Grayson County TXGenWeb
 Murder of Mrs. Hattie Haynes
(aka- Miss Teen)


 



from Local Historian Suzie Henderson, 
who believes the murdered woman is FLORENTINE HAWLEY 
 died  - MAY 18,1892   UNMARKED  GRAVE in Calvary Cemetery


The Dallas Morning News
29 Nov 1893 Page Two
EDWARDS Murder Trial

Mrs. SPEARS Affirms
that Accursed is Not Her Son

Testimony All In,
Argument Begun and Case Will Probably be
Submitted to the Jury Today. 

Sherman, Tex., Nov 28 -- The case of the state of Texas vs  Dick EDWARDS, charged with the murder of Mrs. Hattie HAYNES , was resumed in the district court at 8:30 o'clock this morning.

Mrs. Tom SPEARS testified: "Have seen letters from Dick EDWARDS to my husband off and on ever since we have been married; had heard of him before we go to Denison; had understood that he and my husband were school mates. Never have heard the name of the man who went to Colberts with us."

Mrs. May EDWARDS testified: "Am the wife of defendant; was married Feb. 9, 1891, at Farmington, Utah (identified the marriage certificate). I came to Texas in October, 1891. Did not see my husband until June 6 1892; he left again on June 12; saw him last at Colberts; never saw him again until he was brought back from Wisconsin. I had never seen any of the SPEARS family before; my people all live in Utah; they are not friendly to Dick EDWARDS and opposed my marriage to him. To my knowledge he was not in Denison prior to June 1892.I know where defendant was May 17; got letter from him at Houston, but don't keep my letters. Both Mr. Tom SPEARS and myself got letters from him after he left Denison. I think the many who was there with Dick was named Billie. I first met him in Denison (Mr. EDWARDS was in the saloon business at Farmington, Utah). Saw the stranger the day we went to Colberts. I think, to the best of my recollection, I was introduced to him as Billie CLARK."

The Testimony of Henry HACKNEY, as adduced and taken before the habeas corpus hearing, was read before the jury.

Sheriff HUGHES testified: "Never examined defendant's left boot; Dr. McDERMOT's Discription [sic] of Ed SPEARS caused me to make the examination of the right boot." (Described the scar he had found).

The state here suggested that the defendant could offer the best evidence on the scar. The defense objected and took an exception to the remark of the state's councel [sic].

The defendant here pulled off his boot and stocking and sad down in front of the jury. The jury made a careful examination and what they found they know.

The witness returned; "I learned of the scar through McDERMOT's letter giving description of Ed SPEARS."

The defense stated that they had but two more witnesses, Mrs. SPEARS, mother of Ed SPEARS, and Harry DEE, to put on the stand.

The sheriff announced no word had been received of the attachment telegraphed to Bell county for DEE and Mrs. SPEARS is old and feeble and could not come on the early train.

The defense in answer to the request of S. B. COX to be allowed to go to Paris announced that they did not intend to put Tom SPEARS on the stand and Mr. COX was allowed to go.  

The court then held that the state could proceed with its rebuttal testimony and that he would allow the defense to introduce the two witnesses named by them as soon as they arrived. To this the state agreed and the court announced a recess of twenty minutes, which the counsel used for consultation.

The state resumed with the introduction of Clarence SPEARS who said in substance: "My mother was at home with Dick EDWARDS came to Denison; I got there a little afterward, a little after 6 o'clock; I can't call the name of the other man; he stayed at my house part of the time; he ate some there, don't remember the times; don't think he ever slept there; saw the other many at Tom SPEARS' but not the day they left; that morning at 8 o'clock I saw Dick EDWARDS, who introducced me to the other man; never thought of the name after I was introduced; never knew defendant in Missouri; he was a stranger to me; I know Bob JONES; was in his restaurant in Sherman a short while after the habeas corpus hearing; told him I was going down to the jail to see my cousin, who was in jail for the murder of Mrs. HAYNES; did this because the people had been calling him my brother, my cousin, uncle, etc; this other many was a small man with dark hari and blue or ray eyes; had a round, full face with a medium dark mustache; he would weight more the day he came with Dick; don't know that I remember Dick or anybody call this man by any name; don't remember of telling A. R. WILLIAMS that Mrs. Dick EDWARDS was my cousin; don't know what size shoe Tom SPEARS wears; I wear a six and a half; these I have on are sevens; Mrs. May EDWARDS got to Denison in October, 1891; can't tell the date.

Bob JONES testified: "Run a restaurant in Court Plaza, Sherman; know Clarence SPEARS; had a conversation with him about his going to see the defendant at the jail he told me he was going to the jail to see a cousin of his they were trying to implicate in the HAYNES murder case; I first told this last night; I was subpenaed [sic] in fifteen minutes."

