Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-08-31


faula Thus armed, and being also fur
nished with a quart Of liquor, they
struck out on the trail of Erwin and his
prisoner. A dog of Palmer's followed
them from Mrs Griffin 's-what was
termed noted dog in the neighbUrhood.
Mile after mile Erwin was traced with
his prisoner, and mile after mile Span
lard, Palmer and the dog were proven
on their trail. At dark that evening
the testimony showed the officer and his
pursuers twenty miles from where they
started and within quarter mile of each
other Shortly after a number of shots
were heard; few moments later the
whistles and calls of the three men,
Spaniard, Palmer and Griffin were
heard, first at great distances and then
closer together; then their voices in con-
versation, then their retreat to the
woods.
The next morning about O'Clock the
horse of Erwin was found grazing and
near by was the dead body CT the officer
shot through the side. The writs for the
arrest of these men were soaked in his
blood. From the road to the spot where
his body lay the tracks of his horse, well
shod, ran direct, and the tracks of the
two who had followed ran
on each side of him. The pony of Felix
Griffin, the prisoner, ran in the opposite
direction. Frank Palmer has never been
seen nor heard OF since.
simultaneously with the discovery Of
Erwin s body, some twelve hours after
his murder, Spaniard and Griffin, the
released prisoners, were seen forty miles
west of the place of murder, at the ferry
over the Canadian river in "Younger IS
bend, - and they stopped at the house of
Sam and Belle Starr, the head Of the
outlaws. They had with them the dog of
Frank Palmer. A reward of $500 each
for Spaniard, Palmer and Griffin was
offered by the government. Spaniard
left the country and was gone more than
two years. Griffin was caught. The
proof Of his completely in the murder was
insufficient and he was released on bond.
Shortly afterwards, at the jail, he told
United States District Attorney Sandels,
Judge Smedley Forest, West w. Harris
and several guards the whole story of the
flight and pursuit, the arrival of Span
lard and Palmer at the place Of the muir
der, their dash at the young officer and
the killing of him by Spaniard. None of
this statement, of course, was in EVIL
denee at the trial, because his statement
TO others was hearBay, and Felix himself
was riddled with buckshOt just one
year from the date of Ewin IS
murder by Robert Vance, a Cherokee
who caught him in his horse lot one dark
night preparing to carry off some of his
stock.
After a lapse Of more than two years
Spaniard returned TO the Territory and
procured an interview with his attorney,
Col. r. G.. Boudinot, at the home Of
Col. Mcintosh in the Greek nation. AS
q result Col, Boudinot informed a dep
uty marshal where he could find Span
lard, and the latter surrendered without
bloOdshed and was brought to this place,
hoping, it is presumed, that as Griffin
was dead and Palmer out Of the way, he
stood a good chance Of acquittal, as the
evidence in the case was all circumstau-
tial and there was no living eyewitness
TO the tragedy. At the trial, however,
he could neither have defense by other
nor would he go on the stand
himself. He stood utterly defenseless
before the law and the testimony and was
Notwithstanding he was ably
defended.
The dog mentioned above was at
tached and brought here, becoming a
mute witness for the government by his
presence in court. He was recognized as
Frank Palmer s dog, and also as the dog
that followed the, murderers when on the
trail Of their victim; then other wit
nesses testified that he was the same cur
that followed Griffin and Spapiard to
Y ounger's Bend and was seen with them
on the morning that the dead body of the
officer was discovered. The only evidence !
produced by the defense that cut any
figure was the testimony of Ed and Pearl |
Read, son and daughter of Belle Star,
who swore that is was not SDaniard who |
came to their mothers house with |
Griffin on the day following the murder, |
out some other man, whom they did not |
know. Their testimony was CONTRA |
iicted, however, by the man who passed |
them over the river and by others.
Spaniard was convicted on April u, |
and sentenced, with five others, to be |
hanged on July Il. He obtained a |
respite until August 9, and the negro /
Walker was also respited to |
that time. He has all along |
asserted his innocence, and had |
strong hopes of a communication. Presi-
lent Harrison finally notified the mar
shall that he wogld not interfere, and !
Jack prepared to take final leave Of this /
world on the 9Th. On the Sth he sent for !
your correspondent and requested that |
lis photograph be taken-a thing he had !
repeatedly refused to have done before |
ne gave up hope. a photographer was /
sent to the jail and took his picture, but
hat night, much 10 the surprise of the
man, a dispatch was received
rom Washington granting him further
respite until the 30th. At the
request Of the court officers the
negro Walker was also respited
Until the 3Oth, it being the desire of the
officials TO have one execution should the
president decline to further interfere in
SpaniaTd's case. On the 18th, after
ooking more fully into the case, the
president declined a second time to
urther interfere, and from that time
he condemned man began making4prep-
lrations TO meet his doom. He became
member of the Baptist church some
ime ago aud expressed himself as ready
osdie, if the Lord so wilied it, and has
conducted himself in a very creditabIe
manner since receiving his sentences.
ack Is the second man ever. hung
lere Sfor the killing of a United
states officer, notwithstanding abaAt
wenty have been murdered in the FefFf-ssI
DRY within the past four years. ManySl
# the others who have killed 0fficsss
while in the discharge of their duty ,saTe
. nF 10