Place of Birth: Corpus Christi, TX
Date of Death: June 26, 1901
Age of Death: 36
Interment source:
Bay View Cemetery Association, Corpus Christi, Texas. Record of Interments
NO HEADSTONE
Provenance: Larry Rettinger
2. Photograph 1 of family home
Provenance: Larry Rettinger
3. Photograph 2 of family home
Provenance: Larry Rettinger
4. News about murder of Mitchell, Obituary and legal action
A HORRIBLE DEED
Cold Blooded Murder of G. M. Mitchell Last Sunday Morning. The people of this community were shocked last Sunday morning early when news was quickly spread over town that G. M. Mitchell, familiarly called “Mortie†Mitchell, was dying; that he had been attacked in the night while asleep at home by an assassin who had shot him in the head and had made his escape.
The particulars of this horrible shooting, obtained a few ________ as follows: Mr. Mitchell was shot in his bed at his home on the _______ two-story building on south bluff about 4:40 o’clock Sunday morning, June 23. The mother and sister, who occupied a room across the hall, were awakened by the reports of the pistol and by fearful screams and groans. The three were the only ones living in the house and the mother and sister rushed into Mr. Mitchell’s room where, as soon as a light could be struck, the mother discovered her son weltering in his own blood from ghastly wounds in his head. The mother’s screams for help soon aroused the neighbors. W. H. Caldwell, who lives on the next lot, and who heard the shots came over as fast as he could and telephoned for Drs. Spohn and Evans, also to the county and city authorities. When the doctors arrived they found Mr. Mitchell had been shot twice with a pistol, one of the balls entering his left check and coming out of his right temple. The other ball, which had entered his left temple, was found in the back part of his head, the skull being badly broken, part of it torn away, his face was terribly powder burnt. Notwithstanding Mr. Mitchell’s fearful wounds, he was able to move his limbs and appeared to be conscious at times for a few minutes, though he could not speak. He was put under the influence of morphine and his wounds dressed as best as possible but, alas He was fatally wounded. Had it not been ________ he would have likely died in a few hours. As it was he lingered until 6:30 o’clock Wednesday __________ breathed his last.
Deputy Sheriff Heirs, Marshal Niland and other officers, including Sheriff D. Odem, of San Patricio county, who happened to be in town en route home from hunting the notorious Cortez, were on hand soon after the shooting, the first named officer bringing bloodhounds to trail up the murderer, but the dogs, owing to the shower that fell that morning or something else, failed to catch his trail. In a few hours, however, three parties were arrested on suspicion, but two of them were turned loose. “Pepe†whose right name is Jose Maria Noguera is still in jail; he will have an examining trial next week. He is about 18 years old and has been working for Mitchell, running his vegetable wagon. The supposition is that the cause of the killing was robbery, and whoever did it must have been well acquainted with the house to have gone up into the room where he did his awful work. Mr. Mitchell, who is said to have been robbed a short time ago of a small amount of money, had on Sunday night when he went to bed hung his pants in the wardrobe, where they were found the next morning with some seven dollars in them, his pocket book with about fifty dollars being also in the wardrobe locked, the key to which he had placed under his __________ it is thought the assassin in hunting for Mitchell’s pants or the key to the wardrobe must have disturbed him, whereupon he commenced to shoot, fearing detection and the consequences from a grapple with such a powerful man in case he woke up. This is the supposition of many, but whether it is correct or not, the cowardly murderer should receive what he justly deserves.
Source: Corpus Christi Caller Weekly, June 28, 1901, p. 4,col. 3
DIED
MITCHELL- In this city, Wednesday morning, June 26, 1901, at 6:30 o’clock, George Mortimer Mitchell, eldest son of Mrs. Nellie Mitchell and the late John B. Mitchell, and who was born in Corpus Christi, Texas on December 15, 1865.
The funeral took place Wednesday evening at 6 o’clock from the family residence, services conducted by Rev. S. E. Chandler. The sorely afflicted family have the sympathies of a host of friends in this city in their hour of great sorrow.
Source: Corpus Christi Caller Weekly, June 28, 1901, p 5, col. 3
Bound Over to the Grand Jury
The examining trial of Jose Noguiera, arrested last week on suspicion of having murdered Mortimer Mitchell, has been going on for several days in Justice Dunn’s court and concluded this evening when he was bound over to the grand jury in the sum of $1,000. Hugh Sutherland, Jr., is representing the defendant, while W. B. McCampbell, the county attorney, has charge of the prosecution. A large crowd was noticed at the court house to-day, when the evidence was being taken down. The testimony of Marshal Niland and E. G. Castleberry, given on Wednesday, was to the effect that the pistol found in defendant’s house had two freshly discharged chambers, the latter witness producing the bullets that entered Mitchell’s head, one of which fitted the chamber of the 38-calibre pistol perfectly, while the other would not, owning to its having been cut in two.
Source: Corpus Christi Caller Weekly, July 5, 1901, p. 5, col. 2
Research by: Msgr. Michael A. Howell
Transcription by: Geraldine D. McGloin, Nueces County Historical Commission