Sheriff HUGHES testified: "Mrs. Annie EDWARDS did not pick out any of the jail officals as Dick EDWARDS I was there when Mrs. WILLIAMS came to the jail; the first thing she did she asked EDWARDS to stand up; she said while she could not positively identify him, that there was a striking resemblance; the defndant [sic] was not in any way pointed out to her; I know Joe PARROTT; I never heard his initials if he has any; Young WOOLSEY came with Mrs. WILLIAMS."

E. REGINSBERGER testified: "Lived in Denison for over eight years; was in Denison the night of the murders; lived next door to the HAWLEYS; was there the night of the killing of Miss Teen; saw a man shoot twice into the house by the light from the window; I have seen the defendant standing up; he compares well with the man I saw shoot into the window; it was night and I could not recognize him clearly, but the man who shot had on a slouch hat and dark clothes; I had been asleep; was awakened by cries of distress and looked out of my bed room window; could see what it was from there and went into the parlor; while looking saw a man coming toward the north window of HAWLEY House; when he got to the window saw him raise his arm, saw a flash and heard a shot; he was standing in the light of the window; was about twenty-five feet away; after he fired the first shot he went off to the other window and fired again; this is the first time I ever testified; the man I was was a white man; his mustache looked dark; think the killing occurred between 3 and 4 o'clock in the morning; think the man had the pistol in his right hand; was looking through the glass; there was no light in the room I was looking out of."

A. R. WILLIAMS testified: "I can only place having seen Dick EDWARDS about twice in Denison; did not see any other many; It was not far from the 20th of May when I saw EDWARDS.

The state closed and the defense called Joe JEWETT back; He testified "The first time I knew defendant's name was two or three days after the killing; I had seen him for the prior eight days."

Mrs Missouri A. SPEARS testified: "I have not been able to come before; I was sick; Tom SPEARS is my son; I had a son named Ed. It has been about eleven years since I was him; I was living in Denison in the fall of 1891, and also in 1892; have known Mrs. Dick EDWARDS since October, 1891; she lived with me and my son; she has lived at Tom's; from October, 1891, until now she has lived either with myself or Tom; had not seen defendant since June, 1892, until I saw him in prison; saw him the first time in Denison June 6, 1892; he was at my house several times; lived about two blocks from Tom's house; he left Denison on Sunday June 12; the first time I saw him it was about 5 p.m; have seen him in prison; this is not my son, Ed SPEARS; I don't know where Ed is; the last time I heard of Ed he was in Northern Missouri; I don't remember the day of the month I went to Whitewright from which place I returned home on June 6; my son wrote me on June 4 to come home by June 6; Mrs. EDWARDS came to Denison some time in first days of October, 1891; don't remember the date exactly; I had never seen Mrs. Dick EDWARDS before she came to my house; I saw a man with Dick EDWARDS whose name I can't remember; this many did not stay at my house; he ate one or two meals at my house; never saw this man until he came with Dick EDWARDS to my house; can't remember what EDWARDS called him; saw him once at Tom SPEARS'; I told Dick good-bye at my own house; he said he was going away and the balance was going as far as Red river; Mrs. EDWARDS is living at my house now; Dick EDWARDS and his wife are no relations of mine; I knew Dick EDWARDS when he was a small boy at school; he was a friend of my son, Tom; It has been about nineteen or twenty years since I had seen him; Ed SPEARS was 16 or 17 years old the last time I saw him; I first saw Dick EDWARDS in Boone Co., MO; he was going to school at Science Hill academy; I lived there between there and five years; Dick and Tom were about the same age and were school boys together; Dick visited Tom one Christmas; Tom is, I think, about 34 years old; Clarence SPEARS has always lived with me; he was a baby in Missouri; he is 22 years old; Henry is older than Tom and Tom is older than Ed; I don't remember that my husband had any folks in Missouri; I always understood EDWARDS was an orphan boy."

Joe HALIE testified: "Live in Fannin county; Ravenna is my postoffice; lived there for fifteen years. I knew Ed SPEARS in that county about ten years ago. He came to my house and hired me to go with him to Arkansas with some cattle; he went with me. I saw the defendant once before today; it was in jail. I thought I had found Ed SPEARS. To the best of my knowledge and recollection the defendant is Ed SPEARS. The jailer was with me when I saw the defendant. The officer with me did not by word or sign indicate who EDWARDS was."

A deposition was read in which a witness in West Superior, Wis., says he saw defendant continuously from the middle of September, 1892 until the time of his arrest.

The state closed and State's Attorney MAXEY began his argument. He was followed by Mr. CULVER for the defense. Mr. STANDIFER for the state will follow Mr. CULVER. Messrs. J. D WOODS and C. H. SMITH will respectively close for the defense and state

     
     
     
     
     

     

 

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