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Crime News Gleanings
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Caldwell Murdered
Z T. Caldwell, 67 years old, and residing south west of Lawton, is believed to have been foully murdered last week, and Red Eagle Eye, p. Cherokee Indian, is in jail charged with the crime.
The Indian is known to have driven away from the place with Caldwell's team, wagon and trunk, and this he admits, but denied knowing anything about the man's death.
It is said the body was buried in an old well. Mr. Caldwell was last seen alive in Cache last Wednesday. The murder was committed with an axe.
[Farmer's Champion, Elgin, Oklahoma, Wednesday July 15, 1914 - Submitted by Dale Donlon]
Murder at Cache
About nine o'clock Friday morning, Frank Lutz, who lives east of Cache, was shot to death by Bat Carr at the latter's home in cache, following a fist encounter in which Lutz seemed to be the aggressor.
Lutz married an adopted daughter of Carr. Not long ago Carr's wife died leaving considerable property, most of it being willed to charitable institutions and about $2000 to Mrs. Lutz. Carr decided to break the will and this Lutz did not like.
There was no eye witness to the killing. Mrs. Lutz watched the first part of the fracas and then ran to the business part of town telling people that Lutz was killing Carr. After Lutz had pounded Carr up considerably the latter began firing, one bullet passing through his heart.
Lutz ran and was found lying on his back dead some distance up the street. Carr was sitting on the porch with revolver in hand when citizens approached but promptly laid the gun down. On Lutz was found the iron from a single tree and a pair of knucks. Carr was badly bruised up, one eye being swollen shut and the other eye almost shut.
[Farmer's Champion, Elgin, Oklahoma, July 21, 1915 - Submitted by Dale Donlon]
Charged With Murder
Four men have been arrested charged with the murder of Fatty Hopkins at Lawton on Nov. 7, last. They are his son George Hopkins, Elmer Akers, a brother-in-law of George Hopkins.and two negroes, Tom Colie and James Brooks, who had been working for the murdered man. Tom Colie has confessed to his part of the work. Three drops of blood were found on his hat. The hat and some of Hopkins' blood were sent away for analysis and it was pronounced to all be from the same person. Colic admits to doing the killing and claims that George Hopkins hired him to do it.
Hopkins' will, which was filed a few days after his death, left all his property, about $40,000, to his son George. It was believed that Hopkins had considerable money on him at the time he was murdered but Colie claims that he found only $49.
[Farmer's Champion, Elgin, Oklahoma, January 26, 1916 - Submitted by Dale Donlon]
Held on Murder Charge
In justice court at Lawton last Thursday, George Hopkins and Elmer Akers were bound over to the district court to be tried for the murder of Fatty Hopkins, father of George Hopkins.
The main evidence was the testimony of Tom Coley, who testified on the stand that he killed Fatty Hopkins with an axe and that George Hopkins hired him to do it, promising him $500.00, a home in either Oklahoma City or Lawton, a saddle horse and the race horse, Miss Pippin, to do the killing.
James Brocking, the other negro who had been arrested and who is the son of Tom Coley's wife, was dismissed, as there seemed to be no evidence against him.
[Farmer's Champion, Elgin, Oklahoma, February 2, 1916 - Submitted by Dale Donlon]
