Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-01-18
VERSIONS WOE.
A Chicago Man in High Standing
Goes to a Pennsylvania
Prison.
Able TO Stand II ON His Own Account,
But Broken Up by the Grief
OF HIS Family.
Convicted Of Participating in nIurde,
over Land sauahbic. OF which
Ito Asserts Hts Innocence.

CuucAao, Ill, Jan. lT--Milton Wes-
ton, who stands convicted In Allegheny
county, Penn, as an accessory 60 a MUIR
der, returned TO Chicago yesterday 10
close up some business affairs prior TO
returning 10 PlttShurg TO receive a
sentence Of four years In Riverside
penitontiary Weston's reputation
here has been beyond reproach,
both as business man and socially. He
has mother, wife, children aud brothers
residing In this city, all OF whom are
highly esteemed.
"You are shaking hands with q con-
vict,n said Weston TO reporter. ''I am
able to bear all this, but when my sous
and daughter place their arms around my
neck and cling to me and weep, shedding
tears that swell up from the heart, II un-
mans me. For forty-threc years | have
lived here and done business, and no man
can place black mark against my
character anywhere. have always
endeavored TO do justice by my fellow men
aud God knows that In all these years of
my prosperity never allowed fellow
being 10 suffer, II knew II aud could re-
lleve that suffering, yet here am, con-
victed OF u crime which never commit
ted This thing cost me over $500, 900,
about all the fortune | had. Even my
wife mortgaged her farm ana pledged her
diamonds 10 help me out of trouble. But
am still here, though victim Of cruel
conspiracy.
"rhe story, which has never been told,
Ii as follows; desired TO buy
land and discover natural gas TO
utilize as an illuminator and for fuel
| rad ~ a Ina N..gt man IN.
land county. purchased the tract from
Hillery j. Bruuot, brother OF Felix Bru-
not, Quaker Indian commissioner. paid
$1,000 to Brnnot for the tract and Si0,-
600 to remove a cloud from the title,
After made the purchase ] received a
deed from Brunot, wherein he agreed Ga
give me good and sufficient title, free mud
clear OF all incumbrance for forty.fonI
leases, which were contained in the 1860
acres. made the first payment, which Is
Acknowledged aud receipted for ia my
deed, which Is on record Before The
second payment came due, ] was notified
hy four owners Of the best leases that
Brunot did not own them ut all, I'M
niodiately took steps 10 possess myself OF
these leases, which succeeded III doing
for ninety-nlne years, and placed or
record az Greenshurg, the leases con.
yeyed to me by Brunot having lnpsed by
their own conditions, every lease or re-.
newal Of lease being placed upon record
| by myself, Regardless Of these facts
and In violation Of his sale TO me-
! Brunot sold the same to another gas
company, all my titles being then on
record He sold to Reid Emerson & Co..
limited concern, In which he was large
stakeholder, and II, through him or his
agents, attempted TO dispossess me. AZ
that time myself and wife were living on
the land, and for several days and nights
before my wife had been there almost
alone, having but one lady companion In
the house. Haymaker, who was un-
fortunately killed, was the agent Of B?u.
not and his corporation, and lie had
| 100 men under him, who wee armed
with pick-handles and revolyors, and
who came upon us while we were IN
peaceful possession TO try TO dlspossess
us. Who would not have resisted TO dc.
fend his own In the melee that ensned
Ilaymakcr was killed, and while
that killing was charged upon my
foreman, the fact Is that he was
killed by one OF his own men, by shot
which was Intended for my foreman.
was living on the property with my wife,
and she was GOO feet from whore the llgbt
occurred and Witnessed the entire
transaction, but she was not q
competent witness for her husband. But
why should detail furtherY | shall
90 back 10 Plttshurg and face the sentence
and serve 1t, II necessary, feeling am an
innocent man--innocent before God and
the world. My reputation cannot be
blackened by such cruel, Infamous per-
secutionsn
Weston's friends here aud In the East
will make strong effort TO secure his
pardon In case he Is sent TO the penltcn.
tiary.