Charged With Killing Kirk
Dallas Times Herald
17 February 1894
CHARGED WITH KILLING KIRK
An Arrest Made For a Crime Eleven Years Old
W. F. ANDERSON IN DALLAS JAIL
A SKELETON WITH A BULLET IN THE SKULL
Sheriff Cabell In Possession of Important Testimony, Including the Confession of an Alleged Eye Witness to the Old Crime.
Sheriff Ben Cabell and his subordinates have made an arrest that is considered by himself and others as an unusually important capture and one that may lead to the clearing up of the mystery surrounding an old crime.
In 1883, Henry Kirk, whose relatives now reside near Forney, was employed on the old Bagley farm near Mesquite. One evening, he left the farm in company with one W. F. Anderson, also a young farm hand. Anderson returned; Kirk was never seen again. His friends searched high and low for the missing man without success. Time quieted their anxiety and interest in the mysterious disappearance finally died out. Seven or eight years ago, W. F. Anderson moved away from the Mesquite neighborhood. Strange as it may seem, Anderson had always managed to divert suspicion from himself, and it was generally believed that Henry Kirk, actuated by some strange impulse, had fled the country.
A month ago, on the old Bagley farm, in a deep thicket, a skeleton was found. The skull had been perforated by a bullet, and within the skull, the leaden missile was found. It was identified as the skeleton of Henry Kirk, the unfortunate farmer, who had been lured to death ten years ago. Sheriff Cabell took the case in hand and received a telegram from the sheriff of Miller county, Arkansas, saying that Anderson was in jail in that county and to “come and get him.”
The sheriff has gathered a mass of evidence which he believes fastens the crime upon Anderson. It is claimed that Anderson shot Kirk to death in the thicket on the night they were last seen together in 1883, and the next morning procured a grubbing hoe, excavated a shallow grave in the underbrush and laid away the body of his victim. He afterward made away with Kirk’s gold watch and other valuables.
Deputy Sheriff Bob Ellis was sent to Texarkana for the prisoner, and this morning, arrived in Dallas with Anderson, whom he placed in jail. Anderson is about 40 years old, and has been absent from Dallas county most of the time since Kirk was murdered.
Among the testimony in Sheriff Cabell’s possession is the confession of a man who claims to have witnessed the killing of Kirk by Anderson. Sheriff Cabell declines to divulge for publication the name of this witness, for reasons readily apparent.
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An Old Murder
The Austin Weekly Statesman
Thursday, 22 February 1894, Page 3
The Dallas Sheriff Works Up a Murder Committed Ten Years Ago
Special to the Statesman
Dallas, Feb. 16 – Sheriff Ben Cabell today added another capture to the list which is a terror to evil doers, and placed him to the front as one of the most daring and successful officers in the southwest. In 1883 Henry Kirk, whose relatives now reside near Forney, was employed on the old Barley farm near Mesquite. One evening he left the farm in company of one W.F. Anderson, also a young farm hand. Anderson returned, Kirk was never seen again. His friends searched high and low for the missing man without success. Time quieted their anxiety and interest in the mysterious disappearance finally died out seven or eight years ago. W.T. Anderson moved away from the Mesquite neighborhood. Strange as it may seem, Anderson had always been alert to keep suspicion from himself and it was generally thought that Henry Kirk, actuated by some strange impulse, had fled the country. A month ago on the Bagley farm, in a deep thicket, a skeleton was found. The grinning skull had been perforated by a bullet, and within the skull the leaden missile was found. It was the skeleton of Henry Kirk, the unfortunate farmer who had been lured to death 10 years ago. Sheriff Cabell took the case in hand and tonight received a telegram from the sheriff of Mullen county, Arkansas, saying that W.F. Anderson was in jail in that county and to come and get him.
The sheriff has gathered a mass of evidence which he claims fastens the crime upon Anderson beyond the peradventure of a doubt. He was shot to death in the thicket on the night they were last seen together in 1883, and the next morning the murdered secured a grubbing hoe, excavated a shallow grave in the underbrush and laid away the body of his victim. He afterward secured Kirk’s gold watch and other valuables. Armed with the necessary papers an officer will go to Miller county tomorrow night or Monday and return W.F. Anderson to the scene of his crime, and thus the mystery surrounding another of Dallas’ terrible murders has been cleared away.
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An Old Crime Recalled
Fort Worth Daily Gazette
5 June 1894, Page 8
M. F. Anderson on Trial for a Crime Twelve Years Old
Special Dispatch
Dallas, Tex., June 4 – Quite a novel case was called in the criminal district court this morning. In 1882 the little town of Mesquite was thrown into a fever of excitement over the murder of Henry Kirk, an esteemed farmer living within a mile or so of the village. After a vigilant search for the missing man, his body was found in a thicket on the road side. Every effort has been made since that time – twelve years ago – to find some trace of the murderer, and although there have been many suspicioned, nothing reliable has been learned regarding his whereabouts until two months ago, when Joe Badgely, a paralytic, who is rolled about in a chair, requested that he be brought to town, that he had something of importance to communicate. No one paid much attention to his request, but finally he was brought to town. He was carried straight to the officers, and this is the substance of what he told them:
“One night in 1882, twelve years ago, near Mesquite, I saw M.F. Anderson kill Henry Kirk and throw his body in a thicket. The reason I said nothing sooner is because Anderson had threatened to kill me if I mentioned it, and I was mortally afraid of him, but it has preyed upon my mind day and night, and I feel that I cannot die and leave the world in darkness of this most dastardly deed.” Upon the statement of Badgly, the grand jury indicted Anderson, and Sheriff Cabell went to work and soon located him near Texarkana, and arrested him without delay. The case was called in Judge Clint’s court this morning. The day has been spent in procuring a jury, Anderson’s wife and three children are with him.
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Dallas Doings Yesterday
Fort Worth Daily Gazette
Wednesday, 6 June 1894, Page 3
Jury Secured in the Anderson Murder Case
The First Witness Swears Positively That the Defendant Killed Kirk
Special Dispatch
Dallas, Tex., June 5 – A jury has been secured in the M.F. Anderson case and the taking of testimony commenced.
Joe Badgeley, the paralytic, was the first witness. Badgeley testified that one night twelve years ago, he, the defendant and Henry Kirk went ‘possum hunting, near Mesquite; that witness saw Anderson kill Kirk in a thicket, and that the following day witness and Anderson took a grubbing hoe and covered up the body of Kirk, Anderson telling witness not to say anything about the matter.
On cross examination witness said that Anderson lived three years in the neighborhood after the alleged murder, and on several occasions told persons that he (Anderson) killed Kirk.
G.W. Berry and his son and daughter were next placed on the witness stand. They testified that they had lived on the farm on which the murder is alleged to have taken place for the last six years, and that they found human bones in the thicket in which Badgeley says Kirk’s body was buried.
W.F. Rhodes, Thomas Edwards, Gus Lindsey and Squire Woodson also testified to the finding of human bones in the ticket in question.
There are many other witnesses to be examined, but the making out of a case against Anderson so far rests entirely upon the testimony of Badgeley, who claims to have been an eye witness, whose physical condition will be made the most of by the lawyers for the defense. It is understood that they will endeavor to make believe that the witness’ mind is affected by his paralysis.
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End of the Anderson Trial
The Democrat (McKinney, Texas)
Thursday, 14 June 1894, Page 1
Dallas, June 9 – The jury in the murder of Henry Kirk about 14 years ago, returned a verdict of murder in the second degree and assessed Anderson’s punishment at five years in the penitentiary.
