ROBERT KING

ROBERT KING'S OKLAHOMA U. S. MARSHALS AND U. S. DEPUTY MARSHALS

James Oakes to Ben Owsley

Oakes, James was commissioned in 1899, to the Western District, Ft. Smith, Arkansas.

(Ft. Smith Federal Court Employee Database) (Ft. Smith Historical List)

Oats, Henry living at Cobb, Chickasaw Nation, worked with fellow Deputy Marshal Bob Hutchins trying to arrest outlaws Bert Casey and Jim Harbolt. The Two outlaws were wanted for several killings and robberies of stores and trains. Bert Casey was charged with the killing of an Anadarko sheriff and Harbolt had jumped bond after robbing a train and killing a sheriff from Canadian, Texas. Their search took them to a local dance where they heard the outlaws were attending but found that they had already left. When the two deputy marshals left the dance, “Scarface”, Tom Watson and Lou Bowers who had been selling whiskey at the dance thought the deputy marshals were at the dance to arrest them. As the deputy marshals approached the whiskey peddlers they were warned that they were not there to arrest them. Hutchins using bad judgment continued his approach until he was fired upon. A bullet struck Hutchins in the leg which forced retaliation from the two officers as they emptied their revolvers. “Scarface” and Lou Bowers escaped without any wounds.

(Gunman's Territory)

Oats, Oakes, James E. was commissioned in the Western District at Ft. Smith, Arkansas.

(Ft. Smith Federal Court Employee Database) (Ft. Smith Historical List)

O’Brien, Dennis was commissioned at Guthrie, Oklahoma Territory in 1895, serving under Marshal Evett Nix.

(U.S. Deputy Marshals, I. T. & O. T., 1893 - 1896)

O’Brien, Frank was commissioned on August 9, 1870, in the District Court at Van Buren, Arkansas, serving under Marshal William A. Britton. Deputy Marshal O’Brien was living in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, when commissioned.

(Ft. Smith Federal Court Employee Database) (Ft. Smith Oaths of Office) (Ft. Smith Historical List)

O’Brien, John S. was commissioned in April 24, 1895, and then was sworn into the Northern District in 1897. O’Brien worked with Bud Ledbetter and Frank Jones in the Northern District Indian Territory when they removed a blockade that had been set up by an Indian to stop a railroad train, near Coal Creek Crossing. In the fall of 1896, O’Brien worked with officers Bud Ledbetter, Lon Lewis and Crockett Lee to stop the Green Gang who were wanted for robbery and the murder of George Walden. An Indian fighter by the name of McClelland was hired to trick the brothers into robbing a bank. On their way to the bank robbery the gang crossed Grasshopper Ford on the Verdigris River where the marshal’s force set up an ambush. Bill and Ed Green were killed in the ambush while their brother Arthur was seriously wounded trying to make his escape. In 1902, O’Brien was assigned to Wagoner, Creek Nation in the Western District of Indian Territory under Marshal Leo Bennett. In May of 1902, he was deployed to Wagoner to check a number of boxcars where he found one full of beer, labeled mineral water. From 1903 to 1904, Deputy Marshal O’Brien was part of “The Traveling Court” which worked out of the federal court at Muskogee, Creek Nation. John O’Brien was still alive in 1930, living at Wagoner, Oklahoma.

(Muskogee Evening Times - October 31, 1900) (Ft. Smith Elevator - May 23, 1902) (Indian Pioneer History - W. F. Jones) (Indian Pioneer History - S. H. Lewis) (Black Red and Deadly) (Picture - Experiences of A U.S. Deputy Marshal) (U.S. Deputy Marshals, I. T. & O. T., 1893 - 1896)

O'Brien

James

D.U.S. Marshal

April 4, 1898

O’Bryan, Robert S. was commissioned on July 29, 1890, November 11, and November 13, 1899, in the Western District at Ft. Smith, Arkansas.

(Ft. Smith Federal Court Employee Database) (Ft. Smith Oaths of Office) (Ft. Smith Historical List)

Odom, C. E. served as deputy marshal in 1895, before becoming city marshal of Checotah.

