|
Garvin County, Oklahoma Genealogy
Trails
Newspaper Articles
THE DEADLY CONFRONTATION BETWEEN THE GRIFFIN
BROTHERS AND
DR.
J.N. NORRIS ON THE
STREETS OF MCGEE
INDIAN TERRITORY - JUNE 7,
1905 |
The following is a compilation of newspaper articles and
family
conversations
about the shooting
of Z.Y. (Yoke)
Griffin and his
brother,
Fred. Yoke owned
and
operated the
Z. Y. Griffin and
Company Store.
The
Griffin family ran a
hotel, a restaurant
and the
General
Store in McGee,
Indian Territory. Yoke's
father,
Charles
Lot
Griffin was also the Justice of
the Peace and later served as
Postmaster. Ads
for the store are in the
newspapers you
have placed on
your
website. The
dates of the papers are a
year after the
shooting. Dr.
Norris is still doing
business and even reported a record
year! C.L. and
Fred Griffin are still
doing business
right across the street
from him!
Later,
when the newspaper
started listing
people who had bought
lots
in
the new
town of Walling, Dr. Norris
and his wife
were listed as having
bought a lot
apiece. One article went on
to tell what
a
fine foundation he
was
having installed and described the
layout of his two story
house! By
all
accounts, Dr. Norris
should have been
locked up but I
couldn't find
where that ever happened.
Norris paid
the
bond of $10,000 and the
trail
stopped
there. In those days, that was a
huge
chunk of
change. I found out
that
court records from Indian Territory were
stored in several
Federal
Archives.
The records from this
section were
stored in Fort Worth, TX. I
talked
with an historian there who told
me that
there was quite a bit of
lawlessness in
Indian Territory and it
included the
justice system. Courts
varied on
solutions to crimes. She
checked the
court
dates I gave her
without success.
Many of the dockets
aren't indexed and
the facilities
don't
have the
manpower to search each
book. The
first
newspaper
account found was from
the Pauls Valley Enterprise and Valley
News,
Pauls
Valley, Chickasaw Nation,
Indian
Territory, dated Thurs., June 8,
1905.
KILLING AT
McGEE
Z.Y.
GRIFFIN DIES FROM
PISTOL SHOT
FIRED
BY DR. J.N. NORRIS,
FRED GRIFFIN
WOUNDED
"McGee was the scene Wednesday afternoon of a difficulty
between Dr.
J.N. Norris on
one
hand, and Z.Y. Griffin and
his
brother
Fred on the other, which
resulted
in the
death of Z.Y. Griffin
and
the
wounding
of Fred. The trouble was the
result of a former
difficulty
between Dr. J.N. Norris
and
Fred Griffin. The direct cause, so
we
are informed,
was of a very trivial nature. It is
claimed by
Dr.
Norris'
friends
that his wife was
insulted about
a year ago by Fred
Griffin and that
they had not spoken
from that time until
the fatal
encounter
occurred. It is claimed that about the
time the quarrel began
that Griffin
started toward Norris with
a drawn knife
and
that the latter
drew a
pistol and fired. The former turned to
run and received a
wound in
the
shoulder. At this juncture
a brother, Z.
Y. Griffin appeared on the
scene,
and Norris turned to him and
emptied his
pistol, after which they
came
together hand
to hand. They were
soon separated and it
was found that
Griffin was
fatally wounded. He lingered
to this
morning,
when he
died. All
parties concerned are well respected,
Dr. Norris being
engaged in the drug
business, while Mr.
Griffin is of the
firm Z.Y.
Griffin
and
Co., dealers in general
merchandise." The next day, The
Byars Banner,
Byars, Indian Territory,
Friday, June 9,
1905 gave this
account:
SHOOTING AFFRAY AT McGEE
"A shooting affray took place Wednesday at the little town
of McGee, 7
miles
south east of here in
which Fred and
Z.Y. Griffin, brothers, were
shot the
latter
was killed. Dr. J.N.
Norris did
the shooting. The
difficulty
arose
over trouble of long standing. Dr.
Norris passed through
here
Wednesday accompanied by officers
en-route to Pauls
Valley where he
will
have an
examining
trial Sat. Dr. Norris is a Druggist of
McGee, and
the
Griffin brothers have
been conducting a
mercantile business at that
place. Both
parties are prominently
connected and
are
widely known
throughout
the
country."
