Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-07-31
FOUGHT LIKE DEMONS,
SCREAMING As THEY FOUGHT,
DID THREE WOMEN
orthe Stephenson Family In Florida.
shoyels, Chairs, Bcd-siats. Any
thing They Could Got Used In the
battle with Cowardly Assassins.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. July aO--As
the details Of the killing of Henry Os-
teen at Tarpou Springs come forward.
they disclose " horrible affair. with
many exciting and dramatic features.
Ostecn was watcher at the bedside of
bud Stephenson, who killed Town Mar
shall Whtehurst ON July I. and who is
still confined to his bed with the wounds
received during the fight A deputy shur-
IN, John Noblcy, guards the house AZ
night 80 that Stcpheusons friends can
not get him beyond the reach OF the
law. His physician has expressed strong
hopes Of his recovery. which apparently
led some,of the friends Of the murdered
marshal TO put an end 10 his life any.
way. Shortly after . O'Clock two shots
were heard in the vicinity of the house
which Stephenson occupies. and the
shots were followed by terrified screams
Of women. which wukenrd the inhnbit.
auts living near by who soon were OUT
and ~ the house to learn what had han
peuedi II was terrible sight that thny
saw when they entered. Stephenson was
not a. dead man, Us the neighburs OK.
pected to ilnd him, though he Ind boon
shot and was bleeding, but the liiuleis
form Of lleury Taylor Osteen, The Young
man who had been watching with him,
lay On the tOnr near the bed ia IA lie
pool OF blood, and with big hole in his
mead, IN which 4 man could plnca his
fist.
Deputy AIoblpy snys he was standing
about nifty yards from the house al 2
"a NIk "A. ltHIsg -.
~ he was approached hy Wing Of
mnskei men On foot, their horses being
hllchcd In the woods near b. us was
subsequently discovered. The lender COW
cred him with q rifle aud ordered him
10 throw mp his hands Alubley made a
move toward the revolver in his hip.
pocket, when tho leader knocked up his
arm with The barrel Ut his rifle.
Then the whole party closed Ia Oh hin
aud disarmel linn, lie was told Ia krup
juliet, and two men were left 10 guard
HIN. The other three proceeded quietly
10 the house aud tried 10 enter through
the front door The wumpn of the house
hold three IN number had moved their
beds out On The front yrrinda. which Is
surrounded by u lattice. the night belhp
very warm. There they were Sleeping
very zOundly, nnd In order 10 get 10 the
front door the intrudrrs had to cllmi
over their beds. This awakened the
women, who az once took IN the siiunilDn,
aud terrific hnnd.to-linnd fight cnsucd.
The women fought hrroic1lly to keep
two Of the men out, but during thoir
struggle two others went around the
house and fired through a window, ltill
Ing esteem They all then took TO their
heels, and nobody knows or has any iden
who the intrulers we're. The Inurderers
evidently misto0k Osiern for Stephenson
rs be lay on the bed near tlio window
Osteen died Instantly. Stephenson re-
q4yed some shot in the arm. hut they
made only slight flesh wounds, although
bleeding profusely.
The tight between the women aud the
two masked men II said TO have been
terrible one. The women were In their
night clothes. nnarmcd and taken by sur
prise. hut they seized chair-, portions Of
betlsteads aud shovel aud fought tbs
infruders like demons. The Two men
used only the butts Of their guns, but
they were badly worstrl when the other,
called upon them to make their escape.
The beds. piazza aud steps were covered
with blood next morning, but not from
the women. They showed only bruises.
while the men must have been badly
hacked. While the fight was on the
women shriolcd aud screamed 80 loud
Thai they could be heard more than
milo away. A. yet there Is no clew To
he identity Of the inurdefers.