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Canadian County, Oklahoma
News Paper Stories
An El Reno Man Going To Alaska Will Join Party in Prospecting for Copper in the Interior G. G. Geraghty of El Reno was in the city yesterday enroute to Valdez, Alaska, from which point he and a party of prospectors will journey about 400 miles into the interior of Alaska in search of copper ore. Mr. Geraghty spent over a year in the far north, returning to his home in El Reno last fall. During his former trip he was employed about half of the time with a mining company on the Kuskilina river, the balance of the time being spent in copper prospecting. The Oklahoman 1/3/1907
GIRL SHIELDS HER LOVER AT DEATH Ruby Alexander Did Not Want Warren Punished, She Told Nurse DIED WITH PRAYER Soldier Sweetheart Overcome When He Hears of Plea For Him
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil.” These were the last words spoken by Ruby Alexander, 20-year-old school teacher who died in an El Reno sanitarium March 20, following an operation, according to Miss Margaret Denham, a nurse. Sail Lovejoy Performer Operation With a prayer on her lips that she would soon join her mother and asking that her father and all those she loved forgive her, she expressed a wish, Miss Denham said, that Jess Warren, her sweetheart, not be punished, saying that he had done all he could to get her out of her trouble. She told Miss Denham that Doctor Lovejoy performed the operation, the nurse testified. The testimony was given yesterday afternoon to Judge Clark after the jury had been ordered from the courtroom and attorneys debated late in the afternoon over the admission of the evidence into the records. Soldier Can’t Hold Back Tears Warren, in soldier’s uniform, sat by the side of his father, showing no emotion throughout the day, until, Miss Denham gave her testimony. He visibly was affected by the nurse’s testimony of the girl’s plea for him and made no effort to hold back the tears. The defense scored heavily in the cross-examination of state witnesses, getting admittances from two physicians who attended the girl that she told them she had committed the crime herself and that no one else was to blame. Girl Said She Was Responsible Dr. T. M. Aderhold of El Reno said he had examined the girl and that he found that a criminal operation had been performed. He said the girl told him that she alone was responsible. Dr. H. C. Master of Minco, formerly family doctor of the Alexanders, gave about the same testimony. John H. Cochran, sheriff of Caddo county, told of investigating the charges against Warren and arresting him. He said the young man told a straight story of the affair and admitted that he had give an Oklahoma City physician $100 to perform the operation. He was with Sheriff Johnson when Doctor Lovejoy was arrested and he said the doctor admitted taking $100 for “treating the girl,” but denied that he had performed any operation. The state attempted to spring a surprise late in the afternoon by making a motion for the dismissal of the charges against Warren and using him as a witness for the state. The defense objected to the testimony of Warren, saying that they had not had the proper legal notification. Judge Clark had not ruled on the motion when court adjourned last night. The Oklahoman 9/10/1918 Elderly Yukon Couple Marry Yukon, June 15 – Although both are 75 years old, Silas Long and Mrs. Sarah Wood were married recently at Yukon. The marriage came as a surprise to relatives and friends. The Oklahoman 6/16/1920 Transcribed by Dale
HELD FOR MURDER Two Soldier at Fort Reno Are Held in Charge for Killing a Chinaman El Reno, O. T. Nov. 21 – Benjamin Garnes, aged 23, and Charles Grossman, aged 22, are the two soldiers who are held at the fort for the killing of the Chinaman there on the night of last Thursday. Those young men were turned over to Sheriff Cosby yesterday afternoon and are now in jail. They were taken before the justice and pleaded not guilty, and were committed to jail with out bond. Their preliminary trial is to come up at 9 o’clock next Monday morning before Justice of the Peace Mitts. Evidence is not in the hands of County Attorney Carney that will make a very hard case against the accused though it is principally circumstantial. It is now thought that the killing of the Chinaman was for robbery. It has been stated that there had been trouble between the Chinaman and some of the soldiers. Gan Wah, before he died said that he saw the person who shot him just after the shot was fired. He said the person was dressed in garments that made the person look like a woman; that there were two of them. Two garments have been found in a woodpile near the scene of the killing that resemble beyond a reasonable doubt the dresses worn by persons. They were made of goods used in the barracks.
