Fort Worth Daily Gazette
Fort Worth Texas
April 13, 1887 Wednesday
pg 1

The Killing in the Nation
Special to the Gazette
Pottsboro, Tex., April 12. - The full account as far as can be learned of the difficulty which occurred in the Nation last Sunday evening is about as follows:
Last summer Dick Sacra and Aleck Duzan shipped some cattle, and amongst the number were some cattle belonging to James Christian and James Rounds. A short time ago Dick Sacra was arrested upon a charge of theft of cattle and placed in jail in Tishomingo. There was also a warrent issued for the arrest of Aleck Duzan and William Hamilton. Last Saturday Dave Hardwicke and James Christian came to Pottsboro and got our constable, W. C. Porter, to arrest William Hamilton, who was working near here in Texas, and who was wanted as a witness in the case. He was arrested Saturday night and taken across Red river and turned over to Hardnicke and Christian, who started with him to  Tishomingo accompanied by Jame Bounds and Bud Luttrell. Christian, Luttrell and Hamilton were in a buggy, and somewhat in advance of Bounds and Hardnicke, and were met in the road at Rooster creek, about six miles north of Harney, by Alec Duzan and Steve Bussell, an nephew of Duzan's. Christian was shot dead in the buggy, Luttrell was shot also, but jumped out of the buggy and fell dead by the mules. As Bounds and Hardnicke were approaching, the parties who did the killing rode off. The prisoner never attempted
to get away, but all came back to  Christian's, where the two bodies were buried yesterday. After the funeral Hardnicke went on to Tishomingo with his prisoner. There has been bad-blood existing between some of the parties for some time. Duzan and Bussel are part Indian. Duzan does not deny the killing, but says there is more of it to be done in the Nation, and that he is not through yet. Your reporter has conversed with two men just from Christian's today and learned the above facts. All parties are cattlemen in the Nation and well connected and men of means and influence, and the sad tragedy is regretted by all who knew them.


Fort Worth Daily Gazette
Fort Worth Texas
April 12, 1887 Tuesday
pg 4

FURTHER PARTICULARS

More About the Shooting Scrape in the Territory
Special to the Gazette
Denison, Tex., April 11 - The news of a double shooting scrape which took place yesterday just the other side of Woodville, I.T., reached the city to-day. The circumstances, as near as can be learned, are as follows;
The captain of the Indian police, Billy Fields, accompanied James Christian and Dave Hardwick, Sheriff of the Choctaw Nation, had in charge a prisoner charged with cattle stealing and were taking him to  Tishomingo. Billy Fields and Jim Christian were in a buggy, with the prisoner between them. Hardwick was about 100 yards behind on horseback, when he heard the shooting. He dashed forward just in time to see Alex Duzan and Steve Bussel galloping off on their horses. He gave chase, but they succeeded in making good their escape. Hardwick returned to the buggy and found Billy Fields and
Jim Christian lying dead. The prisoner was retaken by a negro named Crowder Nix, who happened to be near.


Fort Worth Daily Gazette
Fort Worth Texas
April 14, 1887 Thursday
pg 5

MORE BLOOD
A Posse in the Territory Makes an Effort
to Arrest the Slayers of Christian and Luttrell

Duzan and Bussell Fight Desperately in
Resistance and Duzan is Killed
White Bussell Escapes.

MORE KILLING IN THE NATION
Special to the Gazette

Pottsboro Tex., April 13 -- John Christian, a brother of James Christian, who was killed a few days ago, organized a posse of twelve or thirteen to hunt the murderers down and ran on them Tuesday night, and as they would not surrender the ball was opened and Alec Duzan was killed and Steve Bussell mortally wounded. They were the two men who killed Christian and Lutterell making four lives lost, and the end is not yet.

