Another
page about Constable Nelms
The Denison
Daily News
Saturday, June 28, 1879
pg. 8
The
untimely
death of J.A. Nelms leaves a vacancy in
the office of
Constable for this Precinct (No. 2) which
will be filled by appointment
of the County Commissioner's Court, until
the next general election.
The
murder of J.A. Nelms will be made the
subject of judicial investigation
next Tuesday, when, we suppose the full
facts connected with the
occurrence, will be brought out. At
present there are so many
conflicting rumors afloat, that it is next
to impossible to arrive at
any satisfactory conclusion in regard to
the matter.
BLOODY FOURTH
A Gala-Day of Horrors
Three Men Instantly Killed and One Wounded
Constable James Nelms one of the Victims
The Notorious Negro Desperado Charley
Russell Killed
The Fourth of July will be remembered in
more respects than one, 3 terrible murders
being committed on that day in our city.
The
incidents attending the death of Constable
Nelms are almost too painful
for recital. It is the old story, a
6-shooter in the hands of a
notorious desperado, infuriated by
whiskey.
Charley Russell, a
mulatto, well known here as a desperate
character, and who should have
been hung in Missouri several years ago,
if all reports are true, shot
and killed Constable Nelms, one of the
bravest and most gallant
officers in the State of Texas.
There are many reports in
circulation concerning the terrible
tragedy, that it is difficult to
ascertain the true facts of the shooting.
Russell, who has charge of
a farm belonging to Mr. Alec Reddick,
northwest of the city, arrived in
town on horseback on the morning of the
fourth. During the day
Russell hung around the Bank Exchange,
drinking quite frequently, his
potations making him quarrelsome and
dangerous.
In the afternoon a
large crowd of people were in the saloon
drinking, many being drunk. A
disturbance took place between a railroad
man and an Indian.
During the progress of the quarrel
Russell interfered, crying in
an excited manner, "I am the chief. I can
whip any man in the house."
The railroad man then struck
Russell, who in return knocked him
down. It looked very much just then,
as if the fight would become
general, the crowd becoming terribly
excited. During the
excitement the railroad man, unobserved,
procured a mallet with which
he dealt Russell a blow on the side of the
head, causing the
blood to flow from his ear.
John McDougall, the proprietor of the
saloon, and Alec Reddick, then endeavored
to have Russell leave the
premises, Reddick calling on Constable
Nelms to arrest him.
Russell by this time had been pushed
by the crowd from the saloon
out of the door into the back yard.
Constable Nelms told Russell
that he was under arrest.
Russell was grasped by the arm by
McDougall, who said "Go!" shoving him into
the alley. Russell
went over to Gheen's wagon yard, and
procuring a revolver returned to
the saloon. He commenced discharging
the revolver as he entered
the back yard leading to the saloon.
On the approach of Russell
the crowd in the saloon fled in dismay out
the front door. It is
supposed at the time Charley Colbert was
shot, he being, as he says, in
the saloon half asleep.
Constable Nelms in the meantime, supposing
that Russell was endeavoring to escape
when he saw him leaving the
premises by the back door, rushed out of
the saloon to Rusk avenue, and
thence into the alley, entering the saloon
at the back entrance.
Russell was waving his pistol when
Constable Nelms entered.
Mr. Nelms said, "Charley, I want
you," or words something to that
effect. Leveling his pistol at
Nelms, Russell answered, "I will
never be arrested to-day; to-morrow I will
surrender." Constable
Nelms the fired, unfortunately missing his
man. The Negro
advanced towards Constable Nelms, leveled
his pistol over McDougall's
shoulder, and fired, the ball taking
effect in his head a little above
the left eye, killing him almost
instantly. Russell shouting, "I
am the boss, I am the chief," retreated
into the back yard to the alley
to Rusk avenue. Standing in front of
Gheen's livery
establishment, he flourished his revolver,
defying the crowd to come
and arrest him. After standing there
for a moment he walked up
Rusk avenue to Main street, going up into
the second story to the front
room of the Bank Exchange.
At this moment the excitement was
something terrible to behold, and will
never be forgotten, at least by
our reporter. The crowd was swaying
to and fro, the majority with
drawn revolvers, calling for vengeance on
the murderer of Constable
Nelms. For a moment no one dare go
up the stairway in pursuit of
Russell. Ex-Deputy Sheriff Massey
was the first to mount the
stairway, with revolver in hand, followed
soon afterwards by 2 or 3
others, Marshall Sam Ball, of Sherman,
being one of the number.
