The Dallas Daily Herald
Dallas, Texas
Friday, August 26, 1885
pg 5

Sherman, Aug. 27 - (Special) About noon to-day John Harrison entered the Bank saloon, kept by W. E. Harrington,
his brother-in-law, and shot the barkeeper, Jack Goodwin. There was only one in the barroom but Goodwin and
the negro porter. There are many conflicting rumors. The negro tells different stories. Goodwin died almost
instantly from the wounds and Harrison refuses to talk. There was no good feeling existing between the
parties, said to have grown out of their living in adjoining rooms, and some disturbance having heretofore
occurred, that caused ill-feelings. Again, it is said that Harrington, the owner of the saloon, had instructed
Goodwin not to trust Harrison. The refusal caused Harrison to dislike Goodwin. The negro says Harrison had
two pistols in his hand and offered one to Goodwin. Again, he says Goodwin was making lemonade and Harrison
wanted some, and upon being refused, pulled out a pistol and commenced shooting. In any event, two six-shooters
were emptied with only two balls remaining. Harrison was very deliberate in his work, four balls striking his
victim, two of which would have been fatal. Goodwin came here from Denison. Harrison was from Tennessee,
and had been here some time. He was formerly on the police force. He gave himself up and is now in jail.
Both are married men. There is a great deal of feeling against Harrison, as the murder was unprovoked.



The Galveston Daily News
Galveston, Texas
Friday, August 25, 1885

CRIMINAL CALENDAR
A BARKEEPER SHOT AND KILLED AT SHERMAN

[Special to The News]
Sherman, August 27 - Jack Goodwin, barkeeper in the Bank saloon, was killed by ex-Policeman Jack Harrison, at noon to-day. The cause of the killing is unknown, but it is supposed to be about family matters.
From the evidence of a negro who was present, it appears Harrison walked into the saloon while Goodwin was making a lemonade. Harrison said something that was not understood. Goodwin fell behind the counter, and Harrison went to the end of the counter and fired until his pistol was empty, and then drew another and fired three
or four shots from that.
He then walked out with a pistol in each hand, and proceeded down Travis street. Constable Wright met him and
he gave himself up.
An inquest was held, but no evidence beyond the fact of the killing was elicited.



The Sunday Gazetteer
Denison, Texas
Sunday, August 30, 1885
pg 1

KILLED DEAD

On Thursday, August 24th, about 12 o'clock, one of the most startling homicides that ever took place in Sherman, occurred in Levy's corner, northeast of the public square.
Jack Goodwin, the bar-keeper in the saloon in this building, was engaged in his duties when John Harrison, an ex-policeman, entered by the side door on Houston street, and walking up to the front of the bar without uttering
a word, deliberately fired on Goodwin at close range, and felled him to the floor at the first fire. He then stepped around the end of the bar and fired six additional shots into the prostrate body. When the first pistol was emptied, he laid it on the bar and took the second, which he had all the time held in his left hand, and proceeded to shoot with it until his victim could no longer speak. He then picked up the discarded weapon and walked quietly out the front door where he met Constable Wright and surrendered himself a prisoner. The first shot is believed to have entered the center of his breast, another struck from the side into the throat near the collar bone, ranging under
the skin towards the right shoulder and made a skin wound in the right arm below the elbow, another entering the left thigh and lodged in the flesh. The fourth which caused immediate death, passed through the neck from side to side about three inches below the ear and broke his neck. Drs. Steever and Morrow, who examined the body shortly after, say the neck wound was what produced immediate death. The origin of the trouble is obscured by mysterious whispers and vague suspicions, but from the best information we can obtain it arose from some misunderstanding among the families of the two men who live "in the same house", the old Burd Anderson place
on Crocket street - Sherman Courier.

Jack Goodwin lived in Denison for a number of years; was barkeeper for Cox & Clymer, and also run a wheel of fortune for Mr. John Hines; was at one time behind the bar at Tom Grace's. Goodwin was a deputy under U.S. Marshall Merchon, in the Territory for several months. Jack was, to use a common expression, "a great man after the women."  From what we can learn, the killing of Goodwin was a cold blooded murder. He was well liked in Denison and his untimely death is deplored.  His body was brought to Denison and his funeral took place at the residence of Mr. Ed. Glanding, and the remains were followed to the grave by a large number of people.



