 Denison  The Sunday Gazetteer Sunday, February 19, 1893 pg. 4 J.L. WOOLSEY ON THE WAR PATH George Sabin Destroyed a Home and Was Himself Destroyed Wednesday night a short time after dark J.L. Woolsey shot and fatally wounded George Sabin. The attracting taking place on Day street, near the crossing of Fannin avenue. Sabin was in company with a Mr. Jenkins and was en-route to Main street. After the shooting Sabin was removed to the residence of his sister, Mrs. J.W. Kinney, on East Hull street. Woolsey was detained by men who were attracted to the spot by the shooting, and escorted to the city jail. Drs. Acheson and Birch were summoned to attend Sabin, but it was soon apparent that the man was beyond human redemption. Only one shot was fired, but it passed through the artery of the left thigh, and death came soon after midnight. Thursday morning the body was turned over to the undertaker, and Friday it was interred in Oakwood Cemetery. Woolsey will be remembered in Denison as the father of the lad whose body was found on the railway track near Ft. Worth last fall. its identification being traced by a description given in the Dallas News and the publication of a note found in the dead boy's pocket. The note was addressed to Alex Todd, Denison, Texas, a neighbor to the Woolsey family. From the best testimony that can be gathered, it certainly appears that Sabin received his just deserts. Mr. Woolsey makes the following statement of the causes leading up to the tragedy: "I was married in Dallas about 9 years ago to Mary J. Allsup. We lived 4 or 5 years in Dallas, and about 3 in Sherman. Last year we moved to Denison. Our house was on Munson street, and we took George Sabin to board with us. All went well for a season, but he gained control over my wife by giving her drugs or medicines of some kind, and by telling her of the large sum of money he had in the bank. When I found out how matters were, I drove him off, and told him I would kill him if he ever bothered us again. He went away, I don't know where, but a few weeks ago returned. I have 2 children, one 4 and one 2 years of age. I came home on Monday and found the house locked up, but under the door was a letter from my wife to Sabin. The woman was infatuated with the man, and was determined to leave with him. My home was destroyed, my heart was broken. I never frequented saloons, but spent all my earnings with my family. I am only a common laborer, an ordinary working man, but we always had plenty to eat and wear. The fellow boasted around that he would separate us. He did it, he bursted my heart open, and I wanted to burst his." Woolsey is a rather small man some 40 to 45 years of age, and this winter has been transplanting forest trees for different parties about town. When Mrs. Woolsey deserted their home, he took the children to the house of a Mr. Adams, who is kindly taking care of them during Mr. Woolsey's imprisonment. Wednesday eveing, Mrs. Woolsey was at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Adams, and to them she stated that there was another man she loved better than she did her husband, and that she was going to leave with him. Mr. and Mrs. Adams remonstrated with her, but to no purpose. She said that she loved the youngest child, and that some day she expected to get it, but at present she would make no endeavor to take either of them. Mrs. Woolsey givens an entirely different version of the affair. In substance she wasy: "We were married the first time in Sherman in 1884. Mr. Woolsey and I did not get along well together. He was arrested by a former wife on a charge of bigamy. He came out of the case, however, all right, and we were re-married in Dallas. From that time to this we have been contantly on the move, first at one place then another, having no permanent home. We lived at Dallas, at Sherman and have been in Denison some time. Last fall we took young Sabin to board, but never thought or card for him other than a friend or an acquaintance. Last Sunday Woolsey and I had some trouble at our home on Texas street and he slapped me down. I left the house that evening and spent the night with a friend. Monday I went to the home of another friend and Woolsey came there in the afternoon. We again had some trouble and he knocked or shoved me down." In answer to inquiried as to what she knew abou the letter mentioned by Woolsey, she said: "I don't know anything about the letter. I never wrote, or even thought of such a thing, as writing to George Sabin. If he has such a letter I know nothing at all of it." George Sabin was probably 25 or 26 years of age, rather small of statue and supported a rather heavy mustache. He has made Denison his home for many years and is well known among the people of the Fourth ward. He had the reputation of being a very peaceable and quiet citizen. The Sherman correspondent of the Dallas News says: John Woolsey, who shot and killed George Sabin at Denison last night, lived in Sherman for several years and while here married a Miss Allsup, who lived a few miles from the city. Woolsey at the time of his marriage supposed that he was a widower, but it afterward was learned that his first wife was not dead. He procured a divorce and was married again to his second wife, the last time in Dallas. While here Woolsey was a gardener in South Sherman. The Galveston Daily News Monday, February 20, 1893 pg. 6 ONE WITNESS EXAMINED J.L. Woolsey, who shot and killed George Sabin in this city on the night of the 15th instant, was given the privilege this morning, under escort of an officer, of visiting and providing for his 2 little children. His preliminary trial began late this evening in Justice Mixon's court. Only one witness was examined and court adjourned at 9 o'clock Monday morning. The witness was Mr. Jenkins, who was present when the killing occurred. In substance, he said: I came to Denison last spring from Fannin county. I live on West Hull street. Met George Sabin, deceased, last summer. We were good friends. He, in company with Mrs. Woolsey, came to my house between 4 and 5 o'clock on the evening of the killing. He engaged board for her, but not himself. I knew that the woman was not his wife. Deceased came back about 6 o'clock and in a few minutes we started to town, Main street. At the Munson street crossing we met Mr. Woolsey, the defendant. Deceased said, "I hear you are going to shoot me." Defendant said, "No, I don't know that I am. I believe you owe me some money." Deceased said, "Yes, I believe I do." We went on across the avenue west, when both the deceased and the defendant stopped. I walked on 4 or 5 steps and then I stopped and turned. As I did so I saw the defendant fire at deceased. Then they came together. I caught hold of defendant's pistol and tried to take it away from him, but was unable to do so until another man, Mr. W.S. Parish, arrived. We separated the men, carried the deceased up to his sister's, Mrs. J.W. Kenny, where he died about midnight. We brought defendant over to town and turned him over to an officer." The Galveston Daily News Monday, February 21, 1893 pg. 4 Denison, Tex., Feb. 20 - The preliminary trial of J.L. Woolsey, who killed George Sabin last week, closed to-day. Woolsey was refused bail. The Galveston Daily News Monday, February 22, 1893 pg. 6 John Woolsey, charged with the murder of George Sabin at Denison, was remanded to jail in Sherman without bail.  OAKWOOD CEMETERY
Susan Hawkins
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