Jason Edward “Ed” Daugherty, Undersheriff

McClain County Sheriff’s Office  

The morning of Saturday, May 9, 1925, Purcell City Marshal M L Thomas attempted to arrest Lester Rains who was “running amuck” on the streets of Purcell. McClain County Sheriff Johnnie Ratliff, his Undersheriff Daugherty, 47, and Deputy William Tucker went to assist with the arrest. During the struggle Rains stabbed Daugherty and was able to shoot Sheriff Ratliff twice with his own gun. Deputy Tucker then shot Rains five times. Sheriff Ratliff died later that evening. Rains died the next day. Undersheriff Daugherty was recovering from his stab wound when on July 18, just two months later, when he collapsed and died instantly from a blood clot from the stab wound as he was entering a Purcell store. Daugherty was survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters.

John E. Ratliff, Sheriff

McClain County Sheriffs Office

Saturday morning about 11 a.m. May 9, 1925, City Marshal of Purcell, M. L. Thomas was attempting to arrest Lester Rains, who was described as a maniac with super strength. Sheriff Ratliff and Undersheriff J. E. Daugherty arrived to assist Thomas. As Daugherty approached, Rains drew a knife and stabbed him deep in the right shoulder. Sheriff Ratliff struck Rains with a club but Rains forced it away from him. Ratliff then drew his gun and fired at Rains but missed and Rains grabbed the gun away from him. Rains then shot Ratliff twice, once in the right chest and in the groin. Rains was finally shot down with five gun shoot wounds by Daugherty and other deputies. Ratliff was treated by a local doctor then soon sent by train to a hospital in Oklahoma City where he died at 8 P.M. that night. Rains died the next morning from his wounds. Undersheriff Daugherty’s stab wound was treated but he died two months later from the effects of his wound when a blood clot broke loose and went to his heart. Ratliff was survived by his second wife Myrtle and adult son James. James was the only living child of seven born to Ratliff and his first wife who died in 1903.