The Sunday Gazetteer
Denison, Texas
Sunday, September 6, 1885
pg 1

John H. Harrison, who brutally shot and killed Jack Goodwin, waived an examination.



The Sunday Gazetteer
Denison, Texas
Sunday, November 22, 1885
pg 1

LOCAL CONDENSATIONS
The News of the Week Boiled Down For Sunday Reading

MONDAY . . . The trial of the man who killed Jack Goodwin commenced to-day at Sherman.

WEDNESDAY . . . The trial of John H. Harrison for the murder of Jack Goodwin commenced to-day in the district court, Sherman. . .  Councilman Tone was in Sherman. He states that the general opinion is, that Harrison, the murderer of Goodwin, will hang . . .



Sherman Daily Register
September 9, 1886

FOUR YEARS IS THE VERDICT RETURNED AT BONHAM
Last Night, in the Case Against John Harrison.

The case of the State of Texas vs. John H. Harrison, charged with the murder of Jack Goodwin in this city on the 27th of August, 1885, at the Bank saloon, east of the Courthouse square, was completed in the town of Bonham,
the county seat of Fannin county, last night at 12 o'clock. This case has a rather varied history to have been committed such a short time ago, and is in substance as follows:
About noon on the day of the 27th of August, John Harrison, an ex-member of the police force, and who had just recovered from an attack of paralysis which had rendered his lower limbs useless for several weeks, walked into the Bank saloon, on the east side of the court house square, and deliberately fired on the bartender, Jack Goodwin.  Goodwin fell, with a single cry, near the end of the counter.  Harrison then walked to the end of the counter and fired five or six shots into Goodwin's prostrate body killing him almost instantly. Harrison calmly walked out, remarking to C.B. Wandelohr, of the Courier, that he had to do it to protect his family. He surrendered
to Officer Wright and was carried to the office of Justice Hinkle, where he was remanded in the Jones street jail without bail. Here he remained until the November criminal docket was called in the District court, and then, under a bill of indictment found by the grand jury he was placed on trial for murder. Up to the time of the killing there had been no great grudge existing between the men, and the affair, of course, created quite a little breeze of excitement and suppositions as to the cause were many, though nothing definite was known until the evidence was introduced on the stand.  The State strove to show that the killing was caused by jealousy on the part of Harrison, who wanted to get drinks on a credit, and had been refused by Goodwin. The defense was made on the ground that Goodwin had insulted Mrs. Harrison, and that Harrison had killed him the first opportunity that presented itself after the knowledge of his wife's insults had been conveyed to him. The charge of Judge Maltbie was clear on the subject, and the jury, after remaining out over night, returned a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree, and assessed the prisoner's punishment at confinement in the state prison for life.  The court of appeals reversed the case on the grounds that the exclusion of Wandelohr's evidence was illegal. The case came back to the court at Sherman, and in May was called again for trial.  Several citizens made affidavit to the effect
that they did not believe the defendant could secure a fair and impartial trial in Sherman and a change of venue was granted to Fannin county, where, a few days ago, the defendant was taken. The case was set for Tuesday and was called, both sides announcing ready. The evidence in behalf of the State was completed last evening, and the defense witnesses placed on the stand. They consumed the attention of the court until about 9 o'clock, when both sides closed the introduction of testimony. County Attorney Woodson of Fannin county, opened with a thorough synopsis of the merits of the case, dwelling at some length on the cool, calculating manner in which the killing
was executed, and made a strong and well balanced appeal to the people of Fannin county to uphold the peace
and dignity of the state and that it was as much their duty to see the laws of the land vigorously enforced as it was of the police or other officers.  The defense was opened by F.C. McLean, who appealed to the jury to look at the matter in a merciful light, and adhere to the unwritten law of the state, which says no man shall be punished for taking the life of he who invades the sanctity of the family circle or dares to cast any slur upon the character of any female relative of the man who does the killing.

Mayor Buckler, who was also one of the attorneys for the defense made a splendid address, . . . the peace and quietude of the family of him who does the killing.

Judge Silas Hare, of Sherman, also an attorney for the defense, closed with a most brilliant address in which he appealed to the jury in the name of protection for the wives, daughters and mothers of Texas to vindicate the unwritten law of the south, which says no man shall cast aspirations on the pure and true women of our land, and call his life his own, and that he who takes it shall be honored, not prosecuted like a midnight assassin. The jury retired, shortly before twelve o'clock, after receiving a beautifully worded charge from Judge Scott, of Fannin county.

