 The Whitewright Sun Friday, July 21, 1916 pg. 1 W.L. WHITE KILLED AT DENISON BY W.C. TURNER Returning home unexpectedly from his work at the local M.K. & T. shops Saturday night about an hour earlier than usual, W.C. Turner, a coppersmith, residing at 701 West Woodard street, shot and mortally wounded Wayne F. White, a clerk in the car department at Ray yards, whom the former discovered sitting with Mrs. Turner on the back porch steps. The shooting occurred at 11:30 o'clock. Three shots were fired from a 38-calibre Colt's revolver, only one of which took effect in White, it entering his back beneath the right shoulder blade and ranged downward, perforating the liver. Another shot passed through the dress of Mrs. Turner, making 2 holes, marking a line across the front of the skirt, and powder burning her arms slightly, but did not injure her. After being shot White ran 5 and 1/2 blocks to his home, 718 West Walker street, where he lay down on a pallet and asked his wife to send for a physician. From the first it was realized there was no hope for the injured man, but he lived until 8:30 o'clock Sunday morning before he passed away. He made a statement to Assistant County Attorney R.M. Finley and Justice H.M. Wisdom before the end came. He was 31 years of age and is survived by his wife and 2 children. Turner is 36 years of age and has been employed as a coppersmith in the M.K. & T. shops in Denison for the past 7 years coming here from Ennis, where his father now resides. He is a man of good reputation, and it is said he has only lost a half day's work at the shops in the past 4 years. His working hours are from 4 o'clock in the afternoon until 12 at night. Mr. and Mrs. Turner have 2 children, a daughter about 12 years of age and a son 9 years old. - - - Denison Gazette  Fort Worth (TX) Star-Telegram
Monday, October 30, 1916 pg. 1 DENISON MAN FREED ON MURDER CHARGE Sherman, Texas, October 30 - W.C. Turner of Denison, charged with the murder of W.F. White, also of Denison, today was acquitted on recommendation of County Attorney Gafford. Testimony was given that White was fatally shot while he was sitting on the porch of Turner's home with Turner's wife, July 15, last. Sherman (TX) Daily Democrat
Monday, October 30, 1916 pg. 1 NOT GUILTY VERDICT IN W.C. TURNER CASE On Instruction of Court Jury Returns a Verdict Without Leaving Box In the 15th District Court, Judge W.M. Peck presiding the case of the state vs. W.C. Turner, charged by indictment with murder, was called this morning. Capt. E.J. Smith, a well known Denison attorney, representing the defendant, waived a special venire for his client and the following were accepts as jurors in the case: E.W. Doolittle J.C. Belew C.N. Mitchell John Ellison W.J. Dishner R.I. Wallace J.D. Harris E.B. Auentt N.C. Dorchester F.M. Gay R.L. Isbell A. Byler According to the indictment Turner killed White August 5, 1916 by shooting him. The defendant was placed on the witness stand and testified that he is a coppersmith in the employ of the Katy at Denison, and works from 4 o'clock in the afternoon until 12 o'clock at night. He testified that a few weeks before the killing he awoke one morning and found his wife talking to this man White. He thought at the time that it was the grocery boy or a chance meeting and though nothing more of it. But his wife arose every morning about 5 o'clock and he soon discovered that she talked to this same man nearly every morning. Some times as early as 5 a.m. and at other times between the hour and 6 a.m. He said he had been married 14 years and had 2 children, a boy and a girl and could not believe there was anything between his wife and anyone else, but he began to keep a close watch and began coming home a little earlier at night. For 4 nights he came home about 11 o'clock. On the fifth night he discovered his wife and White together, when he approached the house from an alley. He went into the house, he testified and when he looked out of the window, White had his arms around his wife. He said he went all to pieces and picked up a pistol and shot White. County Attorney Ben F. Gafford read a short dying statement from White, in which he said he was at Turner's home at the time he was shot. Capt. Smith, attorney for the defendant, read a sworn statement signed by 51 business men of Ennis, where Turner was reared, saying his character was above reproach and that he was a member of one of the oldest and best known and and highest standing families in Ellis county. County Attorney Ben F. Gafford, recommended a verdict of acquittal, and when Capt. Smith asked the court to instruct the jury to acquit, the court did so, and the jury returned a verdict of "not guilty" without leaving the jury box.  FELONY Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |