Double Tradegy--Murder and Suicide
At Emma, H. L. Long Kills E. J. Montgomery, Then Takes Own Life
The most shocking affair in the history of Emma, or Crosby County, took place at Emma last Sunday the 17th when H. L. Long killed Brub Montgomery and then sent a bullet through his own head.
H. L. Long has been for sometime Cashier of the First National Bank and was in every way a highly respected and honorable young man. His people live in Okla. and enjoy the distriction of being a model family with a record second to none. The remains of Long were sent to Plainview to await a hearing from relatives.
E. J. (Brub) Montgomery, son of the popular dry goods man of Emma, W. F. Montgomery.
Brub was a native Texan and no young man in the West had a cleaner record or was held in higher esteem than he. He has many friends in all parts of the South Plains, all of whom speak: "A good boy is gone." Gone we hope to a peaceful slumber, for such a character as he possessed would deserve only the peaceful rest, that only the good may reap.
Mr. W. F. Montgomery, father of Brub, was so shocked and grief stricken that he became almost paralized on hearing the sad end of his son, and to our last reports was confined to his bed under the watchful care of his physician.
The funeral services over the remains of Brub were conducted by Rev. J. R. Bolinger of the Presbyterin Church. A large crowd of sorrowing friends followed the body to its last resting place in the Emma Cemetery Monday.
So far as we can learn the two young men were devoted friends, never having a feeling of any kind other than friendship for each other.
Following is the testimony of Marvin Walls, the only witness to the affair:
Testimony of Marvin Walls, had before John W. Murray, Sr., Justice of the Peace, Precinct No. 1., Crosby County, Texas, sitting as a court of Inquest over the body of E. J. Montgomery, deceased:
Marvin Walls first being duly sworn by the court testifies as follows:
I was in Montgomery's store on the evening of January the 17th, 1909, at about half past eight o'clock, had been there some fifteen or twenty minutes, I saw H. L. Long shoot E. J. (Brub) Montgomery. Montgomery was lying on the counter, second counter on the left as you go into the store from the front way. Long reached past me one time, and had the pistol close to Montgomery's head. I grabbed it and ask him if he would put it in his picket if I would turn it loose. He said he would, and I turned it loose. Just before that he asked Brub if he was tired of living, and Brub replied yes, put out my light. After I had turned him loose he stood around and talked a few minutes, and again asked Brub if he was tired of living and he replied yes, put out my light. Long shot then, and the light which was sitting by Brub's head went out; I jumped back and hid behind some trunks. I had not seen either of them drinking during the evening, or while I was in the store. I sat still in the dark for a minute or two after Long fell, then I got up and tried to get out of the front door, it was locked, and I felt over the counter for the key, that Long had then not finding it I ran around behind the counter and kicked out a window and gave the alarm. Long, H. L. had shot Brub Montgomery. He shot him only once, it was the first shot that killed Montgomery. This occured in Crosby County, Texas, January the 17th, 1909.
Testimony of Marvin Walls, had before John W. Murray, Sr., Justice of the Peace Precenct No. 1, Crosby County, Texas. Sitting as a court of Inquest over the body of H. L. Long, deceased.
Marvin Walls first being duly sworn by the court, deposed as follows:
My name is Marvin Walls, I am 18 years of age, will be 19 on April the 12th 1909. I came into the store, (Montgomery's) about half past eight; I came in by myself; Mr. Long was standing at the front window, inside of Montgomery's Store, I knocked on the window, and he, (Long) said hello Marvin, and I said hello. He asked who else was out there; I told him that no one, I was by myself, that no one was with me, and he opened the door and I came in. He locked the door after I came in, and we all, Long, Brud[sic] Montgomery, and myself got to talking, and Long pulled out his gun, and asked Brub if he was tired of living, Brub was lying on the counter, just as he is now, and Brub said to Long that he was tired of living and to blow his light out, and he asked me if I was tired of living, and I just made the remark, you are a fool aren't you, and grabbed the gun, that was before the shooting, I asked him if he would put it in his pocket and he said he would, and I turned him loose. He talked to us a little bit about one thing and another, and pulled out gun again, and again asked Brub if he was tired of living, and Brub told him to just blow them out. I grabbed the gun, and he (Long) just jerked it over by me and shot Brub. Mr. Long did the shooting; the light, a lamp, sitting by Brub's head, and when the pistol was fired it went out. After the shot I stepped back, Long stood there about half a minute, and then shot up through the celing[sic], then he shot himself and fell. Neight of them had any whiskey or liquor while I was in the store. Neight one acted like he was drunk a bit, Long did not stagger or anything. I was hiding behind the trunks after the first shot, the light was out and I did not see Long when he shot himself. I had been in the store fifteen or twenty minutes. I tried to get Long to go home, and he said: Marvin I have been drunk all the evening, and I told that Mr. Roy, would not do anything to him. Not a word was said and he did notmove after the third shot was fired. This happened in Crosby County, Texas, January the 17th, 1909.
The Crosbyton Review. (Crosbyton, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 21, 1909
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