Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-03-16
FORT SMITH.
Ed Stein, Tom Lee and John David
son OF Delaware Bend
Fame
Now On Trial for The Murder OF
). u. Day aud Thtee
Companions.

Special correspondence Of the Gazette.
FoRr SMITH, ARK, March l3.-The
most interesting murder trial that has
been before the United States court here
for several years is now IN progress, I'd
Stein, Tom Lee and John Davidson being
the defendants. In stating the case to
the jury yesterday morning, United States
Attorney Sandels said the government cx-
pected TO prove the following That on
the LIST day of May, 1856, Deputy United
States Marshal James H. Guy, with a
posse OF thirteen men, went to Lee
ranch in Delaware Bend, Chickasaw ma
ton, with writs for the arrest Of Jim and
Pink Lee and Ed Stein, charged with cat
tle-stealing, and negro named Della
Humber, charged With the murder Of his
wife All Of the Lees were generally
regarded as thieves and bad
men, who utterly de6ed The
law. On arriving at slough or creek
some distance from the Lee rancho the
men were unable to cross with their
horses, wheroupOn they dismounted and
crossed on foot, approaching tile house
from the side. On attracting the atten
ton of the inmates Ed. Stein opened the
shutter OF side window and poking bis
head out asked what was wanted. Guy
replied; "l have papers for your arrest
and have come after you. | don't want
20 hurt any one or get hurt myself. ="
Stein Withdrew his head for moment
and conVcrsed with some one on
the inside and again poklng his head out
said "If you wish 10 see us about any
thing, come around TO the front Of the
house," and then pulled the shutter TO
and fastened II. Guy and his men walked
around TO the front, as requested, and
the officer was standing leaning against q
tree, when suddenly the chiuks were
punched out Of some loop-holes ir the
building, and a shot from two Wiuches.
| tiers laid him low, and an ndiscrmlnate
| FIRE was then opened on the crowd,
! Andy and jim Roff and VIII
liam Kirksey being killed on
the spot. The rest Of the posse He'd to
where the horses were tied, and after
4 getting a safe distance looked back and
saw seven men emerge from the building,
who examined the bodies Of the dead,
| took all of Guys papers, his money and
his watch, after which they mounted their
/ horses and rode away THESE men are
supposed TO have been the three defend
ants now on trial, Jim aud Pink Lee, the
negro Humber and some unknown con-
federate.
The excitement that followed
this terrible tragedy Is well
known 10 every newspaper
reader in the country, Stein, Tom Lee
and Davidson were soon afterwards sr-
rested at Denison, Tex, and reward
OF $4,000 w,ls offered for jim and PM
Lee, dead or alive. They were killed In
Crook county, Texas, on the 9TH of Sep.
TENDER last, while cutting the pastur,
fence of john Washington, by Heel
Thomas and jim Taylor.
The ground Of the defense is that Pinl
and Jim Lee were the only mcu IN tn,
house when the killing took place, ant
did all the shooting themselves, Whlcl
viii hardly hold good in tn
case of Stein, rs there are tel
witnesses present who win testify that h
was the man who did the parlying, ant
was the only one seen before Che massacr
took place
The defense Is represented by DuVa
Crayens OF this city, and Lawyer Per
, sons OF Denison, Tex, while Prosecuting
Attorney Sandels and eX-Prosecutln
Attorney w II. H. Clayton represent th
government There are forty or fft
witnesses present besides Heck Thomas
Jim Taylor, Pat Ware, deputy sheriff q
Cooke county, Tex, John Washington
Alive and Joe Roff, all prominent Texans
! The trial will last probably week YET
/ The wife and three children Of Stein ar
+ present. She is sister Of the Lees.