Beckham County, OK - Deaths: James T. Atkinson, 1923
01 Aug 2007
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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ATKINSON, JAMES T.
(30 Aug 1923, Elk City News Democrat, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
MURDER AT SAYRE.
One of the most brutal crimes ever committed in Beckham County occurred
Sunday night in South Sayre, the new 'rag' town just recently opened up
south of the Red River bridge out of Sayre, when J. T. Adkins, driller
employed on the Lewis-Pringle well was beaten to death, his assailant not
having yet been apprehended.  Various clues point to persons suspected of
being connected with the affair and several arrests have been made but up
to this time, the guilty party has not been found.  The details concerning
the affair, which have been made public are very meager.  Monday morning
the body was found in a pasture south of the river, the officers notified,
a coroner's impanneled (sic) and they brought in a verdict of "killed with
some blunt instrument, in a mysterious manner."  Several arrests were made
in connection with the case, but the outward facts seem to indicate that
it was the result of a drunken brawl between all parties present.  The
shack in which the affair occurred was badly damaged, all the window
lights being broken out and all the furniture broken and damaged.
(6 Sep 1923, Elk City News Democrat, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
The preliminary held last Saturday in the murder of J. T. Atkinson
resulted in P. T. Smithey being bound over to the District Court on a
charge of murder.  Several material witnesses are still being held in jail
to await further investigations of the Sheriff E. M. Green and County
Attorney Gilkerson.
(6 Sep 1923, The Sayre Headlight, Sayre, Beckham Co, OK):
The county officials were unable to learn anything regarding the relatives
of Jas. Atkinson, murdered on Monday morning of last week, beyond the fact
that his father lives somewhere in Ireland, and the body was buried here
on Friday night last.