The Killing of J. A. (Polk) Burris

Killing of Polk Burris
Shot Dead by James H. Guthrie, Who Claims He Acted in Self-Defense
Burris’ Pistol Was on The Ground
After the Killing – Statement of the Accused – Deceased Was Well Known as an Officer
The Killing of J. A. Burris

“Paris, Tex., July 21 – A killing occurred here this morning about 9 o’clock. J. A. (Polk) Burris, one of the best known citizens of Paris and Lamar county was shot to death by Luther H. Guthrie, who fired the fatal shot in defense of his father, John A. Guthrie.

The encounter took place in front of the Guthrie marble yard, which is located on Church street, between Clarksville and Kaufman streets, two blocks from the business center of the city, and the most intense excitement prevailed after the homicide became known.

The cause of the fatal affair was the separation of the deceased and his wife, Laura Burnett Burris, the decree of the court divorcing them dating back to April of last year. The one shot fired entered the left side of the head into the cheekbone just about an inch in front of the ear and went crashing into the man’s brain. The bullet did not come out but lodged possibly behind the right ear as there was a protuberance there.

Immediately after the shooting a large crowd gathered where the body was found lying parallel with the gutter on the west side of the Kentucky livery stable across the street from the marble yard.

The face of the deceased was toward the ground, his head was to the south and surrounding it was a pool of blood. A 45-caliber Colt’s pistol, which is thought to have fallen from his hand was picked up in the gutter and was turned over to Sheriff D. S. Hammond, who now has it in his possession the pistol had six chambers, five of which were filled and the weapon was a very costly one.

The remains of the deceased lay in its position but a short while until the dead wagon arrived and the body was removed to an undertaking establishment where it was prepared for burial and viewed after 2 o’clock by a multitude of people.

Long before it was announced that the body could not be seen before 2 o’clock several hundred persons had wended their way to the place where the deceased lay only to be turned back. For three hours Bonham street leading from the public square past the undertaking establishment was an almost solid mass of humanity and numbers remained in front of the place where the remains was being prepared for the burial to get a gaze as soon s they could be admitted.

The stream of visitors continued from 2 o’clock this afternoon for an hour or two. It is announced late this afternoon that the burial will take place tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock, and that the interment will be under the auspices of the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias at the Evergreen cemetery here.

There were but a few eye witnesses to the affair, none of whom are inclined to talk for publication. The best information obtainable, however, is to the effect that County Tax Collector John T. Bullington and the deceased had arranged to attend a picnic at Chicota today and the two had gone to the Kentucky stables and secured a team. Coming up the street from the south Burris met James Guthrie, and he and Mr. James Guthrie were standing talking when John A. Guthrie drove up to his place of business in a vehicle of his own. As Mr. Guthrie alighted from his buggy several words were exchanged between him and the deceased, the trouble began, a clinch followed and they grappled together for a minute or so, when Luther Guthrie ran out from the marble yard with a pistol in his hand, approached the man who had his father embraced, and reaching across his father’s shoulder placed the deadly weapon at Burris’ head and fired, and he fell instantly to the ground a dead man.

Just south of and on the lot adjoining the marble works, on the corner of Church and Kaufman streets, is the house occupied by Mrs. Burris, the divorced wife of “Polk” Burris, who provides the necessities of life and maintains the four children who came to gladden their once happy home.
To Sheriff Hammond, who called on her after the fatal trouble, she said that she was not an eye witness to eh unfortunate occurrence, and that the first intimation she had of the shooting was when she heard the single shot, hurried to the window and saw the victim, unknown to her, lying in the gutter. She was married to the man whose existence on earth was closed today about twenty years ago at Brownwood, Tex. The four children born to them and who were awarded to her by decree of court are Walter, aged 18, Thomas, 16; Lee, 13, and “Dock,” 11.