(Picture - Notable Men Of Indian Territory) (U.S. Deputy Marshals, I. T. & O. T., 1893 - 1896)

O’Kane, Adam was commissioned in 1899, at the Western District, Ft. Smith, Arkansas.

(Ft. Smith Federal Court Employee Database) (Ft. Smith Historical List)

Old, Glenn Deputy U. S. Marshal 1937

Oldham, Junius was commissioned in Oklahoma Territory from January of 1895 through 1896, serving under Marshals Evett Nix and Patrick S. Nagle. He returned from Iowa County in July of 1896, with Joe Dupee, Tim Lincoln, and Charles Kaliega charged with whiskey violations. The prisoners were taken to the Logan County jail.

(The Woodward News - July 10, 1896) (U.S. Deputy Marshals, I. T. & O. T., 1893 - 1896)

Oliver, Gil, L. “Bill” was commissioned in the Western District at Ft. Smith, Arkansas. He was remembered by R. L. Haney in Indian Pioneer History.

(Indian Pioneer History - R. L. Haney) (Ft. Smith Federal Court Employee Database) (Ft. Smith Historical List)

Oliver, William, M. was commissioned on August 18, 1892, in the Western District at Ft. Smith, Arkansas, under Marshal Jacob Yoes. Deputy Marshal Oliver served in the Muskogee District in 1894, serving under Marshal James J. McAlester.

(U.S. Deputy Marshals, I. T. & O. T., 1893 - 1896) (Ft. Smith Federal Court Employee Database) (Ft. Smith Oaths of Office) (Ft. Smith Historical List)

O`Malley, Morris worked as a deputy marshal under Marshal Nix at Woodward, Oklahoma Territory in July of 1894 to 1895. He was discharged when Marshal Evett Nix pulled his commission after September 30, 1895. He was charged with padding accounts while working in Woodward, Oklahoma Territory. A month later, the Woodward sheriff, Jack Love and attorney, Temple Houston became involved in a shoot-out with Ed and John Jennings at a saloon. Earlier in the day, Houston and Ed Jennings became involved in a verbal fight during a court case, created when Houston belittled Jennings, causing retaliation from Jennings's brother Al, who call Houston a liar. During the gun battle, Ed Jennings was killed and John was wounded. Brothers Al and Frank used this as a reason to form a gang. Morris and his brother Pat, joined the Jennings to form the O`Malley and Jennings gang. The newly formed gang knew a lot about upholding the law but very little about breaking it. “Little” Dick West, a previous member of the Dalton and Bill Doolin gang, became their educator and after reviewing the early robberies of their career, it showed they flunked the course. On August 16, 1897, the gang made their debut, robbing a train near Edmond, Oklahoma, which resulted in failure, as they were unable to blow the safe in the express car or to rob the passengers. Their next robbery was a little more successful as they robbed a passenger train near Chickasha, in October of 1897. Dynamite used to blow two safes in the express car, blew up the express car, but the safes survived the blast. They had enough dynamite to do the job but did not know how or where to place it. However, the job was not a complete disaster for some jewelry and four hundred dollars was taken from the passengers. With time their success became greater as was shown when they robbed the Wells Fargo Agency near Ardmore, Chickasaw Nation, bringing in approximately twenty thousand dollars. Morris’ life of crime was short, being arrested in late 1897. U.S. Deputy Marshal Bud Ledbetter arrested the two Jennings brothers and Pat O’Malley in December of 1897.

(Guardian of the Law) (West Wind Views) (Bill Tilghman) (Shoot from the Lip) (Charles Francis Colcord) (U.S. Deputy Marshals, I. T. & O. T., 1893 - 1896)

