The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-11-26
JOHN B. SHAW HANGED.
lhe Murderer Died Protesting That He Was
Innocent.
STORY OF THE CRIME FOR WHICH NE Died
Escaped from Jail After sentcuec
nnd Was Chased Like Wna
Animal by Men and Dogs.

Cleburne, Texas, November 25.-- john b
Shaw was hanged today all If:l6 a. m. HIS
meek was broken aud he was prououncei
dead in seventeen minutes.
He was the coolest Nun on ;bp scaffoId,
he died protesting his Innocence. The 81.
ecution WIS private, being witnessed by
only very few.
Shaw Was probably the least concerned
OF any person In Cleburne In regard TO his
fate. AT least hts actions and words in-
uLcated such state of mind. The prisoner
spent much time paying checkers, which
Was n favCrite game OF his ard at which
he was something OF an expert. He piays5i
sometimes with one OF the officers 10 whom
lie was friendly and again with some Wis
itor who was admitted 10 his cell. He won
~ the rast few days four times as many
games as he lost
But this was not his whole occupation
He spent much time pacing his reia and
hurting horribly blasphemous imprecatIohs
agabast all who have III any way cncoun-
tered his dsspleasure since being charged
with crime. His particular malevclcnce
was discharged against Sheriff Stewart
ATTORNEY ID, w. Oiell ana Il couple of
newspaper men for whom he conceived a
strong dislike. These he characterized with
all manner of obscene and abominabe
epgthets, eursimg them with voubiilty to
be almost wo1klcred at.
Shaw's old mother spent much time with
him and used all her mothers power to
bring him to realization OF his fate. To
her he said he had no fears for the future,
that he would die wen and was viking and
ready to meet what eternity had in store
for him without a culver of doubt as 10 the
result He once ma3e a profession of Chris
'tiaaity and this he held to at times. At
riiher times he pyprcsrrsl uoubtS of lie off
cacy, but constantly maintained that he
was all right and that death had no terrors
for him.
John b. Shaw murdered Tom Crane in q
most eowarday manner ana tried to murder
Mrs. Cranes reputation because of what
he called love for her.
Shaw's crime was a horrible one and the
deep villain, spicted ON the stage is
brought int, real life in a more dramatic
manner than would be deemed possible in
tho end of the Nineteenth century days.
Shaw was the marager of place near
the farm on which Tom Crane, his wife and
children lived; Crane was hard working
man, against whom Shaw bore no i'll feel
ing personally; but of Mrs. Crane he be-
virtuous, God -fearing woman, he became
more deeply in love with her. He studied
cong over the matter and finally decided
that with Crane out OF tho way his suit
would prosper with his widow--with the
woman who was insulted by his very es-
TEEN.
He attempted to quarrel with Crane ana
t,Fl.,
by "self-defense;'' but Crane avoided him
and would have nothing to do wsth him.
One day in November, 1897, Shaw and a
negro he had working for him, Lee Wilson
by name, went TO where Crane was working
and compelled him to 60 with them; he
went urlwilfngsy and with mdsgiylng, but
he was compelled TO go.
The two devils in human form took the
poor wretch to IA thIcket where people sell |
osin wellt and there murdered him wan-
tonly and cruelly-gave a dogs death to
this man whose only crime was that u
woman loved him and was true to him.
The Infamous crime was committed and |
the boay aeft in the thicket TO be food 1or |
the foh birds ard beasts and Shaw and his |
black companion rode away.
The news came to Cieburne that Tom
Crane was missing. He had gone out to his !
little cotton patch to make bread and meat |
for his wife and three little children, and |
never saw them again. For three days ami |
nights officers and people searched for the
missing man. They knew there had been |
foul play, for Crane was good, sober, |
peaceable citizen,
sheriff Stewart learned that Shaw had +
1een paying particular court to Mrs. Crane |
and believed that he had murdered Crane
10 get him out of the way. ami this belief |
was strengthened by what Mrs. Crane told |
aim.
finally the body of poor Tom Crane was
ouad in the lonely jungle pasture mutt
ated with Winchester and pistol balls, MS
ace ara sloull crushed IN several places,
Then Stokes Shaw was arrested for the
,rme and a negro, Lee Wilsol, WIS also
.mes.e1 as an accompllce. Shaw yehem
,ntly denied his guilt. But evidence on
he witness stand showed that he had made
certain threats that he woua1 have Mrs.
Crane II he had to kill Tom Crane.
Mrs Creme DESTINED that he had asked
ier to leave her husband and go with him,
lrt3 that on the night Crane was first /
nesej Shaw enGeavoTed to make her be-
icve Crane hal dessrtel her, and told ner
10 would take care of her and the children.
The horse Shaw rode AMI the one the |
Lwful doom were tracked b. peculiar marks
N their hoofs. Link by link the circum- |.
tsnpl4l evidence poirted TO Shaw as the
guilty man.
Then came the testimony OF lee Wilson,
He turned States evidence. He told graph
calIy on the witness stand all about the
liabo.ical plot ami It's iiendsh ending He
aid Shaw was to pay him to help him do
he assassination. Crane was deceived into
he jungle, surprising he was going on an
FRAUD OF mercy to pull an unfortunate
teer out of a bog. When he and Wilson
cached the edge OF the Jungle they were
net by Shaw. Then Crane realized THAT he
vas to be butchered In cold blood. VIII
On told how Craze begged and pleaded for
Mercy. but Shaw only laughed al him and
lbused him. Finally Shaw shot him in the
rack with q pistol. Crane made an EFFORT
Il. tars- ~ IN n