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THE DAILY DEMOCRAT
Marlin, Texas
Friday, November 1, 1907
A DOUBLE TRAGEDY
Man Shot Through Heart
Will Criswell's Body Found Near His Own Home
Will Criswell was found at daylight this morning with a bullet through his heart and a pistol by his side. He was lying about six feet from his home. Some yards distant at her home, Mrs. C. W. Hickerson lay with two severe gashes in her throat. The neighbors had been aroused about two o'clock by the screams of her daughter, Miss Willie Mae Hickerson. When they arrived they found Mrs. Hickerson very weak from loss of blood, and the hurried summons of a physician who stanched the flow is all that saved her life.
The young lady says that at about the hour given, some one called at their house and tried to effect an entrance by raising the window. That her mother and herself got up to see who it was and what was wanted. That the party then disappeared in the darkness. They called to Criswell's house and Mr. Criswell came out and over to their home. While he was there, he stated that some one had also been trying to get in his home, but had run away. While Criswell was at the Hickerson home some one, believed to be Criswell, grabbed Mrs. Hickerson and inflicted two ugly wounds in her throat and breast before she could free herself from his grasp.
The young lady asked Criswell to give the alarm, and suggested to him that he fire his gun. He said that he would and did. There was a stillness and Miss Hickerson could get no response from Criswell nor could she see him or his body in the dark. After trying for several minutes to get assistance by hallowing, the young lady ran to the house of Jno. C. Criswell, some distance away, and aroused them. They and other neighbors went to the Hickerson house and found Mrs. Hickerson as described above, weltering in her own blood.
Later, a search was instituted for young Criswell and he was found, a corpse near his own house. In addition to the pistol, a pocket knife and razor were also found near him.
The tragedy caused great excitement in the community and among all who know the families.
There is no explanation for the causes that led up to the tragedy and it is left to conjecture.
Mrs. Hickerson is a sister of Postmaster Emerson and Mrs. T. B. Ellsberry of Marlin and has many friends who wish her a speedy recovery.
Young Criswell is a son of John C. Criswell, well known citizen of that community. Deceased was married. He was in Marlin Thursday afternoon and left for home late in the evening. The scene of the double tragedy is about fourteen miles northeast of Marlin. All parties have lived neighbors for years and were on the best of terms.
Judge Dashiell held an inquest over the remains of Criswell today. He had not entered the verdict at the hour of going to press. Sheriff Poole and quite a number of others went out to the Criswell community when the information of the tragedy reached town.
The Waco Times-Herald
Waco, Texas
Saturday, November 2, 1907
Falls County Tragedy
Woman’s Throat Cut and Man Found Dead Near By
Times-Herald Special.
Marlin, Tex., Nov. 1.--- Following an attack upon Mrs. C. W. Hickerson, at her home near Otto, fourteen miles north of here, early this morning, the body of Will Criswell, a neighbor, was found near his home, with a revolver by his side and a blood stained razor in his pocket. Mrs. Hickerson was badly cut about the face and throat, but will recover.
From the story told by Mrs. Hickerson, who is a widow, and her daughter at the inquest held today, it appears that they were alarmed late in the night by the attempt by someone to enter their home. Criswell’s family was away from home and he was asked to spend the remainder of the night at the Hickerson home. Shortly after his arrival, and while the daughter was out of the room, the attack was made upon Mrs. Hickerson.
Criswell told the girl, she said, that someone had wounded her mother and that he would fire the revolver to give the alarm. He fired one shot and left the house. Shortly afterward another shot was heard. Neighbors were notified and a physician summoned for Mrs. Hickerson. Later Criswell’s body was found.
Reason for his actions is not known, as he was a man of high character and stood well in the community. He survived by a wife and a number of children.
THE DAILY DEMOCRAT
Marlin, Texas
Saturday, November 2, 1907
THE CRISWELL TRAGEDY
Few Developments -- Was Assault to Murder and Suicide.
There are no further developments in the Criswell tragedy. The report given in Friday's Democrat is substantially the full facts as developed. It was simply a case of assault to murder upon Mrs. Hickerson, followed by suicide. The motive, if any, behind the assault on Mrs. Hickerson will ever remain unknown. The most generally accepted theory is that Criswell was suffering from a temporary derangement of reason and that in this condition he sought to take the life of the estimable lady. She has two very ugly wounds in the face and neck but without complications she will recover.
The only additional information as to the circumstances immediately preceding the tragedy that comes to light is the fact that the pistol with which Criswell killed himself, was given to him by Mrs. Hickerson when he came to her house in response to the calls of herself and daughter. This pistol had been left with them by John C. Criswell, father of Will Criswell, and was left there that they might protect themselves while Will Criswell and wife, their nearest neighbors, were away from home.
Mrs. Hickerson says that when Will came over in response to her request, that he appeared in the very best of humor, and that she requested him to remain in the house the rest of the night. That she went into an adjoining room to prepare a bed for him and that while she was in the act of arranging the bed that Will caught her head with one hand and with the other inflicted the wounds as previously described. A bloody razor with gaps in it and a pocket knife were found on Criswell's person. The pistol with which he shot himself was lying by his side. A portion of his clothing, ignited by the explosion of the gun, had burned away.
Dr. Baird, who was first called to attend the wounded lady, called in Dr. Allen and the two dressed the wounds and Mrs. Hickerson is now resting nicely.
Justice Dashiell, County Attorney Connally and Sheriff Poole, conducted the investigation and are agreed as to finding of the court that it was a plain case of assault to murder and suicide on the part of young Criswell and further, that his mind was evidently unbalanced at the time.