A follow up story of the shoot out appeared in the Pauls
Valley
Sentinel
Newspaper, Pauls Valley,
Indian
Territory,
dated Thurs., June 15,
1905:
"On Wednesday, June 7th, Dr. J. N. Norris shot and killed
Z. Y. Griffin
and
seriously wounded a
brother, Fred
Griffin, at McGee. The shooting took
place at about 4
o'clock in the
afternoon in front of the
Griffin store.
Norris, who had
disliked Fred Griffin,
the younger
brother, trampled on
his
foot
presumably to
raise a row. Griffin went on away and was
followed
by
Norris. A short time later
they again
met and
Griffin asked Norris why
he had
stepped on his foot. Norris
immediately
drew
his pistol and began
firing on
Griffin,
who ran. The second
shot fired by Norris
struck Griffin
as
he was running and
dodging out of the
way behind a corner
of
the house.
This
bullet struck the
shoulder blade, and
glanced upwards and
lodged in
the right side of Griffin's
neck. About
this
time, Z. Y., who was
standing
near,
made a leap at
Norris to get his pistol.
Norris leaped
backward and
began
shooting at Z. Y.
Three shots were fired
at him, only one
of which
took effect. This struck him in
the
abdomen
inflicting a fatal injury
from
which death
soon resulted. The wounded
man struggled
fiercely for his life
and
after the
fatal shot had entered his
abdomen, he
struck at
Norris with
his fist, as he was wholly
unarmed. Norris, having exhausted the
five
shots in his
pistol, began pounding
Z.
Y. over the head with the butt of
the
weapon. In his
death agony, Z. Y. clutched the hand of
Norris,
breaking one or two of the
bones
and
bystanders had to release his hand
with
great effort.
Norris was placed in jail and after the
preliminary
trial,
was
released on a
ten-thousand dollar
bond."
On the same day, The Pauls Valley Enterprise, Pauls Valley,
Chickasaw
Nation,
Indian
Territory,
Thurs. June 15, 1905
wrote:
"The examining trial of Dr. J.N. Norris for the killing of
Z.Y. Griffin
and
wounding Fred Griffin
at McGee Wednesday
afternoon, was held in the
District
Court
room Saturday afternoon
before
Judge Pfeiffer. The
Government
was
represented by Albert Reusiel and
the
defense by Mowan
Pruitt and H.
Furman. Quite a large
number of
witnesses were examined by
the
Government,
but none for the defense. At
the
conclusion of the
trial,
the defendant was bound over to
appear before the grand jury in the sum
of
$10,000 which
he readily gave."
I have a copy of the obituary but the bottom line is torn
off from age.
It
was written by the
preacher at the
Church of Christ where the family
worshiped. It
says:
IN MEMORY OF Z.Y. GRIFFIN OF McGEE, I.T. WHO DIED JUNE
8,
1905
Z.Y. Griffin was born in Christian County Missouri, August
15, 1866. He
has
been a citizen of McGee
for twelve
years,
doing business in the town,
making for himself
many true and loving
friends. The wife
and little
children,
the
father,
brother, sisters and relatives which are bereaved,
feel as in losing him they have
lost all
in this
life they love most
dear.
While
they
mourn they should remember their beloved
Yoke has gone on
and
is waiting to
clasp glad hands where
sorrow is
unknown.
He was a member of
the Church of
Christ of McGee, having
gone into the
church when young and
according to God's
Holy Word, "If we sin
we have an
advocate with Jesus
Christ
the Son."
We feel sure, if we try, we
shall one
day be
reunited
with our brother. Then let us
while we must, live without him here,
strive
to meet him
in the life beyond.
While
the tragic death he met, is hard
to
fear
we have
the
blessed knowledge that he is
-----------------------innocent
and
much-----------------------. W.
Goodwin
|
 Dr. Norris
Fred Griffin
1935 |
|
THE CHICKASAW NEWS
9Aug1906
BUYING LOTS - The
First Bank
of
McGee, Whitt Hyden, the
United States
Bank
and Dr. Shi have bought the
4
corner lots at the intersection Main
Street and Hyden
Avenue in the town
of
Walling at
$600.
each. Shi Bros. have bought a location for
their gin
at the
old tank.[the old
tank??]
