El Reno Democrat

A MURDEROUS GANG

November 16, 1893—El Reno Democrat—Pond Creek, O. T.—One of the most fearful tragedies connected with the name of the Cherokee Strip occurred five miles west of Pond Creek Saturday. While Captain Dodd was giving his troops the usual drill, exercise in the morning, Deputy Sheriff Jones of this county, approached the captain with his clothes riddled with bullets and the top of his hat flown off. He said that a Mr. Hendrickson a rancher had come to him and made compliant that certain parties were stealing his and his neighbors’ cattle driving them to Kansas, killing them and returning the beef to the Cherokee town butchers. Hendrickson said he knew the cattle thieves to be cowards and easy to arrest. Sheriff Jones procured warrants, and, accompanied, by Mr. Hendrickson, started for the abode of the thieves. They found two of them in a small cabin. As soon as the outlaws found that the sheriff had warrants for them, they opened fire with Winchesters from the cabin door. Sheriff Jones returned the fire with fatal results, one of the outlaws dropping. The other kept up the fire, shooting Mr. Hendrickson and killing him instantly.

A posse was secured and followed the outlaws into the sand hills. The sheriff says that while there were but two of them at the cabin, he is satisfied that here is a well organized band, that so far has escaped the law and has been very successful in its unlawful business. Up to this hour, the sheriff and his posse have not been heard from. Mr. Hendrickson has a brother living in Medicine Lodge, Kansas, who has been notified of the sad affair.

TOM KING THE NOTED HORSE THIEF IS GONE

December 14, 1893—El Reno Democrat—Last Friday evening Tom King the notorious female horse thief and adventuress found all the doors of the jail open and made her escaped without so much as leaving a race behind her to indicate how she had escaped or in what direction she has gone

Sheriff Jackson and his son, the jailor, left the jail about six o’clock in charge of John Hall the under sheriff, and went to their supper. They returned in about thirty minutes and found on one I the office. The door leading from the office to the jail and through which the fair prisoner escaped, was open, as was also the heavy iron door which leads to the jail proper. They at once made the discovery that the bird had flown. On making inquiry of the prisoners as to what had become of the vanishing Thomas one of them told the jailor that they supposed she was out in the office talking to John Hall. The jailor thought that possible the under sheriff had taken the prison up to see her attorneys. At this moment Hall come in and claimed that he had seen nothing of her. No explanation has been offered as to how the doors of the jail came to e open. There is no doubt but what she was assisted in making her escape, by some one. No blame, however, attaches to the sheriff as he had frequently warned his deputies that she was a slippery prisoner and would escape at the first opportunity.

A courier was at once dispatched to Yukon for blood hounds. They came but refused to follow the slippery dame.

The prevailing opinion is that she was provided with a horse which doubtless was in waiting at some convenient point close by.

All efforts to this time to obtain some clue as to the direction, which she went, have proved unavailing. Judge Burford called in the grand jury this morning and instructed them to make a thorough investigation of all the circumstance attending the escape; adding that it is impossible, or words to that effect, for a woman to escape in this manner without help.

TRAIN ROBBERS CAUGHT

Felix :Young and Nat Silvers Arrested Saturday in El Reno

FELIX YOUNG TRIES TO ESCAPE

But Madsen Shoots and Cripples His Horse.

Charged With Robbing the C. R. I. & P. at Pond Creek.

May 17, 1894—El Reno Democrat—Last Saturday was an exciting day at El Reno. Two men were arrested in this city who are charged with murder and train robbing after an exciting chase in which several shots were exchanged between the officers and the robbers. The officers of the law have been camping on the trail of this gang of outlaws so long over in their strongholds in the northeast corner of the territory that the gang decided to seek another rendezvous where they could elude the officers and plan other raids upon banks, railroad trains or whatever promised the most booty as circumstances might direct. The vigilant officers were not unaware of the plans of the outlaws but were expecting some of the gang over this way every day and had made preparation to give them a war reception. Madsen and Eickhoff, who had been over to the “flat iron” country for several weeks were both at home as they were certain that the marshals had the outlaws routed out of that country as a great many of their sympathizers who have been harboring them are now under arrest and the gang have been compelled to get out of that country.