The Oklahoman 11/22/1901
MURDERS WIFE AND KILLS SELF After Trying to Slay Woman’s Divorce Attorney TRAGEDY IS AT TUTTLE John Smalley’s Wife Refused to Withdraw Suit and Awful Crime Follows Angered because his wife refused to withdraw her suit for divorce, Johnny Smalley, a farmer aged 30, who has resided in the vicinity of Tuttle, I. T., for some time, murdered his wife, Emma Smalley, in a room in the rear part of the Bank of Tuttle at Tuttle, I. T., a small town southwest of Oklahoma City, yesterday morning shortly before 10 o’clock. After seriously wounding Robert Burns, a prominent lawyer of Chickasha, the murderer committed suicide. The principals of the tragedy had met in the office of Mr. Burns at the bank building to adjust a property claim. Several months ago Mrs. Smalley commenced suit for a divorce, and at the time of separation Smalley mortgaged his crop of cotton to his wife, the mortgage being held by the Bank of Tuttle. When the crop was gathered a few days ago, he preceeded to dispose of it and when Mrs. Smalley heard that he had done so, she went to Tuttle and had agreed upon a compromise when the shooting occurred. The scene of the tragedy was in the office of Attorney Burns who spends each Friday and Saturday in Tuttle. During a portion of the conversation Attorney burns was with them and after leaving the room for a short while he returned and was writing at his desk when Smalley drew a 45-calibre revolver from his hip pocket and shouted, “I’ll settle this business now,” and began shooting at Lawyer Burns. One bullet took effect in his arm, after passing through his cheek and barely grazing his shoulder. With rare presence of mind, Burns, after dropping to the floor remained still as though he was dead. As Burns fell to the floor, Smalley turned toward his wife, who was screaming for help and pleading for her life. Unhesitatingly he pulled the trigger and one bullet crashed through her upraised arm, through the temple and into he brain. He walked to the door leading to the bank room intending to shoot H. E. Green, cashier, who had been holding the money and mortgage in trust. Mr. Green was absent from the room and not finding him he turned the revolver towards his own head and emptied the contents into his own temple. Dr. J. H. Couch was immediately summoned but medical attention was of no avail and Mrs. Smalley died within a short while. The murderer lived about tow hours afterwards but never regained consciousness. Attorney Burn’s wounds were found to be only slight flesh wounds. The dead woman had one child, a girl aged five years, by her first husband, a man named Fellows, who disappeared soon after entering the army for service in Cuba. She was married to Smalley two years ago. It is said that jealousy led to ill-treatment, out of which grew the suit for divorce which was filed some time ago. They resided in the vicinity of Mustang before removing to Tuttle, where they had lived on a farm six miles southwest of the town. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mennugh, reside near Mustang, and she has been making her home with them since filing her suit for separation. The remains will be taken to Mustang for burial. The Oklahoman 11/11/1906
STABBED WIFE AND DAUGHTER Brooding Over His Illness an El Reno Man Attempted Murder and Then Commits Suicide El Reno, O. T. Aug. 4 – A Terrible tragedy occurred here at 2 o’clock yesterday morning. Joe Padawoski stabbed his wife four times in the back, the knife entering the right lung. A 12-year old daughter was stabbed twice and the would-be murderer shot himself and cut his throat. Padawoaski died at 6 o’clock tonight, but his wife and daughter are still alive. Despondency because of illness was the probable cause. The Oklahoman 8/5/1902
