Fort Worth Daily
Gazette
Ft. Worth, Texas
Friday, October 16, 1891
pg.1
A POPULAR CONDUCTOR'S UNTIMELY END
Killed by a Bartender With Whom He
Quarreled About Some Unpaid Drinks - Almost
a Lynching
Special to the Gazette
Denison, Grayson County, Tex., Oct.
15 - The Monarch saloon, located in the toughest part of the city, was the
scene of one of the coolest and most
deliberate murders ever
recorded in Grayson County last
night. Wednesday was circus day, and as
usual the "gang" indulged too freely in
drink, which in this
instance, proved fatal to Timothy Monahan,
Jr., a popular and well-known freight conductor.
Monahan's crew had been drinking freely in
the saloon and walked out,
refusing to settle for the drinks. The
bartender, Dad Allen, abused them as they left the
saloon, which the men reported to Monahan.
Soon after they had left he entered
the saloon and reproved Allen, which resulted in harsh words and by
Monahan calling Allen a liar. Allen
coolly took a six-shooter from under the
counter, and with the words, "I will kill
the man who calls me a
liar," fired at Monahan, the ball passing
close to his head.
Stepping from behind the counter,
Allen approached the unarmed man, who stood
motionless, and, taking
deliberate aim, fired a second shot, the
bullet, passing directly through his forehead.
Monahan was conveyed to the home of his
parents, where he expired
in a few minutes. Sheriff McAffee was near
by when the shots were fired and hurried to the
scene. When he entered Allen remarked:
"I killed that man lying there." pointing to the
body of Monahan, who was in the throes of death. Sheriff McAffee took
Allen in charge, hurried him to the depot
and took a train for Sherman
which was about leaving. In about 40
minutes from the time of the shooting Allen was lodged
behind the bars of the Grayson county jail,
and fortunate it was
for him, for soon after the shooting a crowd
congregated, consisting mostly of railway men,
and proceeded to the city jail with the intention of lynching Allen.
Had he been there they would have satisfied
their hungry desire for
his life.
During an interview with Sheriff
McAffee, Allen said he was not sorry he had
killed Monahan and that
he was the first man he had killed.
Allen is a man 67 years of age, and during his
residence of 4 years duration, he has had
the
reputation of being a quiet,
peaceable citizen. Monahan was a young
man and very popular,
especially in railway circles. Excitement
ran high last night and has not by any means abated
to-night.
CAME FROM KANSAS CITY
Special to the Gazette
Sherman, Grayson County, Tex., Oct.
15 - Robert Allen, the bartender who shot Conductor Monahan to death last
night in Denison, has been jailed
here. To a reporter he said: "I am 66 years
of age; was raised in Harrodsburg, Kentucky;
was in the Federal
army. I have no living relatives that
I know of. I came to Denison from Kansas City."
Ft. Worth
Gazette
Saturday, October 17, 1891
pg. 5
Special to the Gazette
Sherman, Grayson County, Tex., Oct.
16 - ...A warrant was issued for Robert Allen to-day, charging him with the
murder of Conductor Monahan at Denison on October 14. The
examining trial will be held tomorrow.
Conductor Monahan Buried
Special to the Gazette
Denison, Grayson County, Tex., Oct.
16 - The remains of Conductor Monahan, who was murdered
Thursday night by Dad Allen, were laid to rest to-day in the
Catholic cemetery. The funeral was very large consisting of a great
many railroad men. The Order of Railway Conductors, of which Monahan
was a member, turned out in a body and accompanied the
remains of their dead comrade to their final resting place.
Ft. Worth
Gazette
Sunday, October 18, 1891
pg. 6
AN EYE WITNESS
To the Killing of Conductor Monahan
at Denison - - - Not Favorable to Allen
Special to the Gazette.
Sherman, Grayson
County, Tex., Oct. 17 - Robert Allen,
charged with the murder of Conductor Monahan at
Denison October 14, was brought out for preliminary examination
to-day, but the defense asked for more time, and the case went over by
agreement until Wednesday.
Mme. Lester who was an eye witness to the
killing, said to-day that she was near
Allen when Smith came
into the saloon, and further stated: "I
think it was Monahan asked if Allen had sworn
out a complaint or intended to have Cunningham arrested.
Allen in reply to this said it was a G
---d--- lie, that he was not going to have
Cunningham arrested, nor did he know of any complaint to that
effect. To this Monahan replied: I
guess you do.
Allen then walked out from behind
the bar. I think the first shot he
fired was up in the
air. Monahan then stepped behind Smith
and Allen came nearer, and with the pistol very
near Monahan's head fired. I did not see Monahan with a knife or
any other weapons, nor did I hear him abuse Allen in any way."
