CAWTHON, WALTER
AWFUL TRIPLE MURDER
W. P. Cawthon Kills Wife, Mother-in-Law and Himself.
DIRK AND PISTOL USED
Women Are Terribly Slashed by Cawthon—Little Boy Cut.
Burial at Murphy.
Plano Star Courier October 13, 1904, p 1
A triple tragedy, the horror of which probably has never been equaled in the annals of this section, was enacted about three miles a little south of east of Plano about four o’clock last evening. A phone message came to Grady Kennedy, constable of this precinct, at five o’clock announcing that a blind man had killed his wife, mother-in-law and then himself. Mr. Kennedy quickly got a horse and boggy in readiness and invited the writer to join him. In a few minutes we reached the scene which was at the old Joe Skelton place on Beck branch. W. P. Cawthon had slashed his wife and mother-in-law to death with a dirk and then placed a 45 Smith & Wesson revolver to his own temple and ended his existence. As near as the writer could glean the facts are about as follows:
Cawthon had been losing his eyesight for several years perhaps until about a year or two ago he became totally blind. In the meantime domestic trouble ensued. They had been living near Sachse until about six weeks ago when Mrs. Cawthon came to her mother’s place, Mrs. Jane Skelton. Her blind husband then went to his sister’s home somewhere in East Texas. Yesterday he was noticed in Wylie, being led by a boy about 12 or 14 years of age, his nephew. He boarded the Cotton Belt, west bound, at Wylie and got off at Murphy last evening. He evidently made his way by the boy’s aid to the Skelton home. The boy said that he called his wife to him and asked her if she would live with him when she promptly answered no. He at once caught her, drew his dirk and began to slash her. The aged and wrinkled mother attempted to rescue her daughter from the cruel knife, when he grabbed her and slashed her to death. This all happened on the north side of the house at the back porch, near which, in the backyard between the porch and smoke-house, the two women lay side by side drenched in their own blood. The knife had been plunged into their sides, slashed across limbs and faces, presenting a horrible, sickening scene. After Cawthon had completed his murderous act he walked either around or through the house to a point a few yards southeast of the house where he evidently sat down on the grass, stuck his dirk in the ground beside him and pulled out a 45 Smith & Wesson revolver and sent a bullet into his right temple. It was this sight that was witnessed by Constable Kennedy and the writer as the shadows of eve were gathering around the Skelton home made desolate by the hand of murder and suicide. A large number of near neighbors gathered and under direction of Mr. Kennedy they bravely set about to wash the victims and lay them out. Esquire Berryman was in Oak Cliff, hence the formal inquest was not held until this morning.
There are five children of Mr. and Mrs. Cawthon left—four little boys and a baby girl about six months old.
We are informed that Joe Skelton, the husband of Mrs. Jane Skelton, met a tragic death at the same place many years ago. Mrs. Skelton was 73 years old and Mrs. Cawthon about 31 years of age. Bob Skelton lived with his mother and sister and at the time of the killing was out on the farm at work. He was in great grief when the reporter talked to him. He said the coming of Cawthon was totally unexpected at the time—that he had left instructions for his sister to move some onions to the barn. Mrs. Cawthon’s christian name was Maggie. The four little boys that survive are named Joe, Henry, Tom and Wesley.
Additional news from the scene as we go to press is that when Cawthon grabbed his wife and commenced to cut her one of his boys came out of the house and tried to prevent his father from cutting his mother, when the little fellow received a cut on the arm. He then returned to the house, got the little baby and all six of the children including the little nephew that came with Cawthon, and ran out southeast towards where Bob Skelton was at work, some 200 years away.
It also develops that Cawthon must have come from Titus county about a week ago, as he was seen at Sachse Sunday last.
All three of the bodies will be buried at the old Decatur cemetery at Murphy this afternoon.
There were nineteen cuts on Mrs. Skelton, one of which was down the cheek to corner of mouth thence back toward the lower part of the ear and once across back of neck.
The wife had six cuts, one of which disemboweled her. The bullet that ended Cawthon’s life passed entirely through his head from right to left.
Thus ends three lives in one of the darkest hours ever portrayed by word, pen or brush. Five orphan children are left in a cheerless world with only a memory of an awful crime, innocent, yet unhappy victims. All join in the trust that their little hearts will be the recipients of tenderness and love from all with whom they come in contact.
CAWTHON
FUNERAL SERVICES.
Bodies of Murdered Victims Interred Thursday.
Plano Star Courier October 20, 1904, p 3
The funeral services of Mrs. Skelton and her daughter, who were killed by Cawthon, was conducted by Rev. J. G. Pulliam last Thursday afternoon at the Christian church half mile east of Murphy. There were several hundred people present. The large crowd of intelligent people present indicated the esteem in which the deceased were held.
