William Nelson Warren, City Marshal

City of Chandler, Oklahoma Territory

 
On the night of Saturday, May 13, 1893, Marshall William “Nels” Warren was called at his home to investigate some reported trouble at the train depot in Chandler. Upon arriving at the depot, Marshal Warren found three men, Jeff Critser, J.E. Edgington and L.G. Smart in a drunken state and causing the disturbance.  He informed the three men they were under arrest but they refused to surrender and began throwing cinders from the railbed at him. The Marshal was armed with a “loaded cane” and he struck one of the men, breaking his cane and knocking the man to the ground. The other two men fled as the Marshal fired his gun at them.  As the Marshal was going back to handcuff the man on the ground, he fell over onto the depot platform. A doctor, who had been waiting for a train attempted to revive the Marshal. After all efforts failed, he pronounced the Marshal dead. It was ruled he died from apoplexy. Other citizens pursued and caught the two fleeing men. J.E. Edgington was fined $10 in court and the other two men were discharged without punishment. Marshal Warren was survived by his wife, five daughters and a son.