Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-07-29

brown itanS'h.
BASTROP. Tex. July 2S.- lSpeciall-
Alex Brown was hanged today at 1870
p. M, inside the county jail, for the MUIR
der Of Jane wilkins On Oct, 10, lSl2
Yesterday he confessed the killing, but
pleaded self.defense He attempted to
cut his throat yesterday aud came near
succeeding.
A large number Of negroes crowded
around the jail during thc hanging.
BROWNS CRIME.
About 10 o'clock on the night Of Oct.
10, 1872. the dead body % Jane Wilkins,
a colored woman. was found lying with
face down in the yard few feet from
the front door Of the house occupied as
residence 10y herself aud her husband,
Oliver wilkins. and their little boy about
. years Of age. Her head had been
literally chopped to pieces and blo,dy
AK, found near her remains, disclosed
with more, certainty the weapon with
which the murder was pcrpetNled The
sheriff and city marshal were summoned
TO the scene Immediately, and Il being
generally known that the deceased and
Alcck Brown had been intimate fricids
for years, and had recently had some
trouble with each other. IN which Alcck
had. on ~ least two occasions, made
violent assaults upon her and had threat.
encd her life, lie was therefore imme-
diately arrested ON suspicion and held
10 answer the charge Of the murder Of
Jane wilkins II was shown al the trial
that there were found at the time Of
his arrest some spots OF fresh bl0pd on
his hat, pants aud shoes. which he nm.
able 10 satisfactorily account for II
was shlyn that he was seen at Jane
Wilkins house the night before and
mitied, quarrellng with her while her
husband was absent. aud he was srrn
TO go into her house aud very shortly
thereafter leaving about the time the
murder was committed. The sound OF
heavy blow, sulh Us wonli hp made by
person striking another with an AZ,
rs jane was struck over the head by
some person, which appeared 10 be at
Jane wilkins house and the figure uf
man was seen immediately after these
blows were heard fleeing from the scene
of the murder and going In the direction
| Of Aleck Browns house. II was also
shown that the house occupied by Ben
| Holiday was on the most direct route
TO Aleck Browns house aud that the
person fleeing from the scene of the
murder went by the road passing by
Ben Holidays. II was also shown thai
there was u bright light In Bep Iloll,
| days house az the iino, which reflected
out on the sidewalk III front 0f hts house
and that the man fleeing frOm the scene
Of the murder attempted to slun the
| light by leaving the sidnWhk aud g1lnp
out in the street, but wHs seen at this
point and positively recognized us Alccl
Brown the condemned man.
Aleck Brown tried to prove an alb
In his defense, aud also tried To show
that the murder was committed by Oil
yer wilkins. the husband Of the de
ceased, and this evidence was all heard
hy the jury. but was too weak To rails,
any doubt In their minds as 10 his guilt
and they found him guilty ana assessed
his punishment a, death Mcssrs. Dyer
Moore, Hood and McIbaW represented
him ably aud faithfully under the up
pointmcnt Of the court in the court be-
low. a. well as In the higher court. where
the Judgment of the lower court was
affirmed on appeal, and II. w. SiddHl
and j. II, Fowler assisted IN the prose
cution.