Jack County, Texas
December 23, 1871, Green Lasater left the Lasater Ranch, and started to the country bordering on Schoolhouse Branch, east of the present town of Perrin, and in the southern part of Jack County, to search for missing horses. A.M. Lasater, his brother, intended to accompany him, but was prevented for he had to go cut wood.
When Green Lasater was about two miles east of Perrin, he saw eight Indians moving toward the northwest with a caballada of stolen horses. The Indians were about one-fourth mile away, and apparently saw Lasater, but made no attempt to charge. Green Lasater, who knew the route the Indians usually followed, hurried to the adjoining ranches to recruit a band of citizens. Bill and Tom Riley, Newton Atkinson, George Atkinson, Albert Harrell, and J.R. Keith were soon in their saddles. Since these citizens were at the Atkinson Ranch about noon, Newt. Atkinson suggested they eat dinner, but Green Lasater said, "No, we had better go for the Indians would pass." The Jack County boys hurried to the place the Indians were supposed to be seen, but when the warriors saw the citizens, they turned and ran away. After being pursued about one-half mile, the Indians stopped and stood their ground. The whites then started to run in the other direction. Green Lasater and Bill Riley were nearest to the Indians. Riley was on a poor horse, so Green Lasater tried to cover him in his retreat. In a short time, a savage gun broke Bill Riley's right arm, which later had to be amputated. Shortly afterwards, Riley noticed the reins of Lasater's horse slacken; and when he looked around, the horse jumped forward, and Green Lasater fell from his steed. He was then stripped and scalped by the Indians, who pursued the remaining citizens no further.
Note: Author interviewed: A.M. Lasater, mentioned above; and a brother of Green Lasater; Jim Wood; Mrs. H.G. Taylor; Mrs. Jane Bevers; Mrs. Jerry Hart; E.K. Taylor; Joe Fowler; B.L. Ham; and many other early citizens of Palo Pinto and Jack Co.
The above story is from the book, The West Texas Frontier, by Joseph Carroll McConnell.
J.W. Wilbarger briefly describes Green Lasater's murder in the book, Indian Depredations in Texas.
