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September 12, 1895—The Daily Oklahoman—Enid Wave The funeral of Zip Wyatt occurred on Sunday morning about 11 o’clock. It consisted of a spring wagon, the driver, the gravedigger and a little dog trotting along behind. The relatives of the notorious bandit did not claim the body.
Mrs. Pricket, his sister, arrived in the city yesterday morning to claim his effects, such as guns, watch, etc. The sheriff refused to turn the stuff over at the present time.—in fact, he did not have all of Zip’s battery in his possession. Smith of Hennessey holds the Winchester rifle, the Colt revolver is in the jail, but the officers claim they did not find a watch on him
RIFLE THE MAILS
An Ex Attorney Turns train Robber
Al Jennings XE "Al Jennings" and Four Companions
Hold up a Rock Island Train
At Chickasha, I. T.—Rob the Passengers and Mail Car
October 2, 1897—The Daily Oklahoma XE "The Daily Oklahoma" —Chickasha, I. T. Oct. 1—In broad daylight, at noon today Al Jennings XE "Al Jennings" and four companions held up the south bound Rock Island passenger train at a siding between Minco and this place and robbed the passengers and rifled the mail car.
They departed in an easterly direction and had two hours ahead of any pursuit. The passengers and train crew were lined up outside of the train and while part of the gang kept them covered with guns the rest relieved the terror strickened passengers of their valuables. The express car was entered but the outlaws could not force the safe. The mail car was rifled and considerable registered matter taken. At the alarm the conductor of the train threw his gold watch in a coalscuttle. When he was asked for his timepiece he said he had none, but the outlaws knew better and at the point of a revolver he hurriedly produced the watch. The passengers, women and children excepted, were treated very roughly.
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Marshal Frank Cochran XE "Marshal Frank Cochran" received a telegram last evening from Marshal Nagle XE "Marshal Nagle" , to go to Purcell and join Marshal Stowe’s posse in pursuit of the robbers. It was thought the gang would cross the Santa Fe near Lexington last night.
Last night a special train from Guthrie, carrying a posse in charge of Marshals Bill Tilghman XE "Bill Tilghman" and Heck Thomas XE "Heck Thomas" arrived here, were transferred to the Choctaw and taken to Shawnee to intercept the gang.
The gang is the two O’Malley brothers XE "O’Malley brothers" of Shawnee, Franc Axtell XE "Franc Axtell" formerly of this city, Ed and Al Jennings XE "Al Jennings" .
At one time Jennings’s was county attorney of Canadian county and is widely known as a desperate, reckless follow.
The marshal have direct evidence that the Jennings’ gang perpetrated the hold up on the Santa Fe near Edmond and with Uncle Sam on the outlaws trial, they are almost sure to be captures.
REQUISITION FOR MARTIN BROTHERS
The Men Who Are Under A Rested Okmulgee Are Also Wanted In California
February 20, 1905-- The Daily Oklahoman--Sacramento, California--governor party today issued Warren's of requisition upon Judge Lewis Sulzbacker, of the United States court for the Western District of Indian Territory, for the returned to this state of Benjamin Martin and Joseph Martin, Brothers, wanted in San Francisco for embezzlement of a number of watches and jewelry from a jeweler named F. L. Cook.
The men are in custody of the federal authorities at Okmulgee, Indian Territory.
WILL CLYDE MADDOX GET OUT OF THE PEN
Mrs. Hatch, The Ex-Outlaws Mother, Has Hope Of Her Sons Release
September 13, 1905-- The Daily Oklahoman--Mrs. Hatch of Wichita, the mother of Clyde Maddox, the whilom desperado, who was sent to the penitentiary after a career of time, is a visitor in the city. She feels that the recent opinion rendered by a judge of the court of appeals at St. Louis ruling that federal grand jury's in Oklahoma are illegal, will result in the release of her son from the penitentiary. Her son has become both an artist and an artisan during the several years of his penal servitude. In the lobby of the Lee hotel Mrs. Hatch has placed on exhibition a hand painted panel screen--a thing of beauty--that represents the train handiwork of her son.
Mrs. Hatch, with the fond confidence of the mother, believes that her son is innocent of the charge upon which he was convicted and is confident that his wild and lawless disposition has entirely disappeared.
Mrs. Hatch has many warm friends in Oakland the city who, for her sale, hope that peace may be accorded her declining years by the release of her erring son.