Mrs.
Nelms, mother of the deceased, hearing of
the death of her boy, left
home on Crawford street, and went into the
saloon where he lay on the
floor, the blood oozing from a ghastly
wound in the head. The
mother took the gory head of her son into
her arms, calling down the
vengeance of heaven on his murderer.
About 5 minutes or perhaps
longer, after ex-deputy Sheriff Massey
went up the stairway, several
shots were fired. In the meantime Dick and
Harry Nelms, brothers of the
deceased, also the father, all armed,
appeared on the street.
Dick Nelms rushed up the stairway,
and in a moment or so, 2 other
pistol shots were heard. Marshall
Sam Ball, of Sherman, then
appeared at the front window stating that
Russell was killed.
This intelligence was received with
evident satisfaction by the
dense multitude who cheered lustily.
The local of the News was
one of the first to see Russell, as he lay
on the floor, hardly
distinguishable for the blood on his face.
His head was riddled
with bullets.
Who fired the fatal shot, killing Russell,
it is not
positively known. Mr. Jim
Massey, is, however, supposed to
be the individual who did the charitable
act.
As soon as the excitement subsided,
Russell's body was dragged down the
stairway, thrown on a cart and taken away.
Mr.
Nelm's body was conveyed to the residence
of his father on Crawford
street, where immense numbers of sorrowing
friends viewed the remains.
"Dust to Dust"
The
funeral took place from the residence of
his father, J.H. Nelms, on
Crawford street, at 2 o'clock p.m.
Saturday. A pathetic discourse
was delivered by Rev. Mr. Parks, of the
Baptist church, in which he
feelingly alluded to the high estimation
in which Mr. Nelms was held as
a faithful and efficient officer. At
the sacrifice of his life he
had endeavored to act up to his oath of
office, and fell at his post, a
martyr to duty. The funeral
procession was one of the longest
ever seen in Denison.
The scene at the tomb was affecting in the
extreme. As the body was being lowered to
its final resting place the
heart of the aged father could no longer
subdue its burden of grief,
and he gave vent to his feelings in an
outburst of anguish that brought
tears to the eyes of all present.
And the expression of grief on
the part of the stricken wife, mother and
sister were even more
heartrending.
Jim Nelms was recognized by all who knew
him as a warm
hearted generous man, and at home, from
all accounts, he was even more
remarkable for his amiable qualities.
We feel that we are but
expressing the wishes of all the good
people in the city in extending
for them their sincerest sympathy with the
family in their great
bereavement.
Murder No. 3
On the morning of the fourth the
body of an Indian named Napoleon Anderson,
a son of Captain Anderson,
who lived in the Chickasaw Nation, near
Tishomingo, was found in the
rear of Wolf's saloon with 2 bullet holes
in his head. Parties
living in the vicinity heard the shooting,
and saw 2 mounted men ride
away.
It is said by Anderson's neighbors that he
was a desperate
character, having killed 2 or 3 persons in
the Territory. It is
supposed that the murder was committed by
some of the friends of
Anderson's victims. The body was
sent to the Territory by Gov.
Burney.
Still Another
An Indian named Louis Tubby was shot
and killed in the B. I. T. near Red River
on the night of July 3d.;
the tragedy was the result of an old
feud between the deceased
and some Chickasaw Indians. The
murderer made his escape, but a
party is in pursuit.
The Denison
Daily News
Wednesday, July 8, 1879
pg.4
A
game of base ball will take place Thursday
afternoon on the grounds
northwest of the park. The proceeds
from the sale of tickets are
to go to the Nelms fund. We hope
that every ticket will be
disposed of.
The News
report of the murder of Constable Nelms,
was in the main correct, that
was one reason of the extraordinary demand
for our Sunday issue.
Four eye witnesses corroborate our
reporter's version of the
affair. We are now perfectly
satisfied that Alec Reddick, John
McDougall and Con Campbell did everything
in their power to prevent the
terrible tragedy, and in so doing, periled
their own lives. Con
Campbell clasped the Negro around the
waist and struggled with him
several moments, endeavoring to wrest the
pistol from his grasp.
Reddick also entreated the Negro to
leave the premises. All
of the above named gentlemen were on the
most friendly terms with the
deceased, and would have befriended him in
any way, shape or form.
