Lafayette Mathildred Boulware, Deputy Sheriff

Okfuskee County Sheriff's Office
 

On Thursday, January 18, 1917, Deputy L.M. Boulware, 59, was a member of a posse attempting to arrest a couple members of the Poe/Hart gang wanted for a bank robbery in Harrah hiding out in a farmhouse owned by Bob Williams, northeast of Boley. The posse reached the farmhouse while the bandits were still at breakfast. Not knowing this, the officers stopped and called Williams out and asked him if he had seen two white men pass that way. At first Williams denied seeing the men, but soon said; "Yes, they are in the house now, but don't start any shooting around here." About that time the men rushed out at the back door and they came out shooting as they ran. Jess Litterell, one of the bandits, dodged into a hen house and escaped the attention of the officers for a short time. Russell Tucker, the other bandit, ran down into a cotton patch, and was followed by part of the posse, Deputy Boulware in the lead. Boulware called a number of times for Tucker to stop and surrender but was only answered by shots. Finally, Boulware shot at the bandit, one shot striking him exactly in the center of the forehead, killing him instantly. Several of the posse were shooting at Tucker, and it is not known at this writing how many times he was struck,but it is conceded that it was one of the shots fired by Deputy Boulware that killed him. This incident had attracted the attention of most of the members of the posse, and Litterell, the bandit who had taken refuge in the hen house, was for a time unnoticed. When Officer Boulware, however, started to go to the body of the man he had killed the concealed bank robber opened fire on him and then called out; "Come to me, you son of a  _____ !" Deputy Boulware, however, had received three gun shot wounds, and only replied; "I can't come, I am killed." He then fell and died a few minutes later. The remainder of the posse engaged in a gun battle with Litterell until he was wounded three times and surrendered. Litterell was convicted of the murder of Deputy Boulware and sentenced to life in prison. He also was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the bank robbery in Harrah. Litterell was also charged with but never tried for the ambush killing earlier that same January of Charles Bullock, City Marshal of Delaware and his Posseman John Garritson. Deputy Boulware was survived by his three sons, Charles, George and John “Emory” and his second wife Jessie. His first wife had died of Typhoid Fever five months earlier in August of 1916.

Berry Jones, Sheriff

Okfuskee County Sheriff’s Office

Saturday evening, February 14, 1920, about 6 p.m. Sheriff Jones, and Jailor Frank Cole were called upon to arrest three young men who were creating a disturbance in Okemah. One of the men was arrested after a struggle in the south part of town and brought to jail by Deputy Cole. Sheriff Jones and Deputy Roland Green then pursued the other two men, who were escaping on horse back, in Deputy Green’s Ford car. A couple miles south of town Sheriff Jones told Green to “Stop”. As Green brought the Ford to a stop Sheriff Jones fell over on him dead from an apparent heart attack.

George Loney, Deputy Sheriff

Okfuskee County Sheriff's Office

On Tuesday, May 2, 1911, Deputy Loney and three other officers were at the home of a black family named Nelson seven miles northeast of Paden investigating a cow being stolen. While the officers were talking to the father, the mother, Laura Nelson took a Winchester rifle down off the wall and gave it to their 15 year-old son, L. W. who then fired one shot. The bullet went through one posseman’s pants leg and struck Deputy Loney in the leg. A gun battle broke out with the father until he ran out of ammunition. The Nelson’s were arrested. Deputy Loney had bled to death from his leg wound. Soon after the arrests, the elder Nelson pled guilty to cattle rustling and was taken to the State Prison at McAlester which probably saved his life. Shortly after midnight on May 24, a mob of Okemah residents broke Laura and L.W. out of jail and lynched them from a bridge six miles west of town.

Charles Roy Reed, Sheriff 

Okfuskee County Sheriff’s Office 

On Wednesday, December 27, 1922, a black man named Ben Wisener became involved in a domestic dispute. His wife’s younger sister had run away and Wisener suspected she was being hidden by a Creek Indian named Thomas Lewis. Wisener went to Lewis’ home, became involved in an argument with him and pulled agun on Lewis. Wisener left Lewis’ home and went to the home of Joe Bennett (who he also suspected of hiding the girl) some nine miles south of Okemah. Wisener notified Okfuskee County Deputy Sheriffs Charles Reed and Wash Proctor that he was going to Bennett’s. The two officers went to Joe Bennett’s place and found Ben Wisener sitting in his car nearby. As they approached the car and called for Wisener to surrender himself, Wisener opened fire on the officers. Deputy Reed was shot fatally in the chest, but managed as he was falling to shoot three times hitting Wisener once in the face. Deputy Proctor also returned fire, killing Wisener, hitting him three more times.

Newspaper reports indicated that Deputy Reed was a highly respected officer who had been a deputy since before statehood in 1907.