DESPERATE GANG
Sheriff Garrison Jailed A Big Big Bunch of Clever Desperate Thieves
The Arcadia Bank Robbery
Is Credited to Them—Robbed a Mississippi Man of $270
Yesterday in a Bunco Game—Englishman Fleeced
November 21, 1905—The Daily Oklahoman—Six men alleged to be members of one of the shrewdest and most desperate criminal bands were bagged in Oklahoma City yesterday by Sheriff G. W. Garrison and his deputies and are now in the county jail awaiting prosecution for a series of crimes of which they are accused.
The sheriff scored a decided coup in capturing the bunch, adding another to the long list of important captures he has made during the first year of his tern as sheriff of Oklahoma County.
Sheriff Garrison has had the gang under surveillance for the past two weeks and had given out the word to his assistants that upon his return from Lansing, where he went to place some convicts in the penitentiary, the round-up of bad ones would be made.
Incidentally it may be mentioned that startling and incredible as the statement may appear, the men arrested were seen several times in close communion with certain members of the city detective force and a boarding house keeper related to the sheriff’s officers that they boasted of having the detectives fixed and laughed at the case with which they were working things in Oklahoma City.
THE PASSING OF THE UNITED STATES MARSHAL
Important Factors in the Development of the Territories
Will Be Removed With the Coming of Statehood
September 23, 1906—The Daily Oklahoman—Muskogee, I. T.—Passing from a federal to a state government, and the election of a sheriff in each county, will mark the final passing of the deputy United States marshals, and remove a class o men who have been important in the development of a lawless wilderness into a country of law and order.
There is not in all the United States a place where a deputy marshal is such an important figure as in Indian Territory. They have ridden the plains and raided the mountain fortresses of the outlaw for over a quarter of a century, and their trail in many instances has been a bloody one. But they have conquered the country, and a criminal is as certain to meet justice in Indian Territory today as any place in the country.
Deputy Marshals begun to ride Indian Territory when the nearest federal courts were at Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Paris, Texas. At that time Indian Territory extended over all of what is now Indian Territory and Oklahoma. It meant a ten days ride for a deputy to get out on the west side and make an arrest or serve a paper and get back to headquarters. And it meant a dangerous ride at that. Those were the days when the Buck gang, the Jennings gang, Cherokee Bill, the Daltons, Ned Christie, Texas Jack and others were flourishing. When a deputy and his posse men rode out of Fort Smith into the territory, neither he nor his friends knew whether he would ever ride back again. Some of them did not. And yet there were deputies who followed this hazardous business in the early days who re still deputy marshals and good ones and will continue in their offices until the government removes them to replace a federal court regime with a state government.
In the early days nearly all of the deputy marshals received their pay in fees. If they had a large number of arrests to their credit and had traveled far, they got a correspondingly large pay check at the end of the month. And there was always plenty for hem to do. One of the fist cases tried when the first court was established in Indian Territory was one wherein the defendant resided in the western part of the territory. When Deputy Marshal Bud Kell made his return from securing service on him the voucher showed that he had to go 170 miles after him. Had he gone to Fort Smith, as had been the practice previous to that. The distance would have been 70 miles farther.
It was in the early days that Paden Tolbert, Hy Thompson, Bud Ledbetter, Bass Reeves and other deputies made reputations for themselves. It might also be added that this was a period of years when outlaws were biting the dust in the struggle that was going on to bring order out of the wilderness and establish law in the bad man’s land. There were also many deputies whose lives paid the price of their intrepid spirit in the service of the government. It might also be added that the government had never in any way rewarded deputy marshals for their hazardous service except with meager salaries.
In the early days a deputy marshal drew per diem and ten cents per mile mileage for bringing in prisoners. He was also allowed a liberal amount to feed his prisoners. The usual procedure was to take out one or two posse men and as fast as a prisoner could be arrested he was handcuffed and turned over to a posse man in camp and remained there until the deputies had worked that section bunching the prisoners as fast as they were arrested They were brought in on horseback. If they were unruly they were fastened on the horses.
Bass Reeves, a Negro deputy now working under Marshal Bennett at Muskogee, commenced working as a deputy out of Paris, Texas; later went to Fort Smith and came to Indian Territory when the court was established here in 1889. He has never been out of the service. He now makes arrests of colored people only. One time Bass Reeves arrested a whole band of Choctaw Indians and took them to Fort Smith. His per diem mileage for this one trip amounted to nearly $2,000. It cost him nearly all that amount to get out of a murder scrape into which he had got just before. He shot a Negro who threw hot grease on his dog.
CRAVENS CAUGHT IN NEW MEXICO
Noted Oklahoma Outlaw Awaits His
Transportation at Estancia
June 21, 1908—The Daily Oklahoman—Guthrie—Governor Haskell is in receipt of information to the effect that the notorious outlaw, Ben Cravens, who terrorized the western part of Oklahoma for years, has been located in Estancia N. M., and will be apprehended and held for extradition. Rewards ere offered for his capture in 1901 and the governor has stated that the same rewards hold good now.