“Polk” Burris was the son of Dr. Burris, who resided for a number of years on Blossom prairie, six or eight miles east from here. He was born in Louisiana and no better known citizen resides in Lamar county. His father, who was a highly respected resident, has passed to the great beyond and his mother lives at the old homestead at Blossom Prairie. For a long number of years Burris had been a peace officer in some capacity. While John A. Gose was sheriff of Lamar county in the 70’s the deceased, who was at his death 42 years old, was then a young man, attained some notoriety by resisting the arrest of a party, a relative of his. Sheriff Gose had taken the part in charge on a warrant for some slight alleged offense, and Burris hearing of it, met him in the road with a shotgun and attempted to compel the officer to release the prisoner. Two deputy sheriffs hove in sight and Burris himself was arrested. He went to western Texas, where he has a brother, and was afterward tried and acquitted here. When Capt. W. T. Gunn was elected sheriff to take the place of James Black, who was killed before being sworn into office, Burris was appointed a deputy, in which capacity he served for several years. He resigned his position while Capt. Gunn was still sheriff to be a candidate against him, and eight years ago came within eight votes of being elected sheriff of the county. Three years ago he was chosen constable for the Paris precinct and refused to be a candidate again, preferring to make the race for sheriff against Capt. D. S. Hammond, the present incumbent.
For the past year or two he has been engaged in private detective work and has ferreted out many cases. He was regarded as a fearless officer and was a popular man.

Immediately after the shooting Luther H. Guthrie, his father, J. A. Guthrie, and Mr. J. A. Guthrie’s brother, James Guthrie, were found in Tax Collector Bullington’s office. They were surrounded by Tax Collector Bullington, Ed H. Henley (who is a brother-in-law to Luther H. Guthrie), and other friends. The party remained in the tax collector’s office until complaint was made by Sheriff Hammond before Assistant County Attorney L. L. Hardison, charging Luther H. Guthrie with the murder of the deceased. A few minutes afterwards the party repaired to the office of Sheriff Hammond, and Mr. J. A. Guthrie consented to make a statement. In the presence of the press, he said: “The killing is a very unfortunate affair. That it was justifiable under the circumstances I know there can be no doubt. This morning at about 8:45 o’clock I drove up in front of my marble yard to hitch my horse and buggy at the usual place. As I approached I saw Burris talking in very loud tones to my brother Jim, and as I reached the hitching post I heard him say, “There is the ----- ----- ----- now.” As I alighted from my buggy I asked him what he said and what he wanted with me, and in reply he said: “I will show you what I want, you ----- ----- -----,” and with this he threw his hand to his hip pocket, drew out a large pistol and was in the act of shooting me when I grabbed him around the shoulders and a tussle followed and he bit me on the right cheek. Burris was very desperate and I have no doubt but what he would have taken my life had not my son come to my rescue. My son, who heard the trouble after he saw that Burris was determined to kill me, ran to the back end of our office, secured a pistol and, placing it to the right side of Burris’ head, shot him. The powder burned very badly the right side of my jaw and a portion of my ear, and I can hear but little form my right ear. Burris has been mad at me for some time, for no good reason, I want to say. The trouble was on account of his wife, from whom he has been separated, and a lady for whom I have the greatest respect. She conducts a boarding house across the street from my marble yard and she has several times used my buggy. Burris was very jealous of her and his wrong and unjustifiable opinion has caused this culmination of the affair. He was jealous of any one who showed his former wife common courtesy. About three weeks ago he met me on the street and began about this matter in a manner which indicated that he was mad. I had him to understand that his idea was an erroneous one and that he couldn’t scare me, and we had no trouble. I am sorry that Burris had to be killed, but it had to be done in order to save my life.”

The speaker during the first part of the statement, which was made half an hour after the shooting, displayed some excitement, but as he proceeded he assumed a great deal of calmness.

Luther Guthrie was perfectly cool after the shooting and when asked for a statement had nothing to say further that that he shot Burris to save the life of his father.

The examining trial will be held before County Judge Neathery tomorrow morning, commencing at 10 o’clock. The witnesses subpoenaed in the case are: John Cottin, Pate Sanders, Walter Burris, ----- Grimes, H. B. Birmingham, John Bullington, Will Jones, M. Joseph, J. J. Brents, Joseph Price, A. D. Brooks, Alex Aiken and Robert Smith.”

Dallas Morning News-7/22/1897