THE LIBERTY HERALD

Editor, Will A. Vick

June 20, 1894


Justification [a summary] Smithville


Last night, June 16th, J.A. Drake shot and killed Ike Capshaw. J.A. Drake and Mrs. S.F. Anderson, wife of the Sheriff, went to the jail for the purpose of checking it for the night. Capshaw was the man who murd ered Noah Adcock on the 18th of April last. Capshaw had escaped from his cell and came at the pair with a piece of lead piping. After repeated warnings, Capshaw refused to stop. Drake shot as Capshaw raised the bar an d hit Drake. D.A. Eaton, livery stable man, was the first to reach the dying criminal. Neither Tom Jones or Campbell Bayne, who were in the adjoining cells to Capshaw, knew how the cell door was opened.

W.B. Foster, coroner, went immediately to the scene and a jury of seven men; ___ Terry, J.C. West, H. Ca___, .H. Gray, John Wilson, D___ ____, and A.L. Jones returned a verdict of Justifiable killing in self-defense.

Sheriff S.F. Anderson was away from home in the 18th district, North of Smithville.

On the Wing---No. IV---written by J.T. Oakley


Dallas is 758 miles from Liberty, Tennessee and is one of the foremost cities in the great State of Texas. At Nashville, Randolph Bass put in my care little Luci Mathis, who lives at Plano, Texas. She had been on a visit to relativ es about Milton. From Plano, we soon found ourselves in the home of Johnson Mathis, who was raised near Bradley's Creek, Rutherford County, Tennessee. He married a daughter of Bob Bass, who went to Texas some 20 years ago. It was a surp rising joy to me to run in on a lot of kinfolks. Both Bob Bass and his talkative wife are blood relations of my wife.

[Talks of the sticky black dirt in Plano]-----I had rather try to ride Dan Smith's bicycle down Vantrease hill as to start two hundred [feet?] in this black cohesive stuff. Uncle Will Bass of Shop Springs, was with me.

On returning to Dallas I found quite a number of friends, Jim Jennings, a grandson of Uncle Rial C. Jennings of Statesville. I also found Wm. Moore, son of Tom Moore, who married a daughter of Pal Lawrence near Commerce, Tennessee. Then-John Silas Leeman of Henderson X Roads. I did not know he was in Texas. He was surprised to learn that his father, Dick Leeman, was in Dallas.

Sunday night I ran up to Bowie, 102 miles from Dallas [here the paper is torn, but I believe he was still at Bowie when he] spent both nights with Billy Lancaster who married Sissie Meadow of Commerce. Billy is doing well and has a happy family. His two daughters, Daisy and Watus, feel nearly like my own. I had the pleasure of baptizing them. I also visited Mrs. Kate Mainor, whose maiden name was Miss Kate Lancaster of Commerce. I fail ed to see Jim Smith and wife who have moved out on a farm some seven miles of the city.

Alexandria


Mrs. E.T. Bowers and daughter, Fannie, of Nashville are visiting here.

Mrs. RV. Wright of Nashville is visiting her sister, Mrs. J.J. Ford, at this place.

Miss Etta Donnell, Miss Annie Lou Donnell, Mrs. I.L. Pendleton of Nashville and J.T. Dollard of Auburn, Kentucky are visiting in Nashville.

Charlie McClellan and Miss Bessie Williams are visiting in Nashville.

Mrs. Dr. Womack of Nashville is visiting her sister, Mrs. J.D. Colvert on High Street.

Mrs. O.P. Hill and son returned home last week after visiting relatives here.

Prof. James Wood, after several months absence, is again at home for a short stay.

Ed Oakley visited home folks Sunday.

Mrs. George McNelly is very sick at the home of her sister, Mrs. Armistead, at Grant.

Lightning killed 10 head of hogs for John Atkins Saturday.

Miss Eula Smith is visiting Smithville.

Mrs. Dr. Drane is much better and thought to be out of danger.

Ollie Williams was bitten by a dog Saturday, but not dangerously hurt.

