Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1906-05-24
OKLAHOMA
DAMAGE SUIT
CASSIDY KILLING RESULTS IN
WIDOW SEEKING DAMAGE
HUSBANDS MURDERER
Small Son Left the Scene a Few
Minutes Before the Shooting
Took Place.

Guthrie, Okla, May pa dam
aye suit growing out of the killing of
7. W, Cassidy and his son, Finis
Cassidy, by W. II, Morris near New
kirk on February y, last, has been
appealed to the supreme court by
Mrs. Tabltha Cassidy, widow of the
elder Cassidy, who sued Morris for
$1,000 damages for the death of her
husband, and $500 for the death of
her son. Cassidy's five small child
rem, Albert, Walter, Ivy, Maudie,
Jane and Willard are also made
plaintiffs in the suit, which is brought
in thir behalf by their mother.
The Cassidy killing was one of the
most sensational that Kay county has
experienced in recent years. The Cas-
Sldys had been tenants of Morris
farm eight miles northeast of New
kirk. He had ordered them to yacate.
and they moved off the place a few
days before the killing, but had re-
turned on that day to get their cattle.
Morris objected to their taking the
cattle until they paid the rent which
he claimed to be still due. The kill
Ing was the outcome of the quarrel
which followed.
There we're no witnesses to the kill
ing, and Morris gives the only ac-
count to be obtained, except circum-
|stantial evidence. Morris claims that
the two Cassidys attacked him, the
father with a knife and the son with
a revolver, and hat in self defense
he filed them both full of buckshot
from a shotgun which he was carry
M. From the position of the bodies,
and the marks of shot on a tree near
by, it appeared, however, that the
Cassidys had been shot while sitting
in their wagon, and had fallen out
backward to the ground.
Walter Cassidy, the ~l3-year-old son
Of the dead man, left the scene of the
murder only a few minutes before the
shooting occurred, and said that Nor
rs was at that time sitting in his
wagon with a shotgun across his knee,
and that his father was in his hay
rack about thirty feet away, making
a rope halter for a COW. The half
made halter was found in the bottom
Of the wagon after the shooting. No
weapon was found on the elder Cas-
sidy, except a small pocket knife,
which was closed and in his pocket.
A 3S-calibre revolver, which Morris
claims young Cassidy brandished, was
found on the ground neal the bodies.
A feature which cannot be accounted
for is the fact that young Cassidy
was shot in the back Of the head with
a 3S-ealibre bullet, apparently from
that revolver, in addition to the load
Of shot from Morris weapon, which
struck him in the face and neck. Al
Wing, who was the first man on the
ground after the killing, was arrested
for completely by reason Of the re-
volver feature. but was later re-
leased.
Morris was indicted fcr murder by
the KAY county grand jury, and his
ease was set for trial at the last term
Of court, but was continued for the
term on account of his illness. He is
about 20 years old, and has always
borne a good reputation. A daughter
is a teacher in the Newkirk public
schools. Cassidy WAS ii years old
and was also liked by bis 'iehbors,
His family is said To b. "A destitute
circumstances.