The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-12
m END OF THE TRAGEDY.
|. ...s,u and His Victim Were Both
Laid to Rest.
Nj, STORY OF KILLING OF BURcH.
i. .,.~.r Did Not Live Very Ions
After the Commission Of the
Crime.

~-s,ban. Texas. October lin contras,
y. exciting Incidents Of last night
..rham has been exceedingly quiet today
r~o iuauests and two funerals. together
~ the yellow fever scare, have contrib
=, 10 the quietude. Scarcely had Bren-
q, mt over the excitement OF the killing
lanes N. Foster by Joe w. Swami, his
,,hseotent arrest and incarceration in the
.,,rtv fail here, before the tragedy was
,.ceeded by the assassination Of James
r.ch and the Kidding with bullets Of Bob
srter. his slayer, by posse Of citizens
pursuit.
INN Burch, who was convict guard and
..,staut superintendent of the county
I'M. had come in about o'clock In the
nsrnoon. and had been standing about on
I. sidewalks and street corhers chatting
Ah friends. and apparently in his usual
nd humor, and frank, hail fellow well
~ with all his many acquaintances, was
nj in the least expecting the horrible
"a that was creeping close upon him. He
~ not on the outlook for an enemy. lie
robably did not know he had one in the
orld. or at least that he had one so ter
,bly bitter that he only lacked opportunity
take his life.
AZ o'clock shower Of rain harder than
ad heretofore fallen came up and Burch
ouned a rubber rain coat and stood about
while longer, then went into Harrlson's
andy store and called for piece Of writ
gcbo rx,ttI
Der and after writing q note turned and
ralked out Of the store. He was standing
fifteen minutes later on the sidewalk on
he north side of the Casino saloon on Quit
han street. about half way of the building,
Gaming against a post, when suddenly q
Hack man darted around the corner on the
ast side of the building and ran rapidly
towards him. The negro had :, double
barrel shotgun in his hands. 1t was only
IN Instant, but Burch realized in that in
liant from the look on the negros face as
he darted by the north door and the light
rom the saloon fell upon him, that he was
he game the negro was In search Of with
biz murderous weapon. This realization
ame too late, for just as Burch had thrown
Us hand to his side to draw his pistol and
before he could raise 1t to present the
hotgun was discharged and Burch stag
sered and fell backward half way off the
idewalk, with his head in the mire and
Iater OF the gutter. AS he was falling the
nervous twitching Of his fingers pulled the
trigger and the crack of the weapon was
Ike quick echo to the report Of the shot
1in. The bullet from the pistol struck the
brick wall of the saloon about three feet
rom the sidewalk. The charge from tho
hotgun, however, had struck no insensate
rnll M hot nj tf, INT, he
Burch, tearing a CHASTITY whole in the
light side of his face and making dread
ul and sickening looking wound.
Ine noise OF the shooting soon attracted
large crowd and kindly hands lifted tho
bleeding form out of the gutter and laid 1t
% the sidewalk. There were only a few
onvulsive gasps and then all was still.
Matches were hastily struck and all were
ager to see who 1t was who had been shot
he mangled and begrimed face was at first
lllncult to recognize. but some one said
II Is Jim Burch," and then all who knew
i'm exclaimed at once, Eyes, 1t is Jim
Burch"
Eager inquiries were banded about from
ne gathering crowd as to how it happened
up TO this time no one had arrived who
new the man who had the shotgun, or
ven that there had been a shotgun used
slxshooter with enc recently dis
narsed chamber was still clasped in the
ana OF the dying man as he lay in the
us'eT ard the superstition was that he
- Killed himself accidentally or nten-
'onaily. This theory was only indnlged
W rev moments, for 1t was seen as soon
more careful examination could be
~ oy DR.. Becker, Dr.. Hynes and others
wv u was physical impossibility for
s.ol outlet to make the wound. and all
euared 1t must have been a shotgun and
Meoody must have shot and killed Burch,
mo- no shotgun was seen near the body.
wM handle, colored barber, andI ne or
otner coiored men then arrived and
~. .eu mat they had Just seen a man run
~ doWn the street with shotgun in his
.d The man, they said, was Bob Carter
ne presented the weapon at them in
a.edtemng way and said Get out of the
4, give me room" or something OF that
Ihey all stated that they gave him
"e room necessary and that he ran
49, .ne street in the direction of the
n,s was the first direct knowledge that
ssasl-gathering crowd had as to who
o none the deed and party started off |
sards Bob Carter's home, which was in
pr s.Vu.nwestern part of the city
more witnesses arrived at that |
Fr,o, people who had seen Carter pass the !
~ ~" uepot short before running UP the |
Nm with shotgun in his hand. He was
lug W swinging lope and appeared to
i,ta m Policeman Burkhead and Jim |
81, watkins were sitting down on the |
sac OF the Santa Fe saloon when |
n,s, came by Jim Mike remarked to
cmats eaa: TN bet that Niger has done
IA or is going to do something"
rr,s se accordingly ran after Carter. and |
WA being not SO fleet of foot. fol- |
I'm. as as iast as he could. After running |
nu.h nlly or seventy-fve yards Jim Mike |
up with Carter and asked him what |
sliss ,ne matter, Carter said: II have just |
Ims I'm burch.' Jim Mike stopped and |
" oack towards Burkhead: when they |
al s ~ Told the policeman what Carter
N ws sia and they started down to fnd |
mar uetner or not 1t was fact that Jim |
Rn.,., nad been killed
M h me- reached the scene Just as the |
s,t.r "su negun to get about that Bob |
5hcra "a, uad been seen running away from
ken ,se shots had been fred. and he |
In ,,,, OF the confession OF Carter to |
u ~, anoertaker's wagon arrived about
)ftsrhsss ana the corpse was placed on a |
|fcys ~ and lifted into the wagon, which |
)urrh - !. .he home OF Mr.. and Mrs. J. H.
tne parents OF the dead man.