The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-31
THE ROPES IDENTIFIED
As Having Been Used on the Wllkerson
Place Previous to the Hanging.
STEVENS MAY GO ON THE STAND MONDAY
Defense Introduced witnesses Tend
ing TO Prove an Alibi for the
Man who IL Now ON Trial.

Palestine, Texas, December 30.--Dam-
aging evidence was introduced today
against Bob Stevens, one OF the accused
lynchers of James. John and George Hum
phries. Rev. William Jackson. cousin OF
Joe Wilkerson. when on the witness stand
in substance testified that on the night
of the lynching Joe and Walter Wilker-
son were not at home. The first time
he knew they were on the place, witness
said. was when he heard Joe calling tho
boys about o'clock Wednesday morning.
Going into the horse lot directly after
Joe called. he saw Walter there feeding
stock. On cross examination witness said
he was the first one up; noticed Walter
take bunch Of something from his sad
die and took 1t to be fish line, Walter
told him that he and his father had been
at the Trinity river fishing during the
night; that the reason they didn't catch
any fish was that the river had run down.
Witness said Walter had also laid on
the gallery large bunch of twine Wit
ness adsitted that Joe had a small sea-
grass rope, also an old well rope on the
premises, noticed that part OF the we'll
rope was gone the day following the
Here Judge Morris for the State in
troduced the ropes with which the Hum
phres were hung. Counsel handed the
witness q small grass rope. Witness care
fully examined the same and replied;
Yes. Joe had a small pillow line very
much like this rope. The second rope
was of the size used by stockmen as a
stake rope"
Witness did not believe Wilkerson had
such a rope. When handed the heavy
ropes with which John and George Hum
phries we're hung, witness examined them
with great care and admitted that the
ropes We're of the same size as the old
well rope at Wilkerson's and resembled
the same as TO appearance In having been
used. Questioned by counsel, witness
again admitted that part OF the well rope
at Wilkerson's was missing. When shown
the Irvine with which the feet OF John
Numphries were tied witness said it was
The SAME kind of twine Walter had laid
on Tho gallery.
Justice of the Peace Garrett who held
the inquest al Alley Identified the ropes AZ
the ones to which the deceased were hung
Evidence was then introduced by the
State showing by John and I'D Ware and
Dick Berry of Kaufman county, that Bob
stevens and Joo Wilkerson were acquaint~
ed and rat on several occasions prior
TO the lynchlng they had seen Wilker-
son at Stevens home and at his black
smith shop. On one occasion about two
weeks before the murder Gaddis and Sam
Hall met Wlkerson at Stevens home.
The testimony of @. j. Payne and Frank
Nelson was to bring out the fact that
defendant had ten days prior TO the muir
der epdeayored to make trade for gun
or pistol. Payne added. in cross exam
ination. that defendant asked him il hi
twitness) thought Patterson was in the
country
Johnnie King testified that before day on
Wednesday morning Bob Cain Sent him on
horseback to Kemp for ii physician. About
three quarters Of mile from Stevens
and Gaddis homes lie saw two horse
men some twenty yards ahead Of him
witness said they were going north to-
wards Stevens place; ono had double
barreled slot gun. the other rife
r. H. Gains testimony was to the effect
that he trailed horse tracks in The blind
road al the place where King stated he
saw the two men riding This was few
days after the lynching. Witness said
the tracks led tn n puhllc rnad about ono
hundred yards from Stevens and quay
ter of mile from Gadds place meas
ured The tracks they were made by "A
horse with forefeet shod the other was
bnrefooted Witness said he examined
Stevens and Gaddis' horses feet ana COM
pared them with the tracks; believed that
SAD horses mNln the trnrks. Witness
testified that Stevens horse ON examinn-
ton was shod all round; noticed shoes on
forefeet were worn more than those 10
hind Tracks of barefooted horse showed
n gan in right forefoot. witness said cad
dis horse had n gan in forefoot hut did
not remember which one.
Bennett Johnsons corroborated Gains
testimony: shoes on forefeet worn hair
through hind feet very little. Here the
State rested
The defendant proceeded nv puttins Ed
Blythe on the witness stand. Witness in
substance testified that saturday nr,or
10 lynching he met Stevens. sam Hall ana
Gaddls ~ Kemp. at a Masonic lodge
meeting; made engagement with stevens
for following Tuesday night TO meet at
Stevens for instructions in Lodge work;
Gnddis and Hall we're to be present: wit
ness was corroborated by Nick Adey.
John h. Wolfe. tax collector of Milan
county; II. C. Ledbetter farmer; John
NJ. Hefey. merchant: Major j. Il. Moore.
druggist; John b. McLain, banker all
from Cameron, Milan county. testified
that they have known defendant for years
aud that his reputation for peace and
qnietude was good.
James Stevens testimony was to the