Early Killings Around La Vernia
Published: 01/01/1937
In 1878 Will Irvin, and George Seekers, fought a duel. Neither one was injured, after each had fired one shot, so their second shot killed them. Will Irvin, had a wife and several children but Seekers, was not married. The argument started over some woman at a dance. Irvin, insulted a lady friend of Seekers. The two men had not been on good terms for some time and Seekers, took a remark of Irvin's as an insult to his lady friend. In August of 1908 George Toms, and Emil Lenz, were killed in the Koepp and Lenz Saloon. A few days before the killing there had been a drunken brawl in the same saloon. Several men beat George Toms, severely and he went home to recover that he might come back and get even. In about a week he had recovered sufficiently to allow him to walk. He carried two pistols with him, and left a shot gun and rifle in the buggy. He took one of his boys with him and left two in the buggy. He then went to the saloon and the fight started. There were several other men in the saloon but they escaped injury. Emil Lenz, and Toms, killed in an exchange of pistol and shotgun shots.
In 1896 Mr. Bundrum, was killed in his store in La Vernia. His store stood where the brick store of Mr. Brause now stands. Mr. Bundrum, lived where the drugstore now stands. In the night sometime after closing time he was called upon at his house by two men wishing to buy some article from his store. He went down to his store and opened the door and invited the men to come in. They stepped in and then told him what they wanted out of the store. As one of the men stepped inside the door, Mr. Bundrum, saw that one of the men had a pistol in one pocket of his coat. He obtained one of the articles which the men wanted but made an excuse of going to the back of the store for the other. He attempted to back out of the store through a rear doorway, but stumbled against the stove pipe. One of the men then rushed to the rear of the store and shot Bundrum as he reached the doorway.
Mr. John Perry, and Mr. Tom Gracian, were old trail drivers. Mr. Gracian's parents had reared a Mexican boy whose parents were dead. When Mr. and Mrs. Gracian, passed away Secunda, the Mexican boy, went to live with Mr. Tom Gracian, and took up the task of being cook.One night some men who worked for Mr. Perry, and Mr. Gracian, were riding up the trail with a herd of cattle. It was dark, stormy night, and the lightning was so bad that they were unable to herd cattle. They sent Charlie Boyd, to get the men on "second relief" to help herd the cattle. When Boyd, rode into camp, he immediately heard someone groaning, and as a flash of lightning came, he recognized Segunda, coming toward him with an ax.
He was able to escape without being killed, and he rode back and told the men that something was wrong in camp. He told them about being attacked. The men left the cattle and rode quickly to camp. They found Mr. Perry, and Mr. Gracian, dead. They also discovered that Segunda, had taken the best horse on the place and left. Jim Perry, and others followed him, but they were unable to track him on account of rain. Mr. King Cade, took the cattle on to Kansas. It was supposed that this Mexican killed those men in hopes of getting some money from them, as they were both fairly well to do. The Mexican was never found.
In 1896 Mr. Bundrum, was killed in his store in La Vernia. His store stood where the brick store of Mr. Brause now stands. Mr. Bundrum, lived where the drugstore now stands. In the night sometime after closing time he was called upon at his house by two men wishing to buy some article from his store. He went down to his store and opened the door and invited the men to come in. They stepped in and then told him what they wanted out of the store. As one of the men stepped inside the door, Mr. Bundrum, saw that one of the men had a pistol in one pocket of his coat. He obtained one of the articles which the men wanted but made an excuse of going to the back of the store for the other. He attempted to back out of the store through a rear doorway, but stumbled against the stove pipe. One of the men then rushed to the rear of the store and shot Bundrum as he reached the doorway.
Mr. John Perry, and Mr. Tom Gracian, were old trail drivers. Mr. Gracian's parents had reared a Mexican boy whose parents were dead. When Mr. and Mrs. Gracian, passed away Secunda, the Mexican boy, went to live with Mr. Tom Gracian, and took up the task of being cook.One night some men who worked for Mr. Perry, and Mr. Gracian, were riding up the trail with a herd of cattle. It was dark, stormy night, and the lightning was so bad that they were unable to herd cattle. They sent Charlie Boyd, to get the men on "second relief" to help herd the cattle. When Boyd, rode into camp, he immediately heard someone groaning, and as a flash of lightning came, he recognized Segunda, coming toward him with an ax.
He was able to escape without being killed, and he rode back and told the men that something was wrong in camp. He told them about being attacked. The men left the cattle and rode quickly to camp. They found Mr. Perry, and Mr. Gracian, dead. They also discovered that Segunda, had taken the best horse on the place and left. Jim Perry, and others followed him, but they were unable to track him on account of rain. Mr. King Cade, took the cattle on to Kansas. It was supposed that this Mexican killed those men in hopes of getting some money from them, as they were both fairly well to do. The Mexican was never found.
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