Jack County Texas Archives Obituaries.....Russell, John & Abner December 1880 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/txfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Candace (Teal) Gravelle tealtree@comcast.net April 1, 2007, 6:05 pm "The Carroll County Times" Carrollton, Carroll Co., Georgia NEWSPAPER Issue of Friday, DECEMBER 17, 1880 THE KILLING OF JOHN AND ABNER RUSSELL AT POST OAK, TEXAS The following dispatch clipped from the telegraphic columns of the Atlanta Constitution of last Saturday, received here Saturday night, was the subject of general interest among our citizens on Sunday: Jacksboro, Dec. 10 - - - - "At sunset yesterday a party of six men rode up to the store of Russell Bros. at Post Oak, a small town which is two miles north of here, and after purchasing goods amounting to $200. invited Abner Russell outside and on complying he was fired upon and killed. The party returned into the store and shot and severely and probably fatally wounded John Russell. Citizens are in pursuit of the gang." The Russell Bros. referred to are John and Abner Russell, well known to most of our readers, they having been reared in Carroll county near here. Abner had been out west for several years but John who merchandised in Carrollton some four or five years, went out last winter and joined his brother. Mrs. John Russell is a daughter of Mr. W.S. McElfresh of this place and her people looked eagerly Monday for further news of the sad affair. They failed to get any dispatch on Monday, but on Tuesday morning they received two, one having been delayed. One of these dispatches was dated on the 10th and simply confirm the above newspaper dispatch. The other dated on the 13th announced the death of John Russell on the 12th and requesting her people to come out after her immediately. Mr. M.R. Russell and Mr. W.S. McElfresh, in accordance to the above request, left here Thursday morning for the purpose of looking after the interest of the Russell Bros. and bringing Mrs. John Russell and children back to Georgia. This is all the news we have at present of the outrageous murder which has resulted in the death of two estimable young men. We trust the perpetrators of the dastardly deed may be brought to justice and made to suffer for their crime. Any further details we learn will be published. --- NEWSPAPER Issue of Friday, DECEMBER 24, 1880 THE TEXAS TRAGEDY RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF THE RUSSELL BROTHERS Through the kindness of J. G. Garrison of the Henderson Times, in Texas we have received some late copies of the Galveston News containing the only additional information which we have seen in reference to the killing of the Russell brothers at Post Oak in that state. We publish below these dispatches: Jacksboro, Dec. 11 - - - - Full particulars have just been received of the tragedy at Post Oak, a brief account of which was telegraphed yesterday. It is now almost certain that if the ruffians are brought to justice they will have to answer for a double murder, as Dr. Gresham who was in attendance on Mr. John Russell, informs your correspondent that in his opinion, Mr. Russell's wound is mortal. The dastardly deed was evidently premeditated. The men entered the town in two parties of three each, acted under the orders of a tall man wearing a dark overcoat, whom they styled "Bass". Three of the men fired at Mr. John Russell, mortally wounding him. Two men fired at Mr. Abner Russell, killing him instantly. The remaining members of the gang entered an inner room in which was Mrs. Russell, wife of Jno. Russell, and fired at her, but without effect and his unsteady aim spares me the painful duty of chronicling a triple murder. Who the men are, or what their motive was, remains a mystery. That it was not a robbery is evident by the cash drawer remaining untouched. The men styled themselves Jones, Hill, Stewart, Billor and Seymour. All were "stickers" except the one they styled Bass. The Russell brothers came from Carroll County, Georgia about three years ago and it is thought here that the murder is the outcome of an old feud. Jacksboro, Dec. 13 - - - - Mr. John Russell who was mortally wounded on the evening of the 9th inst., at the time his brother was killed for no apparent cause by six men, lingered till last evening, when he died. Sheriff King and party are still in pursuit of the murderers. As this pursuit is one of King's official acts, it is presumed he will make every effort to capture the miscreants. Additional Comments: This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/txfiles/ File size: 4.8 Kb