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IndexFrank Smith, Sheriff Carter County: George Beck, Deputy Sheriff, Carter County
PEACE OFFICERS KILLED BY ROBBERS
Sheriff Frank Smith and Deputy George Beck Shot Down
January 16, 1902—Guthrie Daily Leader—Word was received at the United States marshal’s office last night of the killing of Sheriff Frank Smith and Deputy Sheriff George Beck by highwaymen eight miles west of Anadarko yesterday.
It has been reported to the sheriff’s office that some parties going home from church had been held up and robbed. Yesterday morning Sheriff Smith, accompanied by Deputies Beck and Briggs, started in pursuit of the highwaymen, overtaking them in an Indian hut eight miles west of Anadarko.
In attempting to enter and arrest the robbers Sheriff Smith was shot through the breast and died in a few minutes.
Deputy Sheriff Beck was also shot through the breast and his left arm shattered. Briggs was not injured.
After killing the sheriff and deputy, the robbers robbed the persons of the dead men and then made their escape.
Sheriff Smith made a dying effort to arrest the highwaymen and shot several time through the door and walls of the building in fighting them. After Deputy Sheriff Beck had his arm shattered he still continued to fight the robbers until he was killed.
The names of the robbers are not definitely known at this time, though their names are reported as Miller.
A large posse of men has been organized and gone in pursuit, and lynching will in all probability be the fate of the robbers if captured alive.
Sheriff Smith was one of the best-known peace offices in Oklahoma. For years he has served on the United States marshal’s force of deputies and was highly esteemed by Marshal Thompson and his predecessors as a brave, capable and fearless officer. Prior to his appointment as sheriff of Caddo County the dead officer lived at Norman, Cleveland County.
A $500 REWARD
Offered by Governor Ferguson for Each of the Murderous Bandits
Are Captured
In The Indian Territory
Three Hundred Armed Men Are Close on the Trail of the Fleeing Outlaws
January 17, 1902—Guthrie, O. T.-- Warren Bennett, deputy United States marshal for the Osage nation, stated today that the men who killed Sheriff Smith and deputy Beck near Anadarko near Anadarko are to fugitives from the federal prison at Fort Leavenworth, five of whom are still at large. Bennett, with his field deputies, has been on the trail of the fellows for three weeks Sheriff and ran them out of the Osage nation only last week. At that time he telephoned Sheriff Smith at Anadarko and asked him to be on the lookout for the pair, as they were desperate and bad characters to deal with. Bennett says beyond any doubt Sheriff Smith knew the man whom he attacked in the Indian hut, and this made him more anxious to capture them.
Governor Ferguson today offered a reward of $500 each for the arrest of the men for the murder of the Anadarko officers.
The robbers camped last night at Midway, the Chickasaw line, and proceeded again this morning, being last seen near Apache. By this time they are in the Indian Territory. Three hundred men are in pursuit, but are disorganized. A dozen Sheriff's and United States marshals are in the field. There are four outlaws, and they have five horses. In the fight at the hut, Deputy Briggs was wounded, but not seriously. Three of the outlaws are believed to be Lewis, Solomon and high tower.
TWO OFFICERS KILLED
Sheriff Smith and Deputy Beck Of Anadarko, Killed While Arresting Robber
It was reported to the sheriff’s office last evening that some parties going home from the church had been held up and robbed just west of this city. The sheriff made all the investigation he could last night and this morning together with Deputies Beck and Briggs went in pursuit of the robbers, overtaking them in an Indian hut eight miles west.
In attempting to enter and arrest the robbers Sheriff Smith was shot through the breast and died in a few minutes. Deputy Sheriff Beck was also shot through the breast and his left arm shattered. Briggs was not injured.
After killing the sheriff and deputy the robbers robbed the persons of the lead men and then made their escape.
Sheriff Smith made a dying effort to arrest the highwaymen and shot several holes through the doors and walls of the buildings in fighting them. After Deputy Sheriff Beck had his arm shattered he still continued to fight the robbers until he was killed.
A large posse of men have bee organized and gone from here in pursuit and lynching will, in all probability, be the fate of the robbers if captured alive.
Frank Smith has made an able fearless sheriff and everyone mourns the loss of two such valuable men from the community. Smith was from Norman and served as deputy sheriff of Cleveland County for a considerable time.
Governor Ferguson offers a reward of $500 for the arrest of the murderers of the officers. The robbers are thought to be five of the uncaptured Leavenworth prisoners.