O’Malley, Pat was commissioned as deputy marshal under Marshal Evett Nix at Shawnee, Oklahoma Territory in July of 1894 through 1895, but was discharged when Marshal Nix charged him with padding accounts after September 30, 1895. A month after being discharged Pat and his brother Morris became involved with Al and Frank Jennings, the sons of a probate judge in Woodward. Two other sons, Ed and John Jennings became involved in a conflict with Temple Houston in the judge’s court. Houston belittled Ed Jennings which caused Al Jennings, a bystander to call Houston a liar. Bad blood already existed between the two and this lit the fuse that would end in a terrible scene. That evening, Temple Houston and Woodward ex-sheriff Jack Love were setting in the back room of the Cabinet Saloon when Ed and John Jennings walked in. Whether the meeting was circumstantial or planned is not known. Gunfire broke out which extinguished the lights in the saloon and when lights were re-lighted Ed Jennings lay dead on the floor and his brother seriously wounded in the shoulder, being shot by Jack Love. Houston and Love were acquitted by reason of self defense and claiming that John Jennings accidentally killed his brother in the darkness of the room. Having a hot temper and becoming bitter with the justice system, Al Jennings enlisted his brother Frank and the two O’ Malley brothers to seek revenge against Houston and Love. After several attempts were made without any success to assassinate the two, the gang changed their focus to several train robberies. See Deputy Marshal Morris O’Mally for more detail on the robberies.

(Guardian of the Law) (West Wind Views) (Bill Tilghman) (Shoot from the Lip) (Justice For All) (Charles Francis Colcord) (U.S. Deputy Marshals, I. T. & O. T., 1893 - 1896)

O'Neal, Albert "Bud" Deputy U. S. Marshal

Albert O'Neal Rites Pending

December 21, 1948--Wewoka--Services will be announced for Albert "Bud" O'Neal, long-time resident of Seminole County, who died Tuesday in Oklahoma City. He suffered a paralytic stroke in October, 1947, while in Modesto, California, and had been in failing health since.

He was born in Coffeeville, Kansas, July 1, 1889. For a number of years both he and his wife taught school in Seminole and Hughes County. He served as deputy U. S. Marshal in Seminole County for several years.

Surviving are two sons, Dick, with the armed forces in Guam, and Charles, 1104 1/2 N. Lindsay, Oklahoma City; a daughter, Mary Louise Pipersky, Longsdale, California, and two sisters, Mrs. T. C. Horn, Holdenville, and Mrs. Jim Peters, Phoenix, Arizona.

Orcutt, S. A. was commissioned on February 29, 1892, in the Western District at Ft. Smith, Arkansas.

(Ft. Smith Federal Court Employee Database) (Ft. Smith Oaths of Office) (Ft. Smith Historical List)

Orrick, Ben L. was commissioned on July 15, 1890, in the Western District at Ft. Smith, Arkansas.

(Ft. Smith Federal Court Employee Database) (Ft. Smith Oaths of Office) (Ft. Smith Historical List)

Overby, John A. was commissioned Guthrie, Oklahoma Territory in July of 1895, under Marshal Evett Nix.

(U.S. Deputy Marshals, I. T. & O. T., 1893 - 1896)

Overton, was commissioned as deputy marshal and was an agent of the railway at Hennessey at the time that Deputy Marshal Ed Short transported Charley “Black Faced” Bryant to the Wichita Court in Kansas. Deputy Short and Bryant were both killed when Bryant came into possession of a weapon that the train express man left unattended on a desk in the express car where Short left him in his custody. When Bryant was secured on the train he was handcuffed with his hand toward his back but Short weakened and re-cuffed him with his hands to the front which cost him his life.

(No Man’s Land)

Owens, Grant was commissioned in Oklahoma Territory in October of 1894, serving under Marshal Evett Nix. He helped in arresting Cattle Annie and Little Britches who were linked with the Doolin Gang. Grant was with a posse when they encountered the Christian gang near Violet Springs. The gun battle was so intense that more than eighty shots were fired.

(The Taloga Advocate - August 3, 1895) (West of Hell’s Fringe) (Picture-Oklahombres) (U.S. Deputy Marshals, I. T. & O. T., 1893 - 1896)

Real name was David Grant Owens. I believe he chose to be called Grant because his Uncle David lived in close proximity, while he was growing up. Grant is buried in Tulsa, OK. (Internet)

Owens, Jacob G. was commissioned on May 11, 1871, in the Western District at Ft. Smith, Arkansas, serving under Marshal Logan S. Roots. Deputy Marshal Owens lived in Bloomington, Benton County, Arkansas when commissioned. He was killed on April 16, 1872.

(Oklahombres) (Ft. Smith Federal Court Employee Database) (The Lawmen) (Ft. Smith Oaths of Office) (Ft. Smith Historical List ) Killed in the line of duty.

