The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-01-28
A FATHERS CRIME.
A HORRIBLE ACCOUNT OF AN IN
HI MAN DEED.
Special TELEGRAM to the Statesman.

Special Telegram to the Statesman
HENRIETTA, January 2l.-Last Saturday, the 10th
inst at Cambridge, about three miles east of
henrietta, MOllie Stragal who is the daughter OF
A. A. Stragall and who IL about IL years ola and
resides with her parents, gave birth to a female
child The lady has never been married. A. A.
Stragall her father, went to Henrietta to procure
Il doctor to attend Miss Mollie in her confinement
hut stated to the doctor that his wife was confined
and about to give birth to a child. Tho
doctor went promptly and Just
before entering Stragalls house, he told the doc
tor that 1t was not his wife, but it WAS II young
lady who was only living with him, and said to the
doctor, that he did not want him to say anything
about the matter; that nobody knew of it except
him and an old lady, and that she would die before
shc would tell II. The doctor replied that the
child would be evidence of itself, and that there
was no use in trying to hide it,. Stragal said the
child might die, aud he thought it would die.
After the child was delivered, which was about
the middle of the night Of the 10TH the doctor went
his way back to Henrietta and nothing more was
heard Of any importance about the matter until last
night near dark, at which time news reached the
officers that the child could not be found, and that
II was thought that A. \. Stragall had killed II ana
hidden IL away.
The next thing that was heard was that the
mother of the infant Was dead, which was about 10
o'clock yesterday evening Mr.. Stragall was ar
rested while in town getting coffin In which to
bury his daughter MOllie, Some of the citizens
continued to look after the daughters burial, while
Mr. Sragall remained In the custody of the officers
Stragall not being allowed to 90 home to see his
family, sat down and wrote note to his wife and
stated therein that he was under arrt st
under charge of numbering Mollie,' e
baby, aud that somebody would
be apt TO come over and ask her about it, and that
II any one did come she should tell him that the
baby had been taken by a man to raise, with Mol
lies consent; that such was fact but, OF course
she did not the man take the child, but that she
must tell II this way for he (StTagalD is ruined
man, IL they should prove this on him, and that
she must not speak of this matter. The note was
signed "a. A. Stragall." lie gave this letter to
Mr.. ,Spangler, one of his neighboTs, and told MIN
to deliver it to Mrs. Stragall. The officers OBJ
tanned the letter.
An inquest over the body of Molie who gave
birth to the child, was held to-day
%is of sra SS testified "nH in Substance as
follows: That Mollie is the daughter Of A. A.
Stragall and If eighteen years old: that she gave
birth to the infant at the time and place atOrestated
that Mr. Stragall, the doctor and herself, and two
OF three others were present when the infant was
born that after all the rest had left her house but
the family which was shortly after the birth, the
baby was laid on bed in the room where she and
her daughter were ing, and Mr. Stragall was sit
ting or lying down in the next room by the fire;
that when she lay down the baby was, apparently,
having spasms, and she thought 1t was DYING and
thinks that ii did die, but does snot Know.
She slept about one hour and a half, and awoke
when IT was about midnight. Mr.. Stragall was
then Wing down ON the bed in the adjoining room,
and seemed to be aaleep. lie lay there till the
Nothing was said about the Child she did not care
to say anything about it, ~ she thought that she
could not find ont anything by asking. On the nth
Mollie grew worse, and they thought 1t best to
gend for the doctor to come on Monday morning
following Stragal then said to
her that when the doctor
came she must tell him that a man took the baby
To raise, and that she told him that he could tell
the doctor himself and she further said that Stra.
gall told her that he had given the baby to Il man
TO raise. She SAYS Stragall is the father of the
baby; that he seduCcd Mollie when she was about
3 years old, and had kept up his foul play with his
own daughter ever since, which was carried on all
the time and was q fraud
Stroga had told her and Mollie that If either of
them ever spoke of il he would kill them. She
saws that MOllie told her that her father Strogal
had forced her To submit to him, and that she
wanted to die, ard did not care how soon her
death came
COusty Attorney Munday then asked her IL he
could have the house searched for the body, to
which the lady gave her consent, Mr.. StrOgall be-
ing sick in bed At the time The search was then
begun and after few minutes the body was
found in the garrett of the house, the only en-
trance to which was asmall hole through the ceiling
The baby was wrapped in an old comfort
placed in an old box The body was brought down
and an inquest was immediately held The body
had an old rag tied round the neck and thin piece
of goods around the body. Blood had been ooZing
out of its mouth and nose, and the neck was badly
broken, which DR.. Ferris says caused death. The
baby WAS fine and healthy looking, and seems Il
have died with smile on Its face Strogall is now
najail, and an extra guard IL being kept round the
jail 10 keep the enraged people from lynching him.