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chapter nine The SpradleyHaltom Feud sheriff a. j. spradley and editor bill haltom had been sniping at each other for at least a decade by the time of the Hicks murders in 1902. The differences between these two headstrong men stemmed primarily from their political rivalry. Spradley was a confirmed Populist and Haltom a staunch Democrat. But after Spradley established the Plaindealer to compete first with Haltom’s Chronicle and then the Daily Sentinel , those differences became personal. In 1892 James H. Haltom Sr. ran for sheriff against John Rusk in the Democratic Party primary, the winner to face Spradley, who had switched to the Populist Party that year, in the general election. Haltom was likely an uncle of Bill Haltom’s. Meanwhile, Bill Haltom was running for reelection as justice of the peace for Precinct 1. Neither Haltom won, since the Populists swept nearly all the county positions.1 When Spradley took to populism, he did so with a fervor that for all intents and purposes outlasted the movement itself. He attended the county convention held on Saturday, June 11, 1892, at the courthouse. Spradley had a letter published in the Nacogdoches Star-News, a competing weekly to Haltom’s Chronicle. The letter, under the headline “An Explanation,” succinctly outlined why the sheriff, after ten years as an elected Democrat, was switching parties: I have long since recognized the depressed condition of the laboring people, and hearing their meritorious demands and seemingly no relief promised from either of the old parties I had fully and deliberately promised my undivided support to the people’s party. There has been a rumor originated from some source I know not, and on last Saturday, a report came to me that the People’s Party regarded me as a traitor and a wolf in sheep’s clothing, smarting with indignation and a spirit of revenge I announced that I would not support their party longer but would support the Democratic ticket, but after I had walked into the trap, I saw that it 78 } A Murder, a Manhunt, a Trial, and an Execution was a deep laid scheme for me to renounce the people’s party, and when I saw the trick it has bound me to the people’s party stronger than the strength of a thousand chains. I am far from wanting to stir up discord among the people, but we have a great battle to fight in defense of our homes. We have against us the combined capital of the county, and the lawyer, the doctor and even the school teachers their burden is light and their wages good. It behooves us people to rally together and help each other fight the battle. Stand as brothers and let the party bury its dead. There must be discipline in all successful battles. We must have it in ours, and on the first Tuesday in November the lightning will flash and the thunder will roar and there will be one grand march to the ballot box. The battle will be fought and our victory won. a. j. spradley 2 The editor of the Star-News, a Democrat by the name of T. J. Carraway , felt compelled to respond. After all, the county’s leading vote getter for the past decade was joining the breakaway movement, which was actively courting black votes, and had even named five black delegates to the county convention—anathema to most white Democrats. He wrote, in part: Never in the history of our country has the democratic party been in the presence of such danger as confronts us. Wrestlessness [sic], bitterness, all the evils incident to class prejudice stand out as danger signals, warning us to be careful how we proceed and to be fair in all we do. Many of our best citizens are leaving the democratic party and enlisting themselves in the third party. Everything that increases or intensifies the bitterness of disappointment adds strength to the class prejudice that is causing so much turbulence in our ranks. Let white-winged peace widen the halo of sweet contentment.3 Just above Spradley’s announcement that he was sticking with the People’s Party in 1892 was a notice that the executive committee of the Nacogdoches County Democratic Party for the next two years had been elected at the county convention. The minutes were recorded by Bill Haltom , secretary. Haltom dismissed the notion that local black voters would levitate to the People’s Party, writing...

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