The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1894-03-24
THE CARTER KILLING
A Negro Arrested for a Crime
Committed in 1870.
John Green. Alias Dick Lee. Now in the
Nlelennan County Jail.

In the year 1870 one oil the firms
doing business in Waco was T. II.
Hardin Il Co., composed Of K. IL.
Hardin and General J X. Harrison.
This firm did large bu .iness, and
their Office safe was often used az a
depository for moneys, citizens of
times leaving money with the firm
over night
Employed in the store were
James Taylor, well known in Waco,
but now living at Lampasas; Alex.
Mccullough, deceased, and Eugene
Garter, lad OF fifteen or sixteen
years of age, a step.son of General
Harrison. The three employees
slept in the rear of the store
Carter always retired early, the
others often being out late. On or
about the 20th of August, 1870, one
of the occasions of large deposits in
the safe referred to, the store was
entered about midnight, entrance
being effected by removing bricks
from below window in the rear
wall. Carter was alone at the
time. When his companions came
IN, about a. m, they heard noise
near the rear. Going to Carter's
bed, they saw pillow lying over
his head, and with the joking re.
mark That the boy was feigning
sleep, one OF the gentlemen threw
aside the pillow, revealing a sight
that Mortified both.
Carter lay across the bed, his
head, neck and shoulders being
gashod in several places with a
Ratchet, the implement of death
being LETT behind by the assassins.
He was just breathing his last when
mis- companions arrived.
The theory has always been that
the murderers entered the place for
che purpose of robbery, and being
discovered by Carter, murdered him
to shield themselves. Just as they
were completing their CHASTITY crime
Messrs. McCuloch and Taylor, en-
tering the front door, alarmed them
and flight was immediate. Thus
the main purpose, that of robbery,
was foiled, not cent being taken.
The news spread over the village
of Waco like wildGre, and every
male resident within four or five
miles joined the posse, seeking to
bring the perpetrators of the crime
TO justice. Toe only clue that
could be obtained tended to fasten
the crime upon M. p. Hunnicut.,
at that time in the secret detective
service, ostensibly being Of the
state police.
Hunnicltt was arrested, tried
and convicted, bat on new
srial proved strong al;bi, showing
by competent witnesses that he was
IN Galveston on the night of the
murder.
A RECENT INV ESTlGATION.
Some two months ago ex Sheriff
Dan Ford received a letter from
Sheriff J. G. Howard, of Long
view, Gregg county, asking if such
> murder had been committed hero,
describing the Carter tragedy. Mr..
Ford replied, giving the facts in the
case. Sheriff Howard, under date
of February 81, replied to Mr..
Ford saying
Il am satisfied that the parties
who killed Eugene Carter and
robbed the store are both here, two
negroes. What they have told Just
suits the Carter murder and robbery
of Harrison's store. They say it
was d one over twenty years ago and
say they dug under the house. One
of Them was standing by the corner
Of the store and heard Carter say he
had lot of money in the house,
but was afraid to keep it there dur
ing the night, and that night was
the time they did their work, killed
the man and got the money. One
Of the negroes has been hers twelve
or fourteen years. He always
carries shot gun and when ques-
toned why he does so, always
answers that he has his reasons"
Othtr letters passed between the
sheriff and Mr.. Ford, causiny the