The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-05-28
THEIR CRIME.


The foul and unnatural crime which
these three arch fends expiated on the
gallows today was the murder of Mr.
Thos. Dwyer on the gloomy afternoon Of
January 20, 1896.
The 10Th of January. 1896, was dark
and gloomy day. During almost the en-
tire afternoon rain poured down in tor
rents until all outdoor work and almost
all outdoor travel was suspended. Mr.
Dryer had in his employ n number of
plasterers working on the store, corner
of Main and st. Charles streets, and on
the one next TO it on st. Charles.
In the first named store which had for
years served as his main business store
in the mercantile business. although he
had sold out and the goods had been re-
moved, he still maintained his office
there. The front store is n large double
one with n brick wall dividing it, but
. connected in the rear by n large archway
and in this arch upon an elevation of
about IS inches he had paneled off his
Office in which was situated large old
fashioned safe. Leading from this store
WAS a door to the one south of it, in
which he had formerly kept hardware,
but which was on this occasion being
used as store room for lime, cement,
etc. as we'll as the tools of the workmen.
Work was suspended after noon on
account of the rain, and during the after
noon John and Brady Rutherford, Joe
Goodson and Ellis Prosuer had been seen
lettering around this building.
When Mr.. Dwyer, who was q man
regular in his habits, failed to put in his
appearance at supper, his relatives be-
came alarmed and went in search OF him,
making the horrible discovery that he
had been murdered.
The alarm was given and soon the city
was in wild state of excitement and
the search was commenced for his body
and by 8 o'clock it had been found in the
10 foot cistern in the hardware store,
from which il was taken horribly mutt
lated by some one diving into the water
and bringing it up.
Officers set to work at once to capture
the murderers. Every one of the EN-.
ployes of Mr.. Dwyer were Mt once put
under surveillance, and by their prompt
work. ere another sun had arose upon
the sad scene, Il clue had been found that
promised some tangible evidence.
Ellis Prosper had been found with Mr.
Dryers watch and more money than he
could satisfactorily account for.
Joe Goodson had been carried to the
court house and kept under guard and
his story all the way through showed Il
tendency to implicate Prosper.
BY 10 o'clock on the 30th Prosper had
decided to make clean breast of the
whole business to the county attorney
which he did and before noon John and
Brady Rutherford were locked up.
He told of plot to murder Mr.. Dwyel
for his money that had existed for two
weeks. and that on this occasion, the
'quietude of the city, the deserted streets
the gloomy afternoon, the pattering rain
all conspired TO make the occasion suit
able for such dark deed. and that this
.quartette secreted themselves in differ
ent portions of the store and awaited
his return from the post Office. He re-
turned about ; o'clock, laid his mai
down on the desk in the Office, passed
through the arched door that leads into
the alley. and as he returned. Brady
Rutherford. the youngest one of the four
stole noiselessly up behind him with Il
piece OF, gas pipe, knocked him down and
beat his head almost into jelly. and that
ere life was extinct the others came from
their hiding places and forcibly dragged
him into the next room and threw him
into the cistern to stfie the dying echoes
of his last wall for help.