Cravens was in desperado of the “wildest west” type, shooting up saloons, robbing stores and held up postmasters. He murdered five or six men, was in battle with several posses and vanished suddenly when the country became too hot for him.
OUTLAWS WILL BE TRIED TOMORROW
Wickliffe Brothers Who Killed U. S. Marshal Gilstrap Up At Muskogee
March 14, 1909—The Daily Oklahoman—Tahlequah, Oklahoma—The trial of Tom and John Wickliffe for the killing of Deputy United States Marshal Ike Gilstrap several years ago in the Spavinaw hills during a fight between the Wickliffe gang and United States officer, will be held here Monday.
After the killing of Gilstrap the Wickliffe’s scouted for years in the hills of the Cherokee nation. The Night Hawks, a full blood organization of Cherokees, who gave them food and thwarted the efforts of the officer to capture the young outlaws, befriended them. Less than a year ago, the boys gave up to the authorities of Cherokee County.
ACQUIT WICKLIFFE’S AFTER TRIAL AT TAHLEQUAH
Notorious Outlaws Charged With Many Crimes, are Given Liberty
Demonstration by Friends
Alleged slayers of U. S. Marshal Not Clearly Identified is Basis
March 17, 1909—The Daily Oklahoman—Tahlequah—Tom and John Wycliffe, full blood Cherokee Indians and alleged outlaws, who scouted for years in the Cherokee and Spavinaw hills and were charged with taking part in a pitched battle near Caney, Kansas, March 11, 1906, when Deputy United States Marshal Ike Gilstrap was killed were acquitted today in district court of the charge of murder. The defense offered no testimony. After the state rested its case, Judge Pritchett instructed the jury to return a verdict or not guilty on the ground that the state didn’t clearly identify Tom Wycliffe, as a participant in the pitched battle in which Gilstrap was killed.
County Attorney Coppedge of Delaware County, tonight asked that John Wycliffe be released on the same grounds and that the case against him be dismissed.
The result brought a loud demonstration from friends of the Wycliffe who crowded the court room. The young Cherokees were released and are spending the night here with their friends.
The disposal of this case marks the closing chapter upon the last of the outlaws that for years terrorized the southwest. So thoroughly was this country worked up over the depredations fo the Wycliffe boys that whenever a theft or bank robbery was reported, officers at once attributed them to the Wycliffes and immediately the report would spread to that effect when perhaps the outlaws were hundreds of miles away, safely hidden in the Spavinaw hills where they had friends by the score among the Indians.
Time after time United States marshals camped upon the trial of these boys, but without result. There were trails in this country known only to the Wycliffes and with the aid of their friends, it was an impossibility to effect their capture. Not once did the officer feel secure about their capture. Each time that they were surrounded apparently, the daring young outlaws fought their way out often at the expense of a life on the part of officers.
These brothers who were acquitted today, are sons of John Wycliffe, an education Cherokee and for several years a supreme court judge in the Cherokee nation. It was under federal regime that the father and sons were indicted for stealing cattle, and from the day United States officers started down their trail until the surrender of the two brothers to Governor Haskell, shortly after statehood, they led the officers through several states, caused the death of half a dozen men and many to be wounded.
It was after the slaying of United States Marshal Vier near the Wycliffe home one evening about dusk that Marshal Gilstrap, together with a posse of six picked daredevils took up the cause and scoured the mountains for these outlaws. The result was that one evening the posse suddenly came upon the outlaws and the result was the killing of both Gilstrap and one of his trusty men. Although several marshals took up the fight to avenge the death of a brother officer and scoured the mountains for months, they finally gave up the search and went home. It was after the first Oklahoma election that the eldest brother, Charles, was hot and killed from ambush.
Then came a request to governor Haskell from John Wycliffe, father of the boys, that he would surrender the boys if he would assure them a fair trial, which was promised. Then followed the surrender, the indictment and today comes the acquittal that ends the career of the last of Oklahoma’s outlaws.
MADDOX FAILS TO SHOOT AT OFFICERS WITH RIFLES
Threat Of Notorious Outlaw Captured At Pawhuska Is Not Carried Out
February 8, 1910--They Daily Oklahoman--Tulsa, Oklahoma-- Clyde Maddox, a notorious outlaw, who has been sought by officers for several months on the charge of violating his parole from the state prison, was captured in Pawhuska Monday. Before he was arrested Maddox sent word to the sheriff that he would shoot the first man who attempted to her arrest him. When the officers appeared, armed with rifles, Maddox quietly surrendered.
