The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-08
HELD FOR OLD CRIME
Texas Murderer, Arrested in
Arizona, Faces Trial.
LAST KILLING 81 YEARS OLD
Had Put Finishing Touches to Ter
ribIe Fcud by Assassinating Last
Witness Against Him, Thereby Ex-
terminating Entire FamiIy-Chap-
ter out of Bad Mans Life.

Fort Worth, Tex, April lone sum
mer night in 1886 James Truitt, founder
and editor OF the Timpson Times. in
Shelby County. was assassinated in his
home in the presence Of his wife and two
little girls
To-day. when the tragedy has been
almost forgotten by thousands vino at
the time were Mortified BY the occur
renee. the man who is charged with COM
hitting the crime is in jail a Granbury,
IN Hood County, having been arrested
in Arizona short time ago on a charge
of being implicated in the murder Of yet
another Truitt several years before.
Many years ago the Truitt family and
the Mitchell family became involved Ia
lawsuit over some trivial matter ia
Hood County. The MitcheIls left the
courtroom ahead of the Truths, and
waited for them on the roadside. When
the parties met a fight followed. The
elder Truitt and his small son were killed,
and Jim Truitt. the other son. barely es-
capped with his life after a long chase
by the Mitchells.
Killed Bringing Poison 10 Father.
Or the testimony of Jim Truitt, the ell
der Mitchell was convicted Of murder
and hanged When he was in Jail under
sentence of death he smuggled a note out
to his small son, instructing him to fur
nish him with poison If he could not
manage 10 help him ont Of jaH The
plot became known TO the she III. and
he stationed a guard about the jail. and
the boy was killed when he attempted 10
carry out his fathers Instructions
The killing of his little brother by the
jail guard still further enraged Bin
AitcheH against Jim Truitt whom he
held responsible for the eonvictioa and
( hanging of his father and the cea5h of
his little brother. and this fact. cor
nected with the further fact that he was
the only living witness who could connect
him, Bill Mitchell. with the original mur-
der, doubtless brought about TRUTHS
/ tragic death. Bill Mitchell was fugitive
from justice under the assumed name of
John Davis. He married woman he
had succeeded in estranging from her
former husband. and settled down. but
the bitterness in his heart would not per
NIT him 10 live content He left home
one morning riding his brother-in-law s
horse and three months later he appeared
in the town Of Henderson and made in
curry as 10 where jim Truitt could be
found Learning the victim of his intend
ed wrath lived IN Timps0n. he made his
way leisuyely 10 that place stopping en-
route to have his horse shod. buying feed.
and making other preparations for a long.
| hard ride.
Magazine Writer Principal Witness
One evening Jim Truitt after bis day
work IN his newspaper Office. was sitting
in his home with his wife and two little
girls A dark shadow fitted into the
doorway I'm fun view of the family; there
was loud report Of q gun, and Jim
Truitt fen 90 the floor with the top Of
his head blown on. Before the stricken
family and Mortified neighbors could give
"a general alarm. tae murderer escaped in
the darkness.
Mitchell continued a fugitive from JUS
tlce until run down and captured in Ari-
IONA short time ago He was then
brought back TO Hood County 10 answer
the charge Of numbering the elder Truitl
many years ago.
Jim Truitt was the only witness 10 the
killing in Hood County. and De was killed
because Of that fact. His widow. Mrs.
Julia Truitt Bishop, the weli-kn0Wn Texas
newspaper woman and magazine writer
lives in New Orleans where she is con-
nected with the New orleans press. She
will be the principal witness against
Mitchell when he is placed on trial in
TimpsOn for the alleged murder com
mitted in that town twenty-one years ago