Dallas Morning News
May 28, 1922

"Grayson County Farmer is Shot and Killed"

Sherman, Texas  May 27 - Pearl Rudasill, 44 years old, well-known farmer of Grayson County, died in a Sherman Sanitarium at 8 o'clock tonight from the effect of bullet wounds received late this afternoon on the farm owned by his mother near this city. Charley Tait, 60 years old, half-brother of Rudasill was arrested immediately after the murder and placed in the Grayson County Jail.
The shooting occurred at the Tait home, four miles northeast of Sherman, just before noon today. The weapon used was a double barrel shotgun loaded with buckshot. Four of the shots struck Rudasill in the right chest and passed through his body, penetrating the right lung. 
Three more bullets struck him on the right side of the body but went around or in the body. One bullet cut the muscle and nerve in two in the right arm at the shoulder and another made a wound in his right temple.
Rudasill's mother and father, both of whom are 80 years old, are living apart and Mrs. Rudasil is living with her two sons, Charles and Mivar Tait, children by her first marriage. 
Rudasill said after he was shot that he had heard that his mother was sick and rode over to see her. He was on a horse when he was shot and fell in the yard.  Rudasil was single. Tait has a family.

The Sherman Daily Democrat
Sunday, May 28, 1922
pg. 1

PEARL RUDASILL DIES FROM GUNSHOT WOUNDS HE RECEIVED SATURDAY
Charley Tait, Half Brother, Held In Grayson County Jail Following Shooting At His Home, Just Before Noon
Pearl Rudasill, 44 years old, a well known farmer and son of Manual Rudasill, one of the pioneer settlers of Grayson County, was shot and mortally wounded Saturday just before noon.
He died at 7:45 o'clock Saturday night.
The shooting occurred at the farm home of Charley Tait, 60 years old, and a half brother to Rudasill about 4 miles northwest of Sherman.
Immediately after the shooting Mr. Tait phoned the Sheriff's office and when officers arrived at the farm he surrendered and was brought to Sherman and placed in the Grayson County jail.
A double barreled shotgun was the weapon used and a number of buck shot struck Rudasill. Four of them entered his chest on the right side and went through his body, passing through the right lung.  Three more went into his body.  One shot struck him in the right temple and the muscle and nerve of the right arm was shot in two just below the shoulder.
Dr. Paul Gunby and Dr. McElhanon went to the assistance of the wounded man, and after first aid he was rushed to St. Vincent's Sanitarium in the Stewart M. Scott Company ambulance.

Sherman Daily Democrat
Sunday, May 29, 1922
pg 1
Pearl Rudasill Dies of Bullet Wounds He Received Saturday

Charley Tait, Half-Brother, Held in Grayson County Jail Following Shooting at his Home, Just before noon.

Funeral Services for Pearl Rudasill, will be held Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock from the residence of Will Rudasill, corner of Houston Street and Highland Avenue Gray's Hill.  The services will be conducted by the Rev. C.A. Spragins, pastor of Travis Street Methodist Church.  Burial will be in West Hill Cemetery.
Pearl Rudasill, 44 years old, well-known farmer of Grayson County and son of Manual Rudasill, one of the pioneer settlers of Grayson County, was shot and mortally wounded Saturday just before noon.  He died at 7:45 o'clock Saturday night.
The shooting occurred at the farm home of Charley Tait, 60 years old, and a half-brother to Rudasill, about four
miles northwest of Sherman.
Immediately after the shooting Mr. Tait phoned the Sheriff's office and when officers arrived at the farm he surrendered and was brought to Sherman and placed in the Grayson Count jail.
A double barreled shotgun was the weapon used and a number of buckshot struck Rudasill. Four of them entered his chest on the right side and went through his body, passing through the right lung. Three more went into his body. One struck him in the right temple and the muscle and nerve of the right arm was shot in two just below the
shoulder.
Dr. Paul Gunby and Dr. McElhammon went to the assistance of the wounded man, and after first aid he was
rushed to St. Vincent's Sanitarium in the Stewart M. Scott Company ambulance.

