Osborne Lee

Fannin County TXGenWeb
Death of Osborne Lee

From the historical files of June E. Tuck
LEE, OSBORNE - Mrs. Ellen T. Lee of Fannin county, on Oct. 6, 1868 - Before me, B. S. Walcott, a Notary Public, in and for said county of Fannin, came Mrs. Ellen T. Lee, to me well known, who being duty sworn by me, deposes and says: That on the the first day of Oct, inst., a body of armed men in the uniform of Federal soldiers, surrounded the house of F. M. Lee, (her husband.) The house being surrounded, I was in the kitchen with my son Osborne, a youth aged 19 years, who was the only male except small children about the house. My daughter, who had just started to school, came running into the room and said armed men were surrounding the house. When my son started to the house, which is separated from the kitchen by a narrow passage or entry, where he passed three armed men, one of whom presented a gun to his breast. I tired to follow him but was pushed roughly back against the wall of the kitchen by one of the men. I again tried to pass the room but was prevented by the three men who occupied the door, every other entrance to the house was guarded. My son in the room he had entered seized a pistol, and returning to the door said to the men, "get out of the way," with his pistol presented. The men gave way and my son ran by them, when the man presented their guns at him as if to shoot him as he ran. I pleaded with them not to shoot him and would secure his surrender. (The charge of aiding Bickerstaff being made when they first came up.) I told them I could prove, and would by both the white and black members of the family that he was not guilty of the charge. But the cry was "shoot him," "shoot him," and the firing was commenced, and 10 or 12 shots were made with guns. I started in the direction my son had run but was stopped by the men. When the firing ceased, I was permitted to go to my son, when remembering that my daughters were left in the house I returned to the house. One of my daughters asked me if her brother was much hurt, I told her they said it was only a flesh wound, but I feared it was worse. One of the men said, "The little devil, if he is not dead, if they will let me have my way I will soon finish him." This man went on to where my son lay. When I got to the house I found men searching it. They asked me if there was any money in the house, I told them there was none. They searched the most private parts of the house, turning over the beds. They inquired for two grey mules, I told them there was none such about the place or belonging to it. They swore that if any such mules were on the place they would have them. They took off one rifle gun and two pistols. My son was brought to the house and soon died. On the first approach of these men to the house they made no demand for my son to surrender, and after my son ran there was no command to him to halt. But the general cry was "shoot him." He had been accused of killing a negro, of which he declared his innocence.

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