Grayson County TXGenWeb

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, October 16, 1892
pg. 4

LOCAL CONDENSATIONS
WEDNESDAY - The remains of F. Thompson, the young man who was knocked down on West Main street last night and who died in a short time there-after, were buried in Oakwood cemetery. Andrews, the young man who did the knocking act, was given a preliminary hearing in Justice Hughes' court this evening and bound over to the grand jury in the sum of $800.

A PECULIAR DEATH
George F. Thompson, a Carpenter, Knocked Down and Death Followed

Tuesday evening between 7 and 8 o'clock, George F. Thompson, a carpenter, who had been living at Mrs. J.L. Chandler's for some time, was out on West Main street and engaged in a difficulty at the Last Chance Saloon with the proprietor, W.S. Andrews. Thompson was drunk and was knocked down. A few minutes later he was brought down town to the city hall, and when a physician was called, he was found to be in the last stages of a dying condition. At 9 o'clock he was dead, and the remains were carried to his home, Mrs. Chandler's. Leter in the night, W.S. Andrews was placed under arrest and lodged in the jail charged with murdering Thompson. The examining trial was set fo 1 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, and in substance the following is the evidence given in at that time:
W. Davis, the first witness, said - I have been at work for Messrs. Pettit & Waltz some time. Will probably be here over a year. Mr. Pettit lives on West Main street opposit the Last Chance Saloon. I was at Mr. Pettit's about dark Tuesday evening. Was going down to town and went out to wait for a street car. I saw the drunk man stop in front of the barber shopm, which is next door to the saloon. He pulled another man into the shop, and as he was drunk I waited to see what was going on. Mr. Andrews, the defendant, came out of the saloon and went into the shop. I heard a blow and then I looked and saw Andrews strike Thompson again. Thompson staggered, sank down and then fell forward on his shoulder, left arm and face. He tried to rise and fell forward again. Two men came along, and taking hold of Thompson, set him up on the sidewalk against a beer keg. In a short time the officers came along and carried him to town on the rear platform of a street car.
P.J. Garret, the barber who conducts the shop, was the second witness. He said: I have known Andrews and Thompson since Thursday. Tuesday evening about dark, Thompson pulled another man in at my front door and said; "You must shave this man." I saw that Thompson was drunk. He managed to get the man down in the chair. The stranger said he was trying to carry Thompson home, as he was drunk and boistrous. Thompson proposed to go on home provided the man would get shaves.
The agreement was made, and while I was shaving the man Andrews came to the shop door. Thompson remarked: "You have it in for me any way, when are you going to put that head on me?" Andrews turned to go away but wheeled and said: "I will do it right now." He struck Thompson twice with his fist or hand. Thompson fell up against the door-facing, sank at his knees and fell forward. I knew he was drunk but did not think he was hurt. I finished my customer and went out. Thompson had been taken out on the sidewalk and was sitting up against a beer keg. I went across the avenue to the grocery store on the corner, and in a few minutes officers came along and, putting Thompson on a street car, carried him down town. This is all I know about any of the parties or the difficulty.
E. Dailey said: I stopped in to get a glass of beer. Heard loud talking in the barber shop, and as I stepped out and into the front of the shop I saw Andrews strike Thompson one lick with his fist or hand. Thompson sank to the floor, striking his face against the weatherboard across the foot of the door. I and another man helped him up, took him out and set him down on the ground in front of the shop, leaning him up against a beer keg. In a short time Officer James came along and took him away.
Officer James said: While out on Main street yesterday between 7 and 8 o'clock, I found Thompson sitting on the ground leaning up against a beer keg in front of the Last Chance Saloon. I made considerable inquiry as to why or how he was injured, as he had a wound over the eye, and from which blood was flowing. Blood was also flowing from his nose. I could get no answer from any one except that he had fallen and hurt himself. We brought him down to town, carried him to the city hall and summoned Dr. Booth. In a short time the man was dead. We sent his remains to his home, and about 10 o'clock we arrested Andrews for striking Thompson. He refused to go to jail, stating that he had done nothing to be jailed for and that he had plenty of money to pay for guards. I summoned help, however, and we locked him up. He seemed very angry with Thompson and wanted to swear out a warrant for his arrest. I told him that Thompson was where a warrant would do him no good, that he was dead. He refused to believe it and insisted on having him arrested.
Dr. Booth was over in Sherman and the court adjourned at 6:30 o'clock.
When court convened in the evening the session was short. By agreement with the attorneys on both sides the bond was fixed at $800.
The remains of F. Thompson, the young man who was knocked won on West Main street last night and who died in a short time thereafter, were buried in Oakwood cemetery.
Andrews, the young man who did the knocking act, was given a preliminary hearing in Justice Hughes' court this evening and bound over to the grand jury in the sum of $800.

The Sunday Gazetteer
Denison, Texas
Sunday, November 27, 1892
pg. 1

The grand jury found a true bill against W. H. Andrews, charging him with murder. Andrews is the man who struck a carpenter named Thompson, with his fist, at a saloon a few weeks ago, and who was picked up soon after in an unconscious and dying condition. It is a question whether he was killed by the blow of Andrew's fist, or by striking his head on the sidewalk when he fell. Mr. Andrews was released Friday on $1000 bond.