The crime for which Maddox was serving a prison term at the time of his parole was that of fatally cutting a man with a knife during a fight in Oakland city. A few months ago Governor Haskell paroled the outlaw. In a few weeks Maddox again got into trouble. The Governor then revoked his parole.
Maddox announced he would kill at least two men before he was captured. He was in hiding for several weeks. Beleaving his mother was living in Pawhuska, he went there Monday to visit her. She had moved away. Maddox fell in with some old associates and one of them apprised the officers of his presence.
MADDOX PAROLE IS TERMINATED
Former Batman Is Solved Hereby Kay County Officers
Two Are Threatened
One Slew Negro Here And Was Pardoned By President McKinley
January 13, 1910--They Daily Oklahoman-- Guthrie, Oklahoma--Governor Haskell has revoked the parole of Clyde Maddox, the notorious Kay County man-killer, and the sheriff of Kay County with a force of armed assistance has gone it to Oklahoma City after Maddox, who has said that before he is taken back to the penitentiary he will "kill two men."
Maddox was paroled by Governor Haskell March 1908. He was then serving a 12 year sentence for manslaughter in the first degree. The crime for which he was serving sentence was committed in Ponca City in 1898. He knifed a man by the name of Sweeney to death in the saloon. Sweeney was drunk and boasting of his prowess, and took his coat off, flung it on the floor and said: "there's not a man in this saloon good enough to stand on that coat." Maddox with seated quietly on a billiard table, and at the Dare, slipped slowly off, and was on Sweeney like a while, with a knife of murderous size. Sweeney, according to the story told now of the crime, was cut almost to ribbons.
Maddox was in another and prior time sentenced to death for shooting a Negro in Oklahoma City, about 1890. He called the Negro to the door of his cabin and shot him without a word. While Maddox was in jail, the chief witnessed against him, also a Negro, was killed on the streets of Oklahoma City, presumably by friends of Maddox. Maddox probably would have been home, but his mother, Mrs. Hatch, who is still living at Ponca City, made such a strenuous campaign in his behalf, the Governor Bradley of Kentucky intervened personally with President Cleveland and got the sentence commuted to life imprisonment. Later, Mrs. Hatch got President McCann leaked apart and Clyde and 1897. About a year after he was free of the Negro killing, he cut Sweeney to death at Ponca City.
CHRISTIAN BOYS ARE IN MEXICO?
Notorious Outlaws of Oklahoma’s Earlier Days Still at Large
Entrenched in Hills
Desperado Brothers Leader of Gang, Safe From Pursuit.
December 11, 1910—The Daily Oklahoman—Interest has been revived here in the whereabouts of the two Oklahoma outlaws who have resisted capture longer than any other outlaws in this country, Bill and bob Christiana who have been fugitives from justice for fourteen years, and although their capture has been reported many time, they are still at large. Word has been received in Oklahoma City that during a raid on a stronghold of revolutionists in the northwest part of Mexico the two desperadoes were seen.
Persons who claim to have seen the two Oklahoma men say they are the leaders of a band of Mexicans and that their capture without the aid of a small army is next to impossible. They have entrenched themselves in the fastnesses of the hills of the northwestern Mexico, where government is almost unheard of.
The jail delivery that the Christian brothers and Bill Casey effected from the county jail here, July 6, 1906, was daring, and the subsequent killing of Milton Jones, city marshal, one of their most atrocious and cold-blooded crimes in the history of the early days of Oklahoma. Bill Casey was killed in the fight between the citizens and police that followed. The Christians escaped and have successfully eluded all posses sent out for their capture. Bill Casey was killed; it is said by Patrolman Jackson while in the buggy with Bob Christian that they had taken from C. White, now a resident of this city.
Occurred On Sunday
The jail deliver occurred Sunday afternoon, July 6, 1906, at 5 o’clock. M. L. Garber was jailor at the county jail, which occupied the site where the city jail now stands.
Jim and Bill Casey were held in the jail, charged with the murder of City Marshal Farris of Yukon, Oklahoma. Bill and Bob Christian were held for the double charge of horse stealing and murder. The alleged heft of the horses occurred near Tecumseh, Oklahoma. Deputy Sheriff Taylor, when the Christians sent word into Tecumseh that they would kill anyone sent after them, started out to arrest the. As he neared the place where the brother were staying one of them appeared at the door of the house and shot Taylor with a Winchester. They were afterwards captured and brought here to prevent a lynching.
Jim Casey, arrested with his brother in the Chickasha nation, charged with the murder of Marshal Farris of Yukon, Oklahoma, died in the jail here with pneumonia.