OFFICER SHOT
Two More Outlaws Caught
A Desperate Battle Yesterday Between the Gang and Officer in Pursuit
February 22, 1902-- The last of the notorious gang of bandits who recently killed Sheriff Smith and Deputy Beck, near Anadarko, have been either killed or captured.
Sheriff Mike O'Brien of this city at 10: 30 last night received a telegram from Sheriff Schaam of Tecumseh, announcing that in a battle between officers that we woke the yesterday, the outlaws Swafford was killed and Bert Casey the leader of the gang was captured and is now in bondage.
The original band consisted of four men, two of whom are now in the jail in Oakland city.
The story of their crime, briefly told, is as follows: A holdup occurred at Anadarko. Sheriff Smith and Deputy's Briggs and Beck took up the trail of the bandits and finally located them in the shanty. Sheriff Smith and Deputy Beck were killed in Briggs by falling in feigning death, escaped to tell the story.
All the outlaws in the gang were desperate characters, and it is generally known that Bert Casey, the leader, has a long list of murders and other crimes charged against him.
ANADARKO REJOICES
People Pleased at the Capture of the Outlaws
February 25, 1902--Anadarko--The two remaining outlaws who killed Sheriff Smith and Deputy Beck have been captured. Swafford was killed in the attempted capture and Casey was captured.
There is great rejoicing about Anadarko that the last of the murderers of Smith and Beck have been captured. Yesterday Sheriff Thompson and Deputy Al Burchett left for Oklahoma City to remove the other two of this same gang from Oklahoma City to Guthrie, and on receipt of telegram announcing the capture of the remaining two men, they will start to we woke a, Indian Territory, after Bert Casey.
February 26, 1902--Guthrie Oklahoma Territory-- A fight occurred today between Oklahoma officers and the band of outlaws that killed Sheriff's Smith and Beck and Anadarko a month ago. As a result one of the outlaws, Walter Swofford, is dead and Deputy Sheriff W. A. Jones of Asher, Oklahoma territory is seriously wounded. The snow enabled to a posse under Sheriff Milner of Shawnee to trail the outlaws to an isolated house south of Wewoka, Indian Territory. As the posse approached, the outlaws, three in number, came from the house and opened fire on the officers. The fire was returned and for several minutes the battle waged. Deputy Sheriff ones was shot by Swofford, who had opened the fight. When Jones fell, the officers turned their attention to Swofford, and he was pierced by several bullets, and killed instantly. After the battle had continued several minutes longer the other to outlaws, Sam Casey and Bill Watson, surrendered
Watson is said to be a fugitive from Kentucky on a murder charge. Officers of $9,000 of rewards for the capture of the three men were outstanding.
AN OLD TIME FIGHT
Pitched Battle Last Week Like Old Times
Officers Thinning Out Gang
Details of a Bloody fight with Slayers of Anadarko Sheriff at Wewoka Last Friday—Casey Still at the Bat
February 27, 1902—McAlester News —Indian Territory will be set back several years more in the estimation of readers of Eastern papers through a bloody fight at Wewoka Friday between a posse and the survivors of the murderous Cravens gang. A Guthrie special to yesterday’s Kansas City Journal thus tells the story as brought out by a confession:
Two of the men, Joe Mobbley and Al Williams , who were captured at the Wewoka, Seminole nation, fight last Friday, and brought to the Federal jail here for safe keeping, have confessed the entire story of the murdering of Sheriff George Smith and his deputy, Beck , near Anadarko a few weeks ago. The confession was voluntary on the part of the prisoners and evidently made with a view of saving their necks and to throw the blame on Bert Casey the only member of this gang of outlaws that escaped at the Wewoka fight.
The confession states that a party, composed of Casey, Mobbley, , and Swafford, had gone into Caddo County with the intention of robbing some saloons, and to see what chance there would be to rob the bank at Mountain View. The gang took on a big drunk at Anadarko, and while going to the deserted hut where the killing took place held up a farmer and stole his saddle and ran his horse off. As is known, the farmer told Sheriff Smith and he and his deputies went to the hut to capture the robbers.
The result was a pitched battle in which Smith and Beck were killed and the outlaws escaped. The prisoners insist that Casey, who escaped and Swafford, who was killed at Wewoka Friday, shot the officers and Williams even insists that he was forced to do as he was bid. The prisoners state that after Casey had mortally wounded Smith he kicked the dying officer in the face and stood on his hands while robbing him.
