 It was one of the biggest stories in the history of Denison: the murder of Gamaliel C. Freeman in Indian Territory
on August 1, 1911. Newspapers called the death "mysterious." But few knew the history of this man. G. C. Freeman had been born on March 11, 1852, in Ohio. His father was Job Tarlton Freeman (1810–1891), a farmer born in Virginia; and his mother was Eveline Barnes Freeman, born in Ohio (1820–1896). He was the eighth of nine children. By the time the boy was eight years old, in 1860, the family was living at Charlotte, Roxand Township, Eaton County, Michigan. He would still be on the farm at age eighteen, in 1870. According to the 1860 Census, the eldest child in the large household was a married sister, Charlotte E. (born in 1835). Also there was her husband, Lorenzo K. Showman (born in Maryland in January 1829 of parents from Virginia), an "artist." In those days, a photographer often was called "artist." Charlotte and Lorenzo had married on March 19, 1857. Lorenzo shortly would leave the Michigan farm to serve in the Union Army in the Civil War. As a survivor, in 1875, he would be listed in the Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory as a photographer in Portland, Michigan, with a studio at the corner of James and Kent. His wife would be there, too, listed as a milliner on Bridge. The 1900 Census would find Showman, at age 69, married 44 years, working as a photographer in Waverly, Humphries County, Tennessee. It seems likely that Gamaliel learned photography from Lorenzo Showman. In any case, he left the farm in Michigan and next surfaced in 1882–1883 in Columbus, Colorado County, Texas, as a partner with David H. Swartz in the photographic firm of Swartz & Freeman. David H. Swartz was part of a family of photographers treated elsewhere in this volume. According to Haynes, the Colorado Citizen of February 14, 1884, reported that Swartz sold out to Freeman in February 1884. Four years later, on December 23, 1888, the Sunday Gazetteer of Denison, Texas, reported, "Swartz & Freeman, the photographers, have hung out a large new sign at the First National Bank corner." This partner in Swartz & Freeman was not David H. Swartz, but rather his brother John E. Swartz. The two photographers took over the space of Perry F. Goben above the First National Bank at 229–231 West Main Street. The Rusk Avenue entrance was around the corner at the rear of the elegant building, where the two photographers also lived. According to the 1989-1890 Denison City Directory, they took their meals at the Thompson House, 400 West Main Street, owned by H. Thompson. This may have been Harve Thompson, a "dealer in ivory." At the end of February 1889, the Sunday Gazetteer observed, "Some fine specimens of fine photography were on exhibition today by Messrs. Swartz & Freeman, in the show window of [Julian P.] Marsh's shoe store [at 314 West Main Street], and in front of the First National Bank." A day later, another notice appeared: "Messrs. Swartz & Freeman, with their customary enterprise, have made photographs of upwards of forty of the ladies who took part in the trades carnival display. These pictures have been taken in the costumes in which the ladies appeared, and are mementos which no doubt many of our citizens, particularly the business firms represented, would like to have. These remembrances of this suspicious [sic] event have been secured by Messrs. Swartz & Freeman, at a large cost of time and money, but it will no doubt prove, as it deserves to, a large source of revenue in the end." Swartz & Freeman were no longer listed in the Denison City Directory of 1893–1894. John E. Swartz was moving toward his future in Fort Worth, and G. C. Freeman was no longer listed as a photographer. Instead, he had become secretary of Denison's Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). According to the 1896-1897 City Directory, the YMCA Parlors offered "rooms for Christian young men on the second floor of 307-309 West Woodard Street." The YMCA, located in the Munson Block, was sponsored in part by the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway, as "the Y" offered wholesome, economical lodging for railroad employees as well as other young men. Industrial Denison, a photographic book compiled by local real estate promoter Frank M. Robinson and published around 1909, contains four photographs of the YMCA's fine reading room, parlor, gymnasium, and "bath and game rooms." Perhaps Freeman himself took these photos. As general secretary of the YMCA, Gamaliel had his office over 309 West Woodard Street and lived there, too. He occupied this position for eighteen years, until his death in 1911. He never married. However, he did have ambitious ideas for expanding the programs of the local YMCA. The "Y" purchased a property at 531 West Main Street (northeast corner of Mirick Avenue) as the site for a planned new YMCA building. Late in July 1911, Freeman went to Bryan County, Oklahoma, to survey for a boys' camp. Near the small town of Armstrong, he was found dead in the woods, murdered by gunshot. Armstrong was located approximately five miles north of Durant, on the banks of the Blue River. The town grew on the tracks of the MK&T Railway, after