Letters From The Past Letter from Murah Files to Her Uncle Contributed by Pauline Pierce Milford, Texas, Nov. 11, 1906 Nov the 13 1870/71? Milford Ellis Co Texas Dear Uncle after my respects to you and family I seat my self to let you know the situation of Brack and the two Files boys and a mexican that is living with my husban they are at this time a living in the brush I will tel you for what a bout two years ago there was a set of thieves that kept stealing cattle drove after drove and no one would make eny effort to stop them and Brack and Jack and the Files boys asked others [illegible] stop them and they was hung I do not know whether the boys did the hanging or not but it is suspose that they done it and last thurs night a week ago five men went to Jacks and told him they wanted to search his house he ask them who they was and what they wanted he said the head man said that he was the surif of Ellis County and wanted to search his house for a man and Jack thinking it was John King the surif he told them then they could search they told him to make a lite he did so and set the lite on the mantle piece and step back to the foot of the bed and the went [sic] one white man and 4 megroes and they told him they told him I believe we will take you Jack said I recond not and as these words left Jacks lips they fired an shot him twice and tould him to surrender Jack said I have then they shot him three more time and he fell the last shot and never spoke one of the men felt his pluse and fun tht he was dead and tould the men to run for their lives Jacks wife saw it all Harriett was there but in a nother room and did not see it but got there as the last man was leaving the house the police said that they tried to take Jack and that Jack shot the first gun and the had to kill him but he never moved his pistol from under his pillow nor his gun from the rack they shot him in the hand and through the shies?? and through the head and twice in the body the shot six times but did not hit him but five times Brack sais he will have revengeif he loses his life in the atemp the police 4 while men and 5 negroes are now traveling in the night and searching at the houses and expeing the wiming to cook for them they have not bin here yet but I am looking for them every night but I will not cook for them so help me god let it be as it may I never will cook for no set of murders. Brack told me to write to you as he did not have the chance to do so he wants help and advice in this case fourth with write to me as soon as you get this as it will be uncertain about Brack getting the letter I think there will be somthig done soon if the boys can get men enough to stick to them that has got the sand in their gisard nothing at this time give my love to all Mr Files all so send his love to all your niece /s/ Murah Files I have rote to Tom but I expect the letter has bin taken out of the office I wish you or ben would write to him as the post office is watched up here [Note from Mrs. Pierce: Myran Mitchell Files refers to her brothers Brack (or Brock), Tom, Sam Mitchell. I assume the Jack killed was Andrew Jackson Mitchell. A. J. Mitchell married Susan E. Harris 15 Sept 1870. A sister, Harriett, married James Tarrant.]   Copyright © 2000-2016, Ellis County TXGenWeb. All Rights Reserved. This page was last modified: Thursday, 01-Jul-2021 13:29:39 MDT