Lon Taylor, Deputy Sheriff
Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office
Taylor
had been a Deputy in Choctaw County for about ten years having first served as a
jailer before becoming a deputy in Boswell. On the morning of Monday, January
14, 1935, a bank in Bokchito was robbed in the neighboring Bryan County.
Officers called Boswell to advise Deputy Taylor of the robbery. Taylor was
called to receive the phone call as he walked down the street. As he stepped
off of the curb, his gun fell out of its holster and skidded several feet down
the sidewalk. As Deputy Taylor bent down to pickup his weapon, he accidentally
kicked it off of the curb. As his gun hit the street, it discharged striking
Taylor in the right thigh and ranging upward into his lower abdomen. Deputy
Taylor died several hours later in the hospital. He was survived by his wife and
son.
William Oscar Wilkins, Deputy Sheriff
Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office
About 11:30 a.m. the morning of Wednesday, September 17, 1924, Deputy Wilkins, age 46, was driving the car of Sheriff D. E. McClanahan in route to Durant on official business. Deputy Wilkins’ young son was riding with him when he lost control of the car fifteen miles east of Durant near Bokchito. The car rolled completely over. Deputy Wilkins was killed almost instantly when his head hit a rock as the car rolled. His young son was not seriously injured and went for help. Besides his young son Deputy Wilkins also left a wife.