The day book. [volume], August 22, 1912, Image 2

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
and better lawyers got all the
practice. I then settled at El
Reno, in Canadian county, and
was elected county attorney in
1892. I served twoyears with
absolute satisfaction to the peo
ple. After my term of offic ex
pired, I went on a visit to my
father, who resided at Wood
ward, holding the office of county
judge. v
One evening I became involved
in a quarrel with Temple Hous
ton, son of Gov. Sam Houston, of
Al. J. Jennings.
early Texas days. It was such a
quarrel as corpes up between
lawyers who are over hasty and
hot-blooded.
After 'interference by friends,
it was agreed by brother Ed Jen
nings, father and I, to let the mat
ter go over until the following
morning and I would go to Hous
ton, 'hoping to apologiez, for the
language I used toward him, ex
pecting an apology in return from
him. But the hand of destiny
seemed to be hanging over me.
I hai retired for the -night at
father's, when about midnight
there came a loud rapping at the
door and a man in a high, excited
voice, exclaimed, "Judge Jen
nings, get up quick; two of your
boys have been killed down
town." .
I dressed hastily and ran out to.
the gate, where I met brother,
John, who was solely wounded.
I was informed by him that Ed
was d.ead. Running down the"
dark street a thousand conflicting
emotions camev over me. I saw
the excited crowd surging around
the building where the lights
gleamed through the window.
They gave way and I entered
to find my brother lying on his
face in a larger pool of blood. I
kneeled down, taking his head in
my lap.
His life had not yejUgone. I
found, two bullet wounds, one in
the back of his head, and one over
the left ear, ranging forward.
I knew that he had been assas
sinated and all the ambition ofjife
went out of me, the future which
seemed so bright to me as a young
lawyer, died there with my mur
dered brother.
I vowed then and there to kill
the men who had so cruelly mur
dered Ed.
However, after advising with
my father, I determined to wait
the action of the law, though I
confess I did not want to.
The trial day came, and
through tfie perfidy of the prose
cution, the murderers were ac
quitted Then I wired" for brother
Frank Jennings, who lived in
Denver, Colorado, and on his ar-
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