Bonham News

Fannin County TXGenWeb
Bonham Newspaper Articles
from Don R. Brownlee

17 October 1888 New York Times, p. 1
Killed His Friend By Mistake
BONHAM, Texas, Oct. 16. - A sad and distressing tragedy
occurred last night a few miles south of this town. About
11 o'clock John A. Sims, who is well known in the southern
part of the county, came into town and gave himself up to
the authorities, saying that he had killed Pleas Payne, a
well-known farmer living eight miles south of this place.
His story of the killing was substantially as
follows: "Several months ago I had a difficulty with a man
named Walls. Walls had two brothers, and Sunday night while
I was at the home of the Walls I heard the three brothers
plotting against me, and one of them said he intended to
take my life the first opportunity. I have been living at
the house of Mr. Payne for some time, and last night, a
while after dark, Payne went out to the barn to feed the
stock. He left in his shirt sleeves, but while gone, for
some reason or other, he put on his coat, thus changing his
appearance. He also had when he started back to the house a
stick in his hand which resembled a gun. I, thinking it was
Walls coming to put his threat into execution, immediately
fired on him twice with a revolver. He fell and cried
out: 'You have killed me!' 'Just what I aimed to do,' I
replied, still thinking it was Walls. He soon expired, and
upon going to him I found I had killed, through accident, my
friend Payne." Sims appears almost frantic over the horrible
accident, and as the men were the best of friends Sim's
story is generally believed. He was placed in jail pending
an examination. The affair has cast a gloom over the
neighborhood, as both men were well thought of.
15 April 1888 New York Times, p. 5
Killed By His Wife
BONHAM, Texas, April 14. - In the country, four miles south
of here, occurred last night a row which resulted in the
fatal wounding of Joseph Furr by his wife. Furr and his wife
separated several weeks ago, and the woman returned to her
stepfather. The couple quarreled frequently over the
possession of a child which since the separation has been
living with the mother. Last night Furr went to where the
child was staying and attempted to steal it. He was
discovered in the act by his wife and her sister, Mrs.
Campbell. The latter, armed with a shotgun, the former with
a pair of scissors, ordered him to stop. Refusing to do so
Mrs. Campbell fired, missing him, but threatening him if the
child was not returned. Furr then came back with the child
and commenced to scold his wife. She struck him in the side
with the scissors inflicting a fatal wound from which he
died to-day.
26 June 1886 New York Times, p. 2
Murdered By His Brother-In-Law
BONHAM, Texas, June 25. - A fatal affray occurred on the
Fuller place Wednesday night, two miles form here, in which
George Lewis was killed by L. K. Adaholt. The fight grew out
of a family feud, the men being brothers-in-law. Adaholt
followed Lewis to the latter's house with a pistol and Lewis
got a shotgun. Adaholt first jumped on Lewis and cut him
with a knife. Firearms were then used at close range. Lewis
was literally shot to pieces in the presence of his wife,
who is the sister of Adaholt. The murderer is in jail.

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