Misc News--Grayson County, Texas

Contributed by: Phyllis Hill (phill@redrock.net)
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THE DAILY COURIER=3DGAZETTE
McKinney, Collin County, Texas, Thursday Evening, Sept. 10, 1914

FATAL SHOOTING OCCURS EARLY THIS MORNING

Dexter J. Hill Falls Victim to Two Gunshot Wounds at Hands of Dick Rowe--
Dies at 2:12 P.M.
A fatal shooting took place in McKinney at 8 o'clock this morning in
which Dexter J. Hill was so badly wounded that he succumbed to his injuries 
six hours later, passing away at 2:12 o'clock this afternoon. Two 
shots were fired with a shot gun in the hands of Dick Rowe, an unmarried 
young man who lives with his widowed mother and sisters five miles north of
McKinney in the Trinity Community.
Hill, who resided in McKinney, received the contents of the single barreled
pump 12-gauge shot gun. One of the shots took effect in the left arm, midway
between the elbow and the shoulder, almost completely tearing away the flesh 
and muscle from that limb, but not breaking the bone. A part of the same 
load lodged in the left side. The other shot took effect near the spine on 
the left side of the spine, six or seven inches below the shoulder blade. 
This wound penetrated the left lung, exposing it to view and inflicted the 
fatal injury. The shooting occurred diagonally across North Tennessee Street 
from The Daily Courier-Gazette and the Weekly Democrat Gazette office in the 
edge of the yard of one of the buildings of the Blurton boarding house, just 
across the alley north of the Burger Watkins Garage. After the shooting, Rowe
who fired the two shots, turned back towards the public square, handing his 
gun to Joel E. Burger and proceeding on towards the court house where he 
surrendered to deputy Sheriff Sam Welch who immediately locked the prisoner 
up in the county jail. The victim of the shooting fell with piteous groans 
to the ground where he was immediately picked up by several parties and born 
into the Blurton house where his dangerous wounds were dressed by Drs. Ben 
Largent, Todd Largent and J. Knight. The wounded man stated to a reporter of
this paper in answer to an inquiry as to what was the cause of the shooting 
that I don't know. I hate to go this way. No statement was obtained from Rowe
who did the shooting, but it is reported that Hill had been keeping company 
with one of Rowe's sisters, which fact is supposed to have given rise to the 
unfortunate trouble, ending in the terrible tragedy as above indicated.
THE DEAD MAN
Dexter J. Hill, aged about 30, was a native of Benton County, Tennessee. He
was the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Hill of Pollard, Oklahoma. He is survived 
by one sister, Mrs. James Choate of Sayre, Oklahoma, and the following four 
brothers: Elbert R. and Walter Hill, of Celina, this county; Will Hill of 
Broken Bowl (sic) and Add Hill of Wilson, Oklahoma. The two brothers, Elbert
and Walter of Celina, were notified of the shooting and hurried to the side 
of their wounded kinsman and were with him when he breathed his last. The 
other relatives have been notified by telegram, but pending a reply from 
them the time and place of burial have not yet been decided upon. But it is 
expected that the interment will take place in Pecan Grove Cemetery some time
tomorrow. The Sam J. Massie Undertaking establishment prepared the body for 
burial.
SEEMED EAGER TO SURRENDER
Immediately after the shooting Rowe walked up toward the public square and
was seen at times to throw up his hands, signifying that he was ready to 
surrender. He threw his hands up several times while walking to the square 
from the scene of the shooting.

DICK ROWE GIVES BOND

At 4 p.m., this evening Dick Rowe was allowed bond in the sum of $2500. He
gave it easily. At this hour fifty had signed the bond, and probably, the
financial strength of the bond was more than $1,000,000. Hon. R. C. Merritt 
and Hon. W. R. Abernathy have been retained to defend young Rowe.
(Note: Dexter Jonathan Hill was born 21 Apr 1885 in Decatur County, TN. He
was the son of James Washington and Aura Almeda Riggs Hill.  I believe that
Add Hill (James Addison) was living in Willow, Greer Co., OK at this time.)

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