The court house had been besieged all day with spectators, a large percentage of whom were from Sherman, and the crowd did not diminish in the least at the conclusion of the argument, it having been generally understood that the court room would be held open until midnight to allow the jury to return a verdict if possible. The large crowd was not disappointed, for at 11:30 the jury filed into the court room again and the clerk announced that they had found a verdict. The prisoner moved around uneasily in his chair, while a murmur of expectation ran through the entire audience, but it was followed by a stillness which was broken by the clerk as he called the roll of the jury, and found they had all agreed to the verdict, which ran as follows:

"We, the jury, find the defendant, J.H. Harrison, of the city of Sherman, county of Grayson and State of Texas,
guilty of manslaughter in the killing of Jack Goodwin, in the city, county and state aforesaid, on the 27th day of August, A.D. 1885."

The prisoner took the verdict quietly at first, but gave way to his pent up emotions when his friends came up and offered their congratulations that the grave charge murder had been reduced to such an extent. The prisoner was carried back to his cell in the Fannin county jail, where he is now confined.  His attorneys are yet in consultation
on the question of making an appeal to the higher courts, and what will be done is not exactly decided.

Messrs. C.B. Wandelohr, M. Callahan, E.G. Douglass, C.N. Buckler, Jos. Melton, Chas. Moton, Nat Gunter, Lee Walker, S.E. Wright, John Blain and John Young returned home this morning, from the scene of the trial.



Dallas Morning News
September 10, 1886

Sherman Local Siftings
End of Celebrated Harrison Case
Tried at Bonham on Change of Venue—History of the Affair—Held to Answer—Other News

Sherman, Sept 9. - The case of the State of Texas vs. J.H. Harrison, charged with the murder of Jack Goodwin in this city Aug. 27, 1885, at the Bank Saloon, east side of the courthouse square, was completed in the town of Bonham, the county seat of Fannin County, last night at 12 o’clock, This case was a rather varied history, to have been committed such a short time ago.

About noon on the day of the 27th of August John Harrison, an ex-member of the police department, and who had just recovered from an attack of paralysis which had rendered his lower limbs useless for several weeks, walked into the Bank Saloon on the east side of  Courthouse Square, and deliberately fired on the bar tender, Jack Goodwin. Goodwin fell, with a single cry, near the end of the counter. Harrison then walked up to the end of the counter and fired five or six shots into Goodwin’s prostrate body, killing him almost instantly. Harrison calmly walked out, remarking to C.B. Wandelohr, of the Courier, that he had to do it to protect his family. He surrendered
to Officer Wright, and was carried to the office of Justice Hinkle, where he was remanded to the Jones Street Jail without bail. There he remained until the November criminal docket was called in the District Court, and then under a bill of indictment found by the grand jury he was placed on trial for murder.

Up to the time of the killing there had been no great grudge existing between the men, and the affair of course created quite a little breeze of excitement, and supposition as to the cause were many, though nothing definite
was known until the evidence was introduced on the stand. The State stove to show that the killing was caused
by jealousy on the part of Harrison, who wanted to get drinks on credit and had been refused by Goodwin. The defense was made on the ground that Goodwin had insulted Mrs. Harrison and that Harrison had killed him the first opportunity that presented itself after the knowledge of his wife’s insults had been conveyed to him. The charge
of Judge Maltbie(?) was clear on the subject, and the jury, after remaining out overnight, returned a verdict of
guilty of murder in the first degree, and assessed the prisoner’s punishment at confinement in the State Prison
for life. The Court of Appeals reversed the case because of the exclusion of Wandelohr’s evidence. The case
came back to the court at Sherman, and in May was called again for trial. Several citizens made affidavit to the effect that they did not believe the defendant could secure a fair and impartial trail in Sherman and a change of venue was granted to Fannin County where a few days ago the defendant was taken. The case was set for Tuesday and was called on that day, both sides announcing ready. The evidence in behalf of the State was completed last evening and the defense’s witnesses placed on the stand. They engaged the attention of the court until about
5 o’clock, when both sides closed the introduction of testimony.