Beckham County, OK - Deaths: J. C. Charles, 1920
19 Nov 2007
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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CHARLES, J. C.
(10 Sep 1920, Friday, Southwest Press, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
W. E. Kindall, secretary of the M.W.A. Camp of Strong City, came in Monday
with the report of the murder of J. C. Charles, of this city.
Last week a tramp, died in Fort Worth, Texas, after having confessed to
murdering an unknown man about three weeks ago near Wichita Falls.  He
robbed the man of all valuables, murdered him and threw the body into Red
River.
Just before his death, the tramp wrote the confession and turned over the
murdered man's pocketbook to authorities in Fort Worth.  The pocketbook
contained only a receipt received from W. E. Kindall at Strong City, who
(sic) Charles' lodge dues.  This evidence was at once sent to Mr. Kindall
at Strong City, who immediately came to the deceased's family in Elk City
to investigate.
As yet the body has not been found and no further evidence can be
ascertained.
Mr. Charles left his family in Elk City about four weeks ago to find work
at Burkburnett, and no news had been received by his wife until Mr.
Kindall, of Strong City, came Monday.  Mrs. Charles has been trying to
locate her husband for the past two weeks but had been unable to do so.
The deceased leaves a wife and seven children.
The M.W.A. Camp, of Strong City, is making investigations around Wichita
Falls, in hopes of recovering the body.
(Research:  Census, 1920, Oklahoma, Beckham Co, Elk City, ED 7, pg 9A,
#52/55 (T625-1451)
West 2nd Street:
James C. Charles, age 45, b Tn; f/m b Tn; farmer;
Myrtle, age 42, b Tn; f/m b Tn;
Thelma, age 16, b Tn;
Edna, age 14, b Tn;
Oleda, age 13, b Tn;
Leola, age 12, b NM;
Angelina, age 5, b Ok;
Alveretta, age 2, b Ok;
J. Elizabeth, age 2 mos, b Ok.)

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