San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-07-25
THE SMALL MURDER.
FRED SMALL TELLS OF THE
KILLING OF CHARLIE.
He Buries Him Alone---Digs the
Grave and Offers up a Prayer
A Touching Story.

| lol lue DdllS hIIhl, WIZ went
Langtry Saturday in answer to
summon by telegram from Franz
Reagen, stating that his brother
Charlie Small, was killed, has re
| turned home. He was seen by ;
LIGHT reporter this mOrning, anC
made the following statement
which throws a different light OF
the subject:
81 received telegram from
Frank Reagan, of Langtry, Satur
day morning, which read as fol
lows.
Charlie Small killed, come at
once
"Not knowing which way to turn
l rushed to the round house. where
| informed my brother Gus. Be-
fore he had time to dress. | saw
the train pulling out for Langtry,
and had barely time to catch it.
IlttNi oil 81 Sllllll oIllOuHD vi
with me, and when the train
stopped four minutes at Hondo
City, | went to Frank Wiles, the
banker, and told him | wanted $50.
| had just two minutes, but in that
time / gave him a draft for that
amount. He was very kind and
gave me the mOneywithout asking
a question, for which | desire to re-
turn thanks through your col
umns.
at was Z o'clock when the train
pulled into Langtry, and stopped
for water at the tank. AS the
train was nearing the sta
ton l saw the body of my
brother lying covered with blood
underneath the tank beam. There
was a gang of rangers standing
about 90 yards from the spot where
he lay. They were without coats,
and all had guns in their belts and
they looked wild, so much so that
| feared | would be killed as soon
as [ stepped off. Determined to
fear nothing, jumped from the
car and walked to the tank. |
crawled under the beam and was
in moment at the side of my
brother. The rangers came nearer.
When | saw Charlie | broke down
and could do nothing for some
time. Finally l dragged him out
and washed off the blood. | sent
man to dig grave, and then sent
to Del Rio for coffin. Some time
after that | was informed that the
grave was ready, and when the cof-
fin arrived, | fixed the body in as
best | could, and some men
helped me carry it to the cemetery.
"When we reached the grave, the
hole had only been dug two feet
deep. We laid the coffin down and
| worked hard for an hour, and
dug six foot hole. Six women
and girls were present, and as the
body was being lowered, they sang
two hymns. | could not give him a
better burial, as | had to do it all
myself. There was no minister
there, and a stranger said a few
words, and / offered a prayer. |
then chopped up some ratings and
placed them over the coffin, as |
could not get box. The dirt was
then thrown in and the ladies sang
another impressive hymn and we
left. | went back to the depot,
about o'clock that night, and sat
on the platform all night, near the
spot were Charlie was killed, wait
ing for a train to return home, and
arrived here Monday"
Mr.. Small was asked as to the
cause Of the killing, ETC., and he
said:
"Roy Bean gave a dance there
Friday night, and Charlie went,
and enjoyed himself hugely, but
did not drink anything, nor was
he drunk when the killing took
place, as has been stated.
"a ranger named Tom Lewis got
into trouble with a Mexican, and
Charlie got him out. AS he was
drinking, Charlie thought it his
duty to care for him, which he did.
"When the train Saturday morn
ing, at 4:30 o'clock, pulled out Of
Langtry for San Antonio, Charlie
got on, and spoke to two men and
their wives, sending some message
home by them. He then stepped
off. Before the train arrived at Del
Rio telegram was received that
Charlie had been killed.
"After Charlie got off the train he
tried to get Lewis, the drunken
Ranger, to 60 home. In some way
a scuffie took place and a shot was
fired. He was shot through the leg