Coryell County Texas Archives News.....Grimes, T. F. & H. A. murdered 1869 ************************************************ 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: Virginia Crilley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00003.html#0000642 November 5, 2007, 12:45 pm Galveston Daily News 1869 Galveston Daily News Thursday Oct 21, 1869 Bloody fight near Waco -- The Military Kill Two Men. [from Coryell County] We have received from the Waco Register [corrected next day:Examiner] an extra dated October 18th giving the particulars of a bloody affray, in which two men were killed by the military. Two brothers names Grimes getting under the influence of liquor this morning and becoming boisterous, the police attempted to arrest them; they resisted, firing upon the police with their six-shooters, wounding Mr. Conyer, a Federal soldier, in the hand. They then mounted their horses and started out of town, taking the Austin road. A squad of Federal soldiers, under Lieut Sands, immediately started in pursuit. They were overtaken about tow miles from town on the Gatesville road. The two Grimes immediately commenced firing at the soldier, five in number, who returned the fire with their carbines, killing both of them instantly. We are informed by responsible parties, who reside in this city, and know the two young men that were killed, that they are of highly respectable parents and have heretofore borne a good character themselves, their father resides on the Leon River in the edge of Coryell County. It is thought that they were on their return home from Kansas where they had been with a drove of beeves. Since writing the above the bodies of the two men killed have arrived and been placed in the courthouse, preparatory to holding a Coroner's inquest. They are about 22 and 25 years of age, respectively. Great excitement still prevails. Galveston Daily News Saturday morning Oct 23, 1869 The Waco Tragedy - The Murder of Thomas and Henry Grimes by the Military The Waco Examiner of the 19th [Oct] publishes another and somewhat different version of this sad affair, from the account given in its extra which was copied by the News. From this last account we learn that Thomas and Henry Grimes visited Waco on the 17th, for the purpose of purchasing a suit of clothes for one of them who was preparing for his wedding. Both had recently returned from the North, where they had been with a drove of beeves [plural of beef], and seemed to have plenty of money. In the exuberance of their mirth and gaiety, natural to the hour and circumstances, they imbibed too much liquor and became somewhat boisterous, but they were persuaded to leave town. They rode off quietly, but a short distance from town one of them fell off his horse. Conyers, a Federal soldier, and acting as one of the city police, then procures a horse and follow them, but the poor drunken boys refuse to be arrested, when Conyers returns for reinforcements. The young men -- the one had fallen having re-mounted his horse--ride on in furious but drunken haste, until they reach the residence of Col George Burney, about one mile from the city, where one of them again falls from his horse and is so drunk that he can scarcely re-mount him; detained here by this accident they are overtaken by Conyers and his reinforcements of Federal Cavalry. The battle commences; the firing is about simultaneous and here, according to the present version of this horrible affair, Conyers is shot in the hand. The Federal soldiers having discharged their pieces, halt to reload, and the two brothers, one with a wounded horse, rode on past Mr. John Burney's house, until they are hid by the brow of the hill, just beyond his house, when the soldiers come dashing on in hot hast after the flying brothers and as soon as they reach the top of the hill and discover the fugitives, they fire upon them and continue firing until the unfortunate brothers are dead and riddled with balls. Such is the latest account of this awful tragedy that has changed in a few hours bridal robes into funeral garments. Additional Comments: Sons of Elmira Susan Farley and Frederick Miller Grimes of Coryell County. Henry A. Grimes (Mar 23, 1848-Oct 18, 1869 Thomas F. Grimes Nov 14, 1843 - Oct 18, 1869 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/coryell/newspapers/grimestf121gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/txfiles/ File size: 4.6 Kb