 Dallas Morning News
May 5, 1904 pg. 7 Two men killed in difficulty with patrolman and deputy sheriffs Both victims left families Officers involved admitted to bail, many mortal wounds, by-stander was injured Special to the News: Sherman, Tex. - May 4 - A double killing occurred at John Stevenson's place of business here, known as the Frisco, this afternoon about 2:30. The fusillade of which the tragedy was the result were John Stevenson, proprietor of the Frisco, and M.R. White, a bartender, Patrolman Bob Parsons, Deputy Sheriffs Dee Burris and Oscar Kirk. Stevenson and White were almost instantly killed. Neither of the officers was hurt. During the exchange of shots, which were fast and continuous, a young man, Fletcher Harrison, an employee of the Van Noys News Company, was accidentally shot in the left cheek. The wound, while painful, is not serious, and was given prompt surgical attention. Harrison's home is in Fort Worth and this is his first trip on the Sherman division. White fell and expired on the Avenue K side of the building, and Stevenson died on the sidewalk immediately in front of the Mulberry street entrance. A large crowd gathered in a short while and it was impossible to find an eyewitness to all the tragedy outside of the participants, but from the best information obtainable from reliable sources the affair began and ended as follows; Deputy Sheriffs Dee Burris and Oscar Kirk went to Stephenson's place with twenty warrants for the arrest of two negro men, charging them with violation of the local option law. The officers failed to find them there and were just about to leave, when Stevenson came in from a side room and accosted Burris and it is stated, displayed a knife. Deputy Kirk stepped between the men, and later on Patrolman Parsons, who was with the deputies, intervened with the remark, "We did not come down here for trouble, let's go."It is stated that the three officers then walked out on the sidewalk on the Mulberry Street side and Stevenson followed them to the door. Eyewitnesses say he had his hand on his pistol and was making a demonstration with it at Parsons and Burris when the shooting began. Two shots were fired almost simultaneously, the shooting became general and Stevenson sank down. Just about this juncture, or just before Stevenson fell, White emerged from the Avenue K entrance and, it is stated by eyewitnesses, fired in the direction of the officers, who returned the fire, and White retreated, but after taking a few steps fell and expired almost immediately. Immediately after the shooting the officers engaged in the affair went to the Sheriff's office, stated the occurrence and surrendered to Sheriff Russell. They did not enter into any detailed statement of the affair, but their versions of it in no particular varies from the general trend of the statements of other eyewitnesses to parts of the occurrence. Both dead men have lived here several years. White was for some time proprietor of a liquor house here, but had been, up to the time local option went into effect, employed as a bartender at several places. He is a married man and leaves a wife and a family of small children. Stephenson who is also married, has spent nearly all of his life in the county. He has been engaged in the liquor business at various times and places, and was at one time a peace officers at Van Alstyne. The bodies of the dead men were taken to morgues and later on to their respective residences. Justice of the Peace Towers, acting for Coroner Reece viewed the bodies, but has not gone into the investigation of causes and circumstances of the tragedy. Officers Parsons, Burris and Kirk all made their appearance before Justice Towers, waived examination and were admitted to bail in the sum of $3000 each, said amount being agreed upon by counsel for State and defense. A number of prominent citizens made voluntary appearance in the court room and signed appearance bonds. Tonight it was state at the Frisco Bar that the officers did not call for the Negroes from whom there were warrants charging violation of the local option law. The officers on this point in their statement say they failed to find the negroes there when they went to the Frisco Bar to look for them. Subsequently both negroes, Jim Saull and Hardjoe McKinney, were found and placed in jail. The wounds upon the bodies of the dead men were all of a mortal nature and were as follows; On Stevenson, one entering about eighth rib on the left side, one entering about fifth rib under the heart and the other entering about the bridge of the nose and coming out under the left ear. Both body wounds passed entirely through. On White, two shots entering within an inch and a half of each other to the left of the back of the head and boring their exit near the crown. From this would nearly all the brains oozed. Another bullet entered the left thigh and passed directly through, boring its exit in the right thigh. There was another bullet which entered the left breast and ranged diagonally, coming out in the right shoulder. The pistols of both dead men were found near them where they fell. All the weapons used were of heavy patterns. Front glass and fixtures about the bar show marks from bullets. About twenty shots were fired.  The Bonham News Friday, May 6, 1904 pg.1 A FATAL SHOOTING Sherman Tragedy at 2:45 Wednesday Afternoon M.R. White and Jno. Stevenson Die at the Hands of Three Officers in Front of the Frisco Hotel - - Bystander Was Accidentally Shot Special to The Herald Sherman, Texas, May 4, 4:30 o'clock - - - This afternoon at 2:45 a terrible shooting occurred in this city, in which M.R. White, a well-known gambler, and Jno. Stevenson, a bar-keeper at a cold storage, were killed. Policeman Bob Parsons, Deputy Sheriff Dee Burris and assistant jailer Oscar Kirk, did the fatal shooting. Both men died with their pistols at their sides. None of the officers were hurt. The facts are condensed as follows: The officers went down to the old Frisco saloon, now a cold storage, to arrest a Negro who was charged with violating the local option law. Officer Burris had an argument with White and Stevenson. A fight followed. Pistols came in and all hands took a hand with the above results. White's head was nearly torn off. Stevenson was shot through or near the heart. Both men fought game and were shot several times. The Galveston Daily News Galveston, Texas Friday, May 6, 1904 pg. 5 THE NEGROES ARRESTED Charged at Sherman With Violation of Local Option Law Speical To the News Sherman, Tex., May 5 - The two negroes, Jim Saull and Hardjoe McKinney, against whom there were warrants extant for alledged violation of the local option law and in quest of whom the officers had visited the Frisco Club yesterday, when the tragedy in which John Stevenson and M. R. White lost their lives, have been arrested. Saull had a pistol on his person when arrested. The aggregate bond set in the Saull case was $4,500 and in the McKinney case $1,600. Fifty-three arrests for violation of the local option law have been made this week so far. The Sunday Gazetteer Sunday May 8, 1904 pg. 4 Two Men Killed A terrible tragedy took place in Sherman Wednesday at the Frisco saloon, near the Union depot. Bob Parsons, a member of the police force, and Deputy Sheiff Burris and Deputy Oscar Kirk went to the saloon to make an arrest. John F. Stevenson and M. R. White were killed by the officers. The two men killed were identified with the saloon, one proprietor the other barkeeper. Stevenson and White were in the room when the officers got there. Stevenson first started an argument with Officer Burris, so it is said, and from that the shooting began. Stevenson fell dead just in front of the south door of the room. White fell about the middle of the east side of the building. Both were struck several times, apparently. Of course the officers claim justification. The Gazetteer will wait the action of the coroner's inquest before expressing an opinion. The Houston Post Houston, Texas Friday, June 3, 1904 pg. 11 Sherman, Texas, June 2 - The grand jury has adjourned after a session of twenty days. They failed to find indictments against Officers Burris, Parsons and Kirk, who had been held under bond pending the investigation of the Frisco saloon tragedy in which John Stevenson and M. R. White lost their lives. FELONY Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |