Brenham Weekly Banner. (Brenham, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 45, Ed. 1, Thursday, October 14, 1897 Page: 7 of 10
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Z.OCA.I JSTE'WS
gAVsi. Wehmever Jnlled three.
Id ducks Monday morning the
Trio weighing r eaSTj' ten pounds.
John C. C AlS was the only
Brenham re publican who attend-
ed Green's convention in Dallas.
An inf Mt J Mr. and Mrs. Wm.
"Wehrir. &jd Monday morning
In the "Mlii Creek neighborhood.
rAlre funeral of Jas. Poster at
rJuappeH Hill Sunday was at--fended
by quite a number from
this place.
Preparations are being made
for a barbecue and f est at "Wes-
ley "next SuJtty- A- .grand "ball
will conclude the'fesKvities.
Complaint was made in justice
eourt Tuesday charging Ac-nice
Hogers with a disturbance at the
peace.
Rev. A. Chluhsky set 'em
Tip yesterday to a bottle of his
last sDrine's vintage of a most
refreshing variety.
Cotton continues to "hang fire
in the way of price and the put
Ihnk for something better is not
as bright as it might be.
Letters of temporary adminis-
tration have been granted C. F
Hellmuth in the estate of "J. H.
"Poster. The bond was fixed at
S3000. v
On account of the yellow fever
scare the authorities at the Aus
tin' asylum "have refused Miss
Clara Tobinsky admission to that
Institution for the present.
A reminder that the holiday
season is approaching is found in
the large stock of toys and other
Christmas goods which Messrs
O. Schawe & Son's are re-
ceiving. The new well contains an
abundance of "water and it is
thought further work win be
abandoned as soon as a deep
water pump arrives from Dallas
for testing the well's capacity.
The quarterly statement of the
First National Bank of Brenham
shows that institution to be in a
healthy -condition with facilities
unexcelled for extending bank-
ing accommodations.
Several of the Banner's sub
scribers have ordered temporary
changes in their addresses. They
are not scared but simply want
to look after their outside inter-
eats for a fews days. '
Among the Brenhamites who
'attended the Skat congress at
Burton Sunday "were Messrs. C.
H. Letzerich A- Wangemann
Ernest Eversburg L. Korff
Henry Meyer W. E. Reichardt
H. Grote and L. T. Rogers.
They report a pleasant day.
-
The eighth annual session of
the Navasota District Texas Con-
f enence and the Woman's Home
Mission Society convenes at the
"Watrousville A. M. E. church
today. Rev. C. M. Singleton
will preach the opening sermon
night.
There are entirely too many
idleshif tless and vicious negroes
in this town and until they are
compelled by the enforcement of
the vagrancy laws to either work
or walk the city will continue to
be menaeed by the possibility of
a recurrence of Sunday night's
bloody -work. There are several
Sol the lass alluded to who .have
io visible means of support and
who prefer io secure a living by
imbling and pilfering rather
m by honest labor.
At 11 o'clock today (Wednes-
ly) Mr. Adolph Schawe and
Kss Bertha Meyer will be united
In marriage. The ceremony will
)ecur at the residence of the
pride's father Mr. Ben Meyer
ttear Kenney. The groom is a
asident of Phillipsburg and both
ie add his bonnie bride have
lany friends to wish them joy in
leir new relationship. Mr. Sobert
Ichawe a cousin of thej groom
11 attend the wedding from this
lace.
BLOODY SUNDAY SIGHT.
BOB CARTER MURDERS JAMES BURCH
AND IS SHOr TO DEATH BY
A HOB.
Had Surrendered and Was on the Way to
Jail When Overtaken by Retri-
butive Justice.
There were two funerals in
Brenham Monday afternoon at
least there were two burials. At
the City cemetery a large con-
course of sorrowing friends as
sembled to pay a last tribute of
respect to the memory of Mr.
Jas. Burch who met a tragic and
untimely death at the lianas or
an assassin Sunday night.
