Grayson County TXGenWeb

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, August 30, 1885

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 6 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 w here 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, ranged under the skin towards the right shoulder and made a skin wound in the right arm below the elbow, another entered the left thigh and lodged in the flesh. The fourth which caused immediate death passed through the neck from side to side about 3 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 bat 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 killiing 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 friends.