The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-09-24

heved to be that of a girl who lived
with her. On the 9th of March officers
arrived in town with two men re-
ported to be connected with the muir
der. A private examination ended in
their being turned loose, and q prompt
investigation by the Mexican officials
discovered the woman Lopez and her
girl TO be alive aud we'll. The MUIR
ueE remained Il mystery. Description
of the bodies, however, as given in
The STATESMAN and other journals,
were read in San Saba County, Texas,
by the sheriff and others, who
were struck by the resemblance to
a family that had recently left the
county. Communications from Sheriff
Cooke, of Maverick county, resulted
in the arrest in or near San Saba of
Dick and Tap Duncan. Tap Dicks
brother), was released. Dick sued
out writ of habeas corpus, which
was heard at Burnett on the 18th of
April. Bail was refused. An appeal
was taken and bail allowed in the
sum of $4,000, which the prisoner did
not furnish. On the 9th of April he
was brought to Eagle Pass, and in the
first week of the June term of the dis
trict court was indicted. The cases
were continued. Duncan again sued
out writ of habeas corpus. Judge
Kelso, following the Court of Appeals,
granted bail in the first case at $4,000,
and added $1,000 each for the
other three cases. Bond was
not forthcoming and Dick was
remanded to Jail, but was removed to
San Antonio for safe custody. He
was brought up for trial at Eagle
Pass at the December term of the dis
trict court, 1889. Judge Winchester
Kelso occupied the bench. The pris-
oner was defended by r.. II. Lombard
of Eagle Pass and Leigh Burleson of
San Saba. The State was represented
by District Attorney ellis and A. D..
V. Old of Uvalde. The prisoners
counsel made several pleas for delay,
motions for continuance and change
of venue, all of which were overruled.
The selection of a jury was tedious
process, seventy-two names yielding
only five jurors, the other seven were,
however, more readily obtained
and the trial began. The pris-
oner was charged with the
murder of Mrs. Lavonia
Holmes. The prosecution produced
forty witnesses, whose examination
extended over three days.
The facts as proved by witnesses
were as follows: Mrs. Williamson "a
widow with her two daughters, Mrs.
| LaVonia Holmes and Beulah William
son, and her son, Ben Williamson, oc-
cupied and owned a small farm short
distance from the town of San Saba
Richard II. Duncan often visited
them. I'm January, 1889, he bought
the farm for 800. On or about the
Goth of January, Duncan and n man
named Walter Landers drove up tC
the deceased's house in a new Mitchell
wagon, into which the William.
son furniture, bedding, ETC., were
loaded, and before midnight
the entire family drove off ac.
companied by Duncan and Landers
The two latter, however, returned in
a short time and stayed all night in
the empty house and then again left
The same day two men, one of whom
was Duncan, called at a smithy neal
San Saba. A bystander remarked
"Wen, your friends, the Williamson's
have gone, but they'll soon be bacl
again. to which Duncan replied
"No, by God, they never will com
back" On the 9th of February tn
defendant rode into the camp O
Ranger Hughes near Barksdale ant
enquired after some rangers whom h
said he knew. Next day Hughes me
him going southwark on bay horse
Landers was with him on splen
did sorrel, PAGER. This hors'
was afterward particularly noticed by
many witnesses.
Following the horsemen was a new
Mitchell wagon drawn by roam, ant
a bay horse driven by a light com
plexioned youth, Three women an
swering to the description of the Viii
liamsons were in the wagon. Duncan
told Hughes that his companion wa
"Picnicn Jones from San Antonio
Two or three days later Duncan and {
dark complexioned companion wer'
seen by Tom Salmon on the Nueces
near Brackett. They were followed
by wagon containing three womer
and man answering the description
Oh the murdered family. On Febru
airy 10 and IL the two men, Landers
and Duncan, were seen in Bracket
and identified by Sheriff Nolan ano
others. Inspector Bullantyne saw the
two men ride up to a wagon as it
passed the house and put some things
in it. In the wagon he saw three
women and man. This was on the
18th. Next day the wagon with
three women and man in it, accom-.
panied by the defendant, were seen
passing Spofford southwark. A pac.
ing sorrel horse was tied behind the
wagon. The defendant, Duncan,
called at Hobbs store in Spofford
He had a Winchester with him, in
good order. He talked with George
Hobbs and others. That night the
party camped at an abandoned ranch
twelve miles south of Spofford
Howard Lavering also stayed there.
He identified the defendant. The
following day, February y, Theodore
Wipf, a farmer, met Duncan, Ian
ders and the same family about
twenty miles south of Spofford, on a
lonely road leading toward the point
on the river where the bodies were
afterwards found. -Four days
later Duncan was trying to trade