Beckham County, OK - Deaths: Dempsey M. Taylor, 1930
Friday, 30 January 2009
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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TAYLOR, DEMPSEY M.
(13 May 1930, Elk City Newspaper, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
County officers continued their investigation today of the death of D. M.
Taylor, 42 of Sayre, whose body was found at his filling station nine
miles west of that city yesterday morning with a bullet hole through the
temple and a revolver with one empty shell nearby.
Funeral services were held in the Ural cemetery this afternoon at 4
o'clock.  The body had been taken from Sayre to Erick where a brother, L.
Taylor, lived.  Arrangements for the funeral were made by the
Killough-Hullum directors and the procession left from Erick.
Coroner's inquest called the death suicide according to reports received
from Sayre this afternoon.  Cause for Mr. Taylor taking his life was
unknown by his brother.  Despondency over business affairs and poor health
were accredited with the action by those who are thought to have been
close friends of Mr. Taylor.
Mr. Taylor had been seen at the station about 7:30 yesterday morning it
was reported.  An hour later neighbors found the body alone in the small
building and the revolver laying nearby.  County officers were called to
the station and the inquest was conducted.
Judge R. S. Andrews, Sheriff C. H. Phillips and Deputies M. Y. Baker and
L. F. Holley officiated at the investigation.  Members of the jury who are
quoted as having returned a verdict of suicide were J. V. Bell, O. C.
Stewart, M. Deshane, W. J. Bacon, S. C. Owen and B. B. Norris.
The pistol near the body was a 38 caliber revolver described as belonging
to Mr. Taylor.
Although the verdict of suicide was returned, county officers are
continuing their inquiry to ascertain any clues which might lead to a
theory of homicide, it was made known.
Mr. Taylor is survived by a daughter who is living with his brother in
Erick and attending the high school there.
(15 May 1930, Sayre Headlight, Sayre, Beckham Co, OK):
Beckham county was shocked to learn of the death Monday morning of D. M.
Taylor who died at his filling station at Hext Switch.
Taylor was 39 years of age at the time of his death.  He was well known in
the county and built up a large list of friends who are grieved at his
passing.
Funeral services were held at Ural cemetery Tuesday afternoon at 4
o'clock.  A large group of friends and relatives were present at the
burial ceremony to pay their last respects to the dead man.
Killough-Hullum directors were in charge of the funeral services.
(22 May 1930, Beckham County Democrat, Erick, Beckham Co, OK):
CARD OF THANKS
We take this method of expressing our heartfelt thanks to the good
communities for the many kindnesses shown us as the death of our father
and brother.
Maybeon Taylor.
G. E. Taylor and family.
J. L. Srygley
C. D. Hart
Alf Taylor
A. R. Taylor
L. B. Taylor
H. B. Taylor
Edd Taylor.
(29 May 1930, Beckham County Democrat, Erick, Beckham Co, OK):
Rumor Slayer Erick Man Confessed, Unfounded.
Persistent rumors in Erick Tuesday to the effect that the slayer of D. M.
Taylor, found dead in his filling station on highway 66 near Hext Switch,
Monday morning, May 12th, with a bullet hole through his head were traced
to the county seat late Tuesday evening by a representative of the
Democrat and from reliable sources were found to be without foundation of
fact.
O. W. Perkins, former resident of Beckham county, who was reported in news
dispatches Sunday, as having received severe gunshot wounds at midnight
Thursday night in an alleged attempt to hold up a filling station between
Clinton and Weatherford was resting well in a Clinton hospital last
Tuesday and according to information had made no confession that he killed
Taylor.
County officials are continuing their investigation into the death of
Taylor, according to Deputy Sheriff Holly, of Sayre.

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