JIM JONES DESPERADO COMES TO FAIRY

[Tom Deaton was killed in 1893.]

Not wishing to make anyone feel old, yet I will jot down the names of. People I am sure remember the Murder of Tom Deaton by Jim Jones which occurred at the old Busby place, now the Oran Willeford home. Those living at Fairy at the time - Other than myself, are Robert Cole of Florida, Alta Wilson Wolfe, Thoma Goyne Ogle, Mauzee Goyne Whitson, Sally West Ogle, Lampton Woodward, Walter Porterfield, Julia Grimes Brunson, Ralph, Joe, and Tom Pittman, and possibly others.

It was about Sundown one evening when Father, Mother, and we children were sitting in the living room when someone looked out and saw a big husky man with a heavy mustache and a rifle on shoulder coming up the walk, he bolted upon the porch. Mother said, ‘George, he is coming in the house,’ as everyone was leery of strangers especially with a gun. Father said, 'No, he is not coming in the house,’ and halted him on the porch. He inquired the way to Fairy and walked off. He went directly to His sister’s, and remained there several days. Papers came to The sheriff notifying him that ... ... was wanted in East Texas for murder, that he had killed several men and to be very careful as he was a dangerous man. He was in Fairy several days and even helped dig a grave for someone. The sheriff sent his deputy Tom Deaton to arrest him. Deaton, Jap Adams, Pink Porter, city marshal of Hico, Tom Pittman, Dr. Young surrounded the house about dusk. Deaton went to the back door and ordered him to come out. He came out and shot Deaton dead on the spot and made his way to the mountain. It was said that Jap Adams shot at him but missed. He was hunted all night by dozens of men on horseback and on foot all the next day, but he made his escape. It is said that Deaton’s brothers for money bargained with a relative to furnish them with a clue as to where they might locate him. The information as that he had gone to Rains County. They were gone for sometime, but there is no record that they ever caught up with him, although it is reported that they spotted him crossing a river on a foot log and did away with him. If they did, they kept it to themselves.

An incident happened in the afternoon before the posse went to the Busby house that night to arrest Jones. Dr. Young, anxious to know what was going on passed down the street by the Busby house. Jones looked out and saw him, got his gun, and remarked to his sister, that them so and sos were up to something and he would kill that one. She talked him out of it. Narrow escape for the Dr.

Shared by Thomas D. Leeth