Quillian
& Yeager
have
bought a couple of lots at the
corner of
1st
Street and Hyden Avenue
for
the
McGee
Hotel.
23Aug1906
The following
have bought lots in
the new
town of
Walling:
J.L.
Allred..........1
lot..... R.M.
Austel..........1.....
A.J.
Austel..........4..... W.A.
Brumley.........1
Houston
M.
Byford....1..... Williard T.
Brinlee..2.....
S.D.
Brown...........2..... A.C.
Cromer..........1
J.R.
Craig...........1.....
J.J.
Copeland........1..... Jas.
Daugherty.......1.....
Jessie T.
Eldridge...1
Hyden &
Young........2.....
W.T.
Hayes...........4..... James C.
Honaker.....3.....
Whitt M.
Hyden.......2
J.W.
Isaacs..........1.....
A.W. Jackson
Sr......1..... A.W. Jackson
Jr......1..... Wm.
Lee..............2
S.S.
Lee.............5..... O.T.
Medlock.........2.....
Mantooth &
Lee.......1..... W.T.
Mantooth........2
Alvin
S.
Morris......1..... Martin &
Stockman....1.....
J.H.
McCurdy.........1..... James
Norris.........1
Maggie
J.
Norris.....4..... Wm.
Russell..........4.....
Shi &
Jackson........1..... John
Smith...........1
Santford
&
Strickland..3..... J.H.
Sloan...........3.....
J.R.
Santford........4..... A.H.
Shi.............5
P.
Turk..............1..... F.M.
Welch...........2.....
S.S.
Widener.........2
THE CHICKASAW NEWS
30 Aug 1906
More people who
bought lots
in the
new
town:
G.P.
Carney.....J. H.
Shepard.....H.C. Fagin.....H.A.
Stevenson
John
Payne.....Charles
Flowers.....C.L.
Frier.....Geo.
Frier
Eugene
Frier.....Maggie
Harper.....Geo.
Benton.....Mrs. N.E.
Leeper
G.P.
Fricker.....H.C.
Braden.....Pete
Turk.....E.A.
Pierce
J.L.
Pierce.....Elmer E.
Sample.....Leonard
Hyden
THE CHICKASAW NEWS
13 Sep 1906
More people who
bought lots
in the
new
town:
R.A.
Jones.....J.Ways
(Ada).....Addie Hobgood
(Ada).....W.R.
Branch (Shawnee)
J.T.
Copeland
(Center).....F.W.
Trautman.....H.A.
Stevenson
(Center)
R.H.
Taylor.....H.C.
Fagin.....W.E.
Mathews (Ark).....S.M.
Gloyd Lumber
Co.
C.M.
Woods.....H.
Beavers.....Elmer Sample
(Sulphur).....Dr. S.C. Davis
(Hart)
J. B.
March (Ada).....Jas. H.
Shell.....Sam
Boatright.....H.F.
Douglas
(Shawnee)
L.T.
Salmon
(Maud).....Morris Bayless
(Sulphur)
The following are taken from THE CHICKASAW
NEWS:
30Aug1906
"McGee began
Wednesday to move over to Walling.
Hiram
Wheeler, the
house mover hitched on to W.T.
Hayes barn
and
yanked it over
and
will then move
his store over to the
new town."
27Sep1906
"A.C. Cromer's grocery store and the
First Bank of
McGee's building
and
Gilstrap's store landed in
Walling this
week."
8Oct1906
"Cap Shi's dwelling was moved over
Wednesday."
"The foundation of Dr.
J.N. Norris handsome
residence on
Main
Street is being laid this week. The
foundation is to be
constructed of
cement blocks made by
Hyden &
Cragin. This will
be
several feet
high
and on this a frame structure of two stories
high
containing
seven rooms will be
erected."
11Oct1906
"Straughn & Maxey will build a two
story frame
on
their lot on Main Street
between Hyden
& Pine Ave."
7Nov1906
"They are moving in fast. Dr. A.H. Shi
had his
dwelling
moved over last week.
Will Young
had his dwelling in
Stratford and
fencing up before anyone
was aware of it
scarcely. Dr.
