The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-02-24
CowardIy Attempt to Assassinate
John Priest.
TWO LADIES WERE THE VICTIMS
Full Details of Tho Crime and the Invcsti
Eation-No Arrests Have Been
Made AS Yet.

but that when medical assistance reached
the farm house science would be unable
to accomplish results that would save the
lives Of two defenseless women. The wors,
was not reality, however. as subsequent
events will show.
Mr.. Priest lives about five and one-half
miles from the city. near where the
Brazorla branch Of the international and
Great Northern and Gulf. Colorado and
Santa Fe railways lntersect, 1t being
point between Harrisburg and Pierce
Junction. His family consists of his wife,
his mother Mrs. Sophia Priest. two daugh-
ters, Misses Lena and Ida, and a babe. lie
ls well known In this county where he
vas reared, and his friends are many
Saturday MIR. Priest came to Houston
( as usual to make his weekly purchase
for the household, and did not return
until after darkness had fallen. AS he
approached the house several shotguns
were pointed in his face and In obedience
to II command he halted, and in reply to
a question gave his name.
When 1t was learned who he was the
guns were lowered and he was told that
during his absence his wife and mother
had been shot and IL was important thar
he should return Immediately TO the city
fer medical aid. His neighhors Were
guarding the vicinity, and they. had held
him up. believing everyone suspicious VINO
| came In tho locality Mr.. Priest did not
wait 10 learn fully the details, but chang
ing horses. he started for the city. taking
the long road anu going directly TO the
| home of Deputy Sheriff j. u. Parker, who
was reused from slumber and told Of tho
shooting The officer Joined Mr.. Priest
and the two came to the 1ail and apprlsed
Deputy Sheriff Archie Anderson of the
affair Justice Mahonoy and Sheriff Erich
son were also notified.
At the Jail. there being present Justice
! Mahoney Deputies Anderson and Parker,
| Codnty Physician Noark and n reporter
of Tho Post Mr. Priest told Of his arrival
at home about $50 o'clock, the startling
| Intelligence that had been received by
| him and his immediate return TO the city
for officers and n physician.
Upon hearing this Justice Mahoney
issued warrants IN blank and gave the
officers instructions in regard to making
arrests In case they could get a clew t.
I the parpetrntors of the crime. Prepare
iions were then made for the trip to tho
! country,
At li15 o'clock the small party left the
! jail. all well mounted. The personnel was:
| Deputv sherlffs Anderson and Parker, pr.
/ Noark. MIR Priest and a Post reporter.
! They gallopod out Congress avenue into
! the Harrisburg road and followed the @N-
couent shell pavement for about mile.
They then turned to the left and took
| the telephone road until the bridge across
! Brav's bayou was reached, at whtch place
! "a turn to the right was made and short
route taken across held. IL WAS iuse
r rnnda was reachcd. About 100 yards FUR
| thor vns the house of Mr.. Priest, and as
| command Of .fIalt"' which was given by
| tho Virnant ncirhhors OF Mr.. Priest who
| had established a picket guard during ms
! absence to prevent any repetition or Lnc
/ dr,d Of darkness. As soon as II was
learned who comrosed the party the guard
was relieved and the house was entered
Mrs Priest was found lying upon her
: g,r, "a
slcoping peacefully The lady had two
wounds. one in the right neck and the
other lower down on the shoulder. DR.
Noark said that neither one was neces-
sarilv fatal. tho neck wound being only
through the flesh. The wound on the
/ shoulder was moro serious and 1t was
1 imposslblc to determine at that tilre
whether the bullet had lodged against
! tho bone or penetrated the cavity There
were no hemorrhages to indicate n cav
nv wound Mrs. sophia Priest, aged 90
wears, mother of the head of the house
/ hold was upon lounge. Her INJURY was
| slight, a bullet having entered her right
patients' wounds were dressed by the
| physician,
The shooting occurred about 7:45 O'Clock.
The two ladies' were lying upon a bed in
the front room, the sleeping babe between
them. In an adjoining room the two
Ing. Miss Lena. however, being near n
doorway which connected the two rooms,
and directly in range of the bullets. The
curtain to a window near the bed was
raised. At the hour mentioned a gun shot
| was heard and Mrs. John Priest felt the
sting of the lcadcn pellets in her neck.
Her mothers instinct WIS Quick TO act,
| rolled out upon the floor Just as the sec
ond shot was fired, one bullet OF which
lady who was lying nearer the window.
That was all. There was a quictness as
sim nn death. No one dared breathe, for
| fear of engaging the assassins TO more
serious deeds of destruction. and 1t was
several minutes before they gave an
alarm The ladies then screamed muir
der" aud far In the distance the nelghhors
nrennrinE for their rcpose under the cur
tain of night heard the agonlZing appeal
OF the defrnsoless women Armed with
every character OF frearm to ne obtained
tl,ev rcsnondcd at once and soon the house
was surrounded with small army of
brave countrymen., each eager 10 render
calIsc of the cutlery was learned II ey
formed posse and stood guard until
Mr.. Priest arrived.
when the party from tho city reached
the place n reporter of The Post examined
the surroundings Near the house was a
small clump OF trees. admirably adapted
for hiding one whose actions are suspi-
cious and whose intentions are for deeds
that will not stand the scrutiny of tn,
light OF day. Here had the assassin
skuked in darkness and seeing the light
In the room ana the forms upon the
bed he doubtless imagined John Prizes
was one OF the reclining figures. cree ping
| To the fence, which, once mounted gay,
him an elevation sufficient TO get AZ
aim. he fired. his weapon being a doubt
barrelled shot gun. loaded heavily Will
buck shot. one shot followed another 9th;
wero rrouching upon the floor In fear. h,
sneakcd away in tho darkness OF ugh
glass Was shattered in several places h,
tho bullets and the facing OF the window
was a lodging place for twenty or thirt,
balls which went too low to accomplish
= The work OF death intended. Others wen
q into tho house and TWO bullets were foun'
: jmhcdded in the wall of the room arov
whci~ Miss Lena sat sewinS, fev
inches lower and her face would now h
marked with the assasstn's bullet,
mark she would carry through life, II {
iii not Law her cold In death 1t wa
fortunate for the family that the aim o