Sam Sixkiller, D. U. S. Marshal; Lighthorseman

A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY

Capt. Sixkiller, While Unarmed Is Shot Down on Our Streets

December 29, 1886—Indian Journal—Thursday’s and Friday’s races here brought a miscellaneous crowd to our town and the numerous Christmas bottles rapidly filled a good number of the crowd full to overflowing. So much drinking was going on that many would not go out to the grounds and everyone was confident that at least one tragedy would be enacted here during the holidays, but no one imagined that Muskogee was to loose a good citizen and the Territory one of the bravest of officers.

The chain of circumstance leading to the killing of Captain Sixkiller is as follows:

About 4 o’clock Friday afternoon Alf Cunningham, while drunk, “threw down” on Tom Kennard, a Creek Lighthorseman, in the door of the Commercial Hotel, but did not shoot, though a minute afterwards he would have done so had not Mrs. Renfro, who standing beside him, succeeded in getting his pistol. As he came down the steps of the hotel Kennard met him and dealt him a blow over the head with his six-shooter. This enraged Alf and he was determined on revenge. About 4:30 he found Dick Vann, his brother in-law, who was ready to help him in any emergency. Both were unarmed and went to Turner & Byrne’s store purchase a pistol, but looking for trouble, C. W. Turner refused to sell him one. On failing there both went to the Mitchell House and finding the city marshal Shelly Keys there, before he suspected their intentions they had him down and disarmed and it is thought would have killed him there had it not been for the crowd, as he is under their displeasure. Finding Al Farmer’s shotgun they took possession of it notwithstanding Farmer’s remonstrance, and they were then armed and prepared for any deed.

Up to this time it is presumed they had not thought of Sixkiller, but as they came up the street half crazed with liquor they were ready for the first person against whom they had a grudge and Tom Kennard in particular. At the steps leading down from Turner & Byrne’s porch they met Capt. Sixkiller, who was entirely unarmed. To make sure of their man in the darkness one called “Sam!” and on hearing his name the Captain stepped towards them and about four feet from the corner of the porch. Dick was heard to say in the half crying voice he uses when mad “You’ll never do that to me again,” or words to that effect, when the shotgun in the hands of Alf was leveled at the Captain, who must have knocked it aside as the charge of fine shot it contained partly passed through his clothing and lodged in the gate of the lumber yard. At the same instant Dick, who was positively identified by an eyewitness, fired in rapid succession four shots into Sixkiller, who staggered and fell on his hands and knees on the steps, when to make sure of his work Vann fired another shot into the body. A few heavy groans and all was over, the deed was done. The two men then ran half leisurely down Main street, turned the corner and passed the billiard hall and on out of town. Saturday night it was reported they attempted to lodge with John Lowrey, who objected, and in flourishing a pistol Dick’s weapon was discharged, the ball going across the base of his thumb.

Saturday morning writs, were sworn out before Commissioner Tufts and placed in the hands of Deputy U. S. Marshals Dalton, Tyson, Campbell and Hayes, and although they made a vigorous search until Sunday morning, and at one time were within a half-mile of Dick and his companion, they did not succeed in finding them. Martin and Luke Sixkiller, brothers of Sam, Policemen Fields Laftore and Maj. Hodges were also here Saturday, but in the absence of orders did not join in the pursuit. On Monday evening Agent Owen returned from the Cherokee Nation, and at present writing is making preparations for an active hunt for them. Parties reported them in the thick bottoms of Gooseneck Bend, about ten miles east of town, the locality in which Vann did the scouting a couple of years ago when wanted for assault on Captain Hammer.

The funeral of Captain Sixkiller took place Sunday morning at 11 o’clock from the M. E. church and was conducted by Cherokee lodge A. F. and A. M., of Tahlequah. The church could not contain the friends who gathered from nearly every part of the eastern portion of the Territory to attend the last rites.

Among those present from Tahlequah were Wm. Ballarn, Waite Foreman, J. L. Adair Sr., J. L. Adair, Jr., T. R. Sixkiller, J. L. Stapler, H. C. Barnes, D. W. Wilson and others, from Choteau were G. H. Lewis and Butler Bros.; from Eufaula, Chief Perryman and wife, Dr. Leo Bennett and wife, Sam Grayson, Charles Gibson, and Roley McIntosh; from Savanna, Dr. E. Poe Harris; from Ft. Gibson, F. H. Nash, Colonel Rogers, Tom French, Mr. Doty, Wm. P. Ross, George Saunders, Wm. Scot and Mr. Pick.

The procession, which followed the remains to the grave was one of the largest every gathered together in this section of the country.

Captain Sixkiller was born in Going-Snake District, Cherokee Nation, in the year 1842, making him forty-four years of age at the time of this death. He was raised in the Cherokee Nation, educated at the old Baptist Mission, Mr. Evan Jones being his teacher. At the breaking out of the war his father joined the Northern army leaving Sam to take care of the property. A number of his neighbors proceeding to join the Southern army took him with them, and he enlisted with them under General Waite, serving one year. At the end of that time he went to Fort Gibson and joined a Federal artillery company, of which her father Redbird Sixkiller, was first lieutenant. He was married at Gibson December 23, 1865, to Miss Fannie Foreman, and moved to Tahlequah, where he lived on a farm until he was appointed High Sheriff. After serving in that capacity for three years, while he and his deputies were attempting to arrest Jeter Thompson the latter was killed. For this he was tried and exonerated. In 1879 he moved to this place on being made Captain of the U. S. Indian Police of the five tribes. About three yeas ago while trying to arrest a whiskey peddler near Eufaula the man resisted and was killed by the Captain and his brother Henry in self-defense; and also about a year and half ago he killed Dick Glass while attempting his capture. At the time of his murder he was U. S. Deputy Marshal, and was a valued member of the secret service of the Missouri Pacific. The Captain has done probably more than any one person to free the railroad towns of this Territory of their dangerous and reckless elements, and to him the country owes in a great degree the comparative security to life and property that it now enjoys.

