John L. Burns, Deputy Sheriff
McCurtain County Sheriff's Office
On Tuesday, November 15, 1927, Deputy Burns and four other deputies went to Glover, a small town ten miles northwest of Broken Bow, with a search warrant for an illegal still in the area. They located the still about 1 P.M. Three of the deputies went to a near by house belonging to Dave Henry, Jr. while Deputies Burns and Joe Bolen began pouring out the barrels of illegal whiskey. The two deputies were fired upon from ambush and Deputy Burns, 40, was shot in the left side and died at the scene. Deputy Bolen, who was unarmed, escaped by jumping off a bluff into the Glover River. A wife and five children survived Deputy Burns.
G. T. Cole, Deputy Sheriff
McCurtain County Sheriff's Office
On Wednesday, November 21, 1917, Deputy Cole arrested a U. S. Army deserter named Homer Nyles at a logging operation of the Choctaw Lumber Company. After the deputy holstered his gun Nyles grabbed a hidden rifle and shot Cole fatally in the stomach
A. W. Felker, Sheriff
McCurtain County Sheriff's Office
Sunday night, August 13, 1922, Sheriff Felker had gone to Wright City to investigate a double murder committed by a man named Clayton Thompson. About 8 A.M. the next morning, Monday, August 14th, Felker, his Undersheriff Richard Jones and a citizen named Cleve Christian found Thompson walking down a road carrying a 30-30 rifle. For unknown reasons the officers allowed Thompson to get in their car with the rifle. Shortly after Sheriff Felker started driving off, Thompson shot him in the head, killing him instantly. Thompson then shot Christian but Deputy Jones was able to escape the car. Jones took cover and watched Thompson go into a near by restaurant. When Jones tried to arrest Thompson inside of the restaurant they struggled over the rifle and Thompson was shot. Christian recovered from his wound but Thompson died the next night in his jail cell in Idabel. His wife and five children survived Sheriff Felker.
Clyde Raymond Harrison, Deputy Sheriff
McCurtain County Sheriff's Office
Shortly before noon on Friday, October 11, 1963, Deputy Harrison, 39, became involved in a pursuit with a vehicle on Highway 259 south of Smithville. The vehicle finally pulled over to the side of the road. The driver, George Ralph Nichols, 54, of Dogpatch, then got out with a 30-30 rifle, pointed it at the deputy as he pulled in behind Nichols’ car. Deputy Harrison turned off his engine and began approaching Nichols when he was shot once in the chest. Deputy Harrison drew his pistol after being shot and fired twice at Nichols but missed, before he died. Nichols was arrested later that day. Deputy Harrison was survived by his wife and three children.
Fletcher Rodgers, Constable
McCurtain County Sheriff's Office
Fletcher Rodgers had been a Constable for the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office from 1917, working for the areas of the Frisco Township initially and later in the areas of Tom and America near the Arkansas-Oklahoma state lines. On Friday night, December 28, 1934, Constable Rodgers had gone to the Crocker farm to trade a horse. Later that night he and Mr. Crocker went to assist young Crocker who got his truck stuck in the mud returning from a dance in Tom. As the men approached the stuck car they were met by four men who were seeking revenge for Constable Rodgers diligent efforts in closing their liquor running operation. One of the men, Guy Dillahunty, put a gun in Constable Rodgers back and told him they were “going for a ride.” After walking a short distance Constable Rodgers drew his gun and was shot in the back as he turned to open fire on Dillahunty whom he shot twice. Dillahunty was taken away in a car by his friends. Constable Rodgers was able to give complete names of the men and details of the incident prior to being taken to the hospital. Constable Rodgers died of his wound at 11:05 P.M. the following Wednesday, January 2, 1935. Constable Rodgers was survived by his wife and seven children. All four of the men were arrested and convicted of his murder.
McCurtain County
Sheriff’s Office
On Wednesday, August 8, 1934, in the Little River community of Oak
Hill just north of Idabel, Deputy Whitten and Constable William Wilmoth along
with Sheriff F.O. “Bud” Stewart entered the home of Mrs. Lecy Rogers in search
of the teenage daughter of a local farmer, J. M. Leonard. Sadie, a pretty,
slender girl of sixteen, had been missing for three days. Leonard had not seen
his daughter since the close of church services on Sunday, August 5. Leonard
told Sheriff Stewart that Sadie had gotten into a car with someone named Paul
who was supposed to take her straight home. Paul Jones and Barney Jones, with
Jones’ wife and children were reportedly staying at the Rogers place because
Barney’s wife had taken ill. Paul never brought Sadie home. When the three
officers reached the Rogers home, Ben Rogers, young son of Lecy, was playing in
the yard. Ben said the two women were down by the spring washing clothes.
Sheriff Stewart went down to the spring to question the women about Paul and
Sadie’s whereabouts, while the two deputies went into the house to question
Barney. Barney became very nervous when questioned stating he was not aware of
their whereabouts. Whitten told him that he would have to come with them for
further questioning. Barney pulled a revolver and shot pointblank hitting
Whitten in the abdomen. A stunned Wilmoth reach for his six-shooter but was too
late. Jones shot Wilmoth in the right leg, in the right side below the shoulder
and in the neck. Jones grabbed the young Ben Rogers and made him lead him
through the woods. Both Whitten and Wilmoth were taken to a hospital in Paris,
Texas where they died from their wounds.