McCurtain Co. OK - History:  E. L. McBride

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Submitted by: Shelley Lynch    mcintoshco@gmail.com
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McCurtain County Local Newspaper:
 
July 24, 1924
 
DEATH OF FARMER RESULT OF FEUD
        _________

E.L. MCBRIDE, OF NEAR GARVIN, KILLED BY DAVE MARTIN, SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
 
Trouble, which had been brewing for several days between Dave Martin and
E.L. McBride, both of whom lived on farms about 5 miles south Garvin,
culminated Sunday evening when Martin shot and killed McBride as he was
driving along the highway leading to his home.
 
As the story is given to the News reporter the trouble came up over a dispute
between the two men over the possession of a spring and water hole in the
neighborhood, both men claiming ownership, it is said.  As the fires of hate
which had been kindled and kept fanned by others grew other complications
entered to aggravate the trouble.
 
It is said the two men had trouble one day last week when a tragedy was
narrowly averted.  Sunday morning Mrs. Garrett, a daughter of the dead man,
had an altercation with Mrs. Dick Cox over the matter.  Later in the day Mrs.
Garrett and her mother, Mrs. McBride, wife of the murdered man, were accosted
on the highway by Dave Martin, who, it is said, threatened them with a cocked
pistol.  Eluding their enemy, Mrs. Garrett went into Idabel late Sunday
evening to secure warrants for Martin's arrest.  The warrants were issued and
under Sheriff S.R. Bryant and Mrs. Garrett left Idabel immediately for the
scene of the trouble, but before reaching the home of Mrs. Garrett, her father
had been killed by Martin.  From the information given us, it appears that
McBride had been to Garvin to deliver some milk, he being engaged in a small
way in the dairy business.  Returning he passed the home of Dick Cox, where,
it is said, a number of men had been gathered during the afternoon.  McBride
sensed serious trouble and refused to stop.  It was then that Martin shot
McBride, the bullet taking effect in his breast.  In an effort to escape
further injury McBride whipped his team into a run when Martin, it is alleged,
fired two more shots at his fleeing victim, neither of which took affect.  A
short distance down the road McBride crumpled up on his seat and finally fell
to the bottom of the wagon box.  His horses took the wagon home but the
driver was dead when they stopped at the farm-yard gate.  Before collapsing,
Mr. McBride called to a neighbor, who witnessed the shooting, but died
without making a statement, it is said.
 
Dave Martin made no attempt to get away, it is said, and when Deputy Sheriff
Bryant reached the neighborhood Martin was soon apprehended and lodged in
jail at Idabel.