Homer Adrean, Deputy Sheriff
Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office
Deputy Adrean, 40, and Federal Prohibition Agent Stanton Weiss were shot and killed on August 28, 1920, during an investigation of illegal liquor at the home of Charlie Chandler, just across the Logan County line near Arcadia, by Charlie’s 18 year old son Claude. Adrean’s partner, Deputy Claude Tyler was shot in the neck by Charlie Chandler but survived. Adrean killed Charlie just before he was killed. Claude Chandler was broke out of the Oklahoma County jail the next evening by a mob and lynched from a tree on Reno Street.
On December 26, 1890, Pete Anderson, 40, and Frank Cook were deputized by Oklahoma County Deputy Sheriffs Frank Gault and Charles Gilbert to assist them in serving an arrest warrant on John Bly just across the county line in Pottawatomie County. As the posse dismounted their horses and were attempting to sneak up in the area of the Bly ranch they were fired upon by Bly with a rifle and the first shot struck Anderson in the forehead, killing him instantly. Bly was wounded by the other posse members and taken into custody. Pete Anderson was survived by his wife Julia and seven children.
Spear Cushman Crossley, Deputy Sheriff
Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office
On June 15, 1922, Deputy Crossley located a fugitive driving a stolen car near the old State Fairgrounds at Reno and Eastern in Oklahoma City. Crossley took the fugitive to jail, leaving the stolen car behind. Later that evening Crossley returned with other deputies to recover the car. Unknown to the deputies, several Oklahoma City Police Officers had noticed the car and set up surveillance on it. The city officers approached the county deputies. In the rural darkness each group of officers mistook the other for the thieves. A few shots were fired before they figured out who the other group was but it was to late. Deputy Crossley had been shot once in the head and died on the way to the hospital. Deputy Crossley died a month before his 55th birthday.
Levi A. "Bill" Ezzell, Deputy Sheriff
Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office
The afternoon of Monday, August 24, 1914, Deputy Ezzell, age 41, was returning to the county jail in Oklahoma City walking with Warren Mankin who had just been arraigned before Justice of the Peace T. F. Donnell for stealing bicycles. Near Hudson and Main Streets Mankin broke loose from Ezell and started running down an alley when Deputy Ezzell drew his automatic gun and threw it at the escaping prisoner. The gun hit Mankin in the back then fell to the payment. Upon striking the pavement the gun discharged with the bullet striking Deputy Ezzell in the stomach. Deputy Ezzell died at 5:45 p.m. following surgery at the Post Graduate Hospital from loss of blood as the bullet had struck a large blood vessel near his liver. Deputy Ezzell was survived by his wife Mattie and three children.
Mankin was soon recaptured but was not charged with Deputy Ezzell’s death at the request of Deputy Ezzell. Deputy Ezzell made a statement before he died that Mankin was not responsible for the shooting and should not be charged.
George Washington Garrison, Sheriff
Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office
On Friday, June 5, 1908, Sheriff Garrison and two of his deputies, Tod Warden and M. L. Sanders, had gone to Watonga by train. They were met by Blaine County Sheriff G. A. McArthur and his deputy, M. B. Skien. From Watonga the five lawmen traveled by buggy to Hitchcock, then about three miles east to the Dobbs place in search of Alf Hunter, alias James Kingsbury, who was wanted for murder in Oklahoma County. The lawmen soon located Hunter and became involved in a running gun battle with him in a hayfield. Sheriff Garrison was shot in the left side of the neck, severing the jugular vein and died almost instantaneously. Deputy Sanders and Alf Hunter were also wounded but Hunter escaped. Deputy Sanders survived his wound. Hunter was apprehended in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in October of 1909, returned to Watonga for trial, found guilty of the murder of Sheriff Garrison and hanged on April 8, 1909. Alf Hunter was the only person ever legally hanged in Blaine County.
Joseph W. Wood,
Constable
Oklahoma County
Justice of the Peace Court
About 4:30 A.M. the morning of Sunday, July 14, 1935, several Constables were keeping the peace at a crowded dance in a night club on the State Fairgrounds near NE 10th and Eastern when two men got in a fight. One of the men, Arthur Huff, 23, was arrested for carrying a gun by Constable J. A. Gibson. Once outside Huff’s girlfriend asked to speak with him, which Gibson allowed. Suddenly Huff and his girlfriend rushed Gibson and Huff pulled Gibson’s gun from it’s holster. The other Constables ran to help Gibson get back control of his gun. As Constable Wood, 49, got to the two men Huff shot him in the stomach and he died. Huff was arrested and charged with murder. It was soon learned that Huff was an escapee from a Missouri prison. On September 18th Huff escaped from the Oklahoma County jail along with five other men. Six months later Huff was arrested in Dayton, Ohio and brought back to Oklahoma. Huff was tried, found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to twenty-five years in prison.
Wood had only been a Constable for six months for Justice of the Peace Jack C. Whaler and had planned to start a two week vacation the day he was killed. He was survived by his wife, a son and a daughter
Frank H. Yager, Deputy Sheriff
Oklahoma County Sheriffs Office
About 2 P.M. on Thursday afternoon, November 16, 1911, Deputy Yager and A.F. Marks went to serve a writ issued by a Justice of the Peace in Harrah for a herd of cattle that had been seized by a black constable, Sam D. Jones. Jones had previously been given a writ to seize the herd of cattle by a black Justice of the Peace in Dewey Township. A dispute over legal authority broke out between the two lawmen. Jones reached for his Winchester rifle in a wagon and Yager drew his gun on Jones. A friend of Jones’, William Bonner, came out of the house, covering Yager and Marks with a shotgun. As Yager, 50, turned around to look at Bonner, Jones shot him in the back. The bullet went entirely through Yager’s body. Deputy Yager fired one shot before he fell dead but missed. Marks was forced to leave the premises. Jones then walked four miles to Luther and surrendered himself.
Murder charges were filed against Sam Jones but he was acquitted in a trial in Oklahoma City the following January. The jury found that Deputy Yager did not have legal authority in the matter.
Deputy Yager was survived by his wife and seven children.