S.S.
Widener
is having a neat dwelling
created at the
corner of
Main
and
Spruce."
15Nov1906
"The I&Y Grocery moved to Stratford
last week
and is
located on
East Main
Street near the
corner of Pine and Main. They
are
putting down a
solid foundation of
brick."
"C.O.
Wright's
dwelling arrived
from McGee
today."
03 May
1906
R.W.
Roberts of
Pauls Valley, was in
town Saturday. He
was on his way
to
Center where he
was to be married Sunday
to Miss Nora
Brown of
Stonewall. Rev.
Butler officiating. |
|
THE NEW TOWNSITE
President Dorset Carter of the Oklahoma
Central
authorises
the THE
CHICKASAW
NEWS to say to its
readers that the new
townsite will be
located in thirty days.
The party of
railroad officials
went
Wednesday to
look at Whitt
Hyden's land south
of McGee
with
reference to locating the new town
there. Everything was satisfactory
except there was
not quite as many acres
as the company
wished to
purchase. There
were only 350 acres instead of the
desired 400. But it is
thought that
difference will be
satisfactorily
arranged. The 400 may be
secured or the 350
accepted if more
can't be had just now.
President
Carter
thinks trains will
be running into the
new townsite before
fall.
The company
has sixty miles of
steel now lying on
the yards at Lehigh,
and
most of the unfinished grading
between
these
places is of a
comparatively
light
character
that can soon be completed.
The party,
after looking
over
the new townsite, proceeded up the
line to Ada. Mr. Carter informs us that
the lots will
probably be sold for the
stipulated
price
of $50 each and
the
purchasers allowed to draw for
choice.
[Did the railroad
buy more
than just
a right of way. It
looks like they
bought a whole townsite,
where
people had to move, if they wanted
to do business on the railroad,
forceing
McGee to
abandon their town and buy the railroad
townsites.
What
a
racket!]
Source: The
Chickasaw
News
VOL. 4 MCGEE I.T. THURSDAY
MAY 17,
1906 NO. 27 |
D.M. Hyden, democrat, and J.M.
Yingling,
republican, have
been
appointed to take the census of
McGhee
and vicinity
prepratory for districting
the country
for
the election of
delegates to
the
ocnstitutional
convention.
The Last
Picnic at McGee
is what
the
Democratic club of this place calls
The Old Fashioned Barbecue and
speaking
they are
to have at McGee July 26. No stands are
to be allowed
on
the ground
except
one, and part of
the proceeds of
that are to go to the
expenses of the
picnic. Some noted
speakers have been
invited; the
celebrated
blind
orator of Oklahoma,
Senator T.P.
Gore, Hon. Henry M.
?urman of Ada,
known in three states
as an orator;
W.M.
Franklin of
Madill, Judge of Chickasha, and R.L.
Williams of
Durant. The fires of
party enthusiasm
will soon be set under
the political
pots
and
they will begin to boil.
It
is
rumored that the Rock Island
has
offered to run
trains into Sulphur from
Asher by
October and
that
Sulphur made up the bonus in one
day. that line would pass through McGee
and the new town
probably. But we have
not been able to
learn
anything.
Source:
The Chickasaw
News
VOL. 4 MCGEE, I.T.
THURSDAY
JULY
19,
1906 NO. 35
THE LAST
PICNIC
McGee's last picnic
was
great. 1000 to
1500 people assembled
in the shady grove
south of town for
a
day of
enjoyment. They had it. Mr.
Terrell of Ada,
speaking for
Judge Furman was the
first orator. He was followed by
Robert
Wimbish
Esq. of Ada,
speaking as a
citizen, in a fine
address, full of
good
sense and
well delivered. The Band from
Wanette
then gave us
some
fine music. After dinner, C.C.
Ross of Ada spoke for the
socialists. He
made a fairly good
presentation of his
subject; but spoiled
some of its effect
by uncalled for
aspersions of the
bankers and
businessmen.
Sen.
Gore,
candidate for U.S. Senator
followed in
one of
his
inimatable speeches. Wit and
burlesque were so
mingled with
sound
logic and
eloquence that the crowd seemed never to
tire. He is
a
Jeffersonian
Democrat of the old
school and will make
a worthy senator.