HORRIFYING ACCIDENT OCCURS IN EL RENO MOTHER DARES DEATH FOR BABE; MAN BURNS Plunges Through Flames To Rescue Child; Eyes Burned Out – Gasoline Tragedy’s Cause Special to The Oklahoman El Reno, Okla., Jan. 14 – With her eyes burned out and her body almost a solid mass of blistered flesh falling from the bones, Mrs. Sam Freed saved her two-year-old baby boy from incineration, while her husband, a clothing cleaner, was burned to a crisp in a fire which destroyed their cottage home today. Mrs. Freed cannot recover. The fire started from a gasoline explosion. Freed took some clothing home with him to clean at noon today. His wife was cooking dinner when he arrived. He filled a bucket with gasoline and started through the kitchen to begin work. As he passed the stove the gasoline exploded, throwing fire over the entire room. Freed was found where he fell and it is presumed death came almost instantly. The Oklahoman 1/15/1908
SWALLOWS ACID TO END TROUBLE Declaring Life a Burden, El Reno Physician Crosses “Great Divide” Special to The Oklahoman El Reno, Okla., Feb. 16 – Declaring to his landlady, Mrs. Cox, 320 East Wade street, that he had nothing to live for, that his wife had threatened to ruin him and his practice, and that the strain had become unbearable, Dr. Henry Riley ended his life this morning by swallowing a quantity of carbolic acid. Death followed within an hour after horrible suffering. Dr. Riley had been separated from his wife about three years and she now lives in Denison, Texas. He often talked with Mrs. Cox about his domestic affairs and would invariably fall into a despondent mood and say he was “going over the Great Divide,” but his landlady had grown to ignore the remark. Recently a letter is alleged to have come from his wife in which she warns him that she will ruin him and his practice and this is believed to have weighed heavily upon his mind. A pistol had been taken from him by Mrs. Cox a few hours before his death, but nothing unusual was though of the incident. Dr. Riley was 59 years of age and came to El Reno from Elk City several months ago. He has a daughter, Mrs. Boon, residing at Bowie, Texas, and a son at Rush Springs, Okla. The body will be taken to Plattsburg, Mo., for interment.
The Oklahoman 2/17/1909
GIRL CRUSHED TO DEATH BY A CAB Daughter of El Reno Man is Victim of a Frightful Accident Special to The Oklahoman El Reno, Okla., Oct. 8 – With one wild shriek or horror as she saw her certain doom approaching, the six year old daughter of J. M. McNeal, a prominent citizen of El Reno, was run down and fatally injured by a cab at 4 o’clock this afternoon. Moaning in awful agony the little girl was carried in a room nearby where after 30 minutes of indescribable suffering she died. The little girl was returning home from school, when she attempted to pass in front of swiftly moving cab, driven by Walter P. Barrs. She tried to stop, but tripped and fell with all her might. Barrs endeavored to halt his team, but could not until after the wheels of the heavy vehicle had passed across the girl’s abdomen. The Oklahoman 10/9/1907
FOUND DYING BESIDE TRACK Fred Merriman of El Reno Falls From Train In Missouri Maryville, MO., Aug. 22. – Falling from an eastbound Wabash passenger trail at Wilcox at 10 o’clock last night, Fred Merriman, of El Reno, Okla., lay for three hours beside the track, with his left hand cut off and bleeding profusely. His uncle, a man named Sweat, of Bedford, Iowa, came on to Maryville and walked back to Wilcox seven miles, arriving there about midnight to find the injured man. He awakened farmers to care for him. Morriman afterwards was brought to St. Francis’ Hospital in this city. He will die. The Oklahoman 8/23/1908
To Enforce Game Laws
J. A. Gould, of El Reno, Appointed Game Warden (The Thomas Tribune - 1902- September) Governor Ferguson has appointed J. A. Gould, of El Reno, territorial game warden, to succeed C. M. Kelger, of Jefferson, who resigned last March. Gould came into prominence two years ago by holding up M. A. Low, general solicitor of the Rock Island system, and confisceation a lot of game which he believed Low was taking from the territory. The governor has instructed Gould to commence a rigid prosecution against the violators of the game laws in the new country, reports are daily received of the killing of deer and quail and the seining of the rivers for fish.
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