Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-08-30
A CRIppLE'S AWFUL CRIME.
Il. ID. MeNIrr KILLS MHs. Rosa
MARTIN AT BoNHAM.
Knocked InsensibIe with an Ak and
Then Her Throat is Cut with u
Raxor-Lies Down by His victims
Side and Ends His own Life.

part Of the city. The sheriff with sew
eral others started to the scene Of the
tragedy. out in small room in place
known as the Red Front building, were
found the dead bodies of Mrs, Rosa
Martin and f. d. McNitt. They were
lying on the floor covered with their
own llfe's blood. on the floor were
great pools of blood. Mrs. Martin was
lying on her right side with her throat
cut from ear to ear and an ugly dent
In her head. McNitt was lying on his
right side with his left arm across
Mrs. Martin and the jugular vein Of his
throat was severed. In chair near
the bed was an AK, and on the floor
was a bloody razor. Mrs. Martin was
in her night robe, but McNitt was
dressed. Mrs. Martin was a widow llv-
ing in the house with b. r. Rice and
had three children. She had been do
ing washing for living. McNitt was a
cripple having both legs on near the
knees Also one hand was gone eN-
cept the thumb. He was a candy
seller and boarded in the same house
with Mrs. Martin. but boarded with
Rice. McNitt had made love to Mrs.
Martin several times and she promised
at one time to marry him II he would
quit drinking, and he promised to do It,
but he did not carry out his part OF the
promise and she then informed him she
would not marry him. He had made
several threats. ut one time telling
her that he ought to cut her throat,
~ Il 1a.uN L ..la a.. N.lI
him that she would have nothing TO
further to do with him, and had him
arrested. Things grew from bad to
worse and last night he wrote her the
following letter:
Bonhnm, Aug. 2s, 1Sg4.-'Mrs. Rose
Martin: Dear Madam-I once more
ask you TO treat me like q man and
like q friend. and Rose I will ask you
no more. You know l have done
great deal for you and / am most
cray. No woman was ever loved by
man better than love you. l know /
have done wrong. but l have not done
rs wrong as you. You have been de-
celving me for five or six months, and
l have stood II better than most men
would have stood It. Rose you don't
know how much / have suffered, ana
always will suffer, but l will give yas.
one more chance to be woman | have
AhAhNA my Va ulN AloW AuI luItt lnDlkila
and have made up my mind 10 do right
II you win meet me half way. II you
VIII come TO ME like a woman should,
and apologize to me ana always be a
friend to me l VIII for your sake and
through the love ] have for God, re-
llnquish all my claims TO you and treat
you like a friend. but 81 you will do
nothing l VIII be a sworn enemy as
longer l live. What 1 said when [
was drinking will do you no harm but
now l have made up my mind to lead
sober life and by good behavior |
have got as many friends as any body.
have written to Arkansas for recon-
mendatlon as 10 my standing and | will
make II my business 90 ruin you and
viii do II by telling the truth, and
nothing but the truth; but II you will
40 mo rair FROM fh'r ou' : win nrornise
l0.Gy aii clN tE M It .abl p.u
cam har, --. hu lefu. uJsr ~ have
WE heart LLa Ca. .4Gyy4 La h1pur
aIy mos put aH ! stated about | viii
suifer FOR your sake and do all 1 can
for you 0s fiiend, and / won't do
you as you ID. ne. l won't deceive you
though ~ .lN ne. III be n man, but
Rose YOU wug ZONE TO me and do It
before you SEQ rdue and confess your
wrongs 10 uH nd then l win go and
give -- X, and we will all be
friend tpE Either come to me,
or send 80 u invita- Jon, ana / win
come 10 sa Hu From your own ED.
who lovoa y91 and win suffer anything
for the s,.. ( Rose,
"P. $, E,'e II you don't want to say
anythlnel tonight. you can wait until
morning."
This letter with the following writ
ten on the back was sent to Mr. Per-
due, friend of Mrs. Martin for nd-
Vice what TO do: II want your ad-
vice on this Immediately. I received
this by Mrs. Rice not two minutes ago.
r."
McNitt had written the letter above
and had sent 1t in to Mrs Martin by
Mrs, Rice. requesting she bring him an
answer at once. Mrs. Martin told Mrs.
Rice TO go back and tell McNitt that
she was sleepy and would study over
the matter until morning when she
would give him his answer. Mrs. Rice
/ delivered the message TO McNitt and
he seemed to be restless, but went and
laid down on the floor on q pallet Mrs.
Rice testified that Mrs. Martin had
been very nervous all day and had told
her that she felt very strange, and
that she would like to go on somewhere
/ and live all alone.
| Mrs. Rice testified that she saw Nc
1 Nit sharpening his razor yesterday but
he dld not shave with 1t.
MISS Maud Rice testified that she
4 slept with the deceased, Mrs. Martin,
/ and that her three children slept in the
same room. That they went to bed
early and she did not hear any noise
/ or did not know OF Mrs. Martins death
/ until she awoke this morning.
Mr.. -. +. Rice testified further that
I I've had heard Mrs. Martin say that Nc
! Nit had told her he would cut her
] throat
The evidence OF all parties shows that
McNitt went Into Mrs Martins room
and carried an AK and n razor with him,
1 That he knocked Mrs. Martin on tho
head with the AK while she was
asleep, and then laid her down ON the
noor, cut her thront and then placed his
I arm around her and deliberately cut
his own throat. The pillow on Mrs.
Martins head was bcsmeared with
blood, and the back OF the ak was
/ covered with blood and hair.
Letters found shows that Months
1 people live In Arkansas; that Mrs. Mar
! tin people live near Elk Falls. Kan,
Among Mrs, Martins iettera was a
letter OF membership from the Chris.
tan church OF Missouri, The parties
that have known her since she has
been IN the city say that she was a
perfect lady, but had no means OF sup
/ port except by washing. She had been
heie eight or nine months. McNitt
had becn here on and on for two years
Mrs. Martin leaves Eve childrun, three
here and two In Kansas