Back to Index

Blackwell Morning Tribune

CRAVEN AGAIN

The Notorious Outlaw Paid An Extensive Visit To Tonkawa

People Are Not Elated

Over the Appearance of the Bandit Who Is Wanted for Several Murders in the Territory

October 23, 1902—Blackwell Morning Tribune—Ben ravens, the notorious outlaw, is creating considerable excitement in Tonkawa by his presence there during the last few days.  Several persons who know him personally have seen him and conversed with him.  Cravens, it will be remembered, has about as bad a record as any man outside of the penitentiary.  He is wanted and wanted badly, to finish out an expired term in the penitentiary in Kansas, where he was sent to serve a twenty years’ sentence for highway robber, horse stealing, etc.  After serving three years, he help you the guard with a wooden revolved and made his escape.

            He is now wanted for the murder of a man named Bateman while robbing a store at Red Rock and for the murder of Deputy Sheriff Johnson at the house of a man named Cunningham, while Johnson was trying to arrest him

            Six years ago marshal Lund, Deputy Sheriff Cox and Jack Hunter had a round-up with Cravens and ‘Dynamited Dick” in which Dick was killed and Cravens was wounded.  When he escaped from the penitentiary two other convicts, named Smith and Estele, respectively, were with him in the attempt.  Cravens and Estele got away, but Smith was killed.

            It was thought that Cravens had left the country for good, and his turning up in Tonkawa had been anything but a pleasant surprise to the good people of that town.