[Communicated.]
Field's Store, Nov. 23, 1878. — Dear Sir: As the newspapers generally are teeming with a false report that the shooting of John Binford by G. W. Lynch, at Hockly, (sic) on the 5th inst., was caused by Binford being one of the parties concerned in the Lynch tragedy that happened some time ago, now we the undersigned citizens wish to send you proof to the contrary, and by publishing you will confer a favor. Mr. Lynch, we believe, himself exonerates Binford of having anything to do with burning his house and murdering his family. At any rate the shooting of Binford by him was caused by an old feud. With this we send you statements made by citizens:
I was at major T. D. Binford's house on Thursday, September 12, 1878. I went with the family and such as could go to bury Thos. Binford's little boy. Thomas and John Binford were both sick in bed and could not go to the graveyard. I returned with the family to Maj. Binford's house; took supper with the family. John and Thomas Binford were too sick to come to the table. I left between sundown and dark, about 7 o'clock, and came home. On that very night, before 1 o'clock, Mr. Lynch's house was burned, himself shot and his children murdered.
I know John Binford was not able to go and do the deed, even had he been so disposed. Mrs. Martha A. Abbott.
We the undersigned know that John Binford, on September 12, 1878, as Mrs. Abbott has stated, was sick in bed; we were at Maj. Binford's on that day, and know he, John Binford, was sick in bed.
Mrs. Maria Boulware,
Mrs. Caroline Smith,
Musco Boulware, Sr.,
John G. Chandler.
We, the undersigned citizens of Waller county know the above named signers, and they are good and respected citizens. We know John Binford, and we know him to be a brave, high-minded and honorable man, and we can not believe he had anything to do with the Lynch tragedy; and we know, by general report, that about that time, September 12, 1878, he was down with a spell of sickness. Respectfully: J. J. McConnell, Thos. Ray, G. H. Fisher, W. A. Sorsby, J. M. Pinckney, W. Boulware, Van B. Thornton, J. T. Pollard, J. L. Boulware, E. Springes, J. B. Day, F. M. Giboney, H. Garrett, P. J. Sheffield, T. G. Walllingford, J. B. Stokely, Joseph Attaway, E. Jones, W. L. Hutcherson, R. F. Day, J. P. Sheffield, J. A. Hargrave, W. A. Stokley, John Steel, S. P. Talor, James Ogg, N. Jolly, Dan W. Short, J. H. Killgore, A. G. Dewees, E. F. Harris, J. C. McGaughey.
"Field's Store.", The Galveston Daily News, Tuesday, November 26, 1878, p. 4, col. 4.
University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History