Declines Statement
Mr. Tait was seen at the county jail by a Democrat representative, but declined to talk further than to say he is 60 years old and this is the first trouble he has ever been in.
Asked if Rudasill had been told not to come to his (Tait's) house, he answered. "He had never been told, but he had not been there and had not spoken to me for nearly four years. I am sorry it happened, but he brought it on himself. After the proper time I will make a statement." Mr. Tait said that he had talked with his attorney and the latter had advised him not to talk. He said Cecil H. Smith is his attorney.
As is known in Sherman, Mr. and Mrs. Rudasill are not living together. Separation came several years ago when suits involving some land belonging to the family got into the courts and since that time, Mrs. Rudasill, who is now 80 years old, has been living with her sons by her first marriage, Charley and Minor Tait, and Mr. Rudasill has been making his home with his sons, Will, Eph and Pearl. He is also about 80 years old.
When the shooting occurred Saturday Pearl Rudasill was on a horse and fell to the ground when he was shot.
All the parties concerned are well known and well-to-do citizens of Grayson County. Mr Tait has a family, who reside at 413 South Rusk Street in Sherman. He stays in the country most of his time and looks after his farming
interests.
Pearl Rudasill was single, never having been married.
Sheriff Boyd Craig and Deputy Bart Shipp went to the Tait home and took Charley Tait in custody.
Deputy Sheriff Bart Shipp said that Rudasill was in his shirt sleeves and unarmed.



Sherman Daily Democrat
Monday, May 29, 1922
pg 3

Funeral Services for Pearl Rudasill, Were Held Sunday

The funeral services for the late Pearl Rudasill, who was shot on the farm of his half-brother, Charles Tait, west of Sherman, Saturday afternoon, and died Saturday night, were held from the home of the deceased's brother, Will Rudasill, Highland avenue and Houston street, Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock, and were largely attended both at the home and at the grave.
The services were conducted by Rev. C.A. Spragins, pastor of Travis Street Methodist Church, both at the home and at the grave in West Hill cemetery.
Mrs. Emanual Rudasil, mother of the slain man and of the man held for the killing, attended the services in company with Judge H.O. Head.
The pall bearers were Ralph Britain, Paul Butler, John Fallon, Robert Moore, John Pittman and Clyde Wible.
Burial was in West Hill cemetery, where many beautiful floral offerings decked the grave.



Sherman Daily Democrat
Thursday, June 15, 1922
pg 1

Charley Tait Remanded to Jail Without Bail By Justice Court Has Habeas Corpus Hearing, His Bond is Set at $10,000

BOND SET AT $10,000
Tait was allowed bail in the sum of $10.000 by Judge Wilcox at the conclusion of the Hearing Thursday afternoon
at 2:30 o'clock. Preparations were made at once by Mr. Tait's attorneys for arranging the bail.
Tait was released at 3 o'clock upon execution of a bond signed by J.M. Tait, brother, and C.M. Tait, son, of the
defendant, which was accepted by Sheriff Craig.

Charles Tait, well known Grayson County farmer, held in the county jail since May 27 on a charge of killing his
half brother, Pearl Rudasill, declared he shot Rudasill after telling him three times, "Pearl, you go back," and receiving from Rudasill on the third time the reply, "You ain't game enough to shoot; by God, I can shoot
too. " and seeing Rudasill make a pass with his right hand toward his hip pocket, he testified upon a habeas
corpus hearing before Judge Frank E. Wilcox of the Fifty-Ninth District Court Thursday morning.
Tait testified upon cross examination by Judge J.Q. Adamson, Assistant County Attorney, that it was 'hard to
realize now that Pearl was not armed."
Tait's habeas corpus hearing followed immediately after a waiving of an examining trial before Justice of the Peace R.A. McCrary at 10 o'clock Thursday morning which resulted in Justice McCrary remanding the defendant without bail.