A DENISON ACCOUNT
Special to the Gazette
Denison, Tex., April 13 - Dave Hardwick, H. Hackney, John Christian and two other gentlemen came in to-night from the Chickasaw Nation, and an interview was had with Mr. Hackney, Deputy United States Marshal, who stated that he did not go to the Nation as an official, but at the earnest request of Mrs. Jim Christian, the wife of the murdered man. He was summoned by Officer Hardwick into the posse, and they went to the home of Alex Duzan and sent him word that if he would surrender they would protect him from the mob, but he would not do it; so yesterday evening they went in pursuit, stopping near Harney until night, when they were surprised by Duzan and Bussell coming up behind on horses. When ordered to halt they began firing, when the posse returned it, with Duzan and Bussell advancing until over 100 shots were fired, when they started to run, but got only a short distance when Duzan fell from his horse, but Bussell made good his excape. Whose bullet killed Duzan is not  known, and John Christian did say he would kill him, but wanted him caught and tried. The whole Nation is aroused over the death of  Christian, and Bussell will undoubtedly be run down within a few days. A posse is in hot pursuit.


The Galveston Daily News
Galveston, Texas
April 14, 1887 Thursday
pg 2

THE TERRITORY TERROR
FULL DETAILS OF THE BLOODY AFFAIR
How the Officers Were Waylaid and Killed -
The Whole Community Aroused - Three Killed,

Sherman, Tex., April 13, - From Officer Fink of the northwestern part of the county The News reporter, to-day, gleaned the following facts in regard to the killing of J. Christian and B. Luttrell in the Indian Territory, about twenty-five miles north of Sherman, on last Sunday afternoon between 5 and 6 o'clock and as he (Fink) received them from Billy Hamilton who was under arrest in the hands of Christian, at the time, has thrown the entire Chickasaw Nation and the northwestern part of  Grayson county into a state of excitement. Hamilton had been arrested across the river from Preston in Texas, and was being taken to Tishomingo. He and Officer Jim  Christian were in a light vehicle in front, while James Bond and Dave Hardwycke, two other officers, followed some distance behind on horseback. When about two miles from there, Christian and Hamilton overtook and took into the vehicle Ben Luttrell, a farmer who lives some distance from the river. Nothing unusual occurred, although it was expected, until the vehicle drove into Rooster creek bottom, and a sudden rustling was heard behind a jagged pile of stone on the left of the old ford, and just as Christian turned to pick up his Winchester, which was leaning behind him, two forms appeared from behind the stone and opened fire upon the occupants of the vehicle. Jim Christian received a Winchester ball crushing through his brain and tearing the skull almost into fragments. With the blood and brains of his companion in his face, Hamilton was unable to move, but Luttrell jumped out and removed the horses. The relentless foe, however, did not cease firing, but kept up their fusilade until at last Luttrell, too, fell mortally wounded from another shot in the left side, which after tearing the muscle out of the left arm, had gone clear through the body, lodging against the shoulder blade.
Officers Bond and Hardwycke at the first shot, put spurs to their horses and galloped to the scene at full speed, but just arrived in time to see tow men disappear in the forest, which is dense up and down the creek bottom. They halted to see if they could be of any assistance to the men who lay weltering in their gore in the middle of the road, but it was no use Luttrell giving his last expiring gasp as they dismounted. Hamilton, the prisoner, made an endeavor to escape and is still in custody. The two men were buried yesterday afternoon in the quite churchyard near Christian's home.
Later intelligence just received in this city is to the effect that Alick Duzan and Jim Bussell, the two men said by Hamilton to be the men who shot Christian, near the river, were overtaken by officers, at a late hour last night at a point about forty miles north of Sherman, and ordered to surrender, which they refused to do. A desperate fight ensued in which Aleck Duzan was literally riddled with bullets and buckshot and Bussell is known to be wounded, and it is thought mortally, although in the terrible excitement he managed to escape in the dark.
Officers from Grayson countyand the Indian Territory are in hot pursuit, and half of the trouble expected has not yet taken place.
A number of the parties to the sad and tragic affair were formerly from Sherman and are highly related to this city. A number of them left this afternoon for the scene of the tragedy, and burial material has been forwarded to Preston for the dead body of Duzan.
The affair is the current street talk and as both sides have friends, the excitement here continues to grow with each additional piece of news.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT
Pottsborough, Tex, April 13, - W. C. Porter, constable of this precinct, arrested one Wm Hamilton near here Saturday night who was wanted as a witness against parties in jail at Tishomingo, and another party who has not been arrested yet, and was turned over to Dave Hardicke and James Christian in the Nation Sunday morning, and as they were conducting the prisoner to Tishomingo, the advance of the party, consisting of Christian, Luttrell and Hamilton, were met in the road by two men. James Christian was killed in the buggy, Bud Luttrell was shot at the same time, but jumped and fell dead by the mules. As James Bond and Hardwick rode up the men who did the killing rode off. The prisoner did not attempted to get away They all returned to Christian's home, where the bodies were buried after which Hardwick proceeded to Tishomingo with his prisoner. The charge against the parties arrested is theft of cattle.
The News reporter learned the above facts from the Nation to-day. Reports are very conflicting and the full details are hard
to be learned.

