Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-07


would be executed, nothing was
said to him and he was
utterly unconscious of his danger.
Mr. Fleming, who was in the store
about $3.50 talking to Mr.. Evans, noticed
Davis walking up and down the carpet
room while he was there, but
thought nothing of it. He left
about 1855 and Mr.. Evans seated
himself in a chair at the desk in the Of
fee, and, picking up yesterday s Ga
ZETTE, began TO read it. Mr.. p. d.
Holl1ngsworth, who was in the back
part of the carpet room with
Hugh Elliston saw Davis walking down
the store to where Mr.. Evans was seated !.
He turned his head for a second when he
heard a shot. He faced about and
saw Mr.. Evans hold up the paper with
both hands, and heard him say, g Don t +,
Davis: don t. - He saw Davis fire again
and Mr.. Evans fell from the chair for
ward on his face, Davis continuing to
fire into the body of the PROSTATE man.
Charles I. White, the man who went
in the store just after the last shot was
fired, says he and Marshal Farmer
entered about the same time. Farmer
went to Davis, who was standing about
the middle of the room, took the pistol
from him and arrested him. White
ran to Mr.. Evans and lifted him up >. the
dying man gazed into his face and gush
of blood issued from his mouth. He
gasped and said, ooh, my God. -
Again he gasped and the blood flowed
from his mouth a second time, in
feeble voice he said, "My God, - and
his eyes closed and his head dropped.
White told those near to get
was the first there He placed his hand
over the dying man IS heart and said: % He
is alive; get some stimulants quick. -
Drs Burts and Duringer then came in
and found Mr.. Evans still alive, but with
no earthly chance to recover. Dr..
Field came in in a few seconds, but all
was over and the bullets had done their
work. Mr.. White says: "When I got
to Mr. Evans he still had The GAZETTE
in his hands, his right hand clutched the
fifth page, his left hand rested on the
editorial page. In falling bunch of
keys dropped from his right pocket. I
gently took the paper from his hands and
as did so the blood gurgled from his
throat onto my hands. I sent for blankets
and we placed his head on them as a
pillow. I then went for Justice Rey-
holds and he came and viewed the re-
mains and took testimony as to the cause
of death. -
When Marshal Farmer said to Davis,
eve had better get to the jail ~
Davis remarked, 81 must get
my hat, and not finding it
he picked up d straw hat and told clerk
to charge it to him, it wasn't his, but to
charge it. Arriving at the jail his shoes
were taken off and he was given a pair
of slippers, he removed his coat, vest and
hat and was placed in a cell.
DAVIS TALKS.
At 4:45 a GAZETTE reporter went to the
Jail and was shown TO the cell occupied
by Davis When asked if he had any
thing to say, he coolly replied nothing,
except that ''it was purely in self-de-
Tense what I did. - Then he spoke
freely, he asked if it was true
that Mr.. Evans was dead, and when
told that it was he said, II am sorry to
hear It. 1 regret this affair more than
any one else in this city, but would do
the same thing again tomorrow under
similar circumstances. Mr.. Evans was
rich, I am poor, but there was principle
at stake in this thing, 1 would
let no man run over me, would you? l
regret it and l say again-no matter
what others may say, no matter what
the PAPERS may say shot Mr.. Evans
purely in self-defense. -
Was Mr.. Evans looking for you?''
THAI cannot say
"Had you had words before the shoot
ing?''
THAT is very natural to be sup
''what were your relations with
1.-The most pleasant in the world until
to-day. No man could have got along
smoother with another than l did with
him until to-day, but MIR. Evans was
at times, and when he made
the break at me he did what I did was
in self-defegse. 1 regret this, oh, so
much. l have an old mother, sixty-f1ve
years Of age, and 1 regret it most on
her account. 1t may be that l
may have TO be behind the bars for
twelve months, eighteen months, or
three years, but that would not change
my action under the circumstances that
have taken place. -
THE DECEASED.
Burwell Christmas Evans was born in
county, S. c., December 25,
1874. He came to, Fort Worth in 1873,
with a capital of $4,000 which he in
vested in a stock of dry goods and
1ueensware. He lost money until 1875,
when he began to prosper. AT this time
ne was in business in a small !
2unorete, one-story building on
he square. In 1877 he was
he senior partner of the firm Of Evans s.
Martin. This partnership was dissolved
n April, 1888. The B G. Evans COM
1any was formed January l, 1884. |
The capital stock is $3.50 900. |
Mr.. Evans has been president |
# the company since its organization.
z. n. Hatcher is vice-president, |
:. W. Hollingsworth treasurer, and |
Whit Dryden secretary of the |
In October, 1877, Mr.. Evans |
married Miss Ella Dryden. He leaves |
hree children, Lena, eleven years of |
,ge; Albert, seven years, and Ethel, |
wo and half years. Both his father and |
mother are dead, but he has four brothers |
md two sisters living. One brother lives |
lere and three brothers live in South |
Carolina. He leaves a sister in Fannin
county and sister in South Carolina.
A number Of kilograms were received |
est night from all over the country |
grief at the death Of /
dr. Evans. Among these was
mo from, Mrs.