James Coats, City Marshal

City of Pryor Creek

Near midnight Wednesday, December 16, 1914, Marshal Coats, 48, had located Jesse Moore at the Mayor Hotel in Pryor Creek. Moore was wanted for failing to return to court to pay his fine for public drunkenness. Marshal Coats’ friend, Austin Whitaker, accompanied him. The men went to the hotel room where Moore was registered and called for him to come out. Moore however was in the room across from his at the time and fired four shots through the door, striking the Marshal three times, once in the heart killing him. Whitaker took the dead marshal’s gun and arrested Moore. Moore was convicted and died later in prison. Coats left behind his wife Susie and eight children.