Dallas Morning News
March 8, 1892

HESS SUICIDE
The Devoted Wife Interviewed Concerning His History

Denison, Tex., March 7. - The Fort Worth special in The News this morning announced the suicide in that city of A. L. Hess of Denison occasioned no small amount of comment and inquiry.  No one seemed to be acquainted with the family, but a visit to the street and number indicated substantiated the fact that Denison was his home.

Mrs. Hess is an intelligent lady, and evidently was very devoted to her husband.  She has two small children, both girls, the elder about 5 and the younger about 1 year of age.  She did not learn of her husband's death until this morning, long after The News was on the streets, and for a season she was overwhelmed with grief.  Later in the day she became more composed and talked quite freely with those who wished to make inquiry.  She came to Denison with her husband and children from Durant, I.T., about Jan. 4 of this year.  Their home prior to removing to Durant was at Binkley, Ark., in which place Mr. Hess engaged in the dry goods business.  A man by the name of Bob Reed had her husband arrested on a charge of selling whiskey, but the lady states that the charge was not sustained.  Some time afterward Reed was assassinated.

"My husband," said Mrs. Hess, "had nothing to do with the assassination, as he was not in the country, but he had telegrams continually warning him to look out, as the officers were after him."  Continuing, Mrs. Hess said: "My husband could not get work in Denison so he left for Fort Worth.  This morning I received
a letter containing $50 from him.  I was expecting him home and I cannot believe he committed the deed of his own accord.  He has money coming to him from parties residing in Arkansas and I have had good reason to believe for some time that parties were trying to kill him.  Last week he was drugged by poison in whiskey in Denison."

Mrs. Hess left for Fort Worth to be present at the burial.

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