The
Sherman Daily Register
Monday, June 11, 1894
Murder
Creed Herndon fires
eight bullets into the body of J. J. Reasor
near Collinsville -- Herndon makes his
escape but officers are
in pursuit. The murder unprovoked.
A horrible murder occurred near
Collinsville about 7 o'clock yesterday
evening. J.J. Reasor, who lives just over
the Cooke County
line, was shot and killed by Creed Herndon.
The shooting was witnessed by a young son of
Reasor. He states that Herndon came
to the house and he and Reasor sat down
on the porch and were talking. They did not
appear to be quarreling. Herndon called
Reasor's attention to a rabbit in the
yard and as Reasor turned his head
Herndon shot him behind the ear.
Herndon fired two more
shots, both of which took effect. Reasor ran
around the corner of the house and fell.
Herndon then reloaded his pistol and fired
five
more shots into the prostate form. He then
walked away to the home of Hugh Burns, where
he told about the killing, giving as a
reason
that Reasor had insulted and assaulted him.
He told Burns that he was going to kill his
wife who had lately separated from him, and
that he would then kill himself. Herndon
then mounted his horse and started west and
at midnight last night was seen at Burn's
City.
Herndon has been drinking heavily
for some time and a short time since his
wife was forced to leave him. She was raised
by a brother
of Reasor's and when she left her husband
was given a home on Reasor's farm. No motive
for the shooting has yet been discovered
and it is believed that Herndon was crazed
with liquor.
Squire Reasor
was one of the best known men of Cooke County,
having served several terms as assessor and
for years as Justice of
the Peace of his precinct. He was sober,
peaceable and prosperous and the feeling
against his murderer is intense. The Cooke
County officers are after Herndon and if he is
caught an attempt at lynching will undoubtedly
be made.
J.
J. Reasor
The
Sherman Daily Register
June 12,
1894
Esquire J. J. Reasor was shot Sunday evening by
Craig Herndon. Mr. Reasor was well known and
popular, living in the south east part
of the county near Collinsville. He was a good
citizen and pleasant gentleman of the old
Virginia style. Herndon, who had married a
step-daughter of Mr. Reasor in Virginia, had
trouble with his wife. They lived near Mr.
Reasor. Mr. Herndon had been gone for some
time and returned Sunday morning. He came to
Reasor's Sunday afternoon. They talked for two
hours and finally Herndon drew his pistol and
shot Reasor through the head from behind. He
then shot him seven more times. He then went to
a neighbor's house where
his wife was, but did not see her. He left
immediately. The sheriff sent out the following:
$100 reward will be paid for the arrest of "A
white man named Craig Herndon, about 30 years
old, fair complexion, dark hair, prominent
forehead, dark eyes, sandy mustache, but dyed
black, about 5 ft, 9 in. tall, weight 155-160
lbs. Last seen wearing dove colored suit,
cut-away coat, straw hat, gaiter shoes, white
shirt with black dots and has a 38 caliber
pistol.
Mr. Reasor was buried Monday with Masonic
honors.
Waco Evening
News
June 11, 1894
pg.4
A FEARFUL MURDER
J.J. REASON FOULLY MURDERED AT HIS HOME
Sherman,
June 11 - [Special] - Near Collinsville in this
county, about 7 o'clock
last night Creed Hearndon shot and killed J.J.
Reason,
a prominent
citizen of Cooke county.
Reason was sitting on his porch when
Hearndon came up. While talking
pleasantly, Hearndon called
Reason's attention to something
in the yard. Reasor turned his
head, when Hearndon shot him behind the ear.
Reasor ran and fell
in the yard. Hearndon fired two more
shots, then reloaded his
pistol and fired five more shots into the body.
Hearndon then left and has not been captured.
Reason was once tax assessor of Cooke
county.
The Galveston Daily News
Galveston, Texas
June 13, 1894
pg 3
COOKE COUNTY
Gainesville, Tex., June 11 - One hundred dollars
reward will be paid
for the arrest and delivery to me in any jail in
the United States of
the following person: A white man named Craig
Herndon, about 30 years
old, rather fair complexion, dark hair tinged
with gray, very high and
prominent forehead, dark eyes, dark sandy
mustache but generally has it
dyed black, about 5 feet 7 inches high, weight
155
to 160 pounds, has a
ridge down the center of one thumb nail, toes on
both feet inclined to
be crumpled, has on when last seen a lead
or dove colored suit of
clothes, cutaway coat, straw hat, gaiter shoes,
white shirt with black
dots, had in his possession a 38-caliber pistol.
The above Craig
Herndon is charged with murdering J. J. Reasor,
a citizen of this
county, on Sunday evening, June 10, 1891. I
hold warrant for his
arrest. H. P. Ware, sheriff Cooke County, Texas.
Note: Cass Reasor, grandson of J.J.
Reasor
My
grandfather was killed in 1894. Craig Herndon,
after shooting my grandfather rode west and
it is presumed that he caught a train
at Valley View and left the country. He
showed by up in Virginia, was recognized,
and disappeared again. He eventually
made his way
to Oregon, changed his name to Jesse Fisher,
remarried, had children, some with the first
names as his original children. In later
life
he made contact with one of the original
children and that's how we know what
happened to him. He died in 1929.
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