M. L. Garber was jailer at the time of the escape of the Christians and the attempted escape of Casey. Revolvers had been smuggled to the men. Garber opened the cells to give the men their supper, when he was covered by their guns and forced to turn over the keys to the cells. Bill Casey, Bill Christian and Bob Christian ran from the jail and south in the alley to Grand avenue. Bob jumped upon the horse of Milton Jones and rode in Broadway to Reno, thence east to the river. Bill Christian and Bill Case when to Broadway and ran into the street and jumped into the buggy driven by White. A woman was in the buggy with White. Both of them were knocked to the ground. Milton Jones, brother of Web Jones, now on the local secret service force, seeing the fight in the buggy ran from in front of the Turf saloon, which occupied the building now occupied by the Postal Telegraph Company.
Battle in Street
Jones did not recognize the two jail breakers, and ordered them to throw up their hands. Bill Casey answered with a shot from his revolver, and Jones fell dead. Patrolman Jackson stationed in Broadway opened fire on the two men, and Casey was killed. A shot from the officer’s gun hit him in the neck which was broken. Bill Christian then drove south to Broadway after his brother and joined him near the Canadian River. Posses searched for the men for months but were unable to find any trace of them.
Julian W. Reeves, a prisoner in the jail at the time of the delivery that resulted in the killing of Milton Jones, was convicted of conspiracy in the delivery. He was sentence to the penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas, and was pardoned by Governor Charles Haskell.
M. L. Garber, jailer at the county jail, was also convicted of negligence of duty and sentenced to a year in the penitentiary.
The crime that lodged the Casey’s in the county jail here was committed in 1895 in Yukon, Oklahoma. The brothers entered the town and in a fight with Farris, killed him. They were chased into the Chickasaw Nation and were captured there. The chase from Yukon into the stronghold of the Casey’s was a running fight all the way. Jim Casey was struck by a bullet which put him out of the fighting. Bill Casey allowed Jim to ride ahead, and he, single-handed, would engage the posse in battle until his brother had time to get a distance in the lead. He would then catch up with his brother and ride with him until the brother would begin to lag. Bill would then fall back and fire on the officers while his brother rode ahead.
The killing of Deputy Sheriff Taylor near Tecumseh by the Christians was also a cold-blooded murder. Taylor was approaching the house in which the brother had taken shelter, when one of them shot him with a Winchester rifle without giving any warning.
CSCPA
August 17, 1922—Daily Oklahoman--An association of cow punchers, said to be the only organization of the kind in America, has been formed in this section of Oklahoma. Its members are the cowboys of other days, or those who were employed in the old Cherokee Strip country prior to 1893 when the Strip was opened to white settlement. Its members are, therefore veterans at the present time, each one with his particular story of the things that happened when it was necessary for the cow puncher to be an Indian fighter also.
Announcement has just been made by Oscar Brewster of Crescent, the secretary of the association, that the buffalo pasture of the 101 Ranch has been made the permanent annual meeting place of the members and that they will meet in their third annual reunion on September 2, 3 and 4 Saturday, Sunday and Monday (LABOR Day) in conjunction with the annual rodeo and Indian camp
Large Membership
The official title of the organization is the Cherokee Strip Cow Punchers; Association. It was organized on September 6, 1920 on “Cow Boy Hill” in the buffalo pasture and at the present time there are 2756 members in good standing. The majority, of course, are living in Oklahoma, but the membership extends also over Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, California, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Oregon and Washington. Every man was a cowpuncher during the time that the Cherokee Strip was a cattleman’s paradise and known in history as one of the greatest cattle domains that ever existed.
The association was organized for the purpose of bringing the veterans together annually, thus promoting a better fraternity among those, who in the distant past, prior to 1893, shared their hardships and were brothers to each other under all conditions. To foster that spirit of fellowship by organization, making it possible in the years remaining to get together a least once annually.” The first roster of the members was secured through many difficulties by he secretary, but it is being re-arranged and added to gradually and in addition the secretary is collecting all available data about the members living and dead and the organization itself, so that he may supply the information to those who may desire it. Naturally this data includes much that is of great historical value.
Men Who Rode The Range
The first two reunions of the association were wonderful meetings, where the members brought their equipment for camping out and told the tales of things that happened and sang the songs that they sang while riding the range prior to ’98. Each night there is a campfire with plenty of barbecued meat and cider on tap, experience meetings that run far into the night with stories of the roundup, brushes with Indians, necktie parties for rustlers and all the memories that are connected with chaps and lariat and spur.
