The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-02-08

more Nilmlual5 tnan any oinCr man
in Oklahoma. His Characteristic
erecting 70 the court officials was
when they came to court. "Ifavo
you come oul TO the hanemg?7
NE was The son OF General
Ssm Houston. yet the fathers
same was seldom mentioned
by the son. who did not nIah to
shine ln the lustcr of his Htaer's
greatness lie believed that man
was only what he made himself. if
lion. he could fight his own battles
is q weaklinr. no runlor Of distin-
Ruished lineage could make him strong
Il was said daring Temple houston's
lifetime. that a sure way for a strang-
sl 90 incur his displeasure was ~
speak Of the fact that he was a son
of the hero of San JacintO
Judge BurfOrd tells OF another char
actefistic Houston incident that oc.
Cured In the Woodward court room
during the trial of a case that in
volved the ownership Of a tract of
land Burtord was presiding and
Tom Ward a Woodward attorney.
Who represented the plaintiff stoed
before the jury bending over and
showing to the members diagram
of the tract Of LAM, Bureosd no
tlced a protuberance in the neighbor
hood Of Wards hip pocket and stop
red the trial.
'Have you gun with you Mr..
Ward?' he asked.
Yes sab, youh honah,' said the
lawyer.
"ill fine you $25, said Burford as
Ward laid the gun on the table.
The trial was resumed, but for the
DeNt few minutes there was genera
lu exodUs from the court room. Two
thirds Of the people left Several
jurors even looked uneasy Soon al
terward the court adjourned and
when all had left the room but Hous-
oton the latter slapped his thigh and
remarked:
Iordl Judge. that was narrow
escape. ] though you wee going 70
made that order general"
AS BurfOrd left the court room H.
walked by Billie Bolten's newspaper
office and the editor called him in
tc inspect stacks of reyolyers that
had been left there following Bur
ford's filming OF Ward in tho court
room.
In Guthrie. In the eariy days. was
Il man named Thorne whose face was
stamped with th emarks ol a crimin-
al lie had been arrested for murder
ing his cousin, mere boy, who had
come from England with considerable
money His body was found in the
Cottonwood river Thorne escaped
convctiOn but the belief was general
that he was guilty Thorna had
never seen Houston, nor did Houston
enow Thorne One day Houston was ia
Guthrie and began drinking He WAS
standing at the bar with friend when
Tnorne came in and ordered a glass
Of whisky, which was sci before him.
Houston could see Thorne in the
mirror and turning he seized the
glass and thre wthe liquor in Thornos
face. Without a word he turned his
hack upon ThOrne and resumed the
conversation with his friend. Half
ntimldatAd. Thorne said to the bar
tender: "Well, if | can't bny drink
guess ! can buy a cigar get one for
me- When the cigar was placed be-
fore Thorne. Houston turned abrupt
ly,, snatched the cigar aud showing
his teeth wickedly tore the cigar into
fragments threw il on the floor and
crushed it beneath his foot Again
he turned his back upon Thorne,w Who
said afterward that instinctively he
knew the man to be Temple Hous-
ton Thorne then began walking
backwards toward the door. As
Tborne turned Houston suddenly drew
a 45-calibre pistol and shet dangerous
ly near 10 ThorEe's feet. in his terror
Thorne plunged into the front door
screen and carried st with him into
the street At no time did Houston
speak to Thorne or offer any explain
alton for his conduct The sight OF
Thornes faee in the mirror is sup
posed to have aroused his disgust and
anger
Whenever Temple Houston was in
Guthrie Ia attend court he invaribly
visited the book stores where ne
bought many magazines, pictures ana
books. he spoke French and Castli-
ION Spanish and found pleasure IN the
literature OF these countries Al
Christmas time his purchase Of pres
ents for his family and friends as
founded the clsyir who attended
HIM. For hours ae would haunt the
book shelves. Pouring over oid
classics. buying whatever suited him,
and without asking the prize would
pay for the entire lot when he had
finished his explorations
In defending criminals, Houston re-
lied almost entirely .ppon bis own ele-
cGuence and power with q jury II at
Ell possible he always secured a Jury
of Texans. with whom he was an ldol'
seldom did he put a defendant on the
witness stand
Il happened late In the bus that
Horston was defending man named
higgins. who was charged with mura-
or. The case had been inprogress a
week and the summing mp or the eFi
dence and the arguments were mace
on che day before Christmas, Houston
closed on Christmas eve. iiis lame az
an orator was known throdshont the
territory aud the court room was
packed with an eager interested
crowd
When Houston arose - 7peah' y
VAS ihe general belief that Higgins
vas guilty. The opposing attorney
ln the case was Judge Ben franklin
In