The Washington times., 1925-11-05
The Authors Own
Fascinating Story
of His Long But
Losing Battle
For Freedom
and Health

On returning to Dallas and en-
0eavoring to collect the other aee
counts learned that an save
one had been paid. by checks.
to q tall, thin man. johnson
had collected Si2S and aisap.
peared. made no effeet 10 have
him apprehended. Mere business
came my way. and / Seon eorgot
al about the loss
Christmas OF that year. 1891.
We had q ereal Christmas tree
Tor Donnie. and many presents.
It was our first Christmas Ia our
own home. an3-AlaS. our last
During the rest ot the winter
and the early spring was con.
tinually "a demand BIZ the oil
men. spending 4 great deal Of my
time in the fields and at Fort
Worth and Mexia. Gradually.
and almost without realizing Il.
got to drinking rather steadily.
and was forever fighting hard to
keep from schucking everything
and going on q long spree. Time
and again checked myself at
the last moment BY thinking Of
Mildred and Donnie, and how
happy we were In our new home.
Then, one afternoon at Fort
Worth. while I was standing in
front of the Westbrook Hotel wait
Ing for the o'clock interurban to
take me back to Dallas and home.
something occurred which. while
apparently wholly I1issOciated with
my life and hopes. affected me SO
violently as to prove the final
shove-off for my terrible descent
into earthly Hades
/ was standing there IN front OF
the Westbrook Hotel In Fort
Worth that March afternoon IN
1922, with no thought Of calamity
or disaster in my mind. Ny
work for the day was completed.
my prospects for weeks ahead
were good. I had 8 comfortable
balance in my favor at the bank.
Had anyone at that moment said
70 me: You are standing on the
brink Of Hell, should have inn
agined such person crazy. And
vet, with absolutely nothing to In
dictate the catastrophe. was lit
efalIy on he edge Of the abyss.
I looked at nv watch It was
five minutes to four. The fast in
terurban for Dallas was due to
leave on the hour. would be
Whizzed across the intervening
thirty five miles Of cotton country
and be home In Oak Cliff before
five. There would put IN an
hour on my early spring garden.
perhaps let Donnie help me play
the piano for q time. have dinner
and 20 to bed. That was the pic
fure IN my mind:Syet was never
Go see my home again.
IT all happened with frightful
suddenness. People were passing
along the sidewalks. street cars
and automobiles were going. news
boys were crying their afternoon
wares. Suddenly there was shot.
sharp. wicked. 1t was followed by
two more IN quick succession.
Shots Reach Deadly Mark
A medium sized young man
came dAshing around the nearest
corner, q derby hat on the back
or his head. He was running
nladly, his eyes protruding from
their atockets IN terror.
He came down the sidewalk,
straight toward where was
standing. Another man, larger,
turned the corner, q German
lueAr, black and ugly in his right
hand. He aimed at his quarry
- he ran. He fired two more
shots In rapid succession.
The man with the derby sprawl
ed at my feet, blood streaming
from his mouth. and noetrils. His
eyes were closed. His legs witch
ed, like a frogs. The derby hat
rolled into the gutter.
A crowd gathered like magic.
A policeman came running. The
man with the black gun stepped
UP to the officer and handed him
the weapon. stbinitt Ag to arrest.
He was taken away. The anbu-
lance came Changing. The bloody