Beckham County, OK - Deaths: Clyde McKinsey, 1912
21 August 2008
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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MC KINSEY, CLYDE
(4 Jul 1912, Sayre Standard, Sayre, Beckham Co, OK):
Clyde McKensey, the Texola barber, who was arrested last week on complaint
of his wife, committed suicide at the county jail by dissolving matches in
water and drinking the poisened (sic) liquid.  His death occurred early
Sunday morning.
When the case was called Friday afternoon in Judge Hendrix' court, at
which time both McKensey and Adams were to be given a preliminary hearing,
McKensey was reported to be very ill, and he was brought to court leaning
on the arm of Sheriff Cope.  Dr. Windle was called and he administered
medical aid, but at that time it was supposed that he was suffering from
an attack of nervous prostration.  Later a more thorough examination of
the case convinced the physician that McKensey had taken some kind of
poison and investigation furnished the first evidence leading to the
theory that he had dissolved matches in water and then drank the poisoned
liquid.
A box of matches, which had been placed in the jail only the day before
was found to be about empty, and this fact lead to the belief that
McKensey had resorted to this means of ending his life.  He refused to
make any statement up to the last, but a letter, written in a rambling
way, in which he charged others with being responsible for his own
misdeeds, was found after his death.  The letter was evidently written
after he had determined to end his life, but before he had drank the
poisoned liquid.  An undertaker from Frederick arrived in the city Monday
and the body was embalmed and taken to Frederick for burial.
Adams, who is also charged with the same offence as McKensey, had a
preliminary hearing last Friday and was bound over to the district court
in the sum of $2,500.  His former bond will hold good, until five days
following his preliminary hearing, at which time a new bond will be
required.
(4 Jul 1912, Thursday, Elk City Record, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
Clyde McKinzey (sic), perpretrator of one of the most atrocious crimes
ever committed in Beckham County ended his mortal career last week, by
taking poison.  In all probability he had sucked the heads from a number
of matches as several were found in his cell.
The poison was taken Friday, as he was taken intensely ill, and refused to
explain where he got the poison or what he had taken.  When told by
Sheriff Cope that he was a very sick man and certainly would die, and if
he wanted to make any request or leave any word with anyone, he would
deliver any message he would give out, he said he had no statement to
make.  But said he would soon be all right as he was getting better all
the time.
McKinzey was arrested at Frederick last week by Sheriff Cope, charged with
using his young wife in the white slave traffic.  She alleged that her
husband had forced her to go into the house of B. F. Adams in Texola. 
Mrs. McKinzey is said to be of a good family, a young woman of fine
appearance and culture.
McKinzey was brought here and placed in the city jail Tuesday night, and
was taken to Sayre the next day and placed in the county jail for safe
keeping.  He seemed to brood over his troubles, and it is thought ended
his life, as this guilt bore heavily upon him, and that he was sure that
the full measure of the law would be meeted (sic) out to him.
Sheriff Cope notified his relatives at Frederick, and the body was shipped
to that point for burial.
(12 Jul 1912, The Carter Express, Carter, Beckham Co, OK):
Clyde McKinzey, the Texola barber, who tried to sell his 18-year-old wife
of six months, into "White Slavery", committed suicide in the jail at
Sayre, by drinking water that had a box of matches soaked in it.
On passing a neighbors house one day last week he persuaded his wife to
stop there pretending to have some collections to see about.  He left her
there and the man who had made previous arrangements, no doubt, locked her
up and she was not released until late that afternoon, while McKinzey went
on to town.  She had them both arrested.
B. F. Adams the man who is accused of buying a white slaver was placed
under a bond of $2,500 to await the action of Grand Jury.  Before he would
face a jury on such a grave charge.  McKinzey committed suicide while in
jail.  He took the poison in jail and died a few hours after having his
preliminary trial at Sayre.

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