Shortly after the murder of Smith four other members of the gang, who were to join Casey, were arrested in Anadarko. City Marshal Morison , of Hobart, who was in the city at the time and was unknown to the prisoners, put up a job on the outlaws and told them he would assist them to escape. Sheriff Thompson , in accordance with a prearranged plan, caught Morrison in the act of passing a revolver into the jail, arrested him and threw him in with the outlaws. Morison soon had the entire confidence of the gang and they told him that Casey was their leader, that he and his three pals had killed Sheriff Smith and that as soon as they could escape they were to join Casey near Wewoka. With this clue the officers closed in on their den Friday and in the battle that followed Swafford was killed, Casey escaped. Bill Watson , Williams , Mobbley and an unknown man were captured and one of the officers, Stone, was dangerously wounded.
There is no doubt as to the truth of the confession as the dead outlaw had on Sheriff Smith ’s revolver and the horses of both of the dead officers have been found where Casey and his gang had left them. The younger of the two prisoners, Williams, is a new hand at the business and he not only told the officers of the fact enumerated, but told that the real leader of this, the worst gang of cutthroats in Oklahoma and Indian Territory, is none other than Ben Cravens , who is laying low to escape the officers for murdering Alvin Bateman at Red rock last fall.
The members of the gang now in custody are Mobbley and for murdering Sheriff Smith and Deputy Beck; Levi Reed and Dan Moran, for the murder of the Beemblossom boy: Bill Watson , horse thief, and wanted for a murder committed in Kentucky; Gus Conger and Ab Mobbley, in jail at El Reno for stealing horses; George Barclay, under sentence of death for a murder committed in the Osage country; Lee Stanley, serving time for stealing; Bert Weltey , serving a life sentence for murdering Alvin Bateman in the Red Rock hold up; Brown and Simmons and our unknown men in jail at Wewoka; Bob Hardin , horse thief, and Walter Swafford, killed in the Wewoka fight. Bert Casey , Ben Cravens, Bob McCune and Bob Sims , all murderers and desperate outlaws, are still at large.
Supplementary to this is the flowing dispatch from Shawnee to the same paper:
Bert Casey, who was captured by the officers near Wewoka, I. T., escaped and today, was met by a posse in the southwest part of Pottawatomie County. In the engagement that followed he was shot through the left arm. He is now thought to be near Wewoka, at the scene of the first battle. Sheriff Schram and a posse left for that point tonight and his capture is almost certain. His left arm is broken, but it is though he will not be taken alive.
Nine thousand dollars is the aggregate reward that is on his dead, dead or alive. Arthur Swofford , the brother of the dead desperado, who was killed last Saturday, is here today and identified the dead man as his brother. Governor Ferguson telegraphed County Attorney Pittman to deliver the body of Walter Swofford to his relatives. They will take it tomorrow to Asher, in the south part of this county.
February 28, 1902-- Checotah Enquirer —A fight occurred last Friday between Oklahoma officers and the band of outlaws that killed Sheriff’s Smith and Beck at Anadarko a month ago. As a result one of the outlaws, Walter Swofford, is dead, and Deputy Sheriff Jones is seriously wounded. The snow enabled a posse to trail the outlaws to an isolated house south of Wewoka. As the policy approach the outlaws, three in number came from the house and opened fire on the officers. The fire was returned and for several minutes the battle waged. Deputy Jones was shot by Swofford, who had opened the fight. When Jones fell the officers turned their attention to Swofford, and he was pierced by several bullets and killed instantly. After the battle had continued several minutes longer the other two outlaws, Sam Casey and Bill Watson, surrendered. Watson is said to be a fugitive from Kentucky on a murder charge. Offers of $9000.00 reward for the capture of the three men were outstanding.
TWO SUSPECTS ARRESTED
Officer Believe They Have The Murders of Caddo County Officers
March 31, 1902—Guthrie Daily Leader—The officials at the office of the United States marshal’s office are confident that the two men arrested in the Kaw reservation yesterday are the murderers of Sheriff Frank Smith and Deputy George Beck, the Caddo county officers. Sheriff Bain of Kay County, and a posse made the arrest. The descriptions of the two suspects received here are similar to those obtained from Anadarko at the time of the killing. Both men were heavily armed. One gave his name as Cooper and the other Charles Moffit.
Sheriff Charley Carpenter this morning stated that Deputy Briggs, who accompanied the officers at the time of the killing, has been sent for to identify the men under arrest.