Sherman Daily Register
Wednesday September 19, 1900
pg.3

TWO MEN ARRESTED FOR THE ALLEGED MURDER OF WILKES PIERCE NEAR TOWN OF GORDONVILLE
TWENTY-THREE YEARS SINCE

Matt Carlton Arrested Near Mexia, Furnan Weeks near Cameron, Carlton Protests Innocence

In the latter part of September 1878 Wilkes Pierce, a farmer, was shot and killed near his home in the Gordonville neighborhood.  The weapon used was a shot gun.
The facts concerning the circumstances surrounding the homicide can not be authenticated or clearly learned today and all the reporters could learn of it was practically hear say.
Night before last at the instance of Sheriff Shrewbury, Furnan Weeks was arrested by the Sheriff of Milan county and held at Cameron.
Monday afternoon Sheriff Shrewsbury and Warden Chancellor left for Mexia, Limestone county, and yesterday morning left that place for Prairie Grove, a small place in Limestone county near the Freestone line, armed with a copias for Matt Carlton. Mr. Chancellor had not seen Mr. Carlton for years, but upon their arrival at Prairie Grove he at once recognized him as he came across the county highway from the village blacksmith shop, which he runs there, on his way to the single store in the place. Just as Carlton was purchasing some small bolts Mr. Shrewsbury stepped up to him and introducing himself told him he had a warrant for his arrest charging him with the murder of Wilkes Pierce in Grayson county in 1878.
Carlton seemed stunned for a moment and replied: "Gentlemen of course I shall obey the law but I did not dream there was a charge against me in any court on earth."
Carlton and Weeks are both held under capiases issued upon an indictment which was returned shortly after the Pierce homicide and which charges them and also Leonard Carlton with the murder of Pierce.
Mr.Chancellor will reach the city tonight with Weeks.
The other man, Leonard Carlton, will never be tried.  Ten years ago he was lost at sea a few miles out of Galveston, the vessel upon which he is positively known to have been having gone down with all on board.
Shortly after the homicide all of the parties indicted left this section of the state.
The arrests at Prairie Grove and Cameron are the culmination of some close and careful work of locating conducted by Sheriff Shrewsbury and his department.
Carlton has a family of seven children in Limestone county and while he runs a blacksmith shop, his sons conduct a farm for him. They have lived there for about fifteen years. Weeks has been farming in Milam county for about the same length of time. Both men, so states Sheriff Shrewsbury, were not without many warm friends in the communities in which they were arrested.
Today Matt Carlton made in substance the following statement to the Register reporter:
"I was personally acquainted with Wilkes Pierce. I knew him in East Texas. He lived, I think, near Gordonville in Grayson. I lived near the Washington place in Cooke county. I know nothing of the killing of Pierce except that I heard of it.  I certainly had nothing to do with it.  I was married in December, 1878, and moved to Williamson county shortly afterward.  I have lived in Limestone county for fifteen years.  I have repeatedly visited at Whitesboro, where my wife has two sisters. I did so openly and have in no way tried to evade recognition or hide my place of residence."
Hon. J. W. Blake, for many years a resident of Limestone county says, of Matt Carlton:
"I knew him well.  He was considered an upright, honorable citizen and had the respect and confidence of all his neighbors.  I have letters from prominent citizens in Mexia asking me to interest myself in his behalf. He will have no trouble in giving bond they write."
Carlton was a Confederate soldier serving in Sommes Frontier Guards the last year of the war though a mere boy at the time.



Sherman Daily Register
Thursday, September 20, 1900
pg 1

FURNAN WEEKS IN SHERMAN - BOTH MEN CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF WILKES PIERCE ARE HERE FOR TRIAL.
MEMORIES OF FEUD REVIVED

Weeks Says That He knew Nothing Of The Death Of Pierce Until Told Of It - The Way Pierce Died