Owen, James P. was commissioned on June 8, 1889, in the Western District at Ft. Smith, Arkansas, serving under Marshal Jacob Yoes. Deputy Marshal Owen lived in Bloomington, Benton County, Arkansas when commissioned.

(Ft. Smith Federal Court Employee Database) (Ft. Smith Oaths of Office) (Ft. Smith Historical List)

Owen, William was commissioned on June 27, 1891, in the Western District at Ft. Smith, Arkansas, under Marshal Jacob Yoes.

(Ft. Smith Federal Court Employee Database) (Ft. Smith Oaths of Office) (Ft. Smith Historical List)

Owens, James G. was commissioned in the Western District Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Deputy Marshal Owens headed a posse in the “Goingsnake Courthouse Tragedy” where a Cherokee Indian, Zeke Proctor tried to shoot a white man, J. J. Kesterson. Proctor’s bullet missed it’s mark and the stray bullet hit Kesterson’s wife, a full blood Cherokee Indian. Proctor surrendered himself to the Cherokee court, feeling the Indian court would be more lenient than the federal court. Kesterson filed a charge against Proctor at Ft. Smith for the attempted murder on himself. The federal court had jurisdiction over the Cherokee court since Kesterson was white. A murder charge could not be filed for Kesterson’s wife due to her being an Indian. The federal court in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, sent several deputy marshals forming a posse to apprehend Zeke Proctor. In April of 1872, the lawmen arrived at the Cherokee court to find it in session. The court was expected trouble for they knew the Beck family, Mrs. Kesterson’s family, would try to apprehend Proctor to take him to the federal court in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. The court was being held at a school house which was more suitable for defense than the Cherokee court house. When the lawmen entered the school room, a gun battle broke out. When the smoke cleared and the ringing of the gunshots ceased, a large number of men lay on the floor dead and wounded. It was estimated that the death count ranged from nine to eleven. Different accounts of the event vary in number. It was reported that eight men from the Ft. Smith party were killed and Ezekiel Proctor was wounded. Deputy Marshal Owens was mortally wounded, dying a short time after the gun battle. Refer to the deputy marshals Becks for those killed in the battle. The Arkansas Gazette shows the death date April 24, 1872. The Cherokee court acquitted Zeke Proctor for the murder of Polly Kesterson. The federal court refused to place charges against Zeke Proctor for they did not have jurisdiction over the Cherokee Nation. J. J. Kesterson became a citizen of the Cherokee Nation when he married his wife Polly. This action gave him full benefits of a Cherokee citizen but was also under Cherokee law. On February 12, 1895, Proctor was commissioned deputy marshal.

(Indian Pioneer History - Stanley Clark) (Arkansas Gazette -Obituaries 1879) (Justice for All) (Black Red and Deadly) (Outlaws and Peace Officers Of I. T.) (Indian Territory And The United States, 1866 -1906)

Owens, T. B. was a deputy marshal of Wise County in the Eastern District of Arkansas. He is mentioned in this book because he came to Indian Territory to serve a warrant. On May 13, 1888, Deputy Marshal Owens traveled to Atoka, Choctaw Nation with a writ for John Taylor from Lehigh, Choctaw Nation. Taylor’s wife had filed a divorce case against him. Deputy Owens told the Atoka newsmen that he would return with a posse from Wise County to round up a number of Texas criminals that were causing havoc in the Atoka area.

(Atoka Independent - May 19, 1888)

Owensby, Clarence was commissioned on October 20, 1893, in the Western District at Ft. Smith, Arkansas, serving under Marshal George J. Crump. Owensby served as a guard at the federal jail in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. He was the only guard to ever serve as “Death Guard”. The “Death Guard” served eight days in that capacity for the notorious Cherokee Bill and four days for the Buck Gang. Owensby lived in Ft. Smith, Arkansas during his commission. (Picture-Hell on the Border-Harman) (Ft. Smith Federal Court Employee Database) (Ft. Smith Oaths of Office) (Ft. Smith Historical List)

Owsley, Ben was commissioned out of the Kansas court in Wichita, Kansas.

(Indian Pioneer History - A. J. Johnson)