June 11, 1879—The Cherokee Advocate—Sam Sixkiller, High Sheriff Evarts Thorne, Richard Robinson, and John Boston, guards of the National Prison and town policemen have been arrested upon a preliminary warrant worn out before the Clerk by the solicitor of this district, charging them with the murder of Jeter L. Thompson, during last council. There seems to be considerable interest in the case. The preliminary examination will be held on Thursday the 12^th inst.

DESPERADOES SHOT

A Troublesome Band of Negro Desperadoes in the Indian Territory Exterminated

June 11, 1885—Indian Journal—Colbert, I. T., June 8—Yesterday morning at Post Oak Grove, thirty miles west of this place, Captain Sam Sixkiller, with Policemen Laftore, Murray and Gooden, and C. M. McClellan, a prominent stockman of the Cherokee Nation, were in pursuit of a band of Negroes, headed by the notorious desperado, Dick Glass, who had been to Denison for a wagon load of whiskey and were on their way back to the Seminole Nation. The offices had with them a colored spy, to locate them. After this was done, the officers left the main road and got around ahead of them and selected a place near the roadside to await their approach. About 7 o’clock the Negroes came along, one driving the wagon and Glass and two others following close behind. When within ten feet Captain Sixkiller stepped out into the road and commanded them to surrender. Instead of doing so they started to run. After Dick ran a few steps he succeeded in getting his pistol out, and as he turned to fire the part fired on them. Dick Glass and Jim Johnson were killed. Some of the officers shot the driver, slightly wounding him. The officers thinking him dead pursued the remaining one and succeeded in capturing him after a race of a half a mile. After returning to the place where the shooting began, they found the driver and the horse gone, the wagon having broken down. Two of the police started in pursuit of drive and horse, and after a race of six miles Policeman Laftore overtook him in the prairie. The Negro, seeing that he was about to be captured, made for a tree a short distance from the road, but the policeman was to quick for him and cut him off from the tree, and ordered him to surrender and throw down his gun. He saw the game was up and threw up his hands. After returning with the prisoner to the scene of the first encounter, the bodies of Glass and Johnson and the two prisoners were put into a wagon and brought to Colbert, where Glass, was fully identified by a number of parties.

DICK GLASS GONE

He and a Companion Now Are Now Slowly Roasting

June 11, 1885—Indian Journal—On Thursday night Capt. Sixkiller received a telegram from Policeman Robert Murray, of Colbert, stating that Dick Glass and three companions has passed through that place bound for Denison with several ponies to exchange for a load of whiskey and that he would return the next day. Friday morning Capt. Sixkiller was on hand and he and Policeman Robert Murray, Frank Gooden, Leftore and C. M. McClellan, a well-known cattleman of the Cherokee Nation started out to Post Oak Grove to intercept them. They arrived about 10 o’clock at night and by means of a colored man located the parties about five miles south of Emit and thirty miles from Colbert. When the moon arose about three o’clock Saturday morning they saddled up and getting near Glass’s camp hid their horses and lay in the brush for them to appear. About seven o’clock the outfit was discovered coming along the road. Richmond Carolina was driving and Jim Johnson, Dick Glass and Sam Carolina were walking behind the wagon, the forty gallons of whiskey they had proving as much as their tender shouldered ponies cared to pull. Where within a few feet of them the officers stepping into the road, Sam Sixkiller in the lead, and ordered the Negroes to surrender. Instead of doing this they attempted to escape. Dick pulled his pistol and turned to shoot when a charge from Capt. Sixkiller’s shotgun went into his breast and another into his head, killing him instantly. Jim Johnson also attempted to shoot but a dose of lead settled him. In the meantime the driver had whipped up and as he was going by Leftore and McClellan ordered him to halt. As he did not they fired and he fell into the wagon apparently dead. Then they pursued Sam Carolina and after a half-mile chase succeeded in capturing him. Returning they found that Richmond Carolina had only been slightly wounded and had unhitched and taken the horses and Dick’s Winchester and escaped. Laftore and Gooden started after him but the latter’s horse soon gave out and after a chase of five miles Laftore alone came up with him. The darky made for a tree with the intention of resisting but was headed off and compelled to surrender. The prisoners and the two bodies were then brought there and put in the cooler preparatory to being taken to Ft. Smith. The reward of $500 for Glass was “dead or alive” and Capt. Sixkiller will apply for it in a few days.

A GOOD CAPTURE

January 4, 1886—Indian Journal—Capt. Sixkiller made a slick capture last week at Weber Falls. He was after Alf Rushing, alias Ed Brown, wanted for the killing of Jackson Bartfeld in 1877 also for the murder of the city marshal of Wortham, Freestone, county, Texas. He received information that Brown was working near the Falls and had been for several years. As the Captain and Bill Drew came near the place where Brown was staying, they gathered up a bunch of cattle, and driving them up, asked permission to put them in a yard there for the night. The request was granted, and Brown was called from the crib where he was at work to help pen them. While driving them Sam worked around to where Brown was, and throwing down on him, took him completely by surprise, and he could offer no resistance. The cattle were then turned loose. Brown denies he is the man wanted by the officers, but they are certain they have the right party, and he is being held here awaiting the Texas officers.