The other burial was that of
Bob Carter colored whose mur-
derous aim sent Jas. Burch into
eternity and who in turn met
swift and terrible retribution by
being riddled with bullets while
being carried to jail.
The story is a long and tragic
recital hard to relate in detail.
The motive that prompted Bob
Carter to assassinate Jas. Burch
whether revenge or malice died
with the two principals and can
be guessed as easily by the read
er as by the reporter.
The tragedy occurred on Quit
man street on the north side of
Sutor Bros establishment at a
few minutes past seven o'clock
Sunday evening. Jas. Burch
owae to town in the afternoon
from the county farm where he
has been assistant superintend
ent for some time. Probably
half an hour before the tragedy
he dropped in at Harrison's cor
ner and borrowed a sheet of
writing paper on which he wrote
a note in pencil. From this
place he went to Sutor Bros and
the next time his friends saw him
he was weltering in a pool of his
own life blood with the drizzling
rain bathing his death set fea
tures. A ghastly wound in the
templo told the story of violence
his mute lips' were powerless to
utter. A match was struck and
the features of the dead man ex
amined. His face was blackened
and discolored by the charge of
powder and disfigured by the
frightful wound in'the side of the
head and it was only af tef look
ing closely that the friends of the
dead man recognized Jas. Burch.
Clenched in the stiffening fingers
of the dead man was a Colt's
pistol of 45-calibre with one
chamber freshly discharged. No
other weapon was near
and the theory of suicide
was indulged until an ex
amination of the wound at the
hands of physicians revealed the
f jet that it had been made with a
shot gun.'
Then followed the search for
the murderer. Different parties
both white and colored had seen
Bob Carter with a gun and in
company with Ed Brown in the
vicinity of where the shooting
occurred. Others had seen him
running away with the murder
ous weapon in his hands. Jim
Mike Watkins and Policeman
Burkhead saw him pass the Un-
ion depot gun in hand. When
accosted by the former he con
fessed that he had killed. Jim
Burch and continued in the di
rection of Watrousville going at
a rapid pace.
When these facts were related
Bob Carter at once became a
much wanted man. Sheriff
Teague secured the permission of
the Santa Fe management to use
the switch engine in going to the
county farm after . the blood
hounds with which to track the
murderer. Superintendent Rob
ertson a brother-in-law of the
dead man accompanied the
party on the return trip.
in me meantime tno town was
being searched high and low for
the murderer. Searching parties
went to the residences of his fa-
ther and brother and to his usual
haunts but failed to find him.
The city was very much excited
and more than a' hundred men
joined in the search actively and
incidentally. Shot guns six-
shooters and Winchesters were
considerably in evidence and it
was apparent that Judge Lynch
would hold court as soon as the
prisoner could be arraigned for
trial.
At about ten o'clock one
branch of the searching party
got a message from the fugitive.
How and by whom the message
was delivered is not known but
the purport of it was that the
murderer was willing to surren
der to Mr. R. S. ' Farmer provi-
ded the other officers and citizens
would return to town. This
armistice was agreed to. Talcing
the negro up behind him Mr.
Farmer approached the jail by a
circuitous route his idea being
to approach the jail from the rear
entrance and avoid probable
trouble. He reached the inter-
section of Clinton and Compress
streets and traversed the last
named thoroughfare a distan
of half a block with his prisoner
in safety. The lights of the jail
streamed out across the moonlit
street. Everything was quiet
and apparently peaceful and the
officer doubtless congratulated
himself on getting his man safely
in jail and getting rid of a dis
agreeable responsibility. But
Brenham was to see another and
a bloodier sight before the drop
curtain went down on the final
act in a bloody drama. In sight
of security and safety swift and
terrible retribution overtook the
slayer of Jas. Burch. The moon
that shimmered through silvery
bars of clouds glinted on the
gleaming barrels of bristling
guns in the hands of determined
men who were watching the rear
approach to the jail. Terrified
by the sudden appearance of the
avengers the negro rolled from
the horse and started running
south across the street towards a
small brick warehouse. The re
port of a heavily charged shot
gun shook the air and Bob Carter
bit the dust shot through and
through just beneath the arms.
