Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-24
with the murder of Mrs. Laronia Holmes.

|
witnesses were as follows: Mrs. William
| son Ia widow, with her daughters, Mrs.
| Lavonia Holmes and Beulah Williamson,
| and her son, Ben Williamson, occupied and
owned a small farm a short distance from
the town of San Saba. Richard Fl. Duncan
| often visited them. In January, 1889, he
bought the farm for $500. On or about the
| Goth of January, Duncan and man named
| Walter LanderS drove up tC the deceaSed'S
| house in a new Mitchell wagon, into which
| the Williamson furniture bedding, etc,
were loaded, and before midday the entire
family drove off, accompanied by Duncan
/ and LanderS. The two latter, however re-
| turned in 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 near San Saba.
| bystander remarked: We'll, your
| friends, the Williamsons, have gone, but
| they'll soon be back again" to which Dun
can replied: NO, by God, they never will
come back On the 9th day of February
| the defendant rode into the camp of Ranger
Hughes, near BarksGale, and inquired after
some rangers whom he said he knew. Next
day Hughes met him going southwark on a
bay horse Landers was with him on a
| splendid sorrel, PAGER. This horse was
| afterwards particularly noticed by many
witnesses.
Following the horsemen was new Mitch
ell wagon drawn by i roam. and a bay
horse driven by u light complexioned youth
The women answering to the description
of the WilliaMsons were i'll the wagon.
Duncan told Hughes that his companion
was Picnic Jones from San Angelo.
Two or three days later, Duncan and dark
compeXioned companion were seen by Tom
Salmon on the NueceS, near Brackett.
They were followed by wagon containing
three women and a man answering the de-
scription OF the murdered family. On
February 10 and II the two men, Landcrs
and Duncan, were seen i'll Bracket and
identified by Sheriff Nolan and others.
Inspector Ballantyne saw the two men ride
up 10 4 wagon rs il passed the house and
put some things III il. In the wagon he SaW
three women and Il man. This was OIL the
llth. Next day the wagon with the three
women and 4 man in il, accompanied by the
defendant, We're seen passing Spofford
southwark. \ pacing sorrel horse was tied
behind the wagon. The defendant, Duncan.
called at Hobbs store III Spofford. He had
Il 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. How
ard Laveriug also stayed there. He identi-
fed the defendant. The following day,
February II. Theodore Wipf, farmer,
met Duncan, Landers and the same family
about twenty miles south of Spot
ford. on Il lonely road leading toward
the point on the river where the bodies
We're afterwards found. -Four days later
Duncan was trying to trade off a sorTel
horse in Eagle Pass. On the 18th he was
again in Bracket riding a sOrrel horse,
and displayed to witnesses u Winchester,
the magazine and barrel of which We're
bent Duncan entered Spofford from Eagle
Pass and left going toward Bracket. Next
day early, he again rode into Bracket, fol |
lowed by the same wagon in which the
Williamsons had travelled, but the sole Oc-
cupant of it was LanderS The twain left |
Bl'ackett. going North. Two days later |
Duncan was once more in Bracket, then |
IN Spohord, put up his horse at Hobbs sta |
bic and took the train for Eagle Pass. |
Here he engaged Shad White to get i wagon, |
team, burrO, colt, bedding, etc, across |
the river, agreeing to give Shad White |
for his service credit for $50 on I sorrel |
horse which he was to receive. The goods |
We're duly crossed. and old man Duncan |
with Tap, left Eagle Pass in the wagon in |
the direction of SpOfford. Next day Dun
can was again at Spofford He had the
bent Winchester and said he had bent it |
over a stupid burro He took his horse, but |
said he could not pay Hobbs charges. as |
he owed Shad White $50 for getting him
out of 4 ''roOkus' in Mexico. He would |
take the horse to Shad and come back and |
pay his bill. He took the Eagle Pass road,
but that night rode up TO Browns ranch, |
thirty miles in the opposite direction
north of Spofford, and asked for a
dark compleXioned man with
wagon and team. The defendant
stayed all night at Browns. as did also Mr.
Perry, who said he had seen the wagon and
man, whereupon Duncan said: He
LandersJ did not camp where l told him,
but next time III learn him to do it, Dun
can acted queerly at this ranch, and seemed
afraid whenever the door opened. Next
morning he left, by Perrys directions, TO
Join Landers- On the same day the old
man and Tap arrived in Spofford with
wagon. They sold colt to William Hobbs
and left, travelling north witness next
day met both wagons. Each party asked
after the other, proving that they had not
met Here Duncan and Landers tradee Il
quilt for corn and tried TO sell feather
bed, and again on the LIST of March Sergeant
Aten and Ranger Hughes came upon Dun
can and Landers, north of Barksdale. They
were travelling north. Duncan drove the
wagon. LanderS riding in advance. The
rangers arrested them. They knew Land
ers as Picnic" Jones, but upon search
found upon him letters for w. LanGers. He
said Picnic was nickname. Duncan eX-
planned that he had been to Mexico with his
mother, two sisters and brother-in-law. The
brother-in-law Thompson" was accused
Of cattle theft and he Duncan had taken
him to Mexico, the mother and sister
were with him there and the other
sister had come back by train. The
rangers let their prisoners go
md they resumed their journey
to San Saba, where Duncan was arrested.
Meanwhile rs explained above, the bodies
If the Williamsons had been found in the
river. They had all been murdered by
blows from blunt weapon. Their heads
were horribly beaten. the skulls driven in |
lpon the brain. At the trial several neigh
Dors of the family. who had been struck by |
he close reSem biance of the published de-
'criptionS, attended and swore to the iden-
ity of Mrs. Lavouia Holmes and Ben Will
AIMS. The latter was known by mis- cloth
ug. the former by Ter false teeth. tooth
,late and misshapen feet. The defense
aced the impossible, attempting to break |
his strong chain of crcumStantial evidence |
The only relevant testimony was given by
he father and brother of the defendant.
They positively Swore that they We're 1T
Serndt' ranch, three miles north of Piedras
[egras, from February II TO February 10
nj that the defendant came there on the
9TH and remained till the 18th, the brother
zap swearing that Dick was never two
ours absent at time. This evidence was
owever, fatty contradicted by several
witnesses. who saw Duncan from the 18th
o the 18th at Eagle Pass Spofford and {
Srackett. The defendants counsel, (after
Ir Olds had spoken at great length for the
tate) sought to convince the Jury that :
here was a reasonable doubt, but their eff
orts did not seem TO make much impress
ion. and when District Attorney ellis had
loSeG the case IN speech marked |
" clear narrative and relentless logic
rowing to demonstration that Richard H. |