The Ravia Tribune Jul 1904 - Johnston County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Mary Achterhof 18 May 2008 Return to Johnston County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/johnston/johnston.htm ===================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ===================================================================== The Ravia Tribune, 14 July 1904 ORANGE BLOSSOMS Married, Sunday, July 9, 1904, at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Gilliam, Mr. H. Al. Johnson and Miss Lena Agnes Gillam, Rev. Fry of Denison officiating. The sisters of the groom came from Denison to witness the ceremony. Mr. Johnson is well and favorable known to our town. For several years he has been salesman for the Waples, Platter Grocery Co. Miss Gilliam is the only daughter of one of Ravia’s prominent merchants, and universally popular with the young and the old. She received her literary education at the State Norman Warrrensburg, Missouri. She was graduated from the Conservatory of music, Weatherford, Texas, under Miss Ida Helen Moeller, graduate of Leipsig, Germany. TRUE STORIES OF THE FRONTIER We told you in our other letter we would tell you of some murders. In January 1874 I moved with two brothers and two sisters 15 miles northwest of Decatur and settled on Briar Ranch near where the town of Alvord now stands. There were three other families living on the little creek besides us, Mr. Huff, Mr. Marr and Mr. Welch. Then there were no more settlements between us and Decatur, a distance of 15 miles. It was 8 mi9les east to where any one lived, but along the road from Decatur to Audubon there were some few people living on Black and Catlet Creek, and near Audubon was the Ball settlement. Myself and brothers put in a farm on Bell County school land. There was lots of game in that county at that time. Why, Nr., Editor, the deer eat up your Watermelons and sweet potato vines. Well everything went on nicely until August 24. That morning I got up, eat my breakfast and went down in the field about 400 years to get my team to go to work, but when I saw three men riding toward them. I supposed they were some men from Decatur full of booze and had made their horses jump the fence. But to my astonishment I saw they were Comanche Indians. I went back to the house and reported. We went into the house and shut the doors, we took our axes in. I told my brothers we would do what we could, for I knew they would kill us. About the time we got in the house Mr. Huff came riding up and asked me if we knew the Indians were all around us. I told him I did, that they had got my horses, (two mules and one horse). At this time the Indians began shooting at Huff. He said he was afraid they would kill his horses. I told him I cared nothing about the horses, but was afraid they would kill his folks. He said he would try to go home. I told him he could not get home for the Indians would kill him before he could get there, for it was only about 200 yards to his house and 36 Indians with 175 horses, though I told him if he wanted to go I would not hinder him, but if he went and got the Indians after him I would kill him for my sisters were depending upon me to defend them. So he got on his horse and went to the Baker settlement. Now his family consisted of Mrs. Huff and two grown daughters. Mr. Huff had fed his horses on the north side of the house, having no yard fence his wagon was close to the house. In cutting the horses from the wagon they saw there was no man present so they went at their fiendish work by first committing an outrage on the girls then shooting and scalping them. Now I had done a very foolish thing in loaning my Winchester rifle to a man to go hunting. If I had had my gun I could have run them off but I had nothing but axes and an old shotgun with both locks off, so I could do nothing but watch the Indians do their hellish work and wait my own fate, as I expected them to kill us as soon as they got through their work at Huff’s. Minutes seemed hours but the time finally came when five of the Indians rode up to my yard fence. I stood and looked out through a crack (our house being a log house). I then got my hammerless shotgun, famed it through the crack and pointed it toward them. They jabbered to each other awhile then turned around rode off and left me gladly disappointed. Now some people say a sinner has no right to pray but I believe any sinner will pray when he knows he is going to be killed and that I now see. After the Indians finished their work and left I waited till I thought they were gone then I went to the Huff residence to behold the awfullest scene I ever witnessed. Mrs. Huff was under the floor, she was crippled and had to go on a crutch, and I suppose she had raised a plank, the floor being laid down loose. She had been shot twice and scalped and her clothing tore off her. I got her from under the floor and straightened her out. Mollie the oldest girl was lying in front of the door on her fame with a side saddle on her; she was also as nude as she came into the world. She was scalped and her skull broken in and her brains running out, also the blood running from several places on the thighs where the Indians had stuck their spears. I weepingly picked up her body and carried it into the house. Poor girl; just the night before this awful tragedy I came up from the field with her and her and her sister hauling a load of corn I told her she had better not be out at night, for the Indians might get her. She laughed and said she was too pretty, they would not kill her, but alas, alas! such was a frontier life. Peace