Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-02-18
MURDERED In TEXAS.
To Prevent sB Appearance as Witness.
Peter PeschsF IN jail fer killing
Ills Brother in.EaH.
IKE Wife OF tho Pfisonrr Dies By Her owr
aena IL the Presence of Her
Five Children.
Cincinnati Enquirer.

Cincinnati Enquirer.
| MONTGOMERY, ALA, Feb. 13.-The
real facts concerning the terrible murder
of F. n. Gsford, former Alsohmian, in
Madison county, Texas, few weeks ego,
have been brought TO light, snd the re-
suit is & profound sensation in this state.
Whas makes the affair more shocking and
sensational is the fact that Peter Preacher,
formerly OF Montgomery, and member
Of one OF the best families in city, aud
brother-in-l1w OF Gafford, is charged
with the murder, end is now In jail.
Mrs. Gsfford, widow of the murdered
| man, returned to Alabama 6 fen Days
ago, and was visited to-day a. Sandy
tive OF the Advertiser, who obtained al
interview with her and got the bottom
facts concerning the tragedy.
| Gafford lett Sandy Ridge for Texas in
October, 1882. About the same time
Peter Peacher, who mad married aafford's
sister, also moved 70 Texas, both locating
near jacksonville, Madison county. In
| 1886 Gsff0rd moved with his family tn
Williamson county, Texas. Meanwhile
true bills had been found against Peacher
l
son county, charging them with cattle
stealing. Gafford received E summons 20
| sppaRr in 3 criminal court agaius,
Pescher and Written, it being known
tha5 ne knew something sboutths crimes
In thu spring of last year Gaff0rd re
ceiyed letter warning him that he must
not attend the trial as L witness egalrst
Peschef ard that b had better come to
Als5ams and get cut OF the state. GaE-
for returned to this state, leaving his
family in Texas, sud located 8! BirmiDg-
ham. He obtained work on the coke
ovens st Pratt mines and remair ed there
several months.
Late in the summer, however, he re-
turned to his former home AID family in
Texas, thinking that the excitement had
blown over. II tbis he was fatally mis-
taken. IL October last he received q Sec
ond summons to appear as q witness In
the cst'Ie-stesliDg cases, to be tried at
the November term Of the M.disonyille
court. he left his home at Corn Hill,
VILLA msOn county, on November 3,going
On horseback through the country to
Nadisooville, q distance of over 100
miles. He reached Madisonville safely,
but the cattle Stealing cases were posi-
po3ed fer week, and he LET: the town
about night to go to the home CT friend
four D. Ave miles distant. He was never
| sgsin seen alive. After he had been miss
| ing several weeks his wife wrote to the
! -heTifY at Msdisonville making inquiries
about her husband, and he could give her
| no information.
Ga the 1st of December last man
named Wells reported at Jacksonville
that be had found the body OF dead man
buried in the sand about two miles from
the town. Wells was riding through the
woods hunting and was sttrscted to thu
desd body by his deg. This Sheriff aud
citizens investigated, and the body was
Identified by the ciothing as lbbt of Gsf-
ford, tie missing nan. The TOP Of his
head had been blown OF with . Winches-
ter rife. The next day the Sheriff hsviag
received from Mrs. Gsftord the letter
| from Peacher to her husband warning
him not to attend the trial, arrested
Peacher and his associate, Written, on
suspicion. The prisoners we're given {
preliminary trial, ard Whit n was dis
charged, but the proof against Peacher
was so strong that he was plsced in pris-
On, his bond being fixed at S25o0.
Mrs. Pescher, vile of toe prisoner and
sister to the murdered msu, remained
with her hus band throughout the prelimi-
nary trial, which lasted ten days. After
her husband Wss found guilty AID put in
jail, she returned to their home, fifty
miles distant, and was found dead in her
houEe the next morning. She died very
suddenly and alone with her five little
children, and the general superstition Wss
that she committed suicide.
Peter EPescher, athe prisoner who ia
charged with the brutal murder OF his
wife's brothers. is 8 son Of Mr.. J. A. Peach
er Of this city. He has two brothers here
and two in Decatur, Ala, ell good men
and useful citizens. Il seems that when
Peacher went to Texas he lost his prep
erty snd started on the down grade to the
dogs and the devil. In Alabams he had
borne good character and went IN the
best society, The lady whom he married,
snd who died IN grief over the murder Of
her brother and the fall OF her husband,
belonged to one OF the first families IL
Alsbam8. One OF the gang of cattle
thieves and robbers, OF which Pescher
| wgs s member, wSs shot down in the
| streets of MsdisouYille by the outraged
End indignant citizens. Threats of lynch
ing induced the authorities to slip Peach
er of, and he was placed in Jail at AndeT-
son, in an adjoining county, for safe keep
ing, where he will remain till the fuel
trisl. His father, Mr.. J. A. Preacher, OF
Montgomery, is now in Texas caring for
| Peacher's motherless children.
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