Falls County Newspaper Articles

From The Evening News, Maria Texas, Presented by Shauna Williams
August 11, 1899
Swallowed Morphine Tablets
Marlin, Tex., Aug. 11-Lalia, the little 4-year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Powers, residing on the Powers ranch, in the northern portion of the county, was buried in marlin cemetery. Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock, the child's death being produced by taking morphine. On Monday morning she, in some way, got a number of the tablets of the drug, swallowing several of them. She slept quite a while after taking them, and was finally aroused, but was stupefied and complained of feeling badly. Members of the family became suspicious of her unusual condition, and late in the evening medical aid was called. The child said she had eaten some of the tablets, and when asked how many said, "half a dozen." All remedies that could be obtained in the country were applied, but the physician could see very little was being accomplished. The child was then brought to Marlin, gradually sinking. The physician and father of the little one reached Marlin about 10 o'clock, and she died at 5 o'clock Tuesday morning.

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Submitted by Glynda Cumby and Cory Collins

T. J. Kemper, one Mr. Capers, and two boys were standing in Kemper's wagon yard when 3 Negroes, Felix Chatman, Jim Henry and Henry bell, ran from behind the iron house in the yard accusing someone of throwing a rock which hit Jim Henry. After an exchange of words & fist blows, Chatman obtained a 2 foot long stick from one of his companions and hit Kemper in the head with it. Kemper was left almost totally paralyzed and lying at the point of death.  Kemper was described as a peacable (sic), law-abiding man recognized as a friend to almost every man who knew him.

 The three assailants were in Marlin, Falls, Texas on Monday a.m., then transferred to Waco at 3:00 p.m. the same day in order to avoid a threatening lynch mob."

Note from Glynda - Working on family genealogy, a newspaper article has been uncovered. It does not have a date on it and we THINK, but are not sure that it came from a Marlin newspaper. It is about my great uncle, Thomas Jefferson Kemper, Jr.. The article does not say, and we do not know, if Kemper died as a result of this incident. We DO know he died in April of 1939 and is buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Marlin.  If you have additional information please contact Glynda.