Mrs. Patsy Hearn, widow of Jacob Hearn,("Uncle Jakie") died at Mahone Thursday night and buried here Friday. Funeral services were held at the Methodist church conducted by Bro. Beale.

J.F. Roy and daughter, Mrs. James Jones and Dan Williams and wife went to Nashville last week.

Insolvent Notice

Jas. George, dec'd-T.D. Hill, adm'r.

Stark-Seals

Today at high-noon, Mr. Earnest Stark will be married to Miss Fancy Seals at Woodbury. The groom is the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. T.H. Stark and a wide-awake hustling young man. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Seals of Arkansas. She and her mother had come here on a visit to relatives about a month ago.

Resolutions

DeKalb Lodge F&AM
A charter member, J.L. Hollandsworth, died at his home in Liberty, June 2, 1894. Sympathies to his invalid wife and other relations.
A Mason since 1872, W.T. Hokins, died at his home in Dowelltown, May 17, 1894. We sympathize with his wife and children.

Asbury community

James Farmer, who has been dangerously sick, is improving.

A.R. Myers, wife and oldest son are confined today from sickness.

B.W. Robinson and wife were at the Sulphur Spring this week.

Chas. M. Curtis, a promising young man and a brand new lawyer, graduated from Cumberland University [and] is at his old home this week.

Cainesville

Miss Elsie Ivey, who has been attending the C.F. College at McMinnville, is at home.

Miss Ella McFarlin of Murfreesboro spent several days here with friends.

Preston Blankenship has made him a racetrack for his trotting stock.

Geo. Drifoos of Carthage has been spending a few days with his wife's mother, Mrs. Smith. His charming daughter is still here.

Misses Florence Neal and Minnie Smith of Mahone and Miss Bessie West of Smithville were in our village last Sunday and the consequence was that two of our young men, J.H. Craddock and Eugene Smith, followed them home and the last accounts, they had not returned. I think that there is something working on them more than urbanity.

Exum

Born to Johnnie Christian and wife last Sunday, a girl.

Shelah Starnes of New Middleton is clerking for D. Driver.

Wilder Hendrixson of the McMinnville Wollen Factory is visiting relatives here.

The news reached here today that Tom Presley had shot Marshal Mayner on Long Branch. It appears that Mayner was going hunting and in passing Presley's house, Presley hissed his dogs on Mayner's.……words spoken………< b>Presley went into the house and got his gun and shot Mayner. Mayner is not very seriously hurt, doctors removed the bullet from below his shoulder blade and Sheriff S.F. Anderson is hunting Presley.

Liberty

Go to S.W. McClellan for good coffee.

J.L. Lamberson went to Auburn Monday.

C.L. Bright is making considerable improvements on his dwelling.

Miss Nannie Whaley will assist Prof. J.M. Parker in the school on Helton.

J.W. Overall returned last week from Bloomington Springs, much improved in health.

Mrs. R.F. Jones and children of Alexandria came up yesterday to visit relatives and friends.

J.R. Hale and wife of Murfreesboro were visiting the family of C.W.L. Hale last week.

The K of P held decoration services Sunday in memory of Tom Gossett.

W.C. Smith, charged with shooting Dave Bass on Decoration Day, waived examination last Saturday and gave bond to appear at circuit court.

Geo. S. Corley, a prominent young attorney of the Carthage bar, spent last week on a visit to parents and friends in DeKalb.

Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Bass returned to their old home here last week. The old citizen is as fat as a bear.

Dr. T.J. Jackson has been elected a member of the school board in the place of J.L. Hollandsworth, deceased.

Dalton Calicote, (col), 5 years old, was run over by a mule on the streets Sunday and thought to have been killed, but he is improving now.

R.M. Griffith captured Tom Jones and Campbell Bayne on Helton last week, charged with selling illicit whiskey. Failing to give bond, they were lodged in the Smithville jail to await the next term of the Federal court.


Return to the Herald Main Page

Return to the Dekalb County Page