Beckham County, OK - Deaths: Samuel Howard and George Johnson, 1909
01 April 2008
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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HOWARD, SAMUEL
JOHNSON, GEORGE
(14 Jan 1909, Thursday, Beckham County Democrat, Erick, Beckham Co, OK):
Elk City, Okla., Jan. 8 - Meeting on Main street at 9:15 this morning
George Johnson and Samuel Howard, prominent business men, fought a duel
with revolvers as a result of which Johnson was instantly killed and
Howard died a few minutes later.  Johnson fired five shots and Howard
four.
Cause for the tragedy has been sought without results today.  Johnson and
Howard have been intimate friends so far as the public knew.  Not an
inkling of trouble was heard when they came down town this morning. 
Witnesses saw them enter the ally (sic), heard them in conversation for a
moment and saw the shots fired.  A coroner's jury concluded that each
caused the others death and that was the end of the affair.  Howard died
in his wife's arms, probably leaving with her the secret of the tragedy.
Howard leaves a wife and three children.  Johnson was unmarried.  He came
here several years ago from Texas where relatives reside.
(14 Jan 1909, Sayre Headlight, Sayre, Beckham Co, OK):
Fight to the Death.
Last Friday morning George Johnson and Samuel Howard, Elk City characters,
fought a duel with revolvers in an alley in that city.  As a result
Johnson was instantly killed and Howard died a few minutes later.  Johnson
was an ex-U.S. marshal and it is said had killed three men.  At Elk City,
he is reputed to have followed the precarious calling of bootlegger and
gambler.  Howard was a pioneer in Southwestern Oklahoma and was at one
time dep. sheriff of Roger Mills county.  Of late he is reputed to have
been a frequenter of the gaming table.  He leaves a wife and three
children.  Johnson was unmarried.
(14 Jan 1909, Sayre Standard, Sayre, Beckham Co, OK):
Sam Howard and George Johnson, of Elk City, fought a revolver duel in an
alley in that town about 9 o'clock Monday morning, as a result of which
Johnson was almost instantly killed and Howard was fatally wounded, living
only about an hour.
The cause of the trouble seems to be considerable of a mystery, but it
seems from the best evidence that has been produced that the men had been
engaged in gambling all of the night previous.  The morning of the tragedy
they appeared at the bar of a bootlegger's joint where one offered the a
dollar, (sic) which was refused.  Immediately after the refusal the two
men turned and walked to the alley and began shooting at each other. 
Johnson is reported to have shot five times and Howard four.  Howard was
hit once and Johnson twice.
The men were supposed to have been friends and the only explanation which
has been offered of their action is that they quarreled over a gambling
game.
Howard leaves a wife and five children.  Johnson has no family.

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