Beckham County, OK - Deaths: John J. Jordan, 1929 
04 August 2008
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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JORDAN, JOHN J.
(3 Jan 1929, Elk City Newspaper, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
The preliminary hearing of Roy Nichols of Canute, charged with the murder
of John Jordan, his father-in-law, stated Thursday morning before M. B.
Brown, justice of the peace at Cordell (Washita County).
Harvey Jordan, Jordan's son and eye-witness to the alleged killing of his
father, the first witness to take the stand for the state, told in his
testimony of his father's death.
Jordan was killed, according to his son's testimony, last Sunday morning
near noon at the Nichols home in Canute as he, his son, a younger son,
Noble Jordan, and Clyde Malin, were returning from a farm near Elk City
where the latter's mother was working.  As they drove by the Nichols
residence, Mrs. Nichols ran out of the house and her father remarked that
she wanted them to stop.  They did so, her father asked her if she wanted
to go home with them, and she replied that she did as soon as she got her
baby.
After she had returned to the house, Jordan stated that they heard the
sound of scuffling in the house and that Nichols, followed by his wife,
came out on the porch with a revolver in his hand and threatened to kill
every one of the four occupants of the car, telling them to drive on.
Jordan, according to his testimony, started towards Nichols and scuffled
with him.  Two shots were fired, he alleged, before the third shot which
was fired over his shoulder struck his father as he approached from the
gate and he crumpled to the ground.  Jordan, who was shot through the
heart died almost instantly.  Nichols charged with shooting him with
premeditated design to effect his death, was arranged (sic) before Justice
Brown Wednesday morning, and entered a plea of not guilty at that time.
Jordan was a farmer of the Canute community whose farm was located about
two miles south and a half mile east of town.  - Cordell Beacon.
(10 Jan 1929, Elk City Newspaper, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
Roy Nichols of Canute, charged with the murder of John Jordan, his
father-in-law, is in the Washita county jail at Cordell where he is being
held without bond, to stand trial in the March tern of district court for
the charge against him.
Nichols was bound over to district court as a result of a preliminary
hearing which was held before M. B. Brown, justice of the peace, last
Thursday.
Jordan was killed, according to his son's testimony, Sunday, December 23,
shortly after noon, as he was returning, with Harvey Jordan, a younger
son, Noble Jordan and Clyde Malin, from a farm near Elk City where the
latter's mother was working.  Jordan was killed, his son stated, at the
home of Nichols in Canute.
His testimony on the stand told that as the group passed the Nichols
residence on the way home from Jordan's daughter, Mrs. Nichols came out of
the house and that he (his) father remarked that she wanted them to stop;
that Jordan asked her if she wanted to accompany them and she stated that
she did when she had gotten her baby; and that the alleged shooting of
Jordan occurred after she had gone into the house to prepare to go on to
the Jordan home.
The group heard the sounds of scuffling in the house, Harvey Jordan stated
in his testimony, and the defendant come out on the porch, followed by his
wife and with a revolver in his hand.  He threatened, it was alleged, to
kill every one of the occupants of the car.  Jordan said that he started
toward Nichols after he had fired one shot and scuffled with him and
alleged that his father who had approached the two from the gate crumbled
to the ground as the defendant fired the third shot.  - Cordell Beacon.
(24 Jan 1929, Thursday, Erick Democrat, Erick, Beckham Co, OK):
WASHITA SLAYER IS HELD WITHOUT BOND.
Man Who Shot Father-in-Law To Be Tried In March.
CORDELL - Roy Nichols, 35 years old, of Canute, near here, was bound over
without bond Thursday for trial in district court following his
preliminary hearing on a charge of murder in connection with the death of
his father-in-law, John Jordan, 55-year old Washita county farmer.
He will be tried at the spring term of the district court which begins on
the first Monday in March, county officials said.
Jordan will killed Sunday afternoon in the yard of Nichol's home,
following what officers said was a family quarrel.  Nichols and his
father-in-law had not been friendly for sometime, it was said, and the
trouble was climaxed Sunday when Jordan asked his daughter if she wanted
to go to his home with him.
Mrs. Nichols went into the house to get her baby, officers said they
learned, and when her father and brother, Harvey, heard a noise in the
house they started in to investigate.  Before they reached the house,
however, Nichols opened the door and began firing at them, officers said,
Jordan was fatally injured as he entered the yard of the Nichols home.

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