The Denison Daily Herald
Monday, May
14, 1906
pg. 8
YOUTH KILLS
HIS BROTHER
Tragedy
Occurred Saturday on a Farm Four Miles East
of Denison
Young Man
Under Arrest
James Russell
Placed in Jail and Preliminary Hearing Set
for 2 O'clock
This
Afternoon Before Justice Preston - Dead Man
Leaves a Family
Brief mention
was made in the Herald Saturday afternoon of
the killing of Pinckney
Russell at his home, 4 miles east of the
city. Deputy Sheriffs Boyd Craig and
Oscar Poff, Constable J.R. Duer and Deputies
William Hughes and Homer Howard went to the
scene of the tragedy about 3 o'clock and
returned late in the afternoon having in
custody James T.C. Russell, aged 14
years, who shot and killed his
brother. Young Russell claims that the
discharge of the gun was accidental and was
done while he was trying to ward off a blow with
a rock.
James Russell
who admits that he was holding the gun which
killed Pink Russell, was
placed in the Denison jail t o await a
preliminary hearing today before
Justice Preston. The boy will be 15
years of age in August. He is large for
his age.
According to
the story told to the officers, the brothers
had quarreled over a
cultivator. As a result of the
quarrel James declared that he wanted his brother to
give him back his shotgun and pay him for
cartridges which had been
used. Pink Russell said that he
had no money then, but would pay his brother
as soon as he could. James then went
to Pink's house after the gun and
returned through a horse lot near
Pink's house. He stopped to handle
some harness belonging to Pink and Pink
ordered him
to
quit. The quarrel was resumed and
James finally called his brother a liar.
Pink then reached for a rock and was holding
the rock in his hand when the gun
which James was holding was
discharged. The charge of shot took effect
in Pink's head near the right eye and blew
the top of his head off, as the
2 were standing close together. T.F.
Bradford, a brother-in-law of
the Russell boys was near at hand.
Pink's wife was also standing in
the door of her home when the tragedy
occurred. Bradford went with James
to the house of James' parents nearby and
later informed neighbors of the
occurrence.
The officers
were then notified. They found James
seated on the bed at his father's
home and took him in custody. Pink
Russell's body was lying near a gate
where he had fallen when shot. The
body was carried to the house.
F.T.
Bradford, the brother-in-law, saw the
quarrel but did not see the shot fired.
He was present, but just as the fatal shot
was fired he had his back
turned. He turned at the sound of the
gun and saw Pink fall. He corroborates
the story of James Russell about Pink having
a rock in his hand at the time he was
killed.
James
Russell, when seen Saturday would say but
little about the occurrence.
He did not want anything to be "put in the
paper." He said that he did not
intend to kill his brother. Pink
had a rock and was going to hit him, he
thought, and he raised the gun to ward off
the blow when it was
discharged. He said that he did
not know the gun was cocked.
The Russell's
all live on a small farm 4 miles east of
Denison. Pink Russell leaves a
wife and 2 children. Near
Russell's house is that of his father and
mother, an aged couple. James lived at
his father's home.
The land
belongs to the father and the boys were
working it. Justice Preston
set the hearing for 2 o'clock this
afternoon. A charge of murder has
been filed against the boy.
The Denison Daily Herald
Monday, May
14, 1906
pg. 3
YOUNG MAN
KILLED
Telephone
Message Calls Officers to Scene of Alleged
Murder
A
telephone message came in this afternoon
from east of the city to Justice Preston
stating that Pink Russell, a young man
residing on a farm which is a
part of the old Corcoran place, had been
killed. A request was made
for officers to come as soon as
possible.
Constable
Duer and Deputy Hughes and Deputy Sheriffs
I.N. Layne and Oscar Poff left at once for
the scene of the reported killing.
Pink Russell
has a wife and several children.
No details of the killing are obtainable as
the Herald
goes to press.