A few persons have endeavored to
question the conduct of Mr.
Reddick and McDougall during the progress
of the unhappy affair.
The
best dinner that was served in Denison on
the fourth was gotten up in
the Nelms home. About 30 sat down,
all spoke well of the
abundance and variety and praised the good
lady of the house as a
first-class cook and provider. In
the pleasant sociability of the
dinner hour, we little thought how soon
the mother's heart would be
throbbing with anguish over the body of
her dead boy.
Wednesday, July 10, 1879
pg.4
The
jury called for the purpose of
ascertaining the cause of the death of
Constable Nelms and the circumstances
connected therewith, will meet
Friday. As several important
witnesses are absent the
postponement until that day became
necessary.
The tickets for
the base ball game this afternoon are
selling rapidly. We hope
that every one will be disposed of.
The proceeds of the sale of
tickets will be given to the widow of the
late Constable Nelms.
The
base ball match between the Blue Stockings
and the Clippers will take
place this afternoon. The proceeds
from the sale of tickets will
be turned over to the Nelms fund.
Comfortable seats will be
provided, and we trust to see a full
attendance.
We understand
that Mr. Nelms and his son Richard will
publish a card in a day or two,
exonerating Mr. Reddick and McDougall from
all blame in the
unfortunate affair of the fourth.
The
Denison Daily News
Wednesday, July 9, 1879
pg.4
CORONER'S INQUEST
The
coroner's jury called for the purpose of
holding an inquest over the
body of Charles Russell, a Negro, killed
in the room over the Bank
Exchange on July 4th, met Tuesday
afternoon. Only 2 witnesses were
examined, City Marshal Hardwick and Deputy
U.S. Marshal Wright.
Hardwick
stated that he was on Main street when a
disturbance took place in the
Bank Exchange. He entered the saloon
for the purpose of quelling the
same and was requested by Mr. Reddick to
arrest Russell and a white
man, whose name was unknown to him.
Russell had already run out of the
door in the rear of the saloon.
Hardwick arrested the other man and
marched him towards the jail. When
near McCarthy's warehouse, he heard
2 shots fired. Releasing his
prisoner, Hardwick ran towards the alley
in the rear of the saloon and found
Constable Nelms dead in the yard of
the McDougall building. Parties told
him that Russell had shot Nelms.
Hardwick then went on Rusk avenue
and saw Russell walking near the
Bank building towards Main street
brandishing a pistol. Russell ran up
the stairs in the Bank Exchange, followed
by Special Police Massey,
Hardwick, Wright and others. The
crowd pressed close behind them and
Hardwick and others prevented the crowd
from following by posting
themselves in the door leading to the
stairs. Wright and Massey went
up stairs. Hardwick then heard
several shots fired and was informed by
Wright that Russell was dead.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Wright stated that
he and Special Police Massey went upstairs
to arrest Russell for the
murder of Constable Nelms. He went
to the west door and called upon
Russell to surrender, stating at the time
who he was. Russell did not
answer. He saw Massey firing at
Russell through a window. Several
shots were fired and Russell fell.
No shots were fired at Russell
while in the room, by any other person.
The jury, after hearing the testimony
returned the following verdict:
"That
Charles Russell came to his death by
pistol shot wounds inflicted by
James Massey, a special police officer of
the city of Denison, while
resisting arrest for the murder of
Constable Nelms."
The jury should
have added that great credit is due
Special Police Officer Massey for
the bravery displayed on this occasion,
and that Massey is entitled to
the thanks of all good citizens for having
rid this community of a bad
and dangerous Negro desperado.
The Denison
Daily News
Sunday, July 27, 1879
pg.1
A CARD
To Messrs. Reddick, Peck, Hanna, Wayne,
and other:
Gentlemen:
Allow me through your committee to express
my deep and sincere
gratitude to the donors of the beneficent
gift you have seen prone to
confer upon me, in appreciation of the
gallant act of my husband, who
sacrifice his life in the discharge of his
official duties.
Language cannot well express how
much I thank the generous
subscribers to this gift, not so much for
the benefit conferred upon me
and my children (although that is very
great) but as a proof of how
much my husband was beloved and
appreciated by the people of Denison.
With many thanks to the committee and for
their kindness in this matter, I subscribe
myself,
Very gratefully yours,
Ophelia L. Nelms
Fallen Officers
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