(First Name Unknown) Adams, Posseman, Deputy U S Marshal

U. S. Marshals

George Wesley Adair, Deputy U. S. Marshal Service / Boswell Constable

U.S. Marshals Service 

The afternoon of Saturday, September 10, 1921, Deputy U S Marshal and Boswell Constable Adair, 50, was in Boswell walking to have dinner with J C Watson when they met Jim Cutshaw in front of the hardware store. Only a few words were spoken before Cutshaw pulled a gun from his front trousers pocket and fired at least one time before Adair drew his gun and fired. When the shooting was over Deputy Adair had been shot four times and Cutshaw was slightly wounded. There had been hard feelings between the two men ever since Deputy Adair arrested Cutshaw after a moonshine raid on Cutshaw’s home. Cutshaw had served a term in jail following the raid. Deputy Adair died from his wounds the next morning, Sunday, September 11^th about 8 A.M.  Cutshaw was charged with murder but was found guilty of First Degree Manslaughter and received a prison sentence of four years. Deputy Adair was survived by his wife Eva and their three children.

William "Bill" Arnold , Posseman / Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

In Claremore, on Thursday night, March 17, 1898, Deputy U S Marshal Hess Bussey and his posseman Arnold had just arrested Bill Johnson for being drunk and disorderly. Arnold had just placed a handcuff on Johnson’s right hand when Johnson drew a .44 caliber pistol with his free left hand and shot Arnold in the left cheek, killing him instantly. Deputy Bussey then shot and killed Johnson

Willard R Ayers , Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Deputy Ayers had a warrant for Emanuel Patterson on a larceny charge. Late the night of August 11, 1880, Deputy Ayers went to Patterson’s house near Cherokeetown in the Chickasaw Nation to serve the warrant. Ayers knocked on the door and entered the house, telling Patterson he was under arrest. Patterson asked Ayers if he could get some clothes on and Ayers agreed. Instead of getting dressed, Patterson picked up a gun and shot the deputy in the head killing him. Emanuel Patterson was found guilty of Deputy Ayers’ murder and was hanged on April 28, 1888, by Judge Parker in Ft. Smith.

John M Beard, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Deputy Beard and Deputy U. S. Marshal Pulse, who was unarmed, rode to the ranch of Bob Hendricks five miles southwest of Claremore on the morning of December 9, 1894, for the purpose of returning a borrowed saddle. The Marshals were met at the door by James Price, who was pointing a Winchester rifle at them. Price was wanted on several charges by the U. S. and Cherokee courts. Beard drew his pistol and fired at Price but missed him. Price then shot Deputy Beard in the head. Price took Beard’s gun and rode off. Beard had a wife and three children.

Seth Beardsley, Deputy U S Marshal

U. S. Marshals

Addison J Beck, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

By 1883 Addison Beck had been a Deputy U S Marshal working out of the Fort Smith court for eight years and promised his wife he would find a safer occupation after one more trip to the Indian Territory. During that last trip Beck and his posseman Lewis Merritt were looking for John Bart (or Bark) for whiskey violations. About 11 A. M. on September 27, 1883, they located Bart working in a corn field with Johnson Jacks near Big Vienne, east of Webbers Falls and about 40 miles from Fort Smith. As the officers approached the men a gun battle broke out and Deputy Beck was shot in the head and killed instantly. Merritt was wounded in the chest and head and was still alive when a wounded Jacks approached the posseman and shot him several more times before beating his head in with a gun. Besides a wife Beck had two children.

Black Sut Beck, Posseman/Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Black Sut Beck was one of 11 people killed, and as many as 19 wounded on April 15, 1872, at a schoolhouse east of Tahlequah, near the modern town of Christie in Adair County in the Going Snake District of the Cherokee Nation. Zeke Proctor was being tried by the Cherokee Nation at the schoolhouse for accidentally killing a widow named Polly Beck Hildebrand. The relatives of Polly convinced the federal court at Fort Smith to intervene in the case. The U S Commissioner issued an arrest warrant for Proctor on a charge of murder to Deputy U S Marshals Jacob G Owens and Joseph S Peavey. The Deputies led a posse including friends and relatives of Polly to the schoolhouse. As the federal posse entered the schoolhouse a massive gun battle erupted. Deputy Owens and possemen Black Sut Beck, Sam Beck, William Beck, William Hicks, George Selridge, James Ward and Riley Woods were killed.