Claude
Weaver, of Pauls Valley,
candidate
for
congress, followed.
Mr.
Laseter of near Pauls Valley,
candidate for delagate to
the
constitutional
convention, closed
the speaking. All the
democrat speakers
dealt out sound
Jeffersonian
doctrine.The Republicans
made no application
to be heard. No
drunkeness or
disturbance marred the
occasion.
Source:
The
Chickasaw News VOL. 4
MCGEE, I.T.
THURSDAY JULY 26, 1906
NO.
36 |
Dan Dryden and Miss Olla McKnight
were married
Thursday evening
at Mr.
Kimbrew's. The match was
rather a
surprise,
as the parents of the young
lady
objected and
the young couple stole
a
march on
them.
VOL. 4 MCGEE, I.T.
THURSDAY
JULY 26,
1906 NO. 36 |
IT RAINED FLOODS
McGee has just experienced on of those
rainy
seasons that
are
rare outside of
tropical countries.
Saturday, Sunday, and
Monday, we had
unusually heavy
downpours. But Monday
night the heavens
seemed to be
opened and a torrential
outpour flooded
everything. it is
estimated
that 18
inches of rain fell
during the night.
Every dry hollow
became a
raging
torrent. The streets of
the town ran
like
a mill race.
Much
fencing was washed away, and it is
feared crops were greatly
damaged.
Davis'
railroad camps suffered
severely. It is
supposed the damage in
all,
at this camp, amounted to $2000.
Everything in the camp except the mules
and harness was
swept away. A cook stove
that weighed
600
pounds was
carried 100
yards down the creek. Heavily loaded
wagons were overturned
and their
contents
floated away on the
flood. His
goods and wagons were
stranded along the
creek for two or
three miles. Heavy iron
scrapers were
mere
playtings of the flood. They began
to
load their
wagons to get away
but the
flood came so quickly that they had to
be abandoned. The mules
swam out
and
those in charge at the
camp, seven
in number, took to the
trees
until
Tuesday morning. A young man, son
of Mr.
Davis, by some
misfortune, lost
all his clothing except
a suit of
underwear. He was
supplied
with a
temporary suit when they reached
Terre
Firma again. But
the flood
did one good: It gave the
surface of the
earth a thorough
washing.
VOL.
4
MCGEE, I.T. THURSDAY
AUGUST 9, 1906 NO.
38 |
THE ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE
Fortune plays strange tricks
with us at
times,
sunders the most
intimate family ties,
scatters the individual
members of the
family and unites them
again in the most
unexpected
manner.
A.H.
Gibson, who lives
near Ladonia,
Texas, came to
McGee
Monday
prospecting for a farming
location near
this place.
While
stopping at the McGee Hotel he
made the acquaintance of Miss Bessie
Gibson, who
was working there.
Inquiry developed the
fact that she is
the daughter
of
his eldest brother. She
will return with
him to
Texas.
VOL. 4
MCGEE I.T. THURSDAY AUGUST 23, 1906 NO.
40 |
RECORD OF INSTRUMENTS FILED
(17th
Recording
District)
Furnished by The
Valley Abstract
Company, of Pauls
Valley,
I.T.
Deeds
Ella
Gabbert, nee Hyden and
husband
to the
Canadian Valley
Construction
Company, 50 A Sec.27 1 4 N
R 3 E
$1500.
Ella
Gabbert, nee
Hyden and
husband to American
Trust Co., 30 A
Sec. 27 T 4 N 3
E.
K.C. Parks
and wife Nancy
Parks, of Byars,
to the Inter-State
Mortgage Trust Co.
100 A Sec 25 T
4 N
R
2 E. $105.
K.C. Parks and
wife, Nancy Parks,
of
Byars, to the
Inter-State Mortgage
Trust Co. 100 A Sec
25 T 4 N R 2 E.
$700
William
O. Stanley and
wife to the Mortgage
& Debenture
Co., Ltd.
160 A
Sec. 13 40 A Sec. 14 T 4
N R 3
E.
VOL. 4
MCGEE I.T.
THURSDAY
AUGUST 23, 1906 NO. 40 |
|
Stamp OK for State
A piece of Oklahoma history
will be coming
to
Pauls Valley and
Garvin County residents
when a stamp honoring the
state’s first
100
years goes on sale
beginning at 10
a.m. Thursday, Jan.