Few Attend Hearing.
Only a small number were in the District Court room when Tait was brought over and the hearing before Judge
Wilcox began.
The State introduced but three witnesses, Sheriff Boyd Craig, Deputy Sheriff Bart Shipp, and Dr. A.M.
McElhannon, while the defense introduced the defendant, Charles Tait; Mrs. Permaila Rudasill, mother of both
the deceased and the defendant, and two other witnesses.
Sheriff Boyd Craig, as the first witness of the State testified to going to the farm of Charles Tait, west of Sherman, about noon on the day of the shooting. He found the wounded man and a number of others there.
In reply to a question if he talked with Pearl Rudasill, he stated that he did.
"I asked him to tell me what occurred." said the Sheriff. "He replied, 'I came here and he told me to leave. I started to leave and he shot me.'"
Sheriff Craig said Tait was dressed in shirt sleeves and trousers, and was unarmed.
Deputy Sheriff Bart Shipp gave testimony substantially the same as the Sheriff. He did not hear the statements from Rudasill to the Sheriff.
Dr. A.M. McElnannon, who was summoned to the scene shortly after the shooting, described the wounds he found on Rudasill. The shot entered the upper part of the right chest and lung. There were seven holes in front, and two behind where shot had passed out. The shot appeared to have passed through the body at an angle, coming out further to the outside.

Defendant on Stand.
Questioned by Cecil Smith, the defendant, placed upon the stand as the first witness in his own behalf, related that he was 60 years of age and resided on his farm west of Sherman with his brother, Minor Tait, and his mother, Mrs. Emanual Rudasill. His family resides in Sherman. He stated the circumstances of his mother having been married twice and having two children by the first marriage and three by the last. He related further that his mother was separated from his step-father and that there had been litigation over the property of the two, and that since that time his mother had lived with himself and his brother, Minor, while Pearl Rudasill also made his home with him (Tait). He said Pearl left the place in October, 1918, when "he went back to the Rudasills."

Saw Pearl on Place.
Brought out by Mr. Smith's questions, Tait testified to having seen Rudasill on his mother's property, in company with several other men, on the Sunday before the killing. He said he reported the matter to his mother, as Pearl, Eph, and Will Rudasill were enjoined from going on the place.
Tait said that on the morning of the shooting he was sitting in the northeast room of his home, when he saw Rudasill ride into the place from the east. He said he went to a closet, secured a shotgun and went to the east porch, to which Rudasill was riding. He said he called, "Pearl, you go back," Rudasill did not reply. He again made this statement, and Rudasill did not reply. He then said, "Pearl, if you don't go back, I'll hurt you."  Rudasill said, "You ain't game enough to shoot; by God, I can shoot too."

Shot Quick as He Could
"I picked up my gun and shot as quick as I could. I thought the first shot missed him. The horse whirled south . . I shot again. He didn't fall off the horse, but got off, and sat on a hay frame. I thought he was armed. I didn't go to him. I went out and drove off the mules from the horse, but I was afraid he would shoot me and told maw so. I saw the Boggs' coming about a quarter mile away, and hollered for them to call a doctor, the Sheriff, and my folks.
Tait was cross examined by Judge Adamson. He said that his mother married Rudasill in 1871 and they lived
together until 1918, when his mother brought suit for divorce. He denied that he advised his mother to leave Rudasill. He said he made his home with Rudasill from 1871 to 1891. Judge Adamson brought out that the injunction against the Rudasills was to his mother's place of 360 acres, and not his place, where the shooting occurred.

Mrs. Rudasill on Stand.
Attorneys and others were forced to crowd close to catch the words of Mrs. Parmalla Rudasill, 88-year-old
mother of the defendant and the deceased when she took the stand to give her testimony. She said she was
at home on the morning of the shooting, and saw Pearl before the shots were fired, as he rode up to the house.
She related seeing Pearl making a motion toward his pocket with his right hand, and exclaiming, "O, Pearl don't shoot." Her son Charles, was in the next room at the time. She could not recall whether she requested Charles Tait to go to Pearl after he was shot. On cross examination she said she had the kindliest feeling towards her son, Pearl. She had not seen him since he left in 1918. and although she said she would have liked to have seen the Rudasill men, thought best not to.