Sam Beck, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Sam Beck was one of 11 people killed, and as many as 19 wounded on April 15, 1872, at a schoolhouse east of Tahlequah, near the modern town of Christie in Adair County in the Going Snake District of the Cherokee Nation. Zeke Proctor was being tried by the Cherokee Nation at the schoolhouse for accidentally killing a widow named Polly Beck Hildebrand. The relatives of Polly convinced the federal court at Fort Smith to intervene in the case. The U S Commissioner issued an arrest warrant for Proctor on a charge of murder to Deputy U S Marshals Jacob G Owens and Joseph S Peavey. The Deputies led a posse including friends and relatives of Polly to the schoolhouse. As the federal posse entered the schoolhouse a massive gun battle erupted. Deputy Owens and possemen Black Sut Beck, Sam Beck, William Beck, William Hicks, George Selridge, James Ward and Riley Woods were killed.

William "Bill" Beck, Posseman/Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

William Beck was one of 11 people killed, and as many as 19 wounded on April 15, 1872, at a schoolhouse east of Tahlequah, near the modern town of Christie in Adair County in the Going Snake District of the Cherokee Nation. Zeke Proctor was being tried by the Cherokee Nation at the schoolhouse for accidentally killing a widow named Polly Beck Hildebrand. The relatives of Polly convinced the federal court at Fort Smith to intervene in the case. The U S Commissioner issued an arrest warrant for Proctor on a charge of murder to Deputy U S Marshals Jacob G Owens and Joseph S Peavey. The Deputies led a posse including friends and relatives of Polly to the schoolhouse. As the federal posse entered the schoolhouse a massive gun battle erupted. Deputy Owens and possemen Black Sut Beck, Sam Beck, William Beck, William Hicks, George Selridge, James Ward and Riley Woods were killed.

William T Bentz, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On February 22, 1872, a posse led by Deputy Bentz arrested several men wanted for assault on other federal officers. The arrests took place outside the Flint Courthouse in the Goingsnake District where a trial was going on. A group of Cherokee’s were standing outside the courthouse. Deputy Bentz started toward the group until he was about 30 yards away then motioned for the men to come to him. The deputy then turned to walk back to his horse when one of the men, Wesley Gritz, a Cherokee Deputy Sheriff of the district, shot Bentz in the back. Another man, Sam Radcliffe, came from the courthouse, took one of the fallen deputy’s guns and shot him again in the chest and head as he laid on the ground, killing him.

Joe Big Knife, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On October 22, 1895, a group of U S Indian officers went to the Quapaw Reservation to evict members of a family that had been removed once but returned. As the officers approached the house, Amos Vallier, a friend with the family, opened fire on the officers with a shotgun striking officer Big Knife in the head killing him.

Jim Billy, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On July 13, 1890, Deputy Billy had arrested Simon Clark in Stonewall, which is 10 miles southeast of Ada, for introducing whiskey into the Indian Nation. About 12 miles southeast of Stonewall that night, deputy Billy, Clark and Clark’s cousin, Richard Cochran, who had come along to post Clark’s bail, made camp. The next day the deputy’s body was found with a bullet hole in his chest below his heart and an exit wound between his shoulder blades and the two other men were missing. Clark and Cochran were arrested on August 19 and claimed that the deputy’s death was an accident. They advised that the deputy’s rifle had been laying on the ground and when he bent over to pick it up his pistol fell out of it’s holster, the hammer striking the rifle causing the pistol to fire. The two men were charged with his murder.

James C Bourland, Deputy U.S. Marshal/Deputy Sheriff

U.S. Marshals/Caddo County Sheriff's Office

There had been hard feelings