Cherokee County OK, from The Advocate, 9/11/1885
Cherokee Co. OK Archives 
Copyright c 2003 by: Mollie Stehno, e-mail: shoop@orcacom.net
This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Cherokee Co. OK Archives. 
************************************************************************
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/ok/cherokee/cherokee.html
http://www.usgwarchives.net
***********************************************************************
The following was transcribed from THE ADVOCATE, Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation, 

A NICE GANG OF ASSASSINS

September 11, 1885-The Cherokee Advocate-Fort Smith, Ark. 
Five prisoners of considerable notoriety arrived here today, three of them 
being Tom Lee, Ed Stein and Davidson, members of the notorious Lee gang, 
who a few months since murdered Indian Policeman J. H. Guy, Andy and Jim 
Roff, in Delaware Bend, Chickasaw Nation.  
These three were arrested shortly after the murders occurred but Jim and 
Pink Lee for whom there is a reward of $5,000 is still at large.  The 
other two are Jim and Jake Tobler, the two Negroes who murdered Frank Cass 
and Goodykooniz.  These latter two were brought in by Deputy Marshal W. F. 
Jones, and on the way down they gave the officer a full account of the 
horrible deed.  The confession made to the officer does not differ 
materially from that made to the citizens of Vinita, except that it is 
fuller.  
Jake Tobler says he killed Goodykoontz by shooting him twice, while Joe 
killed Cass by shooting him one time, and then killed the dog.  
They claim to have only gotten $4 in money.  
They took clothing of their victims, a watch worth $20, a shotgun, rings, 
underclothing, etc., all of which were found in possession of the Negroes 
when arrested, together with the horses.  
The murderers were wearing the clothing.  
The murder was committed about 3 o'clock in the morning, and at daylight 
the murderers were only five miles from the scene.  
They know the murdered man well and expected to get a large sum of money, 
as they had heard Cass say some time previous that he and Goodykoontz were 
going West to buy cattle.  
They expect to be hung, and have given up all hopes of life. Special 
Dispatch of the Glove-Democrat