11.That day, for
the first time, the U
S. Postal Service
will offer the
public
an
opportunity to purchase their new
first-class postage stamp
commemorating
the state’s
centennial
celebration.
Illustrated by
Chickasaw
artist
and former Wynnewood
resident Mike
Larsen, the 39-cent
postage stamp
depicts a picturesque
sunrise on the
Cimmaron River and
bears
the phrase,
“Oh, what a beautiful
mornin’…” taken
from the
famous
Broadway musical,
“Oklahoma.”
According to Pauls
Valley Postmaster
Barbara Mullins, the
stamp won’t be the
only unique postal
item available
to
the
public on Thursday. Postal customers
will also have a chance
at
that time to
obtain a limited edition
postal ink
stamp, as well as some
commemorative
envelopes which will be in
stock for a
very,
very short
time.
“On January the 11th we’ll also offer
customers a special
pictorial
cancellation postmark to
commemorate the
first day of sales for
the stamp,”
Mullins said. “At that
time we’ll
also
have two
different
styles of commemorative cache envelopes
on sale, but there
will
only be 20 of
each one available
here so they’ll go
fast. “One
depicts three
Native Americans on
horseback, two in
ceremonial headdress,
and the other
pictures a cowboy on a
hill with a
cattle
drive in the
distance.”
Mullins added each
collector’s envelope
is only $5 and
comes with a
commemorative postage stamp
affixed.
Source:
Pauls Valley
Daily
Democrat by
Jim
Richardson January 10, 2007 |
|
Oldest Oklahoman Stratford woman
believed to be
oldest in
state By Barry
Porterfield
Staff
Writer Published: Pauls Valley
Democrat
December
28, 2007
It seems the question of who the oldest Oklahoman is
right now
appears
to have been settled
only a matter of
days ago when relatives of a
Stratford
woman
made it clear it was
her. The
question popped up last week
as
efforts to find
the answer led to Haddie
Hottle Austin
Payne,
now
sitting
at a robust 109 years
old. It was
many of Payne’s family
members who
led officials in the right
direction
after the death of
110-year-old
Kristine Klostermyer Brown
— then the
oldest
of all Oklahoma
residents.
With no official
records in place there
were differing
ideas of the
new
oldest person after
Brown died in Alva.
Born on Sept. 27,
1898 in
Garvin
County, when the area was
still Indian
Territory, Payne is
now
believed to
have the title after
relatives saw an
article in
the Tulsa
World that indicated a
107-year-old Okmulgee woman might be the
oldest. They were quick to
contact
the newspaper as a way of
getting
the
word
out about
Payne. “Garvin County
has the oldest
person in
all of
Oklahoma,”
said Johnny
Mann of
Stratford, one of Haddie’s grandsons
“That’s pretty
amazing.” Mann, who
is
Garvin County’s District 3
commissioner, and
his wife, Gina, the
county clerk, are
now Haddie’s
caretakers
after
she lived in her own
Stratford house
until just three
years
ago.
“My mother and my aunt took
care of her
until she
was
106.
Then she went into the nursing
home,”
Mann said. That nursing
home
in Wynnewood
is where Haddie has a
very familiar
roommate — her own
daughter after she
was also moved to the
facility.
“Now
she and my mom
share a
room there
at the nursing home,” he
said.
Haddie’s first
husband, Sol
Austin, who served in
World
War I, died in the 1920s leaving
her
with four
children to raise. In 1943 she
married G.P.
Payne and
they
later moved
to and
resided in Texas for
16 years. They returned
to
Oklahoma and
Stratford in 1962, where
she lived until
making the move
to the
nursing
home. Even now Mann is amazed how
lively his
grandmother can be at
times. “She
has always been a real
Christian
woman.
She was a
Sunday
School teacher who had no vices,” he
said.
“She’ll amaze you.
Her vital
signs are probably better than
mine.
“One
day we went to visit
her and she
just talked and talked.
Other days
she
doesn’t have much
to say. She’ll talk if
she want
to.”
