The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-16
THE WIDOWS TESTIFIED
In the Trial Of Ed Cain, Alleged to Be One
Of IiumphFies Lynchers.
MANY TEARS WERE SHED At THE RECITAL
or How Their Husbands Were Fakcn
from Thcm-Evidcncc ms 20
Finding of the Bodics


trial will long remain In the memory OF
the people In attendance, representing
every county In East Texas. sadder
sight was never witnessed than when the
widows of two OF the murdered men and
their children entered the court room this
morning. The doubly orphaned children
OF John HUMPHREYS are present their
mother having died OF fright and grief.
never having recovered from the shock
received when her husband was taken or
in SO violent a manner. The three bereft
families have rented cottage, as they
expect to remain here during the trial
of each man implicated.
| Ed Cain, alleged accomplish, was brought
into the court room this morning neatly
dressed, with moustache and beard care
( fully trimmed. joe and Walter Wilkerson,
I two OF the other defendants. accompanied
him.
After swearing In the witnesses and In
structing them as to the rule. Judge Lips
comb called on the State for the first wit
ness. Every eye followed the sheriff as
he escorted Mrs. James HUMPHREYS to the
witness box. Small in stature and dressed
| in black, face. drawn from grief and trou-
bic, the witness took her seat and in a
! few words told the jury OF the mon
strous crime committed In the Transoedar
district Of Henderson county last May
What transpired at the home Of the elderly
Humphries In substance occurred at the
home of his sons. The men searched the
| house for James Patterson, alleged MUIR
derer of Constable Rhodes. as they
claimed, aud failing to find him took James
HUMPHREYS with them. To quiet Mrs.
| HUMPHREYS they told her that they we're
sent from Athens and had been Instructed
by the sheriff TO attach her husband aud
assured her no violence would be done
him. The men were strangers except WAL
| ter Wilkerson, whom she Identified by
face and voice on the night of the lynch
/ ing.
! Counsel for defendant put witness
! through rigid cross examination, at
times so pressing that Mrs HUMPHREYS re-
| fused to answer. The court explained 10
her the need OF searching investigation
to further the ends of Justice, when Wit
ness replied that never in her life had
she been In court house before and was
not acquainted with legal proceedings,
The next witness, Willis HUMPHREYS
stated that James HUMPHREYS was his
father. On the night of the lynching ne
was at his brothers. house (Johnl Be
tween midnight and daybreak he wa;
awakened by hearing voices; saw two mer
size. They were searching for Jim Pat
terson failing to find him. they told Ioar
to dress and go with them; said they hac
one more house to search. In leaving the,
threatened to kill any one who left th'
house to give an alarm. Witness is
bright boy OF about 16 years and made
splendid witness. In the severe cross eH
animation he held out we'll.
The third witness. Mrs. George Hum
phries, entered the witness stand accom-
panied by her little daughter, WINNING
child OF about years. Telling practicall,
the same story as the first two witDesse!
how they we're awakened by men stamp
ing on the gallery and the search for Pat
terson--she added that both her babies
We're sick and when they asked her hus
band to go with them he begged to b.
allowed to remain with his wife and sicl
children; in spite of his entreaties the!
forced him to go, telling her rudely tina
nothing would harm her. Anxiously, fear
fully, she waited his return until II wa
light enough for her to see when, picking
up her babies, she CROPPED her way TO ne
father in laws. James HUMPHREYS.
Here the pent-up feelings OF the be
reayed woman could no longer be con
trolled and she wept as one with broker
heart. 1t was several minutes befor'
State Counsel Morris could find heart t
ask: When did you see your HUSBAND
again ocHICeiy one III luo huhItHN
kept back the tears as witness sobbingl
replied They brought him home dead.
Mrs. George HUMPHREYS testified tina
she believes one of the men at her hous
on that fatal night was Ed Cain. who !
now on trial. During the time she wa
testifying Cain became very nervous, Keep
ing his eyes to the ground.
The next witness. Webb Maddox. testi
fed that on the night OF the lynching h
was at home sitting up with sick mem
Der of his family: between 10 and !
' o'clock eleven rode by on horseback; nj
i house Is on the road about midway be
tween John Wilkerson's. John Greenhaw'
and that OF the HUMPHREYS. Did not rec
4 ognize any of the parties.
4 Matt Snowden. father OF Mrs. Georg
, HUMPHREYS. testified as to finding of tn
bodies OF the three men next day: the
: were hung to hickory tree that was ben
I leaning to the south Nearest the trun
+ OF the tree was the body OF George Hum
: phrles who was hanging with his toe
y just reaching the ground, On tht sam
4 limb was John his brother Holes ha
!, been cut in his trousers at the ankle
4 and the feet fastened to his right arm
: The father. James HUMPHREYS, was on "a
r outer end with knees bent back and tie'
l. the weight OF all bending the limb
!. that James knees almost touched IN
ground. Witness was going through crosi
!. examination when court adjourned.