W. P. Cawthon Kills Wife, Mother-in-Law and Himself.
DIRK AND PISTOL USED
Women Are Terribly Slashed by Cawthon—Little Boy Cut.
Burial at Murphy.
Plano Star Courier October 13, 1904, p 1
A triple tragedy, the horror of which probably has never been equaled in the annals of this section, was enacted about three miles a little south of east of Plano about four o’clock last evening. A phone message came to Grady Kennedy, constable of this precinct, at five o’clock announcing that a blind man had killed his wife, mother-in-law and then himself. Mr. Kennedy quickly got a horse and boggy in readiness and invited the writer to join him. In a few minutes we reached the scene which was at the old Joe Skelton place on Beck branch. W. P. Cawthon had slashed his wife and mother-in-law to death with a dirk and then placed a 45 Smith & Wesson revolver to his own temple and ended his existence. As near as the writer could glean the facts are about as follows:
Cawthon had been losing his eyesight for several years perhaps until about a year or two ago he became totally blind. In the meantime domestic trouble ensued. They had been living near Sachse until about six weeks ago when Mrs. Cawthon came to her mother’s place, Mrs. Jane Skelton. Her blind husband then went to his sister’s home somewhere in East Texas. Yesterday he was noticed in Wylie, being led by a boy about 12 or 14 years of age, his nephew. He boarded the Cotton Belt, west bound, at Wylie and got off at Murphy last evening. He evidently made his way by the boy’s aid to the Skelton home. The boy said that he called his wife to him and asked her if she would live with him when she promptly answered no. He at once caught her, drew his dirk and began to slash her. The aged and wrinkled mother attempted to rescue her daughter from the cruel knife, when he grabbed her and slashed her to death. This all happened on the north side of the house at the back porch, near which, in the backyard between the porch and smoke-house, the two women lay side by side drenched in their own blood. The knife had been plunged into their sides, slashed across limbs and faces, presenting a horrible, sickening scene. After Cawthon had completed his murderous act he walked either around or through the house to a point a few yards southeast of the house where he evidently sat down on the grass, stuck his dirk in the ground beside him and pulled out a 45 Smith & Wesson revolver and sent a bullet into his right temple. It was this sight that was witnessed by Constable Kennedy and the writer as the shadows of eve were gathering around the Skelton home made desolate by the hand of murder and suicide. A large number of near neighbors gathered and under direction of Mr. Kennedy they bravely set about to wash the victims and lay them out. Esquire Berryman was in Oak Cliff, hence the formal inquest was not held until this morning.
There are five children of Mr. and Mrs. Cawthon left—four little boys and a baby girl about six months old.
We are informed that Joe Skelton, the husband of Mrs. Jane Skelton, met a tragic death at the same place many years ago. Mrs. Skelton was 73 years old and Mrs. Cawthon about 31 years of age. Bob Skelton lived with his mother and sister and at the time of the killing was out on the farm at work. He was in great grief when the reporter talked to him. He said the coming of Cawthon was totally unexpected at the time—that he had left instructions for his sister to move some onions to the barn. Mrs. Cawthon’s christian name was Maggie. The four little boys that survive are named Joe, Henry, Tom and Wesley.
Additional news from the scene as we go to press is that when Cawthon grabbed his wife and commenced to cut her one of his boys came out of the house and tried to prevent his father from cutting his mother, when the little fellow received a cut on the arm. He then returned to the house, got the little baby and all six of the children including the little nephew that came with Cawthon, and ran out southeast towards where Bob Skelton was at work, some 200 years away.
It also develops that Cawthon must have come from Titus county about a week ago, as he was seen at Sachse Sunday last.
All three of the bodies will be buried at the old Decatur cemetery at Murphy this afternoon.
There were nineteen cuts on Mrs. Skelton, one of which was down the cheek to corner of mouth thence back toward the lower part of the ear and once across back of neck.
The wife had six cuts, one of which disemboweled her. The bullet that ended Cawthon’s life passed entirely through his head from right to left.
Thus ends three lives in one of the darkest hours ever portrayed by word, pen or brush. Five orphan children are left in a cheerless world with only a memory of an awful crime, innocent, yet unhappy victims. All join in the trust that their little hearts will be the recipients of tenderness and love from all with whom they come in contact.
CAWTHON
FUNERAL SERVICES.
Bodies of Murdered Victims Interred Thursday.
Plano Star Courier October 20, 1904, p 3
The funeral services of Mrs. Skelton and her daughter, who were killed by Cawthon, was conducted by Rev. J. G. Pulliam last Thursday afternoon at the Christian church half mile east of Murphy. There were several hundred people present. The large crowd of intelligent people present indicated the esteem in which the deceased were held.
