Beckham Co. OK, Robert Manning murdered, 1929 Submitted by Paulyne Taylor pingtiger@arn.net ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** ROBERT MANNING MURDERED September 28 1929 Robert Manning living Northeast of Erick, and Sterling Caudle, Sayre were murdered about one o:clock Sunday morning less than twenty miles apart, while they were attending dances. Manning had gone to the dance hall located one mile West of Lone Oak Church, where he with others of his friends had been enjoying a dance. Mannings brother and a man by the name of Adams, a farmer living one half mile of the Poky Corner store has a misunderstanding, and a fight followed. Manning hearing about the fight got out of his car and started toward the boys to separate them or to stop the fight in some way. Martin saw Manning start toward the fighters and decided to stop him, according to Lewis Hollis deputy sheriff. Several onlookers, said that Martin watched for Manning and as he started around the back of his car Martin stabbed him. Adam and Martin were living together prior to the murder. Martin seemed anxious that Manning would not reach the fighters. Those present at the time of the murder said that Martin ran as soon as he had inflicted the wound. Manning lived a very few minutes. The wound was inflicted with a double edged knife.The wound was inflicted within his shoulder blade and entered Mannings body on the right side of his chest, leaving a wound about an in inch in length. Soon after the murder Mannings body was brought to Sayre by Littrell- Moores ambulance. Manning lived on a farm Northeast of Erick. ************************************************************************ MANNING FUNERAL WILL BE MONDAY September 29 1929 Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at 2:30 at Deli. Martin is being held in the county jail to await trial .His home is one half a mile from Poky Corner store. NOTE: Those attending the dance that night along with Robert and his brother were Roberts wife Edith, her parents Martin Jerome and Maggie Sechrist from Sayre. Not in the same group but also at the dance that night was William Paul Rutherford who was to become my father a few years later. Robert and Edith had been married one month when he was killed. Edith was my mother. I have heard this story many times in my life. My grandfather, mother, and grandmother were in the car going through a gate when someone yelled at Robert that his brother was in a fight. Jerome Sechrist and Robert got out of the car. Jerome said it happened so fast. He kneeled down where Robert had fallen and he said Roberts last words were Jerome he has cut me to the bone. My dad Paul Rutherford lived at New Liberty at this time. I am sure Dimp Roberson was also with dad. Marlene and I both seems some legacy should be left for anyone who has been here and gone. I am sure Robert was 21 or younger. All we can say now is Robert Rest in Peace, you are remembered. Nineth Month 29th day year 1929 MARTIN TRIAL Sayre Oklahoma November 11 1929 The trial of Isaac Martin CHARGED WITH MURDERING Robert Manning during a brawl at a dance fifteen miles Northwest of Sayre on the night of September 28 1929 is arraigned to appear in district court on November in the coming session. Melrose ______ A noted Beckham county criminal attorney will defend Martin. Eleven state defense witnesss who were subpoened to aid in the prosecution of Martin by county attorney H---ter, many of the witnesss are said to have been eye witnesss to the murder. Details of the fatal happening according to investigation, are that Robert Mannings brother, who was with him at the dance engaged in a fight, and when he attempted to go to the fight Martin interfered and stabbed Robert with a double-edged knife. Following the stabbing Robert Manning lived only a short while. Martin was said to have made a get-away. He was arrested later when county officials found him at home apparently asleep. . I really know little of Robert except he is buried at Deli where I believe his grandparents and maybe his parents are buried. Thanks to MARLENE BLAKE for digging these old obits out. My mother told me when she married Robert she was 17 she was born in 1911 Greer County. Roberts mother gave them housekeeping supplys and some farm animals. She met Frank Hale in January 1930 and married him sometime in the summer of 1930. Frank died in Septemeber 1930 of typhoid fever, they were living at Borger Texas. Frank is buried in an unmarked grave at Texola. In January 1931 Edith married Paul Rutherford. Dad said in the following September he got sick and he though Edith was a witch who was killing her husbands. Moma had no children by either of the 1st two husbands.