to her ashes, and may heavenly watcher guard her grave. Pallas, the youngest girl was east of the house under a tree. I suppose she had tried to get away. She had been shot, the ball going in under the left shoulder blade and out through the left breast going through her heart. She was not scalped. She had a Testament in one hand and a case-knife in the other. I carried her body into the house to keep the hogs from eating her. Will tell you in our next about the dressing, burying and leaving. J. C. Scivally D. J. Goodwin, deputy marshal at Alderson had his left hand blown off by a giant firecracker July 4th and amputation at the wrist was necessary. O. A. Leach, a printer of Chandler, won a prize for the closest guess of the number entering the post office on a certain day. His guess was 4,239, and the register showed 4, 254. The prize was a ticket to the World’s Fair or its equivalent. He took the equivalent. Frank Simpson was found dead in a pond near his place, six miles northwest of Comanche, last week. The coroner’s jury rendered a verdict of accidental drowning. Charles Parker, a ten year old lad, was killed in McLoud last week. He fell under the feet of a team of horses and was kicked by one of them in the back. He only lived ten minutes after being picked up. While out horseback riding at Holder, Miss Melvina Meek was badly injured by being thrown against a barb wire fence. For a time her recovery was considered doubtful. Bessie Gossett, a young lady at McAlester, took strychnine with fatal results. NEARLY A JAIL DELIVERY Prisoners in the Lawton Jail Had a Hole in the Bottom of the Cell Lawton: Officers found a hole sawed in the bottom of one of the jail cells, fourteen by twenty inches in dimensions. Further search exhibited saws and files among the prisoners and had they not been discovered a number of jail inmates would have gained their liberty. The officers will reveal no more of the particulars of the attempted escape at this time. VALUED AT $5,000 A Young Woman Sues for Breach of Marriage Contract Oklahoma City: Bessie Smith, a leading society young woman and the possessor of considerable property and money in her own name, has sued W. H. Crawford of this city for $5,000 for breach of marriage contract. The petition alleges that the couple entered into a contract for marriage and that while thus engaged Crawford secured a considerable sum of money from the plaintiff and then refused to perform his part of the marriage contract. Crawford is a well known business man. PAPA SPOILED THEIR PLANS Shawnee: A pretty young woman named Collins attempted to elope from her home north of here with a young man. Her father followed and caught them on a westbound train, which was just leaving. He grabbed the girl, pulled the bell cord and left the young man to take the wedding journey alone. E. H. Payton and three little sons from near Cloud Chief, O. T., was in last week to visit his brother, W. A. Payton. Together with him and their two families he went, Saturday to Denison to visit another brother there. Mr. Payton is an old Marlow friend and acquaintance of the writer. He took up a claim in the then little though of Cheyenne country which, he tells us, he could now sell for $5,000. L. R. Powell and sister Miss Mattie, of Denison, were guests at Dr. Webster’s last week. Mrs. Webster is their aunt. W. R. Mixon from near Russett, was in town Friday en route to his claim in Beaver County, O.T. Mr. Mixon says claims in the country have gone right up. Jim Dolman went to Maxey, Texas, Saurday. Jim Arnold, that popular Mill Creek merchant, was in town Saturday. H. G. Byrd came in from Dangerfield, Texas Wednesday and will stop some time, assisting his parents in the store. A. A. Chapman shipped a car of hogs to Fort Worth Saturday. He will go with them and visit Dallas before returning. Mrs. J. C. Loving and children took the train Sunday for Pike, I. T. where they will visit relatives. J. R. Clark the popular manager for Houston Brothers, will take a lay off of 30 days. He will go to Kansas City and then to the World’s Fair. He will also visit the home folks at Topeka, Kansas. Dr. T. A. Caperton and children went to Madill Tuesday. Little Miss Mamie Cargill of Tishomingo, was a guest Saturday of Misses Inez and Esther, little daughter of W. T. Brady. H. C. Romines returned from Ada Saturday. The little son of Sam Newell was sick Saturday. Dr. W. W. Van Noy of Tishomingo was here last week looking for his 12 year old son who had started to St. Louis to see the World’s Fair. F. S. Morse and granddaughter, Miss Lura, went to Lehigh Sunday. George Matlock of Tishomingo, had a couple of bloodhounds in town Monday which he was taking to Mill Creek to train. Born, July 3 to Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Lytton, living northeast of Ravia, a girl. The happy father was in town Saturday but the Tribune man could not get a speech of him. Mrs. Isaac Smith returned from Tishomingo last week, L. F. Beard went to Kansas City Tuesday and will bring back his family. The eight months old infant of A. C. Booker fell into a bucket of water at Ardmore and was drowned. J. W. Burke of Ardmore, will manage Houston Bros. business here in the absence of J. R. Clark. B. M. Sharrock and family are visiting in Texas this week. The Ravia Tribune, 21 July 1904 KILLED ON THE RACE TRACK A young man was killed while riding a race at Reagan Saturday. His horse became unmanageable and ran away with him. He was thrown off and injured in such a way that he died the same day. Killed by Train – The two year old son of Agent Taylor at Scullen was killed by the