El Reno’s streets were crowded with people last Saturday. District court was in session and people were here from all corners of the county. Some one recognized Felix Young, a notorious horse and cattle thief, on the street in the the forenoon. A warrant was out for his arrest charging him with robbing the Rock Island train at Pond Creek about six weeks ago. No effort was made to arrest him when his presence was first know in the city for there was know to be some other members of the gang in town or would be in town that day, and it was thought best not to attempt his arrest until the others were spotted.

Some time after noon Nat Silvers, who was also wanted on the same charge was noticed on the street. Silvers is a well known horse trader and jockey who is a familiar figure on the streets of almost every town in the territory, but he is known to the officers as a partner of the Daltons and has been disposing of a great deal of stolen stock. When with the gang he goes under an assumed name but he is now said to be fully identified. Silvers was sentenced to the pen, once from Gainesville, Texas, but got a new hearing and came clear.

Silvers was placed under arrest and Madsen who had been watching Felix Young, immediately started out to arrest him. He found Felix out in the northwest corner of town standing by his horse talking to Obe Hathaway. Madsen walked up in about forty yards of Young when Young discovered who he was and mounted his horse and started to run. Madsen ordered him to stop, but he did not, and Madsen shot at him or at his horse, some five or six times. One shot hit the horse that Young was riding just above the hock and the horse only ran a few yards and fell. Young then jumped off and started to run but by this time several parties had come up, among them Captain Prather who was well mounted. Young ran down to the Negro cabin near by and started in but was soon overtaken and was compelled to surrender. It is not certain whether Young fired a shot or not, some witnesses to the shooting say that he fired two shots at Madsen, while others are equally sure that his gun failed to fire.

Both prisoners were taken to Pond Creek where they will have their preliminary examination this week.

Obe Hathaway and Bob Darnell were also placed under arrest for trying to prevent the arrest of Young and Silvers, but gave bonds and were released.

Silvers had ten or twelve head of horses in his possession, which are now in the possession of the officers. It is not known whether they were stolen or not.

GOOD WORK OF A. H. T. A.

Rock Island Township Burglar Captured After Long Chase

April 8, 1909—The El Reno Democrat--Harry Wagner, a hobo, was given the chase of his life yesterday, and the sprint took him through portions of two counties. Early in the afternoon Harry broke into George Meyer’s residence, west of Okarche and stole a gun and other valuables. The theft was soon discovered and plans were set to working and in a few minutes fifty members of A. H. T. A. of that region were in pursuit of the hiking hobo. The chase led them through fields, among blackjacks and over hills ad through vales, and finally ended in a cornfield east of Kingfisher where the burglar was captured. He was taken to jail, at Kingfisher and tonight he will be brought to this city by Sheriff Chambers and join the motley crowd in Canadian county’s Bastille.

RELIC OF INDIANS’ VICTIMS

Compass Found Where Cheyenne Killed Surveyors

In 1873 the White Horse Band Slew Four Government Engineers in Oklahoma Near the Kansas Line

May 5, 1909—The El Reno Democrat--Woodward, Okla. May 1—Joseph Innis, surveyor of Woodward county, has found the compass that belonged to a party of United States surveyors massacred by Cheyenne Indians on the Cimarron river, near the north line of Woodward county in March 1873.

March 19, 1873, the surveyors were warned by Indians not to move south of the river. Edward Haight, believing that the Indians were preparing to go on the warpath returned to Arkansas City, where citizens who questioned his bravery met him. Haight said that the men he had left behind never would return alive.

Edward Demming, Robert Pool, C. B. Willard, Charles Davis and Thomas Short were just finishing a day’s survey ten miles south of the Kansas state in, when Demming told one of his companions to go to camp, which was near Fort Supply and tell the cook to prepare supper. Demning said he would follow as soon as about fifty chains had been run. The man refused to go without an escort, as he feared the Indians, who had been following the surveyors all day. C. B. Willard volunteered to make the trip and by doing so save his life.

Demming and his companions failed to reach camp and the next morning Willard and two friends began searching for them. Upon reaching the vicinity where the surveyors had been at work, the body of Demming was found, scalped and bearing several bullet wounds. Pool, Davis and Short had been killed close by, but had not been scalped.

