Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-04-15
CRUEL CREWS GROWING.
mn KILLED FouR PEOPLE IN
COOKE COUNTY.
Brutniiy Murdered Them aAd Was
Albont to he Lynchcd when lie
WAS brought Bere-Giorier In
the Work of isis Gun.

from Whitesboro yesterday there
emerged from one OF the coaches
man who was got out OF the Cooke
county jail not minute too soon, and
whose crimes. committed within the
space Of forty-eight hours have fairly
aroused the people OF that county to
absolute frenzy. The party referred TO
Is John q. Crews, the man who killed
Mr.. and Mrs. John Murrell. near
Gainesville. on Thursday morning. then
rode to the house Of Morgan Murrell
son OF his first victims, seven miles
away, shot him down in the field where
he was blowing, and wound up his
bloody deeds by killing a farmer near
Thackervllle. In the same county. A
Gazette reporter saw Crews In the
county jail at noon. and heard him
tell the story OF the killings, which he
does not deny having committed.
Crews is a short, sllght-built man.
weighing not to exceed 1870 pounds His
exact height it's five feet seven and
one-half inches. He has dark blue
eyes. sandy mustache, dark brown
hair. and is not what would by any
means be called an Unlocking person.
The right side OF his face bears evil
dence Of the fact that he has recently
been In close quarters, being punctured
fun Of shot from the gun of Farmer
Meeks, who attempted to arrest him
near Thackeryille yesterday afternoon.
Crews was perfectly unreserved In
telling his story, and did not seem TO
be at all alarmed when told that his
interviewer was newspaper reporter,
He gave his age AS A. and said he was
born In Duncan county, Missouri, where
he has many relatives. With the eN-
ceptlUn Of two years passed In Call
fornia, and one year In Colorado, he
has lived In Cooke county, and just
across the Red river In the Indian Ter
rtory for the past twelve years. Get
ting down to the details Of the crimes
so recently committed, the man said
he WAS married near Gainesville In
1886 and had made n living since as a
farm hand, his wife always accom-
pauying him. He had worked for John
Murrel all together about five years and
while they had quarreled several times
It was not until Murrell attempted to
dehnuch Crews wife that he made up
his mind to Kill him. Crews stated
that on April 4 Murrell enticed his
wife into the cellar Of his farm house,
and made an assault upon her but did
not succeed in carrying out his design.
MurrellB sons We're up stairs and
the woman was afraid 20 cry out,
lest her husband would be killed.
Nurrell had previously endeavoured to
induce the woman to leave her hus-
band, telling her that he would take
care OF her, Failing to separate Crews
and his wife he tried to drive the hus-
band of the place. but was thwarted
because he was afraid to attack Crews.
The prisoner says that when his wife
told him how Murrell had treated her
he sent for his brother to move him
and his effects away from the Murrel
place, but pending his arrival, Murrell
again attempted 10 entice his wife
away from him. He says that pre-
ylous to this time Murrell had appro-
prIated lot OF household furniture
and other property OF himself and wife
which they had brought with them
when entering his employ, and realiz-
ing or believing that the former In
tended to rob him OF all that he held
dear, he made up his mind to kill him,
Therefore. Crews says, he armed him
self with a Winchester. went to the
stable last Thursday morning crawled
up In the hay NOW, and lay IN walt
nv his victim About o clock Murrell
came 10 the barn, and while he was
feeding the horse Crews fired the first
shot striking BIN lust above the heart
Nlurrell fell, bur got on his feet and
started fort he door, when Crews fired
again, this time bringing him down.
crews SAYS he Jumped down from his
place OF concealment, went to Muir
rell's side. who was still conscious, and
told him why he had done the deed.
The wounded man was Fatally shot,
and white Crews was talking to him
Mrs. Murrcn, who had heard the shoot
inc came running towards the stable.
-. 81 had "a fork "a
her hand and made at him like an
infurlated beast. He cautioned her not
to come near him, or he would Kill her.
She continued to advance, however,
and was 40 close TO him when he fired
that she could have put her hand on
the rifle barrel
some time previous to this tragic
occurrence he had quarreied with
Morgan Murrell son Of the man
who lay dead Ia the stable, and believ-
ing that he could stand no show as
against the power OF money and IN
fuonce which the dead man pos
sessed. as he thought, he made up his
mind to make cleap sweep and wipe
out the score against the son, lie
saddled one Of Murrell's horses
grasped his Winchester and started for
the home Of Morgan Murrell, seven
miles away In the bottom lands OF the
Rod river He found him blowing,
as he reached the end Of a furrow and
was turning his team. Crews says he
started for the Indian Territory but
as he rode along and thought Of the
enormity Of his offenses and the re-
suit OF his capture by those who would
seek summary vengeance in all prob
ahllity he determined to give himself
up and take the consequences. He
rode To within four miles Of Thacker-
Vile, when he dismounted to rest and
Craze his horse In securing the ami
NAL he laid down his gun, and when he
looked up he saw farmer Meeks be-
hind Eapllng with a shotgun pulled
down on him, The farmer ordered
Crews TO throw up his hands, but In
stead OF doing SO the latter sprang for
his Winchester. Meeks fired but did
not hit Crews. when the latter having
secured his gun. shot Meeks through
the right breast. Meeks fell on his
back and cried out TO Crews not TO
kill him. Crews said he set his gun
down. and as he did so Meeks sat up
on the ground and deliberately fired
al him This was the shot that filled
his face full Of lead Crews says that
maddoned by the pain and not caring
particularly what became OF him he
then killed the farmer. Faint from loss
OF blood, he was unable to leave the
scene FOR a time, but eventually made
up his mind to so TO Thackerville and
take the train FOR Gainesville and
give himself up TO the sheriff. While
buying his ticket at the station he was
recognized and arrested as has al
ready been told I'm the dispatches He