Person:Milton Acree (1)

FROM: Paris [Texas] Morning News, 12 Nov 1911:

A Fatal Tragedy.
Enacted at Old Mill Gin at Clarksville Yesterday.
Milt Achre receives a charge of buckshot in his body fired by Hub Hurt.

A tragedy was enacted between 11 and 12 o'clock yesterday in which Milt Achre was killed by Hub Hurt. The killing occurred at the Old Mill Gin where Achre was employed and a shotgun was used. Achre had been stooping over arranging some bagging and was just raising up when Hurt appeared and without uttering a word leveled his shotgun and fired. The load of buckshot took effect to Achres left side near the back and passed through his body, some of them lodging on the opposite side while others went entirely through and came out. The victim lived four or five mintues after being shot and did not utter a word except to exclaim "O Lordy" After firing the first shot Hurt tried to empty the contents of the second barrel in him but another employee at the gin seized the gun and after a prolonged struggle succeeded in wresting the gun from him. After the shooting Hurt went uptown and surrendered to Sheriff Joe Brackeen and was lodged in jail. The shooting created considerable excitement although it was not entirely unexpected. The dead man had been considered rather wild and had had a great deal of trouble. Those who knew him were expecting him to meet some such fate sooner or later. Two attempts had been made on his life by different persons in the past 2 or 3 weeks and he would have been killed by an old man on the square a week ago if he had not been prevented. Hub Hurt is said to stand fairly well among his acquaintances. Both of the men are about 35 years old and both had families. Hurt was formerly engaged in the restaurant business. The "unwritten law" is said to be the cause of the tragedy. Hurt however made no statement as to the cause of the killing and it is a mere surmise and conjecture among the people as to the cause.

COMMENTS ON THE ABOVE: Hurt, from a wealthy family, had been in trouble with the law several times before. As it later turned out, he and some friends planned to rob the Red River National Bank in Clarksville and, to distract the police, they were going to murder someone at random at the nearby gin. Hurt drew the short straw, went there and killed Acree, and was quickly caught. The robbery, obviously, never took place. Hurt was indicted for murder and bond for $5,000 was posted by his father, brother, and four friends. He failed to appear for trial in June 1912 and the bond was forfeited. Hurt reportedly fled with his wife and two children to Australia, where he spent the rest of his life. (His wife, Becky, was the daughter of Pat Sherry.)

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Red River, Texas, United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   ED 98, p. 166D.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Red River, Texas, United States. 1900 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   ED 107, p. 22A.
3. ↑ Stroud, Martha Sue. Gateway to Texas: History of Red River County. (Austin, Texas: Nortex Press, 1997)
   p. 52.