While Willard was caring for the bodies the trampling of horses was heard and looking across the river he saw a band of Indians on a high bluff. They were White Horse Cheyenne, and were riding rapidly to a crossing about a mile distant to attach Willard ad his companions. The white men sought refuge in canyons and cave and escaped to the camp near Fort Supply. They continued to Arkansas City, where the government contractor, I. L. Rarlikng, organized a party that went with an escort of soldiers and buried the bodies of the dead surveyors.

MILLER BROTHERS BID FOR FIGHT

Offer Large Purse For Jeffries-Johnson Battle

Will Give Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars As A Purse

To Have the Fight pulled Off at the 101 Ranch

August 26, 1909—The El Reno Democrat—New York, Aug. 21—Bid was received today from Joseph C. Miller, millionaire owner of the 101 Ranch, near Bliss, Okla., for the Jeffries-Johnson fight. He offers a $75,000 purse, the battle to occur in the second week of April 1910, on his hundred thousand acre ranch forty miles from Oklahoma City.

This is midway between the East and the West, ad more convenient for fight fans from both sections.

The three Miller brothers, all millionaires, will join in making up the purse and to prove their offer is bonified, they will post a certified check for $25,000 with any bank the fighters may name, following it with fifty thousand more as soon as the terms are accepted.

DALTON SHOWS PLEASE CROWDS

Raid Reproduction is Very Vivid

Teaches the Lesson That the Wages of Sin is Death and Should be Imbued Upon the Minds of Every Wayward Youth.

September 30. 1909—The El Reno Democrat--The Dalton Raid at Coffeyville, Kansas in 1892 when all the Dalton gang were killed save Emmett Dalton who is the central figure with the moving picture show, was showed last night by the films of the kinetescope and the scenes produced cover incidents in the life of the Daltons from log cabin days until they were killed, or wounded in the bank robbery. The pictures even show the dead Daltons and their accomplices in their coffins the day they were killed and the details of the robbery of two banks are given ultimately.

Mr. Dalton has spent a good deal of money and showed some courage, to go back to Coffeyville the scenes of the carnage to get the pictures and for the film reproducing the raid and he has not yet completed the scenes. Later he will also produce saneness taken in the Lansing penitentiary while he was incarcerated there. The moving film closes with a picture of Mr. And Mrs. Dalton’s beautiful home at Bartlesville, of which both are justly proud.

PASSING OF TOM KING FEMALE HORSE THIEF

Character Well Known In El Reno Dies in California

Broke Jail in This City, While Awaiting Trial and Is Said

To Have Left in Company With a Deputy Sheriff

December 16, 1909—The El Reno Democrat--A correspondent of the Oklahoman tells of the death of “Tom King” in the Chinese quarter of a California town. Tom King’, the horse thief, was a well-known character here in the early days of El Reno. “Tom” was a woman, whose husband was a man named Mundis, a tramp horse trader. Mrs., Mundis dressed as a man and sailed under the name of Tom King. She was arrested here for horse-stealing ad was in jail here for several months waiting trail. One morning it was discovered that “Tom” had left the jail and that a deputy sheriff of this county had also disappeared and the general belief was that they left El Reno together. Certain it is that neither of them ever reappeared in El Reno and no tidings of them have since reached this city until the news came of “Tom” death.

It is said that Mrs. Mundis was the daughter of well to do and highly respected people of Missouri and that she was a graduate of a noted college of that state. Her marriage was unfortunate and she soon took up with the ‘wild bunch’ and traveled the pace that kills. During her last years, among the inhabitants and frequenters of the western Chinatown she was known as the “Chinese Dot.”

MODOCS BACK TO OREGON

After 109 Year of Exile The Tribe is Going Home

Since Captain Jack’s Band Killed Gen. Canby in the Lava Beds They Have Live in Oklahoma

January 20, 1910—The El Reno Democrat—Baxter Springs, Kan., Jan 13—The Modoc Indians in Oklahoma are going home not to the lava beds of California, whence they were taken to the Quapaw Indian reservation nearly forty years ago, but to the Klamath reservation of the Modocs in Oregon, where they will be given lands in exchange for their allotments in Oklahoma. It is a peculiarity of the Modoc that he desires to die on the spot where he was born. The Modocs have been homesick ever since they went to Oklahoma and their return to the northwest is the result of their constant appeal to the authorities in Washington.