Here assemble the men who have ridden the Chisholm trail, who know Pat Hennessey and Bat Masterson and Jesse Chisholm personally, who visited Abilene and Dodge City and Caldwell when they were wide open border, cowboy towns—the ends of the railroads; who have driven the herds fro Texas to Kansas, cut the wire fences of the persistent homesteaders ad then protected them against Indian attacks—men, who because of their lives in the open are still young men in physique today despite the fact that they are grizzled veterans.
Never Bought A Blanket
“No cowboy ever bought a horse blanket in those days,” was a story told at the campfire. “The Ponca Indians buried their dead on top of the ground and they would place beside the body handsome saddle blankets as well as other equipment for the warrior’s use in the happy hunting ground. I can tell the world now that very few of them ever used a saddle blanket after death, for the cowboys got the all.”
Abe Banta (it’s a wonder that Shorty Gibson, Bill Hart or Tom Mx hasn’t worked that name into the films) of Billings was the first president of the cowpunchers’ association, but Col. Joe Miller of the `0` Ranch has that distinction now, with Oscar Brewster of Crescent continued as secretary-treasurer. And the association has grown to such an extent that it was necessary, last year, to name an executive committee to help out with the work and also a “Ladies” Auxiliary.” The old boys learned the worth of the ladies since the days they “yipped” it across the prairies of the Cherokee Strip. Mrs. “Billy” Fox of Marshall is the president and Mrs. Oscar Brewster of Crescent the secretary and the wives of all the cowboys are eligible to membership.
President Joe Miller has named Ike Clubb of Kaw City, Hugo Milde of Kaw, Link Barr of Dover, George Laing, of Kingfisher and Mont Tate of Oklahoma City as his executive committee. Some of the members who attended last year’s reunion were past 80 years old, having been men of past middle age when the Strip was opened.
Hand the palm to Brewster
Whenever the old cow punchers meet, they invariably call upon Oscar Brewster to cook a few dozen pans of biscuit, for it develops that Brewster was a famous chef in cowboy camps prior to ’93. There never was a cowboy camp that hot biscuits were not served regularly.
“That was because the packages of baking powder put out in those days carried a recipe on the can telling how to make hot biscuit,” says Brewster, “and every fellow that ever cooked in a cowboy cap learned how to make them.”
Brewster claims that he broke the open prairie cooking record, back in ’91, when he cooked three meals daily for from 35 5to 85 men for a period of 21 days, during which Col. George Miller (father of the 101 Ranch boys) was pulling off his annual round up. During that time three wagon loads with the sideboards on, of groceries and provisions were hauled out of Hyunnewell, Kan., (then an outfitting point) to the Millers’ camp.
“In following up the round-up,” said Brewster in telling of this occasion, “it was necessary to move cap each day. We kept a team of horses nearby all the time for this purpose. After breakfast each day we would hook up and pull the wagon to the next location and then I would get the noonday meal. And the never was never late, always on time and we had hot biscuits three times a day. Imagine coking hot biscuits three times a day for 21 days for 85 men.”
A permanent building for the cowboys’ reunion headquarters has been built and there is also an outdoor dining room, thatched with branches of trees, that is comfortable, fine and airy.
PETE TRAXLER IS BOUND FOR MARCH TRIAL AT DURANT
December 6, 1946-- They Daily Oklahoman-- They rolled back the years to a nearer of blazing guns and nationwide manhunt Thursday in a flashback if Pete Traxler's 13 day reign of terror in Oklahoma, as the Southwest’s No.1 outlaw of nine years ago was bound over for District Court trial on a charge of armed robbery. As ironically enough, he will be tried for taking an automobile in which he and his pal, Fred Tindol, were shot with their own guns by two kidnapped hostages, to bring a sudden into a wild splurge witch left a 3000 mi. trail of crime across Oklahoma and Texas.
Tindol was killed in Traxler was left critically wounded and begging for mercy, after Frank tremor, Bryan County farmer, and James Denton, an Asher oilfield pumper, took it upon themselves to deglamorize the two desperadoes who has successfully diluted more than 1000 peace officers after they're a skate from the Texas State penitentiary July 8, 1937. Tremor, lean and angular, with a face set like granite beneath his shining baldhead, took the stand Thursday as the state's key witness in the luminary hearing before seat a Woodward, 86 year old Justice of the peace.
In a laconic drawl, he described the kidnapping and shooting in as matter of fact manner as if he was discussing next year's cotton crop. Friends here said it was the first time he had ever disclosed details of the slaying which brought him national fame.