Those near enough heard him
groan in dying agony as a sec
ond charge tore it3 way through
his prostrate form. A fusilade of
bullets from Winchesters shot
guns and pistols riddled the body.
Some twenty-five or thirty shots
were fired and the mutilated body
of the victim bore evidence to the
deadly accuracy of the marks-
men. Mr. Farmer made a gallant ef
fort to protect his prisoner but
was speedily overpowered and
disarmed.
In a short time tne street was
filled with people attracted by
the terrific shooting. Under cir
cumstances of this kind the crowd
ssems to be endowed with intui
tive knowledge which is said to
teach newspaper men instinctive
ly where hell will break out next.
Representatives of the Galveston
Houston and ot. JLouis papers as
well as the local papers were on
the scene before the echoes of
the death dealing shot had died
away. The negro was lying face
downward in the street bleeding
from a dozen wounds any one of
which was sufficient to cause
death and a stream of brains
from a great hole in the side of
his head showed where a Win-
chester ball had plowed it3 way
Some one in the crowed proposed
to hang the corpse to a telephone
pole and a rope was procured for
this purpose but the officers re
fused to allow the hanging to
proceed.
The corpse lay in the street
until taken in charge by 'rela
tives about midnight. The dead
negro was about twenty-five
years old and was regarded as a
bad man by his own people as
well as the white population. The
weapon with which he killed Jas
Burch was an old cap and ball
musket which had been convert
ed into a. shot gun. After the
shooting the murderer carried
the gun to the residence of Harry
Key and told Key of the kill-
ing. Carter had served several
sentences on the county farm for
misdemeanors while Burch was a
guard in the institution and it was
doubtless to avenge a fancied
wrong that he committed the
murder.
While the citizens of Brenham
deprecate the necessity that
prompted the action of the mob
they are prone to admit that the
negro's death was retributive
justice.
the inquest.
Justice W. R. Ewing held an
inquest Monday morning to en-
quire into the killing of Jas. T.
Burch and rendered a verdict in
accordance with the facts below
stated.
William Price colored testi-'
fied : I saw Bob Carter pass my
door on the west side of St.
Charles street about seven o'clock
last night; he carried a gun un-
der his arm; Ed. Brown was
walking about six steps behind
him ; I spoke to Bob but he made
no answer; I then walked behind
them to Sutor Bros saloon;
when I reached the billiard hall
door which is next door to the
saloon I heard two shots fired in
quick succession. Bob Brandtly
who was standing in the saloon
door said "He is dead whoever
he is."
Otto Gurdeman testified: I
was at Felscher's last night about
S o'clock; saw two negroes pass
going down the Central railroad ;
they turned into St. Charles
street; the negro in his shirt
sleeves had a gun ; the other was
a shorty stumpy negro who wore
a light colored coat; the negro
with the gun said "G d n him
I kill him;" they turned the
corner at Meyer's' beer saloon ;
the stumpy negrq wanted to go
up Ant street but the other ob-
jected; in about four or five
minutes I heard two shots fired;
m a few minutes after the shots I
saw the negro with the gun go
back up the track ; he was run-
ning and the stumpy negro was
not with him ; 1 saw the dead
man but didn't known him; one
side of his face was blown off
and the other black with powder
burn ; I did not know him.
Fritz Meyer testified: 1 was
standing on the southeast corner
of my saloon last night about 7
or 8 o'clock; I saw two negroes
one carrying a gun pass going
down on the sidewalk parallel
with the Central railroad; they
turned the corner and went up
toward Sutor Bros on St. Charles
street; I locked the door and fol
lowed them; the man with the
shot gun said to the other make
haste hurry-up ; before I reach-
ed Sutor Bros.'I heard the shots
around the corner on Quitman
street; I hurried on arid found
James Burch on the sidewalk
with one side of his face shot off;
the other side was badly powder
burned; he died in a few mo
ments from the effect of the
wounds in his face ; I saw no
pistol there.
