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White Deer Land Museum

116 S. Cuyler

Pampa, TX 79065

F.P. Greever Is Assassinated

(This article was in McLean News, April 9, 1915.)

The Hon. Frank P. Greever, Judge of the 31st Judicial District, was shot to death at Lefors Friday (April 2) at the noon hour by A.E. Humes, whose residence was in Oklahoma. Five shots were fired at the Judge, four of which took effect and he passed away in a few hours after all that medical skill could offer was done.

The assassin, after his victim had fallen mortally wounded, turned the weapon, a thirty-eight caliber revolver, on himself and pulled the trigger several times, but there was no explosion as there were no more loads in the gun. He hurried to the sheds nearby and reloaded his pistol, taking his own life with a bullet through his brain.

Humes had evidently made the journey to Lefors for the express purpose of killing Judge Greever. He came from Pampa on the mail hack and arrived a few minutes before noon. He went into the Thut hotel and asked where the Judge could be found. Upon being told that he was at the court house but would be up for dinner in a few minutes, Humes took a seat and waited his arrival. He was evidently in the very best of spirits and laughed and joked with the boys in the office. When court adjourned for noon Judge Greever and Henry Thut were the first to leave the court house and as they approached the hotel Humes got up and put on his hat and stepped out on the porch, closing the office door after him. Just as Judge Greever stepped upon the first step leading to the hotel porch, he recognized Humes and spoke, extending his hands. Humes did not answer his salutation but drew his gun and fired, the first bullet going through the judge's coat at the shoulder. Judge Greever threw up his hands and said "don't shoot," but seeing that his appeal was futile he turned and ran towards an auto shed to the southeast of the hotel, Humes pursued and fired four more shots, the last one penetrating his victim's lung. He then turned the weapon upon himself with the result stated.

George Thut, who was in the office of the hotel, upon hearing the first shot, ran for his shotgun, but when he arrived on the scene the assassin had disappeared around the corral. He summoned aid and carried the wounded man into the house and then called physicians, but all efforts to save him were unavailable and he expired about nine-thirty that evening.

Judge Greever was conscious most of the time and talked freely of the affair. He could give no reason for the cowardly attack other than that Humes had had some litigation in his court at Canadian which was unsatisfactory, but he had no idea that he bore him so serious a grudge. Humes was about fifty-five years of age.

The funeral services were held at Miami Sunday afternoon at three o'clock, after which the remains were shipped to Gainsville, Texas, for interment. The Knights of Templar of Canadian, Pampa and Miami as well as members of the Blue Lodge and Royal Arch Masons and Odd Fellows attended the services in separate bodies. A special train left Canadian at 1 p.m. for Miami which carried several hundred friends and admirers of the deceased jurist.

Rev. P.J. Huffman of the Methodist church and Rev. J.M. Whitley conducted the service. Dr. Greever of Gainsville, a brother of the deceased, was present and accompanied the remains to their last resting place.

Judge Greever had tried Humes in a divorce case and the divorce had been granted. Humes had not agreed to the division of property, so he apparently took his revenge on the judge.

Judge Greever, who was born in Tennessee, was widely known all over the Panhandle and his sudden and sad passing brought a pang of sorrow to hundreds of friends who cherished his friendship and acquaintance and admired him for his many splendid traits of character.