested for Murder aud Bids Fair
10 Pay the Death Penalty.
The Sunday Law Enforced to The Letter
The Day Passes Quietly With
Few Arrests.
special.


WACO. 'rRx., May l0.-.In tho win.
ter at 1850 Charles Warren, farmer
of this (McLenrhn) county, shot and
killed John Burton, also a reeident
here. The difficulty occurred In Waco.
II was in the stormy period preceding
the civil war and the difficulty grew
out OF nm argument between the two
men respecting the right OF state TO
secede, Warren taking the Southern
and Burton the Union side OF the
argument. Both men were drinking,
too. Warren wan arrested indicted
aud tried In the district court OF this
county. The evidence against him
must have been very strong, for, de.
spite his Southern proclivities, the
jury S9u&d him guilty and lxed tho
penalty II death His counsel took an
appeal 90 the supreme court OF
the state and pending ns
consideration by said court
Warren was removed, for safe keep.
ing to the jail OF Freestone county,
NJ Fairfield. That WAS In February,
1851 Warren had a young daughter,
ksbecca Warren. Shortly after his
removal TO the Fairfield isil this
daughter went TO Fairfield Without
revealing her name or relationship 90
Warren Ahe sought out the taller az
Fail field, pleading poverty and frlend-
lesantes and obtained employ meht
In hia family ms a domestic. Watch
ing for AN opportunity she stole the
keys OF the Jail from the iailors
pocket one night and released her
father. ~ soon Az no was 10 liberty
Warren enlisted in ~ Texas
regiment ANA served the four
years OF the war as Confederate
soldier, When the eirlfo ended he
went TO Western Texas aud settled
down 10 farming. Ia the meantime
his wife died and he married again.
he Judgment against his life still 10.
mained Oh the court records here.
The supreme court. when news was
received that he had escaptd from
jail, dismissed the appeal The case
had passed out of mind here. or the
jury that convicted probably all are
dead The Judge, however, Hon N.
w Battle) liz still living here, and 10,
too, are two Of the etato's witnesses
who teatifed against him Ry some
means Van Han, the head OF Hall's
| Dett ctlye agency here, heard that
Warren WIS living In Lampssas
county Hall procured the requisite
! pnpers, went Ia LAnlpaHas yesterday
and arrest, d.Warren. lie was brought
H. Waco to-day and Jailed He " now
sixty.lour years told--RRy, bent and
| decrepit, The old man bfokc down
aud wept when tue Jail door closed on
| him to-day. He says he IL old, poor
| 4 ~,
| interview IA lawyer tomorrow The
| case has tKciied much interest to-day,
and hunters of people have visited
| Warren In the jail. Lawyers cay that
unless the governor inteTvenes, the
dstd Judge here will 100 compelled
| TO order The sheriff 10 carry ont the
sentence pronounced against Warren
| twenty -four ears ago. II Is altogetn-
or probable that leading citizens
will appeal TO the governor 10
either pardon Warren or commute
the sentence. The daughter, whose
| devotion released her father "a quarter
Of a century ego, is stlll living 80 this
county, a staid matrop, with grown
| children,
The Sunday law was enforced here
TO day 10 the very letter, There Was
considerable grnmbling on the part 81
saloon men, but no attempt 10 evade
or break the law. The day passed on
very quietly and few Srfests were
made Hundreds Of people took their
families 10 the country or went fishing
aud church congregations were not
| any larger than usual. Even the bath.
houses were closed aud bO0tblacks
compelled to uspend work. There IN
much Interest felt as Ia how long this
state Of thugs can be kept up,
Prof j. 4 Elrothef's residence on
South Fifteenth street burned this
morning. The conf igration originated
la the attempt Of children 10 klndle
the breakfss fire with coal oil. The
loss Is 5000 and no insurance.
Mr.. X. b Dnckey. laic agent OF the
Texas Il 81 Louis railroad at thlu
point, has resigned and win be sue
ceeded tomorrow by Mr. q r Gates,
late soliciting HRent far hs road.