Robert Brandtley testified: I
was standing at the north front
door of Sutor Bros last night
about .7:30 o'clock and saw the
shooting on Quitman street; Bob
Carter came into the front of the
saloon and drank a glass of beer;
James Burch was sitting in the
back of the saloon ; he went out
of the side door opening on Quit
man street;. just then Bob Carter
whirled and went out the front;
as Carter passed the side front
door I stepped to the door and
saw him meet Mr. Burch about
half way between the two side
doors; as they passed each other
they whirled and went to shoot
ing; Carter fired first and by
tne ngnt ot tne gun 1 saw Mr
Burch fall and discharge his
pistol as he was falling; the two
shots were close together; Carter
stopped a few moments after the
shooting and then walked down
the sidewalk toward Ant street;
as he passed the side door I saw
the gun he was carrying; there
was no one with him.
An inquest to enquire into the
killing of Carter at the hands of
the mob will be held todav.
GALVESTON'S YELLOW FEVER.
The Island City Invaded by the Dread
Scourge.
It would be extremely difficult
at this writing to tell which were
the worse oft Galveston or else-
where. Galveston has Ike yellow
fever and elsewhere in general
and Brenham in particular has
the scare. The fever is of a mild
type but the fright its existence
has produced is of a most robust
variety. In choosing between
mild ever and severe fright it is
hard to decide on the least of two
evils and possible there are some
who would prefer the former
horn of the dilema.
The authority of quarantine is
again absolute and a health cer-
tificate the only open sesame to
travel. The man who was caught
away from -home Sunday when
the storm broke will have to pro-
long his visit as he will find it
impossible to run the gauntlett of
quarantine guards.
The five or six members of the
Santa Fe switch crew at this-
place under Commodore
"Stormy" Smith have been laid
off indefinitely and other reduc-
tions in the operating department
of the railroads and express com-
panies are expected. Commenc-
ing Monday anduntil further or-
ders (night) trains No. 7 and 8
are annulled between Cleburne
and Galveston and (day) train
Nos. 5 and 6 are annulled be-
tween Galveston and Alvin.
Train No. 8 (north-bound night
passenger) Sunday was the last
train out of Galveston. Trains
(day) Nos. 5 and 6 will run be-
tween Purcell and Alvin as usual.
No. 7 (early morning southbound
passenger) has been annulled
south of Temple." The Galves-
ton News failed to arrive Mon-
day as there is no train service
the other side of Alvin. Galves-
ton doctors disagree with' Dr.
John Guiteras the United States
expert as to there being any
fever in Galveston the last nam-
ed claiming that seven cases ex-
ist in different parts of the city.
Health Officer Swearingen has-
officially announced the existence
of the disease. So it may be
stated that Galveston has the
fever officially if not otherwise.
The feeling of paralysis which
struck Brenham when the evil
tidings were first announced is
subsiding - to a considerable ex-
tent. Nevertheless the appre-
hension while not so apparrentis
none the less genuine and a
quiet exodus to the country is
going on in some quarters which
may become decidedly more pro-
nounced in case the situation
doesn't speedily improve. It is
hardly probable that anything
like a wholesale leaving of the
city will occur however. There
are but a few more days until
frost will relieve the situation
and even if the disease were
brought to Brenham it could not
become epidemic in the time that'
intervenes between this and frost.
Hempstead has shut herself put
from the world and will allow no
trains to stop.- No trains will be
allowed to stop in the counties of
Grimes Robertson Brazos or
Waller. No passengers from the
east will be allowed to stop at
Chappell Hill. Passengers from
the west must have health certi-
ficates not more than'twenty-
four hours old.
