The Galveston Daily News
Thursday, August 2, 1888
pg. 2

SLEW HIS SON-IN-LAW
Rev. T. Harrison [sic ] Instantly Kills B.E. Parvin at Cannon, Tex.
With a Double-barreled shotgun, and Glides off in a dose of Morphia  Himself Assisted by a Bullet - Domestic Trouble the Cause

Van Alstyne, Tex., August 1 - Rev. T. Harrison [sic] shot and instantly killed his son-in-law, B.E. Parvin, at Cannon, six miles east of here, last night about 9 o'clock, shooting him with a double barreled shotgun, the load of buckshot entering his back, passing through his heart and coming out of his left breast, making a hole no larger than a dollar.  About half an hour later Harrison took twenty grains of morphine, lay down on his pallet and put a ball from a .38-caliber pistol in his brain.  He was alive at 12 a.m. to-day, but is not expected to live but a few hours longer.  The most authentic account gives the cause of the trouble as follows: Harrison & Son bought out Elder Jack Cudu's drug store and residence at Cannon, some time last winter.  They had a disagreement, dissolving partnership this spring, the younger Harrison going to Lamar county.  G. Harrison wrote to Parvin and wife, who were living in Bosque county, that if they would come up there and live with him that he would deed them a half interest in the property bought of Elder Cudu.  They came in March and the property was promptly transferred.  Harrison had been married three times, his first wife having died, and he separated from the second.  He married the third wife, who is now living at Sherman, his second at Paris.  He wanted his third wife to live with him, which was objected to by Parvin and his wife.  It seems that the connubial relations between Harrison and his wife were not of the most felicitous kind.  Harrison brought suit against Parvin and wife for the half interest that he had deeded them, alleging that the deed was illegal, because his (third) wife had not signed the deed.  The rejoinder made by Parvin and wife to this seemed to paralyze the old man, and he swore vengenance.  He went to W.R. Massey last Thursday and turned over his gold watch and $35 in money, which Massey refused to accept until witnesses were called in, and told him to give the watch to his wife and pay his burial expenses, as he would be dead at 9 o'clock the next morning if Parvin did what he said he was going to do.  He afterward called for the money and watch, and said he was going to Sherman and would give his wife the watch.  He left home two or three times, returning the last time yesterday, at 2 p.m., and waited until Parvin and his wife were taking a bath in a tub near his well last night, when he began operations.  Mrs. Parvin does not know that her father tried to commit suicide.  Harrison is thought to be demented by some.  Others think differently.  Mr. Parvin's father at Kopperl has been notified by telegraph of the fearful tragedy.
Later - - - Harrison has since died.


The Sunday Gazetteer
(Denison, Texas)
Sunday, August 5, 1888
pg. 1

A DOUBLE TRAGEDY
On Tuesday night last at Cannon, this county, Rev. E. Harrison [sic}, a Methodist minister, formerly of Sherman, shot and killed his son-in-law Ben Parvin, and rendered the tragedy a double one by subsequently shooting himself.  The cause of the frightful deed lay in family differences.  In March last Harrison left Sherman and went to Cannon to live with his son-in-law, where, a short time later, he deeded to the latter half of his farm near Cannon and a half interest in a store in the village.  Subsequently he became displeased with the treatment he was receiving from Parvin and demanded his property back.  The son-in-law refused to acquiesce, and the father-in-law having no legal recourse, determined upon at lease securing revenge.  Armed with a double-barreled shot gun he repaired to the residence of Parvin and called him out.  He came out and was shot through the body by Harrison, dying almost instantly.  Harrison the went home and shot himself through the head with a 38-calibre revolver, but this failing to kill he took twenty grains of morphine, from the effects of which and the pistol shot, he died Wednesday morning.  His remains were interred Thursday at Sherman while those of the victim were buried at Cannon.