The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-12-22
THE DENISON MURDERS.
REVIVED OVER THE AR.
REST OF BILL LEROY.
The General Opinion 10 That the Right Man
Has at Last Been Captured-An Inter
esting Letter Describing the
Manner Of the Murders.
Special to The statesman.

Special to The statesman.
DENIsoN, Tex, Dec. 16.-The arrest
chronicled in the morning papers has
been the sole subject of convers alton
on the streets today. For some time
it has been known that indictments
had been returned by the grand jury
in the murders on the night ofMay II,
One OF these indictments was against
a man whose arrest was chronicled
above. Officer Hackney left early
this week endeavoring to keep his
destination secret. He was followed
by Sheriff Hughes. Their destination
was West Superior and they
were after the party mentioned
above. Hughes and Hackney will at
once secure extradition papers and
will probably arrive with their pris-
nner in about four days. The pris-
oner's name is not Edwards, but Bill
Leroy. He is well known to the
officers of Grayson county. Some five
ears ago he, with four others, was
arrested for systematically robbing
Houston d Texas Central freight
cars. Leroy turned states evidence,
giving away the gang and thereby
saving himself from punishment. He
afterwards pUsed as a detective
and while attempting to fasten the
crime of horse-theft upon prisoner,
was himself arrested, but finally re-
gained his liberty. He was in Denis IN
last winter, and is we'll known to
many sporting men of the town. He
gambled some and frequented houses
of i'll repute. He was also arrested
for trying to work the double lock
racket. For this he was fined in the
police court. Officers are very reti-
cent about the arrest, as other parties
are implicated, but it was learned
that LeRoy's arrest came about
through letters which he wrote to
friends and which are in the hands Of
the officers.
On the Both of May last, Ed James,
chief of police, received an anony-
NOUS letter addressed: "Chief of Pc.
lice, Denison, Tex.n 1t was mailed at
Eddy, N. M, May 20, 1892, at p. M,
and was received at Denison May 80,
at a. m. 1t was written on the
smallest note paper, and following Is
copy.
III have read great deal In the pa
pers about the Denison murders.
will tell you something about them.
At one time L had lots of money l
got to fooling around with sporting
women and spent all my money. They
blowed me In and thr0wed me out;
pretended that they was stuck on me.
When my money was gone then they
did not know me. / had to get out
and rustic. 1t was then l. met Miss
Teen Hawley. l fell In love with her,
but no one ever knew 1t, and that was
what she was trying to tell her
mother when l shot he. l had to
shoot Mrs. Haynes, because she
caught me trying to rob the house
She came very near taking my gun
away from me. shot her to keep
her from telling on me. l am sorry
so sorry, done it. Then
IL went and shot them
two id VS.. do not know what
took me to Miss Teens, but ! went In
and ran out and stopped at the win
dow. Miss Teen ran In and was try
ing to tell her mother who was.
shot her TO keep her from telling whit
1 was. BY the time you get this l will
be gone again.
At first it was thought this lette
was from some crank and little atten
ton was paid to it. Then it tame t.
be looked upon as clue to the terri
bic mystery. Whether or not the let
ter was written by Leroy your re
porter cannot state, but from informa
ton gathered from several sources !
is thought that this is part of the evil
dence against him. 1t is expected
that other important arrests will b
, made shortly.