Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-05-28
GAINESVILLE.
Cowardly Assassination Of Cherokee
Citizen by Deputy Indian Agent
knight Of Muskegee.
rhe Mayor Admonishea the citizens TO oh
serve Municipal Ordinances
Watering Crop Reports

Special TO the Gazette
GAINESVILLE, TEX, May "a The fol-
lowing particulars have reached here Of
a murder committed at Alexander post.
office, Indian Territory, about 1875 miles
north OF here, on last Wednesday. 1t
seems that Deputy Agent Knight Of Mus
kogee ard Albert St. John OF the Chero.
kee nation met at Alexander some days
before the difficulty st. John had on a
pistol at the time, and Knight remarked
that It was against orders to carry pis-
tol, and " he did his duty he would take
II away from HIN (St. John)
The latter replied that he had bought
the pistol and paid for II, and II
Knight would buy It he might have 81.
The remarks on both sides were made in
joking manner, but 1t Is understood
that st Johns reply provoked Knight.
On last Wednesday, Knight was again at
Alexander, this time In company with
three Texas rangers whose names were
not learned St. John happened along
shortly afterwards and stopped to inquire
about some horses he was hunting. lie
walked past knight, who was talking 70
the rangers, on into the store and took
his seat on the counter. While
there he was approached by Knight,
who slapped him on the leg
ct the same lime remarklng, "Young
man, want TO buy your pistol" st.
John removed knights hand from his
leg, when friends OF Knight, 1t Is stated,
commenced firing, five shots taking effect.
When the first shot struck him st. John
fell from the counter to the floor, and
was shot through the back while falling.
Some of the shots were SO close as TO
powder-burn his body, while all of the
shooting was done so rapidly that
st. John, it Is said, never got
his hand on his pistol
Two OF the shots took effect
near the heart, and the murdered man
died almost instantly. After the shoot
ing il IS said that Knight took the pistol
from the body of the dead man and the
Winchester which he had left on hts
saddle and was permitted to depart With
out molestation. At Alexander the affair
is regarded as deliberate, cowardly
murder, and steps will be taken by the
friends of the dead man to have the guilty
parties brought to Justice. Albert ST
John was well known in that section OF
the country, especially by the cattlemep,
with whom he had been much
associated. He lived in Victoria
Texas, until about four years ago, when
he moved TO the Cherokee strip Of the
Oklahoma country. He began work as 1
cow-hand, but by industrious habits and
economy had succeeded in saving som,
| $1,000 or $4,000. At the time Of his deati
he was employed by Dave Thomas, who
was then preparing 10 gather cattle.
The frequency with which some of The
city ordinances are being violated has in
d1ced the mayor TO issue notice warn
ing all persons of the risk they
assume, and specially instructing th'
police force to hereafter enforce sale
ordinances These are, bathing In Elm
creek, above the water-wurks, driviDl
across Pecan bridge in faster gait thar
! a walk and discharging firearms within
the city limits. The recorder calls atten
ton to the mayors notice, aud warns al
persons who have looked upon thes
ordinances as a "dead letter upon In
statute bookn to look out.
Farmers from the vicinity OF Leon
|. T., bring fattering reports Of the GRO
prospects, They say the corn IL wais
high IN many places, aud some OF tn
COltOu atIcduJ has iOihhS oh ~ HuihhSt
from the southern part OF this count
speak encoufagingly Of the cotton an,
cora, but 1t is doubted If wheat vii
make more THAI half crop.
w. A. Archer aud VIM. Palmer, tvs
Fort Worthites, came into the city yes
terday in search of stolen stock. The
examined that taken from Frank Pierce
who made such desperate fight wit
the officers few weeks ago, but none G
1t was theirs. They left for Montegu
county.
II. DeCourtney, Indian Agent Oweni
Secretary Boyd and Judge Harris OF Tisi
amingo, 1. Il arrived last night.
George Imhoff, the clever and eiiicler
manager OF the Western Union, lett fc
Galveston this morning on bushes
trip.