Foul Play Feared
J.J. Cutts Missing

Houston Daily Post
4 December 1896

Forney, Texas, December 2, – The entire town and community is excited by the missing of one of the city’s best citizens, J. J. Cutts. He is a butcher and restaurant keeper. He left yesterday morning to buy some beef cattle. Not coming home last night, his friends went in search of him early this morning. His horse was found about a mile and a half from town, in East Fork bottom. The citizens were notified and posse after posse started in the search, until hundreds of friends were scouring the river bottom in search of him. The saddle had blood on the seat and on the side and in the stirrup. At a late hour this evening the man has not been found. His ring of keys were found near the river bank about a mile and a half above where his horse was found. A 40-foot lariat is missing from the saddle. He had about $90 in money on his person. Great fears are entertained that he has been murdered and robbed.

(Transcribed by Sarah Kelly and Kathy Jennings)