the company constructed a line through the area, heading south toward Denison in 1872. In 1911, Armstrong had a population of 46 and one grocery store operated by M. W. Maupin, who also served as the postmaster. Gamaliel's body was brought to Denison, and a funeral was held at the First Presbyterian Church. Then he was buried in Coffeyville, Kansas. Freeman's many friends contributed to a fund to support the search for his assailant, who was never discovered. The money eventually was used to build a cement sidewalk on the YMCA's Main Street property. In July 1913, a memorial plaque was placed in that sidewalk, where it can still be seen. It reads: "In memory of G. C. Freeman, 1852–1911. Secretary of Denison Y.M.C.A. 18 Years." According to information posted on Ancestry.com by a family member, Gamaliel's estate was probated in Kansas. It consisted of hundreds of shares of mining stock; equity in some public school lands in Red River and Bowie counties, Texas; some mining land in Arkansas; and some land in Michigan (old home in Roxand Township). As late as 1921, the YMCA was still quartered above 309 West Woodard Street, and the property at 531 West Main Street was still vacant. Next door, at 523 West Main, was the Brookstone Airdome, an outdoor vaudeville theater. Earlier this location had been occupied successively by the photography studios of K. Thomas Williams (1898–1899); Cary D. Ansley (1899–1911), who moved to 523 from 521 West Main; Walter Skipworth (1911); Joseph J. Thomas (1913–1915); and Charles P. Newton (1917). By 1925, a new YMCA building had been erected at 531 West Main. The 1925 Denison City Directory lists the Young Men's Christian Association at that address. W. S. Hibbard was president; George Morgan, vice president; A. Loret, recording secretary; H. G. Howe, treasurer; and J. E. Morris, general secretary. The Christian Science Reading Room succeeded the "Y" at 311 West Woodard in 1925. On December 18, 1926, boilermakers repaired a boiler in the YMCA building, declared it ready for service, and fired it up. Later the YMCA secretary, J. E. Morris; his son James Morris Jr., age 18, a student at Austin College; and a Negro porter went to examine the boiler. At that time, the boiler exploded. The blast rocked the building and was heard for several blocks. Young James later died of his injuries, on December 20. The explosion was attributed to a safety valve on the boiler being stuck. The YMCA on Main Street closed in the 1930s. The building was sold in 1937 to Kraft-Phenix Cheese, which used it as its regional headquarters. This moved to Garland, Texas, in 1949.  To Capture Slayer of G. C. Freeman Mass Meeting at Y.M.C.A. Tonight to Raise Funds for a Reward. (Denison,TX Daily Herald, August 10,1911) Believing that the citizens of Denison should make a united effort to apprehend the murderer of G. C. Freeman, who was found dead in the woods near Armstrong, Okla., last Saturday, a mass meeting has been called for 8 o'clock tonight at the parlors of the Y.M.C.A. A number of personal friends of the murdered man met in the director's room of the State National Bank and after considerable discussion it was decided to call the meeting for tonight, when it is expected some plan of action will be decided on and funds will be arranged for with which to carry out the search. Every person interested is invited to attend the meeting. Reward Offered in Freeman Case At Request of E. J. Smith of This City, Governor Colquitt Offers $500, Nothing from Oklahoma Governor Cruce Tells Will B. Munson That Appropriation for This Purpose Is Exhausted A reward of five hundred dollars for the arrest and conviction of the murderer of G. C. Freeman was authorized in Austin this morning by Gov. O. B. Colquitt. Mrs. Freeman was murdered and robbed near Armstrong, Okla., on the Blue River on Tuesday, August 1. The remains were not found until Saturday, August 5, and were in an advanced stage of decomposition. E. J. Smith, who has been active in the efforts of apprehending the murderer, left Denison Sunday afternoon for Austin. The following telegram was received from him this morning: "Austin, Tex., Aug. 14 — R. S. Legate, Denison, Tex. – Ike Standifer gave me enthusiastic support and through his influence got early audience with governor, who promptly offered reward of $500. — E. J. Smith" Will B. Munson has returned from Oklahoma City, where he went to confer with Governor Lee Cruce with reference to the state of Oklahoma offering a reward in the Freeman murder case. Gov. Cruce informed Mr. Munson that he would gladly authorize the offering of a suitable sum, but the authorization made at the last session of the Oklahoma Legislature, out of which rewards were drawn, had been completely exhausted and he was powerless to offer a reward until there was available money in that fund, which would not be until the coming January, when the Legislature will meet. [Source: Denison Daily News, August 14, 1911] Negro Burned at Durant Assaulted White Woman—Pursued and shot to death. Body Burned. Durant, Oklahoma, August 13 - A negro whose identity has not yet been ascertained was shot and killed near Platter, southeast of Durant, about 1 o'clock this morning after a