El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-21
FOUND GUILTY
OF MURDER
Prominent Woman, Who Once
Resided In Ell Paso,

GIVEN FIFTY YEARS
She Was Accused Of Killing, In thu
Most Brutal Manner, A Young Cir
Who Was Living With Her As A
Companion.
; this city, has just been convicted OF
murder at Belton, Texas. land sentenc.
ed to fifty years. imprisonment.
Mrs. Hsmblin lived in Ell Paso q
number OF years and still owns the
property at No. 604 Myrtle Street, oc-
cupied by Fl. L. Pettus. She did own
other property in the city, but wheth-
er it has been disposed OF could not be
learned, as her agent, 81. F. Kettler, is
out Of the city, bt
Many of the HERALD readers will
remember young billiard Hamblin's
tragic death, near the S. P. depot,
eight or ten years ago. He was csr-
rier for the "Times'' and while deli
vering his route one morning his horse
his foot hanging in the stirrup, he was
dragged to death. Mrs. Ada
Hamblin was billiard Hamblin's moth
er. She also had q daughter Pearl
Hamblin, who married James Bullard,
who now lives at the head of James
Canon, in the Sacramento Mountains.
1t is this daughter that is referred to
Paso.
Some years ago Mrs. Hamblin's q faith
er, who was very old, wrote to her ask
ing her to go down into middle Texas
to live with him during his remaining
days to which request she responded.
Since her fathers death q young wo-
man by the name of Sarah Ranev, who
under suspicious circumstances and
Mrs. Hamblin was accused of and tried |
for the murder of the girl.
During the progress of the trial Ike |
M. Matthews testified that on Sunday |
morning, Dec. IL. 1897. being on his |
way to church. he had stopped at the |
home of Mrs. Hsmbl;n to inform her
that on the following day the apprais-
ers of her fathers estate would begin |
their work, he tMatthews) having pre-
v1Ously been appointed administrator
for same. Having finished his purpose,
he was about leaving when she asked
him If he knew Sallie Rsney was dead.
know the young lady had been ill., She
asked him if he would like to see her
body, and answering afirmatively, she
led the way to room, where on
lounge, lay the dead body of Miss
Raney.
An inquiry on the part of those le-
gally constituted, revealed the fact
that the young woman was badly bruis-
ed and cut about the head, and physi-
clans testified that death had resulted
from these wounds and apparent lack
OF proper nursing.
Mrs. Hamblin said the young woman
had frequently fallen, and thus hso in
jured herself.
A hatchet with blood and bair on it,
and rope also with blood and hair,
were found on the premises. leading TO
the conclusion that Sallie Raney had l.
been murdered.
The prisoner then testified in her
own behalf. Dispatches to the Dallas
News tell the story. Occasionally she
would break into tears, but in the
main she was composed and gave her
answers without trepidation. She said
since Dec. 16, 1898, coming
there from Georgetown with her faith
er, who died last August. Miss Raney
had come to live with sher in Septem-
ber, bringing young baby, which sub
sequently had died. Miss Raney had
something like Mysteries, and would
all get up again and fall again,
the cuts and bruises on her head. on
,he night she died Sallie went to bed
about sundown and later witness went
20 bed, both in the same room. Next
morning witness called to Ssllie, and !
getting no answer went to her bed and
ound that she was dead. Witness ha6 G
Intended to call the neighbors, but be-
ore she could dress one of them cal. I
ed. and she told him Miss Rauey was
lead. Witness had never struck Sal
1e Raney and did not know the cause
If her death.
On cross examination witness said she t
lad lived In Tennessee, in Colorado, I
n California, in New Mexico and v
n Mexico, and was living in Ell Paso q
vhen her father sent for her to come
md live with him. She had been
vice married and her first husband
lad been killed.
Both state and defense closed with 1
ut introducing testimony as to de-
eudant's sanity, although Superin- fl
endent Worsham of the Austin G
sylum sat through the whole proceed b
nPs. E
The defendant testified that she ad a
or years managed her business con- G.
erns and it seems to be admitted that g,
he has considerable property. Her j
ather came from Tennessee to Texas. 9,
The defendant says she has one child, @
daughter, who is here from her home E
n Ell Paso to attend the trial. The
aughter is married and has children.
The defendant says she had Miss
saney to live with her for company. q
'he had before that, after her fathers i,
cath, at different times had two young ss
'omen with her, one from Waco. W
The trial was intensely dramatic. I'll