THE VERY LATEST
Denison, Tex., April 13, - Dave Hardwick, H. Hackrey, John Christian and two other gentlemen came in to night from the Chickasaw Nation and an interview was had with Mr. Hackrey, dupty United States marshal, who stated that he did not go to the Nationas an official, but at the ernest request of Mrs. Jim Christian, the wife of the murdered man. He was summoned by Police Officer Hardwick into the posse. They went to the home of Alex Duzan and sent him word if he would surrender that they would protect him from the mob, but he would not do it, so yesterday evening  they were in pursuit and stopped near Harney until night, when they were surprised by Duzan and Bussell coming up behind on horses. When ordered to halt they began firing, when the posse returned it, with Duzan and Bussell advancing, until over 100 shots were fired, when they started to run, had got only a short distance, whe Duzan fell from his horse, but Bussell made good his escape. Whose bullet kille Duzan is not known and John Christian did not say he would kill him, but wnated him caught and tried. The whole town is aroused over the death of Christian and Bussell willl undoubtedly be run down within a few days.


Indian Journal
Muskogee, Oklahoma
April 15, 1887 Thursday
pg 5

Steve Bussell, the supposed murderer of Jim Christian has been safely delivered at Fort Smith by Officer Charlie Laflore who will get the reward of five hunderd dollars offered by Christian's wife.


Fort Worth Daily Gazette
April 21, 1887 Thursday
pg 7

SHERMAN

Another Killing in the Territory - Held for
Obstructing a Railway Track.

Special to the Gazette
Sherman, Tex., Apirl 20 - Buck Young, a leading merchant of Preston Bend, arrived in the city to-day bringing the new of the killing of Dave Hardwicke, Sheriff of Pickens county, Chickasaw nation, which occurred yesterday evening near what is known as the E ranch, situated fifteen miles from Red river, in the Indian Territory. The particulars of the killing of Sheriff Hardwicke had not been learned, though he is supposed to have been killed by friends of Bussell and Duzan, who were
killed by the officers a few days since while trying to arrest them.
J. B. Sollitt and W. P. Bailey, special detectives, arrived from Denison to-day in charge of John Maloney and Theodore Metcalf who are charged with placing obstructions across the Missouri Pacific Railroad track west of Denison on the 24th of last February. The detectives have been trying to discover the perpetrators for some time, and succeeded in identifying them and arresting them about 9 o'clock last night. The young men were arraigned before Judge Hinkle for preliminary trail, but waived examination, stating that they had committed the deed without malicious intent, having placed the obstruction
on the track for the purpose of derailing the handcar containing the section hands for mischievous fun, but which was prevented by the section boss seeing the obstruction in time to stop the car. The young men were committed to jail to await the action of the grand jury now in session.

Fort Worth Daily Gazette
Fort Worth Texas
June 27, 1887 Monday
pg 6

AN INTERESTING CASE
The Murder of James Christian and
Bud Luttrell in the Indian Territory
Called Vividly to Mind.

Steve Bussel, After a Long Examination,
Admitted to Bail in the Sum of Ten Thousand Dollars.

