This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: maryachtrh Surnames: Classification: death Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.fisher/7965/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Taken from the Dallas Morning News, 28 March 1892 KILLED BY HIS SON-IN-LAW An Ordinary Hunting Rifle Did The Work The Homicide Seeks the Sheriff and Surrenders Himself - Testimony of the Wife at the Inquest Hillsboro, Texas, March 27 - Shortly before 12 o'clock last night at his home, three miles east of Hillsboro, M. L. Fisher, a well-known citizen of Hill County, was shot and instantly killed by his son-in-law, Thomas W. Mash. The weapon used was an ordinary hunting rifle. The ball entered the left cheek just above the mouth and a little to the left of the nose, passing through to the back of the neck and lodging just under the skin, from which place it was abstracted with an ordinary pocketknife. The ball in its passage broke Fisher's neck, and death was almost instantaneous. After the shooting Mash left his wife alone with the corpse of her father lying face downward in the front yard, some distance from the front door, and went for assistance. Neighbors who had been aroused by Mash at once repaired to the scene of the tragedy and the slayer proceeded to this place and at 2 a.m. today surrendered to Sheriff John P. Cox, saying: "Mr. Cox, I killed old man Fisher and want to surrender. He was coming on me with a knife and I shot him." Sheriff Cox at once locked him up, aroused Justice G. T. Jones and proceeded to the scene of the killing for the purpose of holding an inquest. Upon their arrival they found quite a number of neighbors on hand and lying face downward in the yard, as above states, was the lifeless body of M. L. Fisher. At the time of the shooting there was no one at the place save Fisher. Mr. and Mrs. Mash and some small children of the latter couple. Mrs. Laura Mash, the daughter of the dead man and wife of his slayer, deposed and testified as follows regarding the affair at the inquest over her signature is as follows: "My name is Laura Mash. I am the daughter of M. L. Fisher and the wife of Thomas W. Mash. I live here. Yesterday evening after supper at my house papa was sitting by the fire in my family room and I and my husband were in bed. Papa and my husband were talking over the scripture before we went to bed. Afterward they were talking over a difficulty Tom (meaning her husband) and Mr. Schuyler had had not long since in Hillsboro. Reference was had to my brother, Owen Fisher, having struck Tom in that affair. Tom said he wasn't afraid of any of the stock and Papa daid d-m the stock and some other words passed; I don't remember now. Tom got up in bed and said: "Old man, I don't want to hurt you nor have any fuss with you." At that time Papa got his knife out and went to the bed and Tom grabbed a fun, which was over the bed, and as he did this Papa said "shoot if you want to." Tom said "you know the gun wouldn't shoot, now you put up the knife." I told them to put them up. Then Papa put up his knife in his pocket and Tom put up the gun. Tom then told one of them would have to leave and Papa said he wouldn't, that he was going to stay there tonight. Tom then started to go and Papa said "rather than for you to leave Laura and the children I will go myself." He went out a minute or tow and Tom went out and I heard Papa say he would ride the horse and Tom said he guessed he wouldn't. Tom came in the house and Papa went to the lot. Before he went out he said he would come and get his things, claiming our household effects, etc. Tom said he couldn't according to contract. "Papa didn't find the bridle and saddle and came and asked Tom for them. Tom told him, but asked him not to ride the horse. Papa went and got the horse. He came on with the horse. Some words were said, then I heard the gun and then Tom came and met me. It was dark. I had asked Papa not to ride the horse and not to come in the house. He was coming toward the house. I have seen Papa and he is dead." The News man went to the jail and sought an interview with Mash, but could not see him as the jailer was absent with the keys. From Justice G. T. Jones the following additional particulars were learned: "It was fully 3 o'clock this morning when I arrived there. Fisher had been dead long enough to be rigid. He was lying in the yard on the ground, face downward, dead. There was a small pool of blood near his head. His hands were lying nearly behind him. Parties told me that an open knife had been taken from beneath Fisher's breast. I did not see the knife. His daughter, Mrs. Mash, begged to be permitted to keep it and she was so distressed I did not have the heart to take it from her. From what I can gather it seems that Mash and his wife were using the horse and some of the household effects of Fisher and in consideration of the use of these it was understood that Fisher was to make his home with them. The three were living together at the place of the tragedy. I found that Fisher came to his death from a gunshot would inflicted by his son-in-law, Tom Mash." Continuing Mr. Jones said: "I have known Fisher for a long time and have always like him. He would often come and talk with me. I remember, not long since, Fisher came to me and said that Tom Mash had his house burned and he was trying to raise a little money for him. I gave him a dollar for Mash. The grand jury will re-convene Tuesday and I suppose they will investigate the matter fully." For years past M. L. Fisher, the deceased, has resided in this city and the surrounding country. He has always been highly esteemed by all who knew him. No longer than yesterday both Fisher and Mash were in Hillsboro. Tom Mash is now under bond to answer a charge of assault with intent to murder pending against him in the district court at this place. Ir is alleged that he, while confined in the city caboose recently, beat a Mexican also incarcerated, almost to death and it is out of this that the indictment against him grows. That portion of the testimony of Mrs. Mash which refers to a previous difficulty in Hillsboro between Mash and Schuyler, relates to a trifling affair of some months ago in which Mash claimed that his brother-in-law, Owen Fish, had struck him. It is expected that an application for a habeas corpus hearing for bail will be made by Mash during the coming week, when all the facts will be developed. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.