The facts surrounding the death of Wilkes Pierce, twenty-three years ago, could not be gotten yesterday when
mention was made of the arrival of Sheriff Shrewsbury from Limestone county with Mat Carlton, against whom an
indictment charging him with the murder of Pierce has been dormant for so many years. Late last night Warden
Chancellor reached the city with Furnan Weeks, jointly indicted with Carlton for the alleged participation
in which these two men stand indicted.
It was the statement of members of the Pierce family that during the night, preceding the tragedy, parties
had tried to call Wilkes Pierce to the door of his residence which was near Gordonville, but he would not go.
Early next morning Pierce went to his stock enclosure to feed. He had just let down the draw bars and entered
the lot when a shot was heard and his body was found riddled with buck shot. Officers were summoned and
investigations showed signs that the shot had been fired from cover of the corner of a rail fence within a
few yards of where Pierce fell. A little way down the road parties had seen three horses tied.
A trail was struck by the local officers and a hurriedly organized posse gave pursuit. On the Sobe Love place
in the Indian Territory the pursued parties came to bay and the pursuers were stood off.
Today Furnan Weeks said to the Register reporter:
"I am innocent of the charge. I knew nothing of the killing of  Wilkes Pierce until I was told of it. I do not
object to my life's history from childhood being spread open to the public. I an not ashamed of it."
At the time of the tragic death of Wilkes Pierce, much was said of an old feud existing between the Pierces and the Carltons, dating back to occurrence in Smith and Cherokee counties just after the civil war. This no doubt formed a part of the theory of the prosecution when the indictments were returned.
Today Warden Chancellor who lived in that section just after the war said:
"I do not remember the facts, but I have heard my mother speak of it often. It must have started forty years ago. Several members of the Pierce family were killed from time to time but whether or not their deaths resulted from a keeping up of the feud i do not know."
Mat Carlton, one of the accused, when the alleged feud was mentioned to him said:
"During the last year of the war while I was serving in Sommems' Rangers three men, who we afterwards learned
had been shifting from command to command came to our camp. The next morning they were gone and so was Lieut.
Jones' horse and other good animals. My brother Leonard Carlton and Lieut. Jones followed and retook the horses.
The men escaped. I made one crop in  Smith county after the war and then moved to Williamson county. After that there was a difficulty in which Tom Pierce, a brother of Wilkes Pierce, was killed. My brother, Leonard Carlton, was present but he never was indicted. They say that the trouble came up in regard to the pursuit and retaking of Lieut. Jones' horse. Several members of the Pierce family have been killed for what and under what circumstances I do not know. I was not in East Texas at the time."
Furman Weeks said that neither he nor any member of his family had been involved in any sort of feud with the Pierces.



The Sherman Daily Register
Friday, September 21, 1900
pg 1

THEY WILL MAKE BOND: MAT CARLTON AND FURNAN WEEKS HAVE EMPLOYED COUNSEL AND ARE READY FOR CASES TO BE LOOKED INTO
Later Developments Show That the Killing was Twenty-six instead of Twenty-three Years Ago.

It has been previously announced that Wilkes Pierce was killed in 1877, but out of the haze of forgetfulness 
that time has thrown about the affair has come out facts. Pierce was killed on the morning of Feb. 10, 1874,  and no bill of indictment was returned until the March term of the district court 1877.
Maj. J. H. Dills who is in  Denison and could not be seen today was foreman of the jury that returned the true  bills against Mat Carlton, Furnan Weeks and Leonard Carlton, charging them with the homicide.
Judge A. L. Beaty has been retained as counsel for the defendants.
It is also learned today that Leonard Carlton lost his life off Galveston in the great storm of 1875, so many memories of which have been revived by the late destructive hurricane.
At the office of the county attorney, and also from Judge Beaty, it is learned that it is very probable that  
it will be agreed that the cases are bailable and the amount mutually agreed upon.
Both Carlton and Weeks express themselves as confident they will have no trouble in securing the immediate___ 
of friends from Limestone and Milam counties who will recognized as good and sufficient security.
Weeks is very apprehensive of ill tidings from home, as his wife is very ill, so weak and ill in fact, that he did not dare tell her the true object of his visit to Sherman.



Sherman Daily Register
Saturday September 22, 1900
pg 4

BOND AGREED UPON
In the Case of Carlton and Weeks at $2000 Each.
It is mutually agreed that bond be fixed for both Mat Carlton and Furnan Weeks, charged with the murder of Wilkes  Pierce, in the sum of $2000 each.
Carlton's sureties are read to sign as soon as the district court can audit it.  Weeks' securities are en route to Sherman and his release will be delayed only a short while.



Sherman Daily Register
Tuesday, September 25, 1900
pg 4

IMPORTANT CASES
Set for Trial in Criminal District Court

The following cases of importance have been set for in the criminal district court:
Mat Carlton and Furnan Weeks charged with murder of Wilkes Pierce set for November 12, venire of 60 men.



Sherman Daily Register
Wednesday September 26, 1900
pg 1

FURNAN WEEKS
Admitted to Bail in the Sum of $2000 Today

Furnan Weeks jointly indicted with Mat Carlton for the alleged murder of Wilkes Pierce near Gordonville, in this county, February 10, 1874, was today released from custody on a bond of $2000, recognizance being taken before District Judge Bliss.  Carlton made bond last Saturday and was released. Their cases will be called November 19.