The Marshall News Messenger
Friday, June 16, 1922
pg 1

Tait Out On Bond
By The Associated Press
Sherman, June 15 -  Charles Tait, farmer, charged with the shooting to death of his half brother, Pearl Rudasill at
the Tait farm, May 27, was released on $10,000 bond signed by his brother and son this afternoon. Both are wealthy Grayson county men.



Sherman Daily Democrat
Sunday, September 24, 1922
pg 7

TAIT CASE IS SET FOR MONDAY IN 15TH COURT

SPECIAL VENIRE OF 100 MEN SUMMONED FROM WHICH TO GET JURY
A special venire of 100 men, in addition to the regular jury panel of 48, have been summoned in the Fifteenth District Court Monday from which to select a jury in the murder case against Charles Tait, well known Sherman farmer.
Tait is charged with killing his half-brother, Pearl Rudasil, last May 27, on the farm home of their mother, Mrs. Parmalla Rudasill, west of Sherman.
Tait will plead that he killed Rudasill in self defense. Cecil H. Smith is his attorney. It is probable that a change of venue may be asked, it is said, because of widespread interest in the case in Grayson County.



The Austin American
Tuesday, September 26, 1922
pg 1

Illness Halts Trial
Associated Press Dispatch.
SHERMAN, Texas, Sept. 25 - The trial of Charley Tait, charged with killing his half-brother, Pearl Rudasill, last May, today was continued until next term of court on motion of the state. Continuance was asked because of the illness of two members of the county attorney's staff.



The Whitewright Sun
Thursday, February 8, 1923
pg 1

MURDER TRIAL FOR FEB. 29
Sherman, Feb. 5 - The case of the State vs. Charlie Tate, charged by indictment with murder growing out of the shooting of his half brother, Pearl Rudasill, last April, has been transferred from the Fifty-ninth District Court to the Fifteenth District court, and set for Feb. 26. A special venire of 100 men has been ordered drawn.



Victoria Advocate
Wednesday, March 21, 1923
pg 3

NEWS BRIEFS
Charles Tait, charged with the murder of Pearl Rudasill, his half brother, is on trial at Sherman.



Dallas Morning News
May 29, 1922 

Charley Tait went to trial in March of 1923, he plead self-defense. Tait said he told Rudasill twice to go back before firing his shotgun, and that Rudasil made a hip-pocket motion just before he shot. Rudasill formerly lived at Tait's home, but hat following the separation of his father and Mrs. Permalla Rudasill, his and Tait's mother, he left Tait's home. It has been shown that a restraining order had been issued restraining Rudasill, the deceased from going to the Tait Farm."  
March 25, 1922 he received a sentence of fives years in the penitentiary.  He asked for a new trial.  He was denied.  He received a sentence of five years.



The Whitewright Sun
Thursday, March 29, 1923
pg 2

CHARLES TAIT GIVEN FIVE YEARS AT SHERMAN
Sherman, March 24. - A verdict of guilty of murder and assessing his punishment at five years' confinement in the penitentiary, the minimum term, was returned by the jury in the trial of Charles Tait, charged with murder, at 10:10 o'clock Saturday  morning, after fifteen hours' deliberation on the case.
Attorneys for the defendant filed motion asking for a new trial.
The verdict was heard by Tait without display of any emotion. His wife, who has sat by his side during the trial, was present, and neither did she show emotion at its reading.
Tait was charged with murder in connection with the shooting of his half-brother, Pearl Rudasil, as the latter rode on horseback into the yard of Tait's farm home, four miles northwest of Sherman, on May 27, last.