southbound Meteor Saturday. It got on the track just as the train came around the curve. The child’s body was found under the rear sleeper, not mutilated except a cut on the cheek. Mrs. J. W. Kemp went to Denison Monday. Dynamited Sweetheart – Arthur Patton was arrested at Antlers charged with dynamiting the home of his sweetheart because another man appeared on the scene. J. Beard has brought us the champion Turnip Beet so far. It measures 18 inches in circumference and weighs 4 1/2 pounds. He also has a dwarf plums of average size, on one limb 11 inches long. The plum bushes can be seen at his residence in Ravia. He has been in more than a dozen states and seen their productions and says he has never seen any country that produced fruit and vegetables equal to that which grows around Ravia. The five-year-old child of Bryant Church, living near Stroud was instantly killed by falling under the wheels of a steam thresher last week. Jim Phillips, while resisting arrest at McLoud, was shot by Marshal McCoy. The bullet struck Phillips in the lower jar, fracturing that part of his anatomy. J. M. Bryan, in custody at Hobart since May 1st for the murder of a neighboring farmer, has been released on a $10,000 bond, pending the convening of the grand jury. W. E. Hailey has begun boring for oil on the Goddard place, south of South McAlester. The contract is to sink a well 2,000 feet, unless oil in paying quantities is struck sooner. This is the firs exploration for oil in the vicinity of South McAlester in fifteen years. H. T. Hopkins of Gonzales, Texas and his family are visiting at the homes of Messrs Pittman, his relatives. Saturday week his little son was bitten by a mad dog. He was at once taken to a mad stone at Troy which is said to have stuck 17 hours. A good many people say a mad stone does no good, but did you ever hear anyone advance a good substantial reason to prove this? Why assume a knowledge we do not possess? Why not confess our ignorance on such points? A. Y. Sweet aged 52, a married man and bailiff of the court at South McAlester has been arrested charged with assault to rape 13 year old Janie Thomas. Mrs. Emma Allen was sick Tuesday. J. H. Arnold, Mill Creek’s popular merchant and her urban postmaster, Mr. Sturdivant were in Ravia Friday en route home from Tishomingo. R. L. Rinehart who lives at Madill was in Ravia Friday, having just returned from Davidson, O. T. where he was married to Miss Jennie Youngblood, formerly of this place. Jake Wilson and Bob Hefley and families went fishing on the Washita Wednesday. Lena Gordon is visiting her uncle’s family in Tishomingo this week. John H. Duncan and Lee McAlister returned Thursday from Fort Worth where they went with a car of fat hogs. F. S. Morse and granddaughter, Miss Lura have returned from several days visit to Lehigh. S. D. Edge started Saturday to visit a married daughter near Hartshorne whom he has not seen for a number of years. J. W. Kemp, Cash Bynum and T. J. Burns went to Randolph Sunday. G. T. White of Sherman visited his brother J. W. White, Sunday. J. W. Leeper went to Tishomingo Sunday. He was trying to persuade a horse to go along and draw the buggy for him and the young lady and we suppose he succeeded. Steve Talkington of Mill Creek, was arrested and taken to Tishomingo Friday charged with shooting at A. N. Barrow. Our informant says while Barrow was sitting in front of J. H. Arnold’s store Talkington came out of a joint across the street and shot at him twice with a Winchester, but did not hit him. It is supposed a former trouble is a the bottom of the shooting. Misses Annie and Ethel Tinsley form the Odd Fellow’s home at Corsicana are visiting their brother Dennie Tinsley this week. The little girl of Mr. and Mrs. W. Scimpshire was reported dangerously sick Monday and the family were trying without success to reach Mr. Scrimshire by letter or telegram. He was traveling in the northwest portion of the Territory. Their little boy was also quite sick. Mrs. Hanks who lives 1 1/2 miles west of Ravia started Friday to walk to her father’s near Sterrett. At the request of her husband she was overtaken by Marshal Anderson between Ravia and Tishomingo and persuaded to return to Ravia. Her husband claimed that she was insane while she claimed that nothing was the matter with her except the way she had been treated. She complained bitterly that she had been locked up in an almost "airtight room at Ardmore, charged with being crazy and yet had been given no medicine." She also claimed that her husband had abused her and enlisted the sympathy of the crowd by the apparent sanity of her remarks. At one time money was made up to send her by rail to her father’s, but as her husband objected rigorously it was dropped. Mr. Hanks says she has lucid intervals and at other times subject to violent attacks of dementia when it is necessary to restrain her. He says he took her out of jail two or three weeks ago, preparatory to gaining admittance to the asylum; that he did so because she was locked in a close room with a lot of negro women. He returned Monday from Sterrett where he had been to take Mrs. Hanks to her father’s. Drowned in Rock Creek – Eight year old Lottie Millican was drowned in Rock Creek near Troy Sunday. J. A. Alexander went out on the creek with a number of children when two of his children and little Lottie fell into a deep hole. He got to he place in time to rescue his little girl and his boy got out but Lottie could not be resuscitated. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Johnston County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/johnston/johnston.html