Chain of events

I guess the best way to start is to use the various sources to try to nail down a chain of events.

1. Rumors persist around Blanco County about the character of Albert Lackey and the nature of his relationship with his teenage daughter (Martha Lackey) and possibly a stepdaughter (Mary). (New York Times article and interviews with my Grandmother: Martha Nicholson Stokes).


2. Al procures a rifle, pistol and a knife, either his own, or of his neighbor a "John Green"(New York Times)


3. At that point, he went to his brother Nathanial Greenberry Lackey's home, killing his wife and then him. He did, however, spare their young child (Addie, age 3).
4. Hearing the gunfire, John Nicholson rode up to his neighbors house. According to my grandmother, realizing what Albert had done, he rode with him for a while attempting to talk him out of what he was doing and to ride with him to Blanco to turn himself in. Albert liked John and wished him no harm.
5. They reach the home of James Stokes, Albert then kills Mr. Stokes and John slips away. John apparently got away in the confusion and would later link up with the posse that was forming to bring in the killer.
6. Albert then returned to his home, there, he killed Fannie Stokes Lackey, wife of his stepson Charles, he also killed his daughter Martha, he attempted to kill his wife Aley but he was out of bullets and she was able to escape.
7. Albert attempted to chase her down, but having run into a nearby creek he lost her in a thicket of trees.
8. At this point Albert cuts his own throat, it is not clear he did this in an effort to kill himself or to make it appear that he had been attacked as well.
9. Some time after this, he caught up with a man named Bundick, who was unaware of what had been occurring. At some point Albert attacks Bundick inflicting serious wounds.
10. Riding on towards Johnson City, he was arrested after one of his own sons (as well as probably John Nicholson) rode in and revealed the crime.
11. Physicians in Johnson City sewed up the cut in Lackey's throat and he was transported to Blanco where he was thrown in the County Jail for the rest of the night.
12. On August 25th, the bodies of the victims were laid to rest in the Sandy Cemetery.
13. On August 26th, with two eyewitnesses and a confession, the people of Blanco County (mostly from Johnson City) decided not to wait for a trial.
14. Shortly after sundown, (about 7:30pm) a large group of men (estimated from 50-80), lead by Albert's stepsons, nephew and brother in law open the jail and take Albert out.
15. He is taken just north of town and hung.
16. Albert was then buried in a unmarked plot northwest of Blanco.