Nesbitt Memorial Library Journal, Volume 10, Number 1, January 2000 Page: 18
62 p. : ports. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Nesbitt Memorial Library Journal
the state; however, because it was composed of and controlled by people who supported the
Republican political majority, conservatives, without considering its merits or efficacy, imme-
diately and thoroughly despised it. By the time of the Davis shooting, Yancy already had
been, and would continue to be, harassed by local officials and the local courts. In October
1870, a Colorado County grand jury handed down two indictments for assault against Yancy.
Apparently, on the preceding September 3 and September 30, while attempting to carry out
his duties, Yancy had struck two men, Horace Hunter and Christoph Burger, on the head
with a gun. Robert Tendick rushed to Yancy's defense, swearing that he himself had seen
Burger "quite intoxicated" on the day of the incident. Nonetheless, on June 13, 1871, Yancy
was convicted of assaulting Burger and fined the substantial sum of $100. Three days later,
Yancy's lawyer asked for a new trial, asserting that Deputy Rowan Green had discussed
Yancy's case with the jurors while the trial was in progress. On June 27, the court granted
the new trial. While awaiting his new day in court, Yancy continued to perform his duties as
a state policeman. On February 3, 1872, he apparently assaulted another man, Harrison
Kyle, though this time with something other than a gun. Almost immediately, he was hit with
another indictment. The beleaguered Yancy returned to court in June 1872. He was again
found guilty of assaulting Burger and again fined $100, after which the court saw fit to drop
the other two indictments against him. This time, Governor Edmund J. Davis came to his
rescue. Tendick wrote the governor, outlining the case and pleading for a pardon for Yancy.
Stating that "there is the best reason for believing that the applicant was convicted through
prejudice against his color and because he was a policeman, and Whereas it appears from
the statement of facts furnished by the Judge who tried the case, that applicant was really
defending himself from a most outrageous attack of the prosecutor, and that of the two, the
prosecutor should have been fined and not the applicant," on August 2, 1872, Davis issued
Yancy a full pardon.22
By early 1871, Sheriff Smith was coming under increasing pressure from his
one-time Republican supporters to discharge his deputy, Rowan Green, who was philosophi-
cally aligned with the Democrats, or face removal from office. Smith knew that firing Green
would prompt the deputy's father-in-law, William L. Adkins, to revoke his signature on Smith's
22 State Police Roster, Seventh Police District, p. 422, Adjutant General's Records (RG 401);
Colorado County Deed Records, Book M, p. 23; Report of Louis W. Stevenson, April 30, 1868, Barry
A. Crouch Collection (Ms. 41), Archives of the Nesbitt Memorial Library, Columbus; Colorado County
District Court Records, Criminal Cause File No. 840: State of Texas v. Fayette Yancy, Criminal Cause
File No. 858: State of Texas v. Fayette Yancy, Criminal Cause File No. 932: State of Texas v. Fayette
Yancy, Minute Book E, pp. 38, 73,294, 296, 305, 354; Robert P. Tendick to Edmund J. Davis, June 1872,
Leyendecker Family Papers (Ms. 37), Archives of the Nesbitt Memorial Library, Columbus. Various
state policemen would serve Colorado County until the force was abolished by the legislature on
April 22, 1873 (see Gammel, ed., The Laws of Texas, 1822-1897, p. 493).18
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Matching Search Results
View 48 pages within this issue that match your search.Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Nesbitt Memorial Library. Nesbitt Memorial Library Journal, Volume 10, Number 1, January 2000, periodical, January 2000; Columbus, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth151408/m1/18/?q=nesbitt%20memorial%20library%20journal: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Nesbitt Memorial Library.