Beckham County, OK - Deaths: Birdie and Ora James Bond, 1906 14 Sep 2007 Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell) ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************ BOND, BIRDIE (HODGSON) BOND, JAMES ORA or ORA JAMES (20 Apr 1906, Sayre Standard, Sayre, Beckham Co, OK): Friday the news was brought to Sayre, of the killing of Mrs. Birdie Bond by her former husband, James O. Bond, who then killed himself. Mrs. Bond was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ira Hodgson, who live five miles northeast of Sayre. She had been separated from Bond over a year. Recently their child, Sammie, was kicked by a horse, and after an illness of several weeks, died. Bond had assisted in nursing the child and attended the funeral. Thursday he got on the train at Sayre and went to Doxey. Friday morning between eight and nine o'clock he appeared at the Hodgson home and announced his intention of killing the whole family. Mrs. Hodgson, Mrs. Bond and a younger sister were there. Bond drew a revolver and shot at all three, but only succeeded in wounding his wife slightly. Mrs. Hodgson then grabbed him, telling her daughter to run. Mrs. Bond ran from the house; and Bond broke away and followed her. Throwing away the revolver he drew a razor and, overtaking her, slashed at her until he succeeded in reaching her throat. Then he drew the razor across his own throat, and in a few minutes both were dead. There is no doubt that the man was demented. A few months ago his skull was fractured by a blow from a billiard cue, and it is thought that this had affected his mind. The body of Mrs. Bond was buried in the Doxey cemetery, and his was sent to Cereal where his father lives. (26 Apr 1906, Roger Mills Democrat, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK (then Roger Mills Co): "James O. Bond, a farmer, killed his former wife and then himself about 9 o'clock today, five miles north of Sayre. He used a razor. They had been seperated (sic) over a year, and the wife was living with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ira Hodgson, when their boy, Sammie, 4 years old, was killed by a kick from a horse. Bond was sent for to attend the funeral and afterwards he remained and acted strangely. Yesterday he started to his home at El Reno, but got off the train at Doxey. His tracks indicated that he had prowled around the house all night. This morning he came to the house and announced his intentions of killing the whole family, with a revolver. He shot at his wife, then at her mother, Mrs. Hodgson and then at Mr. Hodgson and Mrs. Bond's sister. Mrs. Hodgson grabbed him, telling her daughter to run. Mrs. Bond ran, screaming, from the house, out on the road. Bond broke loose from Mrs. Hodgson, followed her and struck her several times with the revolver; again she ran and he threw away the revolver, and drew a razor and, overtaking her again, he slashed her on the arms, breast and face. Finally he reached her throat and she sank to the road literally hacked to pieces. Bond, then drew the razor across his own throat, severing both jugular veins and dying a few feet from the dead woman. (27 Apr 1906, Cheyenne Sunbeam, Cheyenne, Roger Mills County, OK): A terrible tragedy, in which two lives were sacrificed, occurred a few miles northeast of Sayre last Friday morning. The evidence before the coroner's jury are: J. O. Bond and wife had been divorced about a year, Bond living in Canadian county and Mrs. Bond with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ira Hodgeson (sic), near Sayre. A short time ago their only child, about four years old, was kicked by a horse and dangerously hurt. The father was notified and came to where his wife and child lived. The child died and was buried, and Bond started for his home. The morning of the tragedy Bond appeared at the Hodgson home and announced his intention of killing the whole family, and began to shoot, one ball striking Mrs. Bond in the side, inflicting a slight wound. A struggle ensued in which Mrs. Bond's throat was cut and she sank to the ground. Bond immediately turned the razor on himself, severing the jugular veins and dying a few feet from his dead wife. Mrs. Bond was buried near Sayre and Bond was taken to El Reno. (3 May 1906, Thursday, Elk City Democrat, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK): In regard to the tragedy which occurred near Sayre recently, the El Reno Democrat gives the following concerning the participants of the horrible affair. "A horrible tragedy occurred yesterday near Sayre, in which two former residents of Canadian county were the victims. Ora Bond, a son of A. J. Bond, who lives northeast of El Reno, murdered his wife and then committed suicide. Mrs. Ora Bond was formerly Miss Birdie Hodgson of Frisco township. The Hodgsons and Ora moved to western Oklahoma about three years ago. "Last fall Ora Bond received a blow on the head which fractured his skull since which time his mind has been affected. A few months ago he and his wife separated, and a week ago their little son was killed by being kicked with a horse, and these troubles seem to have rendered him desperate." (Research: Census, 1900, Oklahoma, Canadian Co, Reno Twp, ED 16, pg 5A, #91/96 (T623-1335): Ora J. Bond, age 26, b Mar 1874, Mo; fb In; mb Mo; Dairyman - rents property; married 2 years; Birdie Bond, age 20, b Sep 1879, Ks; fb Il; mb Mo; married 2 years; 1 child born, none living.)