Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-02-05
DECEMBER AND MAY.
The Fearful Result wrought Out Of
Their Incoagrulties scandal and
Murder Go Hand in Hand.
Two old Husbands, Two Young wives. Two
Lovers, one corpse, o convict and
Two Candidates.

Lovers, One Corpse, p Convict and
Two Candidates.
A special in THE GAZETTE yesterday
from Galveston conveyed the intelligence
that the appellate court had affirmed the
verdict In the case against Tom Coffcr,
charged with the murder of George Will
son This insures that the convicted
man will atone for his crime by q term OF
i've years In the penlteniiary. There are
two other prisoners Ia the county jail
Bill Randall and Sam Coffee--charged as
accomplices IN the same offense, aud tt is
understood that they now Intend TO plead
guilty and throw themselves on the mercy
of the jury
Only meager report OF this crime has
appeared Ia print; rs circumstances were
such as to excite more than passing IN
terest All the paroles TO II are cJlored,
and the tragedy was the result Of one Of
those bitter fcuds so often found In
colored communities.
Ia the White settlement, about eight
miles northwest OF town.hne live two aged
negroes named Nirgie Rucker and Nathan
! Randall, who are regarded as q pair OF
lgaudiathcrs 10 the cplurcd pco-
pie Of that commlnhy by
whom they are known as
'Uncle Verg' and "Uncle Naythe.n
Ruckcr totters under the frosty locks OF
! his SEVENTEEN year, while Randall Is
scarcely less venerable on the score Of
years and appearance Both, however,
are as spry as yoGng kit out on IT.
first holiday, and their ponnaliry among
their fellows Is eyi leuced by the fact that
not long ago each carried OFF as a
prize one OF the bellies II colored society
in the settlement rh result was the old
story Of the union OF May and December,
The youn wives were 10th 10 reiiuquish
the companonship OF their former
beaux, and while their husbands We're
not lacking In indulgence, other folks
Whispered and whimpered and
giggled as other folks win.
Thus the ares Of social scandal began TO
heat, and hotter aud hotter they grew,
until the kissing vapor took the shape Of
words, and spread itself about in many a
Significant glance and whispered rumor.
L nally the chickering's OF the parties cul-
minated in the open charge by George
/ Wilson against one of his enemies, Tom
/ Coffee, that he had been unduly intimate
with Sally Randall, the wife of "Uncle
, Naythe." This was met hg the accuse
, ton that Wilson himself had not observed
, the seventh commandment, as true
{ disciple should, in his intercourse
! with Mrs Rucker. The tlrst cal
, lision occurred between Wilson and
: Coffee on Saturday preceding the tragedy,
They met in Fort Worth. and the latter
hantered Wilson for fight which was
: declined. On his way home Wilson cam,
! up with the Rlndals, and accused Mrs
Sally OF "Puttlng Coffee up to lickin
= hint Sally did not deny the charge
i but indignantly declared that Wilson
should pay debt OF 81 which he oweC
# To Coftee so that the latter might pnr
n chase her new dress.
a "George,n said old "Uncle Naythe,'
v philnsophically, "if | don't care, yol
ueedn't.n
One bright Sunday morning in May
= 1885, the colored population OF White set
. tlement wendell It's way TO church In tru
y devotional style. The exercises Of publ
worship were proceeding as usual whe
q "Unclen Virgie Rucker arose 10 advls
=; the brethren on spiritual topics. He sal
e that they were gossipng about each othe
entirely too much, aud that he intende
r. to frame rule and take IL 20 town an
4. have IL recorded 10 stop the tongu
ID OF scandal At this point Slste
Amanda Randall interrupted tn
N speaker with the remark tha
his wife had been talking about her an
Tom Coffee. Sister Rucker was on he
&c feet 10 an instant, and exclaimed:
81 haint said nothin' aDout you, bu
he hyais de man dat did," pointing Z
$. Wilson.
ie al didn't say nuthin' NOW dan ] seen,
at said Wilson.
to Here Tom Coffee got the floor, and
waving large ppcket-knife by way 0
m gesticulation, insisted that Wilson was
/, liar Of one Of the worst varieties
i Amid the general excitement Wilso
m proposed that they should step ontsid
= and adjust the matter TO which Coffee O.
scented They walked down The aisl'
y. Wilson in front, each holding an ope
~ knife IN his hand, until they reached n
entrance. when Coffee, by quick moyl
We nrnt and without warning, stabbed h
IN enemy In the shoulder. Wilson jnmpe
outside, md "Unclen Nathan Randall
w. anxious To preserve the peace, shut II
on door between the two men. Wilson ra
around TO the window and shot at Coff~
l. the ball striking him In the thigh. Cote
=, then opened the door aud started L
~ ward Wilson, who fed, Sam COffe'
~ a brother OF Tom, and Bin Randall, . 50
- "a ''uncle Nnthn Joined In the chas'
- The fugitive fred at his pnrsuers over h
shoulder as he ran, aud one II them n
turned the fire, wounding Wilson in II
leg lie fell and was quickly dispatche
NC by Tom Coffee, who coming up Stable
him through the heart.