Payne was
the eldest of 19 children and
has four living siblings, including
sisters
in Pauls
Valley and
Stratford
 |
|
WOMAN
KILLED IN MAYSVILLE SHOOTING AFFRAY ON
STREET LAST MONDAY
NIGHT
Potts
Pleaded Not Guilty, Bound
to District
Court Without Bond to Await Trial in Regular Term
Larnce Potts, 34, is being held in the county jail for the
alleged shooting of his estranged wife,
Mrs. Sylvia McCarty
Potts, 33, Monday
night about 8:00 at Maysville. Mrs.
Potts had been employed at Roy Harris'
Cafe since the
separation and divorce
from her husband about two months
ago. She was supporting her six
children and was on her
way home
accompanied by her 17 year old son, Raymond, when he
had to return to a store and she started
on home alone.
According to the
defendant's confession, he was parked in his
car across the street from his wife, and
in his own words, "I
called to her to
come and talk to me and she wouldn't. I
had my twelve gauge shot gun and three
shells, and I asked her
to come back to
me and she wouldn't, so I shot her either one
or two times. I went to Earnest's
(his brother's house)
to try to get some
shotgun shells to kill myself but he
wouldn't let me have them so I started
back to Williams but
they (supposedly
the sherif and his deputies) blocked the
road, so I climbed up a pecan tree and
jumped out to try to
kill myself, but I
failed." According to reports, after
Potts climbed the tree he began
screaming, and the sheriff
pleaded with
him to come down but he refused, finally jumping
20 to 25 feet to the ground and falling
on his shoulder.
He was apparently
unhurt by the fall. Potts appeared
before District Judge Ben T. Williams
Thursday morning and
pleaded not guilty,
and was bound to district court without
bond and was returned to jail to await
trail by jury in a
regular term of
District Court.
Source: Chickasaw
Enterprise, Pauls Valley
Thursday,
December 9,
1943 |
A love for wildlife
While most people in Garvin
County
associate
Annie Marchbanks with
the Garving County
Rural Water District
#4, what they may
not know is she has a
love for exotic
animals.
During
the
week
Marchbanks assists water customers
as
the office manager
at the
Rural Water District #4 office
located at 106 East McClure in Pauls
Valley. But
on the weekends she is
a volunteer at an
area exotic
animal
park, a job she looks forward to week in
and week out.
“Every
Saturday,
from 9 to 5, I work as
a volunteer at
the Tiger Safari Exotic
Zoological
Park in
Tuttle. It’s an
interactive place where
we take animals
out of the
cage
and let the public play
with them, hold
them and get their
pictures taken
with them. “We have baby
bears, tigers,
lions, a
coatimundi,
cougar, emus, marmoset monkeys, lemurs,
an albino raccoon,
alligator — anything
that’s small enough
that can’t hurt
people,”
Marchbanks
explained. “We also have some
larger animals there like
‘Rajah’ which
is a
Siberian Tiger that
is the official
mascot for the
Tuttle
football
team.” Marchbanks said
she made
the decision to
work
as a volunteer at Tiger Safari
after paying a visit to the park two
years
ago.
“I saw something on TV
about
the park and they were showing a
baby
black bear. I
decided to go have a look at it for
myself, so I
went
up and held
the
baby bear,”
Marchbanks
recalled. "I fell in love
with the
place and
have been
volunteering ever
since. I really love
working there. In
fact, it’s my favorite
job.”
Marchbanks started
working
for the
Rural Water District in August
of 2006
but before that
she
was employed for 11 years at the old
Pauls Valley City Hall where she held
the position of
Billing and Collecting
Clerk for the
Water
Department. A
Garvin County native and graduate,
Marchbanks said she
was born at an
historic medical facility
on North
Chickasaw
Street in
Pauls
Valley. “I was born in the old
hospital when it was a
pink
building next
to Dee Barton’s Drug
Store. I think it’s
apartments now,”
she
said. “Over
the
years that followed I went to school in Paoli,
Wynnewood and Pauls Valley and
eventually graduated from Elmore
City.”
Marchbanks has been married
to Robert
Marchbanks of Paoli for
the
last 43 years
and has one child, Robert
Jr., who lives
with
his wife
Jackie in Goldsby. Ann said she
is also the proud grandparent of four
“gorgeous
granddaughters.”
 |
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