Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-10-12
A JUDGE IN DISFAVOR.
Hon. F. J, McCOrd Of the Seventh lu-
dlclal District Of Texas is Re-
quested to Resign His Office.
nus Action IL the Habeas Corpus Trial
81 the Defendants In the Board
Murder Case Severely Censured.
A Review OF the Sensational shooting on n
sunday In june LRst-A Woman the
canse OF the Troabie,

/ Special TO tho Gazette.
CANTON, Tx, oct. li.-The follow.
ing extraordinary petition was sent 60
District Judge Mccord, signed by some
seven or eight hundred names
VAN XkNpr CouSrl, TRxAs, lss5.
Hon y :. Mccord, Judge Seventh Judicial
DEAR SIR We, The Undersigned eta.
Gems OF the Seventh judicial district.
would respectfully request you to feeipn
the office of district Judge Of this dis
trlct, for The following reasons.
Because VS. feel that In the killing
OF Alex. Board, at Wills Point, on the
s1th day OF June, 1886, cold FLOODED,
| unprovoked murder was committed, and
tnat suca crimes are calculated 70, aud
do, bring reproach and condemnation
up0n the peacaahlr, lRw-abding citi1ans
OF Van Zandt county, unless OUT iadielaI
officers promptly and faithfully perform
the duties incumbent upon them and hv a
strict and impartial adherence 70 duly.
tell to such malefactors that pure. I'M.
adulterated justice will be melted on, 10
thom and thereby suppress such crimes
In the future.
2 We believe the killing OF Alex. Board
TO have been deliberate, premedltated
murder, and the entire community feels
outraged and Indignant that SOB heinous
murder should be committed In their
midst, and the perpetrators 20 compare
lively free, and we believe the action OF
your honor on the habeas corpus trial of
the defendants IL, in effect, declaration
by your honor that the defendants were
iustiiiable In committing the murder. We
believe that your honor's Judgment In adj
mittlng the parties 60 bali, "a virtually a
release for them, and that 1t will have q
tendency TO encourage others to commit
the same character of crime, rather than
to prevent and suppress such lawlessness.
Therefore, believing that the laws OF
our state have been disregarded, amt
public sentiment, and public decency aud
justice have been outraged by your
action in the matter, we would respect
fully request that you resign the ofllce Of
district judge Of this district.
The affair of which this Ia the ont
growth, was reported In THE aAlErrE
at the time. The cause OF the killing as
far as can be learned, was slanderous
talk said to have come from Board, CON
corning a sister OF WIN Peace, aud sister
in.law OF John Mckee, but no kin Of Jim
Mckee. The first OF the trouble was a
personal encounter between Boards wife
and the young lady spoken OF. Board
repeated some assertions made by his
wife, and tale-bearers did their part. On
the Sunday of the killing Board came TO
town, and John Mckee, VIII and Enuls
Peace demanded satisfactory settlement.
Finally about II O'Clock, McSsson and
Board went up stairs into Justice Haynes
office TO talk over what had been said.
AS they came down the Mcliees and
PeaceS were at the foot OF the stairs.
John Mckee asked Slsson what they had
done, Slsson replied at Is Just as
said" John Mckee then asked Board
who his author was. Board re-
Piled; General rumor.n Mckee said
"Are you not the authorp" Board re-
Piled ''lf you want TO take II that way
do so.n
Mckee then ierked out his pistol and
struck Board, but the pistol fred, inhict-
ing scalp wound. Board was added by
the shot, but managed TO get his pistol
out and fred at John Mckee, then
whirled aud fred at Jim Mckee. The
shooting was then general, some twenty
snots being fred in about a minute or
less. Board was rlddled with bullets, l..
Statler, father-in-law OF Board, who was
trying 10 stop the shooting, was struck
in the arm. jim Mckee Tss shot In the
arm and thigh, Board fell forward on
his face, his brains oozing from two
ghastly wounds In the forehead, aud his
blood staining the sidewalk. After he
waa down he was shot again,
These facts M before Justice Haynes
and his decision wasi No bond for John
and James Mckee and win Peace,
and Ennis Peace bond at $4,000.
The case was appealed 70 District Judge
McCord, and tried at Gilmer on writ Of
habeas corpus McCord set the bond OF
the first three at $4,000 each aud Ennis
Peace at $1,000, The petition II the out
growth Of dissatisfaction with Judge
McCord's ruling In the case Board was
armed with 8s,caliber 'bull-dog" pistol,
John and James Mckee with Colts 40
caliber and Win Peace a smaller weapon.
Ennis Peace took no part in the shooting,
and much regret Ia expressed that he IS
implicated. Board was ex.deputY post
master, and was universally admired ani
aaf