Trial for Foster's Murder

E. Junius Foster, Esq. was founder and owner of the Sherman Patriot newspaper until his death in 1863.   Foster published editorials in his newspaper that condemned the Hangings in Gainesville.  He died at the hands of James D Young and two others, in revenge for a statement Foster published applauding the death of Young's father, Col. Young.
In 1865, an indictment was found against James Young, Charles Cox and Newton Chance for the murder of E. Junius Foster. In 1872, Young was indicted and went through the form of a trial and was acquitted. In 1873, Cox was tried, and on the evidence of Young was also acquitted. Chance had taken off to Indian Territory and could not be found until he came back to the area in 1885. He was arrested and placed on trial twenty-three years after the murder of Foster.

The following newspaper articles tell the story of the trial of Newton Chance for the murder of E. Junius Foster.

Date of publication: September 24, 1885, Location of newspaper: District of Columbia, Paper: Critic-Record

Newspaper article in the Dallas Morning News about the twenty-three year old trial for the murder of E. Junius Foster. 

Publication Date: December 02, 1885, Paper: Dallas Morning News, Dallas, Texas

James Young voluntarily testified that he alone did the shooting, and thus exonerated the defendant, Newton Chance.  Years earlier in the Cox trial, Young testified that he and Cox were sitting upon their horses in the road a hundred yards from where the shooting took place and heard the shooting that killed Foster, but did not know who did the shooting. (Kansas City Star, 4 Dec 1885)

Publication Date: December 10, 1885, Newspaper: New York Times

Newton Chance Aquitted

 

Publication Date: December 04, 1885, Paper: Dallas Morning News, Dallas, Texas