Marlin, Texas
Friday, November 1, 1907
A DOUBLE TRAGEDY
Man Shot Through Heart
Will Criswell's Body Found Near His Own Home
Will Criswell was found at daylight this morning with a bullet through his heart and a pistol by his side. He was lying about six feet from his home. Some yards distant at her home, Mrs. C. W. Hickerson lay with two severe gashes in her throat. The neighbors had been aroused about two o'clock by the screams of her daughter, Miss Willie Mae Hickerson. When they arrived they found Mrs. Hickerson very weak from loss of blood, and the hurried summons of a physician who stanched the flow is all that saved her life.
The young lady says that at about the hour given, some one called at their house and tried to effect an entrance by raising the window. That her mother and herself got up to see who it was and what was wanted. That the party then disappeared in the darkness. They called to Criswell's house and Mr. Criswell came out and over to their home. While he was there, he stated that some one had also been trying to get in his home, but had run away. While Criswell was at the Hickerson home some one, believed to be Criswell, grabbed Mrs. Hickerson and inflicted two ugly wounds in her throat and breast before she could free herself from his grasp.
The young lady asked Criswell to give the alarm, and suggested to him that he fire his gun. He said that he would and did. There was a stillness and Miss Hickerson could get no response from Criswell nor could she see him or his body in the dark. After trying for several minutes to get assistance by hallowing, the young lady ran to the house of Jno. C. Criswell, some distance away, and aroused them. They and other neighbors went to the Hickerson house and found Mrs. Hickerson as described above, weltering in her own blood.
Later, a search was instituted for young Criswell and he was found, a corpse near his own house. In addition to the pistol, a pocket knife and razor were also found near him.
The tragedy caused great excitement in the community and among all who know the families.
There is no explanation for the causes that led up to the tragedy and it is left to conjecture.
Mrs. Hickerson is a sister of Postmaster Emerson and Mrs. T. B. Ellsberry of Marlin and has many friends who wish her a speedy recovery.
Young Criswell is a son of John C. Criswell, well known citizen of that community. Deceased was married. He was in Marlin Thursday afternoon and left for home late in the evening. The scene of the double tragedy is about fourteen miles northeast of Marlin. All parties have lived neighbors for years and were on the best of terms.
Judge Dashiell held an inquest over the remains of Criswell today. He had not entered the verdict at the hour of going to press. Sheriff Poole and quite a number of others went out to the Criswell community when the information of the tragedy reached town.
The Waco Times-Herald
Waco, Texas
Saturday, November 2, 1907
Falls County Tragedy
Woman’s Throat Cut and Man Found Dead Near By
Times-Herald Special.
Marlin, Tex., Nov. 1.--- Following an attack upon Mrs. C. W. Hickerson, at her home near Otto, fourteen miles north of here, early this morning, the body of Will Criswell, a neighbor, was found near his home, with a revolver by his side and a blood stained razor in his pocket. Mrs. Hickerson was badly cut about the face and throat, but will recover.
From the story told by Mrs. Hickerson, who is a widow, and her daughter at the inquest held today, it appears that they were alarmed late in the night by the attempt by someone to enter their home. Criswell’s family was away from home and he was asked to spend the remainder of the night at the Hickerson home. Shortly after his arrival, and while the daughter was out of the room, the attack was made upon Mrs. Hickerson.
Criswell told the girl, she said, that someone had wounded her mother and that he would fire the revolver to give the alarm. He fired one shot and left the house. Shortly afterward another shot was heard. Neighbors were notified and a physician summoned for Mrs. Hickerson. Later Criswell’s body was found.
Reason for his actions is not known, as he was a man of high character and stood well in the community. He survived by a wife and a number of children.
THE DAILY DEMOCRAT
Marlin, Texas
Saturday, November 2, 1907
THE CRISWELL TRAGEDY
Few Developments -- Was Assault to Murder and Suicide.
There are no further developments in the Criswell tragedy. The report given in Friday's Democrat is substantially the full facts as developed. It was simply a case of assault to murder upon Mrs. Hickerson, followed by suicide. The motive, if any, behind the assault on Mrs. Hickerson will ever remain unknown. The most generally accepted theory is that Criswell was suffering from a temporary derangement of reason and that in this condition he sought to take the life of the estimable lady. She has two very ugly wounds in the face and neck but without complications she will recover.
The only additional information as to the circumstances immediately preceding the tragedy that comes to light is the fact that the pistol with which Criswell killed himself, was given to him by Mrs. Hickerson when he came to her house in response to the calls of herself and daughter. This pistol had been left with them by John C. Criswell, father of Will Criswell, and was left there that they might protect themselves while Will Criswell and wife, their nearest neighbors, were away from home.
Mrs. Hickerson says that when Will came over in response to her request, that he appeared in the very best of humor, and that she requested him to remain in the house the rest of the night. That she went into an adjoining room to prepare a bed for him and that while she was in the act of arranging the bed that Will caught her head with one hand and with the other inflicted the wounds as previously described. A bloody razor with gaps in it and a pocket knife were found on Criswell's person. The pistol with which he shot himself was lying by his side. A portion of his clothing, ignited by the explosion of the gun, had burned away.
Dr. Baird, who was first called to attend the wounded lady, called in Dr. Allen and the two dressed the wounds and Mrs. Hickerson is now resting nicely.
Justice Dashiell, County Attorney Connally and Sheriff Poole, conducted the investigation and are agreed as to finding of the court that it was a plain case of assault to murder and suicide on the part of young Criswell and further, that his mind was evidently unbalanced at the time.