Correspondence of the Gazette
Fort Smith, Ark., June 23, - An interesting case has been pending during the past three days before the Federal court here,
in which the testimony is of a very conflicting nature. On April 10 last, James Christian and Bud Luttrell were killed near Harney, Chickasaw nation, as they were driving along the road in a buggy, having in custody a prisoner named William Hamilton. The prisoner was the only eye-witness to the killing and stated that Alex Duzan and Steve Bussel were concealed behind the bank on Rooster creek, and as Christian drove down into the creek, Duzan shot and killed him, while Luttrell was shot twice and killed by Steve Bussel. Indian Policeman Dave Hardwick and a man by the name of Jim Bounds were a short distance behind the parties, and in about fifteen minutes after the killing arrived on the scene. Hardwick at once summoned
a posse and started in pursuit of Duzan and Bussel, and three days  later, while the officer and his posse were watching the "E" ranch (where Duzan's sister resided) Duzan and Bussel came riding up, and when they discovered their pursurers attempted to escape by flight. They were fired on an Duzan was killed, but Bussel escaped with a slight wound in the head. All parties concerned being prominent citizens, the affair created such a great sensation throughout the section where it occurred. Hardwick claimed that he halted Duzan and Bussel twice, and that each time they shot at him, when he ordered his men to fire on them. Bussel claims that the officer and his posse were in ambush and fired on himself and Duzan before they knew of their presence in the locality; that they turned their horses and ran, and did not even pull their Winchesters from the scabbards.
The widow of Christian offered $500 reward for the arrest of Bussel, and on about the 1st of June he was captured by Captain Charlie Laflore of the United States Indian Police and taken before Commissioner Taft at Muskogee, who bound him over for the alledged murder of Luttrell, and sent him to jail at this place. At this examination William Hamilton, the only eye-witness to the killing, was not present. In the meantime, the friends of  Bussel were not idle, and on Sunday last Mrs. Lucy Thompson, aunt of the prisoner, arrived here, as did also Captain Laflore, who had in custody the witness Hamilton. On Tuesday last, through her attorney, Mrs. Thompson made application to the court for the release of Bussel on bond, on the ground that he had no hand in the killing of Christian and Luttrell, but was merely a witness to the tragedy, which she was ready to prove. The investigation of the case came up in open court, when William Hamilton was sworn and testified that he was arrested in Grayson county, Tex., by Hardwick and Christian on the 9th; that before crossing Red River  into the nation the party bought three quarters of whisky, and all were drunk when the killing occurred; that he was in the buggy with Christian and Luttrell, who had joined them in the Territory, and as they were driving along they met Duzan and Bussel. Duzan said "hello" as the party met, when Christian replied, "Go to h___, you d__d cow theif." A few angry words passed, Duzan and Bussel dismounted from their horses, when Christian, who had his Winchester between his legs, raised it and attempted to shot Duzan, thus, the latter was too quick for him and fired first, shooting him in the head, killing him. Christian's gun dropped across his lap, when  Luttrell grabbed it and started to get out of the buggy, whe Duzan shot him in  the shoulder causing him to drop the weapon. Luttrell then ran round in front of the team, when Duzan shot him again, breaking his neck. Wtiness testified that only three shots were fired, all by Duzan. When questioned as to why he had stated that Duzan and Bussel were in ambush and killed the men without warning, he said that when Bounds and Hardwick came up after the killing and asked him how it occurred, he started to tell them the truth, when they threw their guns down on him
and told him if he did not tell a different story from that they would kill him, and from that on, through fear of his life, he told
a story to suit them.
A brother of Christian, who was killed, also testified that Hamilton had stated to him privately, the day following the killing, that the shooting was done from behind the creek bank and that he and Hamilton examined the ground and saw where the men had kneeled down behind the bank, and also tracked them up the bed of the creek to where their horses were concealed. Hamilton accounts for these tracks by saying that when Duzan dismounted he let his horse go, and during the shooting  Bussel's broke loose from him. Christian testifies, however, that there were no horse tracks around where the killing took place.
It is a case of great importance, and will yet lead to more bloodshed, as both sides have money and friends to back them, and will not hesitate to kill if occasion should present itself. It will be thoroughly investigated by the court here.
LATER - The prisoner was admitted to bail in the sum of $10,000. Mrs. Thompson readily furnished the bond, all left for home yesterday.

FELONY
Susan Hawkins
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