Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-08-22
KILLED BY HIS LAHOLADY.
WAS IT BECAUSE HE DID NOT PAY
his BOARD BILLf
Mrs. Thompson, n Boarding House
Keeper, shoots Down August Lieb,
Doerds-r, and Is Locked Up TO

A shocking tragedy was enacted In
this city yesterday morning little be-
fore . o'clock. At that hour four pistol
Shots fred In rapid succession ema-
mated from the boarding house Of Mrs.
J.. +. Thompson, near the corner OF
Fifth and Throckmorton streets, next
door to the Christian church.
The noise attracted. at first, inquiry,
and next crowd. an immense crowd.
1t was found that a boarder Of the
esablishment. one August Lieb, had
been shot down and killed by his
landlady, MS. l.. Il. Thompson.
The weapon used was an ugly-look-
ing 44-callber bulldog revolver, owned
by the woman and kept for protec-
tion. he man was pierced in one mortal
wound. The bullet passed through
his body and lodged under
the skin little under the right nipple.
A second shot struck his right wrist,
and was ouriously caught between the
dead mans fingers, 50 that when he
was examined he had the appearance
OF having grapsed the lead and TO be
holding Vt with sardonlc fierceness to
keen ,, from hurting him further. The
third grazed his shoulder and the
fourth went wide OF the mark, pierced
the door and went into space
Death must have been instantaneous.
the scene the man lay in his own blood.
stark dead and stif.
breaking through the immense
throng that crowded the house, the po-
lice took possession of the premises
and placed Mrs. Thompson under ar
rest. She was straightway locked up.
Judge Randle held an inquest over
the body and rendered verdict that
the death was from u pistol wound in
fllCtgd by Mrs, THOMPSON,
AS far as could be uscertalncd yester-
day the history OF the case is as fol-
lows:
Mrs. l.. f. Thompson is q woman 4s
years Of age, born and reared in War
rem county, Kentucky; moved to Mis-
souri,. married l.. i. Thompson and
came to Fort Worth about twelve years
ago. Her husband died ten years ago
in this city and is buried in the old
cemetery
Since then she has made her living
running boarding house. and for the
past year has been living in residence
near the corner OF Fifth and ThrocS-
morton streets, next door TO the Chris
tlan church, rented from j. 10. Jewel.
About six months ago there came to
her house man named August Lieb.
from Abilene. He commenced to board
with Mrs. Thompson and has since re-
sided there. He had no regular business
under the surveillance Of the police for
the past few weeks.
Last week Mrs. Thompson had him
arrested for drunken conduct and dis
turbing the peace, and while in the
clutches OF the police she made him
give her bill of sale for horse he
owned valued by him at $40 for $50.
He got out Of the oalaboose and re-
turned 10 Mrs. Thompson's to board
For several days Lieb had been threat
ening to leave, This made Mrs. Thomp-
son mad, and for this she is supposed
to have fired the fatal shots.
In tho afternoon, Mrs. Thompson
was arraigned before Judge Randle
for a preliminary hearing,
DIR. Saunders, who attended the dead
man after he was shot. was the first
witness was examined and testified to
the wounds that the man received.
Myrtle Thompson, the l2-year-old
daughter of the defendant, who was
present Mt the killing, testified in re-
gard to the household arrangements
and the troubles between her mother
and the dead man prior to the killing.
The woman was remanded to jail
without bail. Her attorney, MIR. Fur
man, gave notice, however, that he
would petition for a writ of habeas
| corpus today. Bob Irwin, the deputy
sheriff thereupon took Mrs. Thompson
to the county jail, where she spent the
night.
Lieb's personal effects were taken In
charge by the police to be held until
claimed by relatives or friends.
a butchers knife was found In his
! yallse.
His remains were cared for by Rob
ertson & Witten, the undertakers.
Mrs. Thompson was mute and stolid
| yesterday and nothing could be gained
from her as to what lead to the dread
full deed. The general rumor was that
she killed Lieb because he did not pay
his board bill.