The removal of the Modocs to Oklahoma followed their defeat after their bloody campaign against government troops in the lava beds, where Captain Jack commanded them. They assassinated and butchered all except two of the peace commission sent to them by the secretary of war. When the Modocs reached Oklahoma there were thirty-nine men, fifty four women and sixty children, many of whom were sorely wounded. Among them were such notable leaders as Scarfaced Charley, Steamboat Frank and Shacknasty Jim. Their arrival in Baxter Springs is well remembered by old citizens. Age and disease have cut down the Modocs until only sixty remain. Nearly all their old leaders have died.

FIRST TIME OUTLAW HORSE WON

Goldie St. Clair Dangerously Injured In A Philadelphia Arena

April 20, 1911—El Reno Democratic—Philadelphia, April 19—In a battle between a girl and an outlaw horse, which has a record as a man killer, Miss Goldie St. Clair probably fulfilled Colonel Roosevelt’s recent prediction that a “bad horse would finally get her.” The young woman was crushed beneath the bronco after a struggle in the arena of the 101 Ranch Show yesterday afternoon.

Miss St. Clair, who won the ex-president’s praise, last August at Cheyenne, Wyoming, in the Frontier Days contests, when she retained her title as champion “woman bronco buster,” is near death today. The accident appalled hundreds who were seated about the arena at the conclusion of a performance of thrilling feats of horsemanship. Miss St. Clair undertook to ride Roan Mare, known throughout the west as the worst type of man killing outlaw horse. The animal fell on Miss St. Clair, crushing the pommel of the saddle against her head.

OLD DAN FIRE HORSE DIED IN THE HARNESS

Fell After Making Quick Run To West Side Fire

April 20, 1911—The El Reno Democrat--Dan, one of the big black horses that has for years hauled the fire wagon, dropped dead at 6:30 last night, in front of E. W. Burns’ residence at 717 South Miles Avenue, to which place the department had been called by a fire alarm. The fire didn’t amount to anything and the death of Dan was the only loss worth mentioning.

Dan and his mate, Pat, were the coal black team which eight years ago superseded Belle and George as the motive power of the fire wagon at Central station.

The team weighed 3050 pounds, and was considered one of the best in the state. There was a difference of only 10 pounds in the weight of the animals and they were almost perfectly matched in all respects. They were easily worth $600. Their predecessors, Belle and George, were the fire team for ten yeas and won several prizes at fire team contests in the early history of Oklahoma. A year ago George died and last night Bell, after eighteen years’ service in the El Reno fire department, was placed in Dan’s stall and will again help to haul the wagon until a young horse can be procured and trained. It is probably that another team will be bought and hat Pat will be placed on the superannuate list along with Belle.

LAST BANDIT KNOCKED OUT

John Jordan Shot Dead By Sheriffs at Bank Window in Keystone

May 11, 1911—The El Reno Democrat—Tulsa, Okla., May 9—Lon Jordan, one of the last of the bad men of he old Indian Territory days, met a tragic death at 4 o’clock Monday afternoon, while attempting to rob the Keystone State bank. His body Monday night is lying on the porch in front of the bank while a corner’s jury is hearing evidence. A verdict will be rendered until Tuesday morning.

Five bullet holes are visible through the clothing. Of these three plowed their way through his breast while one tore through the hip and another through the fleshy part of the leg.

Saturday C. C. Marshall, sheriff of Pawnee County, was tipped off relative to the proposed hold up. Jordan and Tom Phoenix rode into Keystone, eighteen miles west of Tulsa, and dismounted before the bank building immediately preceding the shooting. Phoenix was next to the frame-up and when Jordan entered the bank he went across the street.

When Jordan commanded H. C. Vineyard, cashier, to shove out the cash, Sheriff Marshall ordered Jordan to hold up his hands. Jordan was armed with two .38 Colts. He whipped out one of these and a volley of shots was exchanged with him and the sheriff. Jordan staggered from the building still defiant. Assistants of the sheriff opened fire and Jordan fell rolling off the elevated porch

ROUGH ON HORSE THIEVES

July 26, 1911—The El Reno Democrat—Arkansas City, Kan., July 19—While the method involving a rope and a convenient tree is no loner in vogue in dealing with horse thieves in this section, the defenders of the sanctity of property rights in “hoss flesh” are still well organized. Several hundreds of farmers and stockmen met here to day in the annual convention of the Anti Horse Thief Association of Kansas and Oklahoma, which represents, it is said, a membership of nearly 50,000. The organization has been so active in dealing with rogues who steal hoses that most of them are in prison and the remainder is plum discouraged and have been forced out of the business. Now and the, however, some horse disappears, and the association never lets up until the animal is found and the thief placed behind the bars. Aside from the main object of the association, it is prominent in social activities of the farmers and stockmen of the southwest. The annual conventions are always big affairs, with entertainments galore and in nearly every community where the association has members there are annual picnics and community gathers held under its auspices. President Taft was invited to attend the convention here today, but was forced to decline.