"It was about seven o'clock in the morning, or there about" he said. They drove in the yard and said they had started fishing, but were about out of gas. I said I didn't have any but a neighbor down the way went to town yesterday and they might get some from him." Kremer said the man drove off and he and his wife got to discussing them. They decided they were the fellows they had read about in the paper. About an hour later, just as he was getting ready to drive Mrs. Trimmer to Pleasant Hill school where she was teaching, his wife said, "well, who ever they are, here they come again." Trimmer said that Traxler and Tindol came walking up the driveway swinging guns. Denton, who had previously been kidnapped, was walking in the middle.
“Pete” stuck his gun in my ribs and said "we ditched our car and have come after yours," Timmer continued.
“I told then my car was not in good shape and was hard to drive so Pete said we'll just take you along to drive it. He said get in. And I got in.”
Trimmer said the man had two pistols a rifle and a shotgun. He said they told him they had robbed a bank and had plenty of money.
Asked if they had threatened him, Trimmer said no, except that Tindol did ask him if he knew how it felt “to have a bullet in me.”
Denton Shot Traxler
“I wasn’t interested I him, “he answered. “I had his gun.”
About then he continued, Denton shot Traxler, and Tindol tried to hit Trimmer with a flashlight.
Trimmer said he shot once and both he and Tindol fell out on the ground. He said Denton also took a shot at Tindol as they fell out.
“Tindol fell on top of me. I got out fro under him and walked around the car. Pete was trying to climb over a fence. I said “Pete you better come back here.” He came back.
“Pete then asked to be taken to a doctor but I said I didn’t have any way to take him. He then asked for a cigarette and I rolled him one and lighted it for him.
“About then a mail carrier came along and I asked him to take Pete to a doctor. He said he was working for the government and didn’t think he ought to do it. We talked it over and agreed he was right. Pretty soon some Negroes came along the pickup truck. We asked them to take Pete to a doctor and they said they would if we would wait until they unloaded some groceries. They came back and got Pete. Denton went with them. I stayed with my car and Tindol’s body.”
Denton Not at Hearing
Mrs. Trimmer also told about the fugitives coming to their farm. She said she remembered Pete had a torn place in his britches of foot-long and flapped when he walked. She said she told them that if they would leave her husband alone she would not tell on them, as she didn't even have a telephone.
"They said maybe we better take you a long, too," she said.
Whereabouts of Denton, the other hostage was not known Thursday but his mother, Mrs. W. M. Denton, who lives near Kingston in Marshall County, was called to tell of the first kidnapping.
She said she heard a noise at the back door and thought it was some boys after milk until she looked out and saw Pete poking a six shooter through the screen.
“I ran up to Mr. Denton and said we better get going in a hurry. Pete yelled in the window that if we did not throw down the keys to the car, he would tear the door down. Mr. Denton didn’t want the door torn down so he threw down the keys.”
Traxler Grins at Query
They then went down and let Pete in she continued.
The witness persisted in answering questions by directing all her remarks to Pete.
"You remember, Pete" she said "sticking that gun and Mr. Denton stomach."
Pete was unable to suppress a grin.
“You remember, Pete, she added again. “You said you had to take somebody with you. I didn’t want you to take Mr. Denton because he had a bad heart. You said you would take James.
“James had just been married. They sent their first night together there at our housel.”
“He Didn’t Like It”
Mrs. Denton said that when pets that the gun and Mr. Denton stomach, Mr. Denton said "be careful with that thing it might go often hurt somebody."
But he wasn't very scared, was he? Asked the defense counsel.
"He didn't like it very well," she replied.
Earlier in the hearing, officers including Joe Everett, Madill sheriff, A. G. Beans deputy sheriff, J. R. McLaughlin, former deputy sheriff, told of the running gun battle near Aylesworth when the fugitives were trapped on a dead-end road, but escaped on foot into the woods, leaving Neil Traxler, Pete’s wife, who had fainted in the car.
Traxler sat through the hearing with a detached attitude. He conferred frequently with defense attorneys. Bill Steer, candidate for the democratic nomination for congress in the last election and Allen McPheron, but showed little change in expression except to break into the wide grin when Mrs. Denton directed remarks at him.
Trial on March Docket
He wore a leather jacket, with a blue shirt open at the collar. He had a fresh Avon haircut, with his thinning hair slicked back with oil.
The states case was prosecuted by Vic Phillips, county attorney, and Louis T. Martin, assistant.
Sam Sullivan, newly elected District Judge, said that Traxler's trial will be set for the March Docket.
After Traxler recovered from his gunshot wounds of nine years ago, he was returned to Texas to complete a 99 year sentence, which last August was released after the Texas criminal Court of Appeals reversed the sentence
He was arrested in Denton October 6 on a warrant from Bryan County after Oklahoma authorities learned of his release from the Texas institution. Although Oklahoma had a hold order on him at the penitentiary, state authorities were not notified of his release. Ivan Kennedy, chief state investigator finally received a tip that Traxler was free and notified Bryan County officials.
ROY ‘PETE” TRAXLER LEGAL FIGHT TO DODGE PRISON
January 8, 1952—The Daily Oklahoman-- Rowley "Pete" Traxler, Batman of the 1930s, lost his fight to stay out of prison Wednesday when the criminal court of appeals denied his petition for rehearing.
Traxler was sentenced to five years for robbing a Bryan County farmer of his car when he was an escaped prisoner from Texas. This conviction was affirmed by the court in December.
The convict won his freedom in Texas and saw reversal of the Oklahoma conviction on rehearing. The court's decision denied the partition and ordered a mandate issued for his imprisonment.
TRAXLER ASKS HIGH COURT REHEARING AND ROBBERY CASE
December 25, 1952-- They Daily Oklahoman-- Roy "Pete" Traxler, Batman of the 1930s, Wednesday asked the criminal court of appeals for a rehearing in his case in which the court upheld a five-year sentence for armed robbery and Bryan County.
The High Court earlier in the month affirmed the five-year sentence given Traxler for robbing a Bryan County farmer of his car when he was an escaped prisoner from Texas.
He won his freedom in Texas and seeks reversal of the Oklahoman case. J. S. brass well, Houston, attorney, filed a petition for rehearing
PRISON TO RELEASE “PETE” TRAXLER
Notorious Bandit Going Free
June 9, 1955—The Daily Oklahoman—Roy “Pete” Traxler, one of the last of the notorious bandits of the 30s, is going free.
Traxler will lead the counts are state penitentiary this week six months it early after serving the minimum time of a five-year sentence he received in 1950 for the robbery of a Bryan County farmer during a wild 13 day reign of terror after he broke out of the Texas state penitentiary.
The Texan was committed to McAllister on March 21, 1953. Under Oklahoma rules, he could have served the sentence in a man among time of two years nine months 21 days which would have made the release date December 11.
However, Governor Gary this week approved a state pardon and parole board recommendation that Traxler be given credit for six-month served in the Bryan County Jail. This brought Traxler's immediate freedom.
Prison gates will swing open as soon as Warden H. C. McLeod receives the official papers.
The Oklahoma charge was an outgrowth of a 1937 break from the Texas prison that touched off a 13 day manhunt for Traxler and other convicts. The Hunt came to an end when Traxler stole the car of a Bryan County farmer, right tremor, only to have the farmer shoot him.
Traxler was returned to Texas, but a series of legal maneuvers secure his freedom and he was found in 1946 working in Denton, Texas.
The gun man was returned to Oklahoma to stand trial for robbing tremor. His first trial ended in a hung jury and he was convicted in 1950.
Now at 46, Traxler is free and prison officials say he is a far different person than the man who made headlines in the late thirties. For in its report, the McAllister classification committee told the partner and parole board the Traxler has "an excellent institutional record and has an exceptional attitude."
TERM FINISHED TRAXLER FREED
Outlaw of 1930’s Leaves McAlester
June 12, 1955—The Daily Oklahoman—Roy “Pete” Traxler, notorious Texas and Oklahoma gunman of the late 1930s, walked out of the Oklahoma penitentiary at McAlester Saturday a free man.
“I don’t intend to come back,” Traxler told prison officials, as he waved aside photographers and said he did not want his picture taken.
Traxler said he intended to visit his mother in Chickasha and then return to Denton, Texas, where he has been offered a job as a plumber.
He’s 47 years Old
Traxler, now 47, was convicted in 1950 or robbing a Bryan County farmer. His five-year sentence was upheld in 1952 by the state criminal court of appeals.
The one time desperado was scheduled for release in December with credit for good time. However, the pardon and parole board recommended that he be given credit for six months spent in the Bryan County jail.
“You won’t see me again,” he declared Saturday. “I’ve turned over a new leaf.”
Traxler was an escape from the Texas state prison when he was captured after the Bryan County robbery but Texas waived jurisdiction.
Once States No. 1
Traxler was named the number one outlaw of the Southwest back in the 1930s when his gun blazed a trail of robberies and kidnappings.
He was serving a life term in the Huntsville, Texas prison when he and another convict staged a sensational escape. They kidnapped a Bryan County farmer and oilfield worker. Their hostages, however, sees to their guns, killed the other convict and seriously wounded Traxler.
When officers arrested Traxler he was working as a plumber's helper at Denton and pointed out he had "reformed and had not been in any trouble during the period."