Sherman Public Library genealogy files
Sherman Daily Democrat
August 26, 1886
ASSASSINATED
The Cowardly Murder of Joe Akridge
At His House Near the County Line Last Night
News reached the city today of the cruel and cowardly assassination
of Joe Akridge, at his home twenty-seven miles south of the city and just
two miles east of the town Graybill, in Collin county, last night.
The particulars of the bloody affair are, as well as can be gleaned from
the area get information given the reporters, about as follows:
Mr. Akridge, who is a farmer, went out to his stock quarters to
attend to the night feeding, which is his customary duty. He had
been gone but a short time when the loud report of a gun was heard, and
members of the family, going down in a few minutes, found him lying dead
in a pool of his own blood, while near by him lay a badly wounded horse,
which was evidently shot at the same time his master was and with shot
from the same gun. There are wild rumors as to who did the shooting
and it is said that one of the suspected parties is suspiciously absent
from the vicinity. It is also reported that he was fired at some
time ago but ineffectually. The affair has created a great deal of
excitement, as
THE DECEASED
is a man of high social standing in the community, where he was
a substantial citizen at the time of the cruel murder. He was about
forty-five years of age, and had a wife and family consisting of three
or four children. He leaves them well provided for but no thing can
replace the husband, father and citizen that has been forever laid low.
Sheriff Bock of McKinney was on the scene early this morning with a force
of efficient deputies and everyone is satisfied that if the murderer is
any where in this section his apprehension and capture is but a matter
of time.
Sherman Public Library genealogy files
Sherman Daily Democrat
August 27, 1886
PARTICULARS
In Regard to the Killing of Joe Akridge
A New Light Put on the Sad Shooting Affair
In yesterday's issue of the Register thereappeared an account of
a shooting near the town of Gray Bill in Collin county, thirty miles south
of this city. At the time it was stated in the article that the information
at hand being meagre, fuller particulars would be given later. The
Dallas News correspondent at the seat of government in Collin county sends
the following correspondence to his paper last night and it is probably
the most correct statement obtainable.
Blue Ridge, a little village of Collin, twenty miles from here and
thirty miles from Sherman, was fearfully excited over the killing of Joseph
Akridge by his nephew, Ves Johnson, late Wednesday evening. Akridge,
it is said, was riding unarmed along a little lane on his place when shot.
At the first fire his horse was killed, the second taking effect in Akridge's
neck and head. After Akridge had fallen, Johnson fired two more shots
into his prostrate body.
The parties had had trouble some weeks before; and Johnson is said
to have shot at Akridge. Johnson was a tenant on Akridge's farm,
and was seen to take his shotgun and go in the direction taken by Akridge.
At the point where the killing took place, bushes line both sides of the
road. Johnson surrendered to officers, and claims that Akridge drew
or attempted to draw a pistol on him, though when found the dead body still
clasped the riding switch.
He also claims that being informed that Akridge had threatened his
life, and, seeing Akridge pass to the pasture, he armed himself and awaited
the return of Akridge; that when Akridge came up, he asked Akridge if such
threats had been made by him. Upon being answered that they had,
he shot Akridge.
Both were men of family. Johnson lately came from McLennan
county. Akridge was a well known citizen of Collin county, and were
well known both in Sherman and McKinney. The rumor that the killing
took place at Akridge's stock pen arose from the fact that he was on his
way to feed the stock when the murder was committed.
Grayson
County TXGenWeb
