Typed as spelled and written
Lena Stone Criswell
THE MARLIN DEMOCRAT
Eighteenth Year - Number 48
Marlin, Texas, Wednesday, November 6, 1907
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A DOUBLE TRAGEDY
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Man Shot Through Heart
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Will Criswell's Body Found Near
His Home.
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Will Criswell was found at daylight Friday morning with a bullet through his
heart and a pistol by his side. He was lying about six feet from his home.
Some yards distant, at her home, Mrs. C. W. Hickerson lay with two severe gashes
in her throat. The neighbors had been aroused about two o'clock by the
screams of her daughter. Miss Willie May Hickerson. When they
arrived they found Mrs. Hickerson very weak from loss of blood, and the hurried
summons of a physician who stanched the flow is all that saved her life.
The young lady says that at about the hour
given, some one called at their house and tried to effect an entrance by raising
the window. That her mother and herself got up to see who it was and what
was wanted. That the party then disappeared in the darkness. They
called to Criswell's and Mr. Chriswell (sic) came out and over to their house.
While he was there, he stated that some one had also been trying to get in his
house, but had run away. While Criswell was at the Hickerson house some
one, believed to be Criswell, grabbed Mrs. Hickerson and inflicted two ugly
wounds in her throat and breast before she could free herself from his grasp.
The young lady asked Criswell to give the
alarm, and suggested to him that he fire his gun. He said that he would
and did. There was a stillness and Miss Hickerson could get no response
from Criswell nor could she see him or his body in the dark. After trying
for several minutes to get assistance by halloaing, (sic) the young lady ran to
the of Jno. C. Criswell, some distance away, and aroused them. They and
other neighbors went to the Hickerson and found Mrs. Hickerson as described
above, weltering in her own blood.
Later, a search was instituted for young
Criswell and he was found, a corpse near his own home. In addition to the
pistol, a pocket knife and razor were also found near him.
The tragedy caused great excitement in the
community and among all who know the families.
There is no explanation for the causes that
lead up to the tragedy and it is left to conjecture.
Mrs. Hickerson is a sister of Postmaster
Emerson and Mrs. T. B. Ellsberry of Marlin and has many friends who wish for her
a safe recovery.
Young Criswell is a son of John C.
Criswell, well known citizen of the community. Deceased was married.
He was in Marlin Thursday afternoon and left for late in the evening. The
scene of the double tragedy is about fourteen miles northeast of Marlin.
All parties have lived neighbors for years and were on the best of terms.
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Few Developments.
The only
additional information as to the circumstances immediately preceding the tragedy
that comes to light is the fact that the pistol with which Criswell killed
himself, was given to him by Mrs. Hickerson when he came to her in response to
the calls of herself and daughter. This pistol had been left with them by
John C. Criswell, father of Will Criswell and was left there that they might
protect themselves while Will Criswell and wife, their nearest neighbors, were
away from home.
Mrs. Hickerson says that when Will came
over in response to her request, that he appeared in the very best of humor, and
that she requested him to remain in the house the rest of the night. That
she went into an adjoining room to prepare a bed for him and that while she was
in the act of arranging the bed that Will caught her head with one hand and with
the other inflicted the wounds as previously described. A bloody razor
with gaps in it and a pocket knife were found on Criswell's person. The
pistol with which he shot himself was lying by his side. A portion of his
clothing, ignited by the explosion of the gun, had burned away.
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Copyright permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for
printing by The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas
