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Cherokee Sentinel
BROUGHT TO TIME
A Rock Island Train Stops At the County seat of ‘L’ County
A CATTLE TRAIN WRECKED
June 17, 1894—The Cherokee Sentinel--Indignant People turn Over a Few Hundred Feet of Track and an Engineer tries to run on the Grade. The bitter fight that has been waging between this city and the Rock Island railroad assumed gigantic out in both directions with flags and the work of tearing up the track commenced in dead earnest. Beginning on Main Street the track was un-jointed and was turned completely over the crowd working south. About 300 yards was thus upturned when a grain was observed coming from the south.
The engineer paid no attention to the signals but rattled along at a lively rate of speed until it reached the town site. The engineer and fireman jumped for their lives. The weight of the engine turned back about 100 years of the track and jumped the track. Cars loaded with cattle were scattered promiscuously on each side of the track. The engineer and fireman and the rest of the crew were immediately placed under arrest and tried before the police judge today. All were released but the engineer and conductor who were each fined $100 and costs. An appeal was taken. proportions yesterday, when the citizens tore up the track and a train was wrecked.
The origin of this fight has been published in these columns many times; but to let the reader judge for himself the merits of the facts in the as we give it again”
The government laid out the town site of Pond Creek, naming it Round Pond and designated it as the county seat. The railroad put in their depot there miles north, where the company owns land, thundered through at the rate of forty miles an hour with instructions to stop here under no circumstances. A bill was then introduced in Congress to compel the railroad company to establish and maintain depots at Round Pond and Enid, which passed with but 3 dissenting votes. Realizing the fact that it would take work to get the bill through the Senate—which is largely composed of railroad kings and attorneys—men were sent to Washington to work for the bill. It passed the Senate by one vote, but with an amendment providing for a county seat election attached. The House refused to concur in the amendment and the matter was placed in the hands of a committee, who failed to agree, and thus the matter stands.
A census of the city was taken, which showed the necessary population and Governor Renfrow accordingly issued his proclamation proclaiming this a city of the fist class and authorizing an organization as such under the name of Pond Creek. Our city council passed an ordinance regulating the speed of trains through the city at 8 miles an hour, and the railroad officials were; notified who in turn ordered the engineers and conductors to pay no attention to signals, but to run through this city with open throttle at all hazards. All attempts to enforce the ordinance proved fruitless sand other methods were employed.
Last Tuesday morning one hundred men were deputized and went to the track for the purpose of stopping the local freight and placing the train crew under arrest. The deputies arranged themselves on the track and a red flag waved. It took the train 47 seconds to cross the city limits.
Yesterday morning a large crowd gathered at the track to flag the train. Someone with a building on a wagon attempted to cross the track but the wagon stuck and the horses were loosened just as the engine struck the wagon and building sending pieces in every direction. The train stopped a mile south of town to take a tangled mass of spokes and boards off the front of the engine. As the train passed the men on the caboose gave the crowd the horselaugh. Suffering humanity could stand the insult no longer and cries of “Tear up the track!” were heard on every side. Men were sent
November 3, 1894—The Cherokee Sentinel--A desperate fight occurred at Tahlequah in the jail between Felix Levy, Chule Starr and Bob Dalton, all of who are under sentence of death. Levy got possession of a razor and made an assault on the other two prisoners, cutting Starr fatally, when he was knocked senseless by Dalton, who used a chair, fracturing Levy’s skull and otherwise injuring hi so he cannot recover.
Jim Cook, brother of the leader of the noted Cook gang of desperadoes, who was under arrest for murder, has made his escape from Tahlequah. While in charge of two guards he made a break for liberty and after giving his captors a severe tussle got free from the guards. Although hampered by a heavy chain locked about his wrist and ankle, he outran the guards and warded off the bullets directed at him.
The capture of the desperadoes responsible for the depredations in the territory cannot much longer be delayed. Marshals are on the trail of the men who committed the Monday night’s robberies and are pressing them closely. Chief Harris of the Cherokee Nation has offered a reward of $500 for the capture of Bill Cook, the gang’s leader, dead or alive. All the light horse guards and all Indian police have been summoned for duty, and all United States Marshals of the territory have been put on the trail. In addition there are the special officers of the railway and express companies, making a total of between five hundred and six hundred men ready to commence concerted action immediately.
Jim Cook, brother of Bill Cook, who has terrorized the territory the last three weeks, is on trial at Tahlequah for the murder of a Cherokee deputy sheriff a year ago. His trial has been set three times and he has cost this nation $10000, as the judicial expenses of attempting to try him.
Deputy Marshal Bouden and posse have come in with two prisoners supposed to belong to the Cook gang. One of the gives his name as Jim Price, and is identified as the man who jumped his bond at Paris, Texas, eight months ago. He was on bond for stealing and jumped his bond a few days before his trial. The other says his name is Don Perry, but it is believed from the description given that he is really Perry Brown and one of the Cooks. John Beck, deputy United States marshal, wired the authorities at Muskogee that five of the Cook gang was arrested at Sapulpa and that the officers are in pursuit of the others. Beck is one of the most reliable men on the force and there is no doubt that the report is true, only two of the parties are known. Cook and French, the two leaders, are not among them.
Eighteen hundred dollars is the price now on the heads of the leaders of the Cook gang. Chief Harris of the Cherokee Nation offers a reward for each of the Cooks. The Pacific Express Company and the Missouri Pacific railroad have offered $500 each for the Cooks and the United States has issued a reward of $500 for each of the leaders, dead or alive. Tuesday began an active campaign to run down the bandits. A special train at noon took a force of officers up the road to their whereabouts, but is understood that they could not get horses and could not get out until supplied. Attorney General Onley wired United States Attorney Jackson at Muskogee Tuesday to see that a competent force of officers was put in the field and the outlaws arrested. Besides murder and robbery the band is interfering with mail service and interstate commerce.
OUTLAWS CAUGHT
The Notorious Shelly Brothers Taken After a Hot Fight
February 9, 1895—The Cherokee Sentinel—Checotah, Ind. Territory—Feb. 4—Sheriff W. F. Lake, of Pawnee County, Oklahoma, and posse, consisting of Deputy Sheriff F. M. Canton and Dr. Bland, of Pawnee, Deputy Marshal Dean Hogan, of Muskogee, Deputy Marshal John McCane and Robert McCane, of Checotah made an important capture of Will and John Shelly, alias Pierce, ten miles east of here yesterday. The shelly brothers, who were held for grand larceny, broke jail at Shawnee September 5 last. When captured they had in their possession several saddles and harness which have been claimed by citizens of Checotah.
They were apprehended in a house owned by Sterling Hood, who knew nothing of their reputation as criminals, and when ordered to surrender they opened fire, wounding Deputy McCane and Dr. Bland slightly. The officers returned the fire, shooting Will Shelly through the legs. Coal oil was procured and the house was set on fire. After about seventy-five shots were fired and seeing that all hope of escape from the flames and the determined officials were gone, the two desperate men surrendered, and were brought to Checotah. Sheriff Lake and his posse will leave here today with his prisoners and will travel overland to Pawnee.