running fight of more than 2 hours' duration, with a posse led by Deputy Sheriff W.M. McFattridge and Constable Jeff Easley, both of this city. The negro's body was literally riddled with bullets. None of the posse was injured. The body was brought to this city, and after being identified by Mrs. L.R. Campbell as the body of the negro who yesterday outraged and shot her at her home north of this city, it was taken by a mob of angry citizens and burned on a vacant lot near the business center of the city. The officers were powerless to do anything with the mob, and it was only after considerable persuasion that they were induced to refrain from burning the body as soon as it arrived in town and before it had been viewed by Mrs. Campbell and others who saw the negro who assaulted the woman. An automobile bearing the body and the officers arrived here about ? o'clock this morning. The body was immediately taken from the officers by a mob, which had thronged the streets all night with the avowed intention of burning the negro as soon as he was brought to the jail in this city. Feeling was almost equally as intense at Caddo and other places in the county. After the mob had been persuaded not to immediately dispose of the body it was taken to the jail yard and there remained until about 9 o'clock, when it was taken before the stricken woman, who readily identified it. Then the mob again took up t he cry, 'burn him, burn him" and with a rush made off for the nearest vacant lot, where the fire was quickly kindled. The burning was witnessed by several thousand people, but after the first rush all seemed to be orderly and quiet. The assault upon Mrs. Campbell stirred the county as nothing of the kind has ever aroused aroused it before. It is estimated that fully 1,000 men joined in the chase after the black brute and from the start his escape was regarded as almost an impossibility. As far north as Wapanucka posses were on the lookout, while men from Denison, Texas, advanced as far north as the Red River and guarded every passage. Small parties scoured every section of the county. Officers report that scarcely a family within a radius of 15 miles of the scene of the crime slept until the negro was run down, the men and boys all joined in the hunt. Several hundred went out from this city. The negro seems to have crime-crazed. Previous to the assault upon Mrs. Campbell, he held up and threatened to shoot a negro laborer, who was doing flag dury for the construction crew on the Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf railroad north of Durant. He robbed this negro of his dinner, beat him over the head with his revolver, knocked him down an embankment and compelled him to go with him nearly a mile through the woods. The railroad negro escaped when he was about a mile from the Campbell home. This occurence took place less than an hour previous to the assault upon Mrs. Campbell After leaving the Campbell home the unidentified negro went southwest and at Barwick's store he held up the son and daughter of the proprietor, who were in charge of the store, demanding money. When told by them the proprietor had just departed for home, taking with him the day's receipts, the negro with an oath declared he would go there for the money. The son by a short cut beat the negro to the house and confronted him with a shotgun when he arrived but allowed the man to escape. Near Platter the negro entered a farm house while the occupants were at church and ransacked the place before being driven away. It was near this place the posse first gained sight of him. He was pu rsued for more th an a mile through the timber, all the while keeping up a running fire with the posse. He was finally surrounded in the head of a ravine and allowed to remain there until the moon rose high enough for him to be located. In a rapid exchange of shots with the posse, he was killed. A 41-calibre revolved and some cartridges and a bar of soap were the only things found on his person. He had thrown away his coat and hat before being overtaken by the posse, and these garments are now being sought with the hope of thus establishing some clew to his identity. The negro is said to have been seen around Caddo for the last week or ten days, and came from that direction Saturday morning. He appeared in Caddo one week ago Tuesday, the day on which G.C. Freeman, secretary of the Denison, Texas, Y.M.C.A., was killed near Armstrong, seven miles south of Caddo. As the negro appeared to be well supplied with money, it is thought by many that he was the man who shot Freeman, who was known to have considerable money on his person just previous to the time he disappeared. When Freeman’s body was found the following Saturday, only 10 was found in his pockets. Soon after the mob formed in the streets of Durant last night a crowd of more than 100 men and boys visited the various residences of the city where negro domestics are employed and warned them to leave the city. A general exodus of negroes followed this morning. Demonstrations were made this morning at several residences where negroes remained. [Source: Ada Evening News, August 14, 1911]   Cold Case Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |