Beckham County, OK - Deaths: Andrew Jackson Bullard, 1902 
26 Oct 2007
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell) 

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BULLARD, ANDREW JACKSON
(3 Jul 1902, Elk City Newspaper, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
Last Monday afternoon about 5 o'clock Sheriff A. J. Bullard and
Undersheriff J. Cogburn, while attempting to arrest a band of cattle and
horse thieves were shot and killed about eight miles north of Cheyenne on
Dead Indian creek.
It appears that the sheriff had received word to be on the lookout for a
band of horse and cattle thieves who had been operating in Woodward
county.  Later he learned that a party of deperados (sic) were camped on
Dead Indian creek and the sheriff and his deputy started out to
investigate.  Upon arrival at the camp, a farmer who had been in
conversation with the outlaws, was called to one side and after talking
awhile with Mr. Bullard, went away.  The sheriff then began talking with
the campers.  Just when the shooting commenced can not be learned, but it
is supposed that the campers becoming suspicious that the farmer was going
for assistance at once opened fire on the officers.  Sheriff Bullard was
shot with a shot gun loaded with buckshot, seven holes being found in the
region of the heart, and also shot through the head.  It is said that he
fired three shots with his revolver.  The deputy was shot through the
body, but did not fire a shot.
Two women, three children and one man belonging to the party were arrested
and taken to Cheyenne, but two men supposed to be Sam Green and Pete
Whitehead, noted outlaws, escaped.
Armed posses are in hot pursuit of the fleeing bandits who are supposed to
be making for a strong rendezvous in the Wichita mountains, Deputy Sheriff
Elliott of this place is with the posse.
The murdered officers were buried at Cheyenne Wednesday.
(undated clipping):
Many versions of the affair, have been given by residents of the Dead
Indian Settlement, but the writer, who was a resident of the county at
that time has concluded that the story as was carried by the Cheyenne
Sunbeam of July 4, 1902, comes about as near giving the facts of the case
as can be recorded.  We give the article as it was published at that time.
"This community was startled on Monday Evening last by the news that
Sheriff A. J. Bullard and his deputy John Cogburn had been killed on the
head of Dead Indian Creek between 5 and 6 o'clock p.m.
"A posse left at once for the scene of the tragedy, headed by Deputy
Sheriff Monroe.
It appears that during the day, several parties had come to town and
notified Bullard of the presence of some suspicious characters, who were
going about the Dead Indian Country heavily armed and trying to dispose of
saddles and other property.  There were seven persons in the suspicious
looking outfit, from men ranging in age from 18 to 40 and a woman and two
children.  The oldest man is the husband of the woman and the father of
the two children.  His name is Sam Green and he came recently from
Woodward County, where he has been employed on a ranch about twenty miles
north of Woodward.  He is about five feet eight inches tall and weighs two
hundred pounds or less, has sandy mustache, yellowish hair and red face. 
Another of the men named Pet Whitehead was twenty three years old, weight
about 160 or 170, height 5 ft 8in, black hair and complexion, clean
shaved.