The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-29
THREE MEN HANGED
DAN WALKER PAID THE PENALTY
FOR WIFE MURDER.
He Attcmpted suicide ut the Time.
other Two Negroes Committed
Murder for Robbery.

Boaham, Texas, May 2S.-Dan Walker.
the negro wife murderer, was hung at 2:2S
today and died from strangulation In ten
minutes.
He confessed his crime to his spiritual
adviser and showed no signs of fear. He
went to bed as usual last night and had
good sleep, but refused to take off his
clothes. lie also refused breakfast.
on the scaffold he told the crowd that
he was not afraid to die, but asked them
to turn to Christ. He was twice reprieved
by Governor Culberson.
The crime for which Walker was hanged
was committed in this city on the night
Of July /. 1896. Walker and his wife had
been married FIVE years before, had separ-
ated and again been married some two
months before the time OF the murder.
Walker was at the time making a crop on
his farm out some six miles from town,
while his wife lived here with her mother.
He was In the habit Of coming In town on
Saturday afternoon and spending the time
until Monday morning with his wife
on the evening before the murder Walk
er came into town and spent the evening
with his wife, and they planned to have
a big dinner on the day following. His
wife baked the dinner and Walker bought
her an ice cream freezer In order that she
might have ice cream for the dinner The
afternoon was spent pleasantly until an
other negro made his appearance at the
house and announcing that he was drunk
he called for Dan Walker. Mrs. Walker
mother made some remark to him about
his coming there drunk. This seemed to
displease Walker. who declared that they
seemed to get mad every time the other
man came there. This led to some words
between him and his wife and her mother,
but the matter was soon dropped and
nothing more was said about II.
Between 9 and 10 o'clock that night
Walker undreHsed and went to bed. His
wife was in the room with him and lay
down on the bed and talked TO him a few
minutes, but did not then undress, She
soon got up TO do some sowing and sewed
and talked to her husband az she worked.
until about midnight. She then undrossed
aud started to bed when her husband re-
quesed her to hand him his clothing. She
did so, handing them garment al time.
When she handed him his coat, the last
article. no doubled 1t up and threw it at
her head. She exclaimed: Dan, what is
the matter with you?" He replied: II will
let you know what is the matter with me
directly" Both Of them then began TO put
en- their clothes. The woman had gotten on
her shoes and ler dress. when Walker
reached under the foot OF his bed and drew
out pistol, which he had put there the
week before When his wife saw what he
was doing, she ran for the door. He fired
at her twice, the first ball missing her en-
,rely and second striking her in the shout
der She ran on out the door and ran half
way around the house and then Crawied
under It few feet Walker ran up. aud
STOPPING down put his pistol close TO her
body and fired twice. one bali entered her
body Just below the left nipple and the
other entered her groin. Death was in
Simultaneous. The pistol was so close TO the
woman when fred, that her clothing was
ablaze when parties nearby reached her.
After tho shooting Walker ran north
about mile and half, and then tried TO
kill himself. He placed his pistol against
his body and sent a bali through 1t. He
fell, but revived after a little and walked
back to town whore he was arrested. II
was thought that his wound was n fatal
one. but medical aid was summoned and
all that could he done was done TO save
| his NE He recovered and was tried and
convicted at the August term OF court.
His case was appealed and the decision OF
the lower court affirmed.