The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-02-08
KILLING OF BASKETTE
W. A. Craig Held 10 Answer on the
Charge of Murder.
BAIL FIXED AT FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS
The First Story OF the Killing OF John
w. Baskette and the Causes Leading
Up to Il.

LUG iact tnat there would in all PROBABLE
| lty be no further delay In the holding OF
the preliminary hearing OF w. A. Craig.
! charged with the murder of John w
! basSette crew a large crowd TO the court
room OF Justice w, b. Hlll yesterday
! uoihing The court room was packed be
lore the hour set for hearing. It looked
Tor awhile as II the case would be again
/ postponed or II the hearing was gone into
/ II would be without some OF those cou
sldered important witnesses There was
considerable delay on this account. but
after nearly all of the important witnesses
nau put IN an appearance the hearing was
| beguns with c. e. & A. q. Heldlngsfelder
! representing the defense and Assistant
/ county Attorney r. u. Lewis assisted by
! LEO g. sam, representing the State The
/ prisoner In charge OF police otncGr, was
/ brought into court and the preliminary ok.
| animation began. There was great Interest
! manifested in the hearing aud the l-.ge
] crowd seemed eager TO hear every word
/ the Witnesses spoke.
The first witness examined by the prose.
I Culloh was Mr. T. y. CroSsiey, who tFSti-
I ned that be was about block away f,im
] the parties when the shooting began mat
4 ne saw two men standing at the corner OF
: Austin street ana Congress avenue. lie
4 saw them, as the one walked up 60 the
olher and they stood there talking for sew
/ tlA minutes lie then saw the imam whom
hc afterwards learned was w A. Craig
draw his revolver and fire He could Mt
/ tel how many shots were fired. lie aid
not see the other man, whom he "a Tsrwards
. learned was Johu ". BaSkettc, ole; any
. resistance. He stood with both hands ul
his pockets ana fell with them there. He
. saw B8skctte fail. lie did not go to the
/ scene OF the shooting He was not acqual II
I cd with either Nlskette or Craig. Inc
cross eX mlnat.on did not break down Mr..
Viossley's testimony In any partieuGC
/ Mr. S NJ Gibson. the next witness. ties.
titled that he was sitting at a window
In the side OF the Globe hotel lie did not
Lear any noise nor did he notice the mon
Icing there until the FIRST shot was Grel.
He saw Craig fire several shots: could not
tel how many. saw Baskette after the
FIST shot was fred standing with his hands
IN his pockets Did not sec him offer nnv
resistance. Saw BaSkettc when he fell AMI
ne till bad his hands In his pockets. Bas
kettle fell on his face on the sid walk
lie went ont OF the hotel and across the
street after the shooting was over TO where
BaskCtte was lying face downward and
with his hands In his pockets. Did not
see any knife.
Mr.. b Z. Perkins, the third witness for
the State, testified that To- was standing
across the street waiting to keep an eu-
gagement with a Mr. Crosby. That he saw
the two men meet ard heard a vile cpl
thet In loud, angry tone from one OF the
men, bat he could not tell which one ut
tered It. as he did not know either OF the
parties. Almost Immediately after he heard
this epithet he saw Craig FIRE the first
shot. lie could not tell how many sh PTS
were fred, lie saw Bdskette fall, but he
fore he fell he rctrcntcd backwards fRm
Craig, who seemed TO be very angry and
very much excited.
The vigorous cross.eNaminatiou made by
the attorneys for the defense did not ma
teroiiy change any Of the Testimony OF the
states witnesses, which was Concluded
with Mr.. Perkins evidence.
THE DEFENSE.
The first witness introduced by the de
Tense was Mrs. Nettle Crouch. who keeps
boarding house at No 1910 Congress
avenue. in which house Mr. Craig. the
accused, boarded up to the time of the
tragedy. Mrs. Crouch WIS well acquainted
with Craig Had known him several years.
knew him nj Fort Worth ana IN otner
cities In Texas. lie came to Houston in
April. 1901, and had roomed In her house
/ ever since She also knew the dec a. q "a.
John w. Baskettc ana his wife, mamie
/, Baskctte. Has known Mrs Basket long
, time, knew her when she was the wife of
/ and living With w. A. Craig. She had
Rnowa Baskette less than a year, but was
afraid Of him. as he had told her that
, hc had already killed two men and would
not mind making It three by killing another
XIII Craig at i've different times within
the time she had known BaSkettc. That
the last time she had heard Basket q
threaten TO XIII Craig was on Monday
night. January IS. 1902, the day previous
to the killing and that the threa- was
made over the telephone. That on the
occasion referred to she had called Baskettt
mp over the telephone In response to q
message delivered TO her to do so by neI
! servant girl That when she called up Mr.
Baskette over the telephone he had said
70 her that he had had enough OF CraiC
! aud intended 10 Kill I'm the next Nv, OF
4 the day on which Bnskettc was killed by
I Craig. That Baskette had az one time
threatened 70 Kill her, together With Craig
, and Mrs BaSkette. That she had told
! Craig Of Baskettes threats on each ant
every occasion. That when Craig came II
on Monday night January % shortly after
1 Baskette had threatened Cralg's life, sht
3 told Craig Of Baskrtte's threat On on
. occasion Baskette came to her house nnt
asked for Craig; Craig was ~ tne, house
Int fearing that Baskette would Kill him shi
T. persuaded him TO remain in Gntii she go
. I rld az BaSkette She stated that Mrs. Bas
/. kette would frequently come to her hous'
a and ask for assistance for Craig's children
+ MS BasRette was out OF work and she anC
re ranc chi saId she had taken charge q
:, tfaig's children and cared for them for
short while.
The cross.examinndon was conducted bl
= Assistant County Attorney Lewis The at
S torneys for the defense protested vigorous
TX against the first question aud there wa
war Of words between the attorneys, II
tbo midst OF which the witness made al
s emphatic denial IN answer 20 the question
% I she left the room as soon as the cross
examination concluded
Hugh Hamblen tho extra bartender =
Bonner's Point hotel, introduced by 10
defense. had answered the telephone whe
Mrs Crouch called mp Baskette on ID
Mopdsy night before the killing. Had hear
Baskette tell Mrs. Crouch that II he wa
troubled or molested the next day ae woul
nm craig: knew it was Mrs. crouch Bosl
ere was talking TO. because he had Gale
D.tIt.se = --,-.-ss-~,pss..--->- -~~i - to M
80
On Craig's life in any other way than thii
Abner Burns, check boy at the Posts
O Telegraph eompanys ofhee, was also intr'
u duced by the defense. He knew Craig we
and also knew Baskette, but not very wei
:. he was al the office OF the Postal Tel
,e prsph company on the morning OF the da
~ on which the killing occurred. Basket
'!- csme IN the office and Inquired for Graf.
Rnrns told Craig that Baskette had aske
for him Craig was ~ the telephone Doot