The Conroe branch is tied up
at this place for an indefinite
period. The Santa Fe passenger
Monday afternoon came from
Cameron without a stop and con-
tinued to Rosenberg without
stopping. Several parties had
bought tickets for different points
south but on being told by the
train officials that they had no
guarantee of being allowed to"
stop anywhere most of them de-
cided to remain in Brenham.
The night trains on the Central
have been annulled pending fur-
ther orders.
MARRIAGE LICENSE.
Following is a list of marriage
licenses issued by the county
clerk for the week ending Oct.
12 1897:
Fritz Bouldin to Lucy Gilmore.
W. L. Sansom to Lena Koutts.
Lennie Gilmore to Cara Rob-
ertson. James Bradley to Mattie Hard-ricke.
HI'
fclllt
POWDER
Absolutely Pure
UAVAS0TA BEING DESERTED.
Merchants Boxing up Their Goods and
Locking up Their Stores.
The yellow fever scare seems
to have gotten action on Nava-
sota in great shape and the
situation over there according;
to reports is little short Of a
genuine panic.
C.F. Simmons who .teaches
the Washington colored school
left Navasota at two o'clock
Tuesday and brought Mr. Joe
Dobert to this place. He says
that the Central hotel at Nava-
sota has been closed and that
several of the merchants are
boxing up their goods locking
up their doors and leaving.
Dr. Ketchum the Navasota
expert telegraphs from Houston
that there are four well develop-
ed cases of fever in Houston.
Some Local Gossip.
First citizen : "Where are you
going in case yellow fever comes
to Brenham?" Second citizen:
"I have a lot in the cemetery."
Mr. Archie Watson of natato-
rium fame is convalescing fromv
a severe attack of denguen and
relates a unique experience in
connection with his recent 'pros-
tration: "I was going home
from town in a great hurry 'witb
a large sunrof money with which
to buycotton. As I crossed the
bridge across Hog branch a bur-
ly negro confronted me and as I
checked the team he sprang at
me with a murderous looking
knife aimed at my throat. I
grasped him around the neck
and tried to ward off the impend-
ing blow. I "felt my strength
leaving me and saw the hideous
knife just ready to sever my
wind pipe. Some one cried
'Archie Archie what on earth
are you doing?' and I awoke to
find that I had been engaged iri a
death struggle with one of the
head rjosts to the bed and- had-
pulled it several inches out of
plum."The yellow fever liar has been
merged into the yellow fever ex-
pert. The man who couldn't' di-
agnose a bad cold arises to -take
issue with State and National
experts.
The theory of the efficacious- -ness
of quarantine has been se-
riously punctured by that case of
fever at Navasota where a shot
gun quarantine has been abso-
lute. -
Catarrh and Malaria.
People who are or have been
affected by catarrh are most sub-
ject to chronic malaria The ex-
planation is -this : Malaria is a
germ disease. Germs find their
way into the blood through the
mucuous membranes. If the
mucuous membranes are healthy
the germs can not enter the
blood. This is why some people
do not get malaria. But if the
membranes are affected by ca-
tarrh even slightly the malaria
germs find easy access into the
bfobd.
Pe-ru-na is the remedy. It
not only destroys malaria germs
but so restores the - mucuous
membranes to health that no
more germs can find entrance.
Pe-ru-na is the most reliable
remedy for chronic malaria. It
cures by eradicating the germs-
from the system.
Send for Dr. Hartman's latest
book. Sent free by The Pe-ru-j
na Drug Manufacturing Co.
Columbus Ohio.
NOTICE TO TAX PAYERS.
All parties knowing themselves
liable to occupation taxes under
the new law are hereby given
notice to come forward and set-
tle ac once. All accounts not
settled will be turned over to the
county attorney.
Sam Schlenker
Tax Collector Washington Co.
f.
r
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Rankin, John G. Brenham Weekly Banner. (Brenham, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 45, Ed. 1, Thursday, October 14, 1897, newspaper, October 14, 1897; Brenham, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth115705/m1/7/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .