Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-08-28
William Luther the Last Victim
Of "a Bitter. Family Feud.
Some Say He is Shot Down Like a
Dog by His BrOther-in-Law
in a Depot.
Another Account Says the Slayer Hated to
do It," but Had TO-HistOry of
Series of Grimes
ONE OF A SERIES .

place at GoodIand station, twenty-six
miles north of here on the Frisco rail-
way, at noon yesterday. The victim was
VIII Luther, q white man, and his
slayers were. Joe Everidge, his two
| brothers, and a negro named Henry
Willis. Luther had gone to Goodland to
take train for this city, when the Ever
| idge party heard that he was at the de-
| pot and went over, walked into the wait
ing room and opened fire, killing him
| instantly. He was
PIERCED BY FOUR BALLS
and fell with his hand on his partially
| drawn revolver.
Another report says that Toe Everidge
went into the depot on business with his
| Winchester IN his hand. As he entered
Luther attempted to draw his pistol
when Everidge SAID:
| II hate to do it, Luther, but Unjust,
| and shot him four times, one ball strik-
| ing his victim s heart, another the shoul-
der, one the side and the other the
groin. II
The men were brothers law and the
! trouble between theIu Originated in Feb
| ruary, 1883, when peX Ford, who was
! also brother-in-Ia of Luther and Ey-
! eridge, killed Bob Peeler about some
| corn Ford induced Peeler to go with
! him to Henry Willis house under a pre-
! text of trading horses. When there Ford
| sought an advantage and shot Peeler in
! the back Peeler turned and shot Ford,
| then fell dead. Ford was
| indicted in the Federal court
i at Fort Smith. Pending his trial in
/ June, 1888, Luther invited Ford TO his
home, and after dinner they went out on
| the front porch to smoke \ Luther went
| in the house and got his'WInchester and
SHOT FORD IN THE BACK.
Ford ran to the fence and fell outside
dead, pierced with five balls. Luther
and his family, went about their
| duties and Ford So. body lay
there until the following afternoon
| exposed to the heat of a summers sun.
| For this crime Luther was also indicted
| at Fort Smith, and jog Everidge, who
was chief of the Indian police and
warm friend of Ford s. took an active in
| terest in the case. After a long trial
Luther was acquitted in February last.
| On his release he made threats against
| Everidge, and Officious persons fOmented
the trouble between them 1t was GER
| tain that sooner or later one of them
would be killed, and the only question
was as to which would
GET HIS WORK IN FIRST,
| for both men were daring to desperation
and used to all the unscrupulous methods
of warfare practiced in that country.
After killing Luther, Everidge gave
himself up to Boss Mccoy the sheriff of
| Kiomitia county in the Choctaw nation,
under the apprehension that as. both
| were recognized citizens of the Choctaw
nation the Federal court here would have
! no jurisdiction, but he is mistaken. The
| fact that Luther has been a United
States guard i'll the Territory gives the
| Federal court jurisdiction and District
| Attorney McCOmb had warrants issued
for the Everidges and the negro Willis,
and Deputy Marshal Leatherman left
for the Territory Tonight to arrest them.
Luther has several brothers who are
swearing vengeance, and it is believed
that this deadly family feud has not
ended. Both families are
NUMEROUS AND INFLUENTIAL
and more bloodshed is expected to fol-
low Eyeridge has long been chief of
the Indian police in the Choctaw nation
and was a deputy under Marshal
| Reagan. He is a half breed Indian, but
shows no traces of Indian blood. He is
well known throughout the Indian Terri
tory and along the border of Texas and
Arkansas and has many friends. In his
manners he is quiet and unassuming,
| but possesses the traits of his Indian an
II cestors, neither forgetfuI nor forgiving
\ and always ready to resent wrong him
| self.
Luther and Ford married sisters, In
! dian women. The latter were white,
| but Ford was never recognized as an In
dian citizen on account of some irregu-
rarity in his marriage license. This
! tragedy has caused profound sensation
| here.
A FORT SMITH ACCOUNT.
Special TO the Gazette.
f. FORT SMITH, ARK. Aug. 27.-Capt.
I Joe Everidge, United States marshal
and railroad detective on the Frisco be-
tween this place and Paris, Tex, killed
| his brother in-law, William Luther, last
| night in the depot waiting room at Good
lands station, ChOctaw nation. This
was the result OF a family feud that
sprang up IN 1885. Robert f. PeeIer,
| Capt w H. Ford, William Luther and
| Fveridge were all brothers-in-law by
| marriage. In January 1885 ,Peeler killed
q Young man named Bell Bingham for
alleged intimacy with his wife. He snr-
rendered here and Ford came with him
as best friend. He was convicted of man
slaughter, and the president granted
him pardon. After his return home he
and Ford fell out, and in February 1888,
Ford killed Peeler and was himself Sc
| yerely wounded He also surrendered
here and was indicted for murder, and
gave bond for his appearance :; On
the 22d of June, 1888, civilian
Luther killed Ford in his
Luther 50 own house. He was arrested
and brought here on the 18th Of June
but bond was refused in mis- case, and he
remained in Jail until February 2, 1889,
when he was acquitted, as many claim
on fraudulent testimony. Everidge was
against Luther in this ease
as he believed that Ford had
been foully murdered. After Luther g
acuuittal he went back to the
Territory, and it is understood has been
| making threats against Everidge. Las