NOTED CONVICT PLEADS NOT GUILTY

January 4, 1912—The El Reno Democrat—Guthrie, Okla., Jan. 4—Charles Maust, the former Missouri state convict, pleaded not guilty this afternoon when arraigned as Ben Cravens the Oklahoma outlaw, for the murder of Assistant Postmaster Alvin Bateman, at Red Rock, March 18, 1901. When Cravens’ name was called the prisoner paid no heed whatever, not a muscle twitched, nor was there even a blink of any eye. He continued scanning the big crowd in the federal court room, careless until accosted several times by United States Marshal Cade and Deputy John Paul Jones who sat next to him in the prisoner’s box. Walking out in front of the court railing Maust stood without showing expression of any kind while Clerk A. C. Dolde read the indictment. It recited in full the cold-blooded murder of Bateman by Cravens and Bert Welty who is now serving a lifetime at Leavenworth for the crime.

Welty’s mother, Mrs. Ora Welty, of El Reno, sat among the curious in the court room listening intently to the indictment and never taking her eyes from off the prisoner. Several times he caught her eye, but there was no sign of recognition, though Cravens spent several weeks on the Welty farm in 1901 with her son, Bert Welty.

After Dolde finished the indictment Judge Cotteral asked if the prisoner was ready to plead. “He is,” answered his attorney, Al Jennings, the Oklahoma City lawyer, who himself once served a term in the federal prison at Columbus, Ohio, on a train robbery conviction. Cotteral then turned to the prisoner and asked, “Are you guilty or not guilty.”

“Not guilty,” was the answer and they were the only words he spoke while in the court room for an hour in like with the door and within a few feet in the prisoner’s box were Marshal Cade and Deputy Marshal Jack Langston and Dave Haddon. Deputies Jones, Langston and Haddon, with Enforcement Officer Jim Burns of Pawhuska, brought Maust from the federal jail three blocks to the courtroom. He was handcuffed but in no other way was he manacled or restrained.

Following the arraignment of the prisoner John Embry, United States attorney who has charge of the prosecution, called all of the witnesses to meet with him immediately in the grand jury room upstairs. It is semiofficially announced that Bert Welty will be brought here from Leavenworth as a witness against Maust when he will also meet here his mother.

The United States has jurisdiction in the Cravens case because the Bateman murder occurred on the Otoe Indian reservation. Charles Maust, while serving a four-year term at Jefferson City, Mo., was identified as Ben Cravens by several Oklahomans who had known him and on November 8 he was brought here to the federal jail to await trial as Cravens for the Red Rock murder.

He is to be tried on January 17. Cravens is wanted also by the state authorities for the Killing of Deputy Sheriff Johnson of Pawnee county in escaping from a posse soon after the Red Rock robbery. Cravens was the last of the Oklahoma outlaws.

All of the witnesses subpoenaed by the government to identify Maust as Cravens visited the federal jail late today with Deputy Marshal Jones, Mrs. Ora Welty and daughter, Mrs. Myra Hackney of El Reno, immediately identified him as Cravens.

“Don’t you know me?” asked Mrs. Welty.

“No,” the prisoner answered, “I never saw you before.”

“You did,” she responded, “you visited our farm and influenced my poor boy to accompany you.”

“Mamma, it is Cravens,” said the daughter.

“I know it,” quickly responded the mother, whose son, because of Cravens, is in the penitentiary for life.

The eyes of the two women quickly filled with tears and they wept all the way back to the federal building.

Taking all of the witnesses to the jail to identify Cravens was a coup of United States Attorney Embry and was not expected by the prisoner Cravens turned his back to the witnesses when they entered the jail.

“Charlie,” said Deputy Jones, “you must turn around here and talk to these people or I may have to bring you out and let them see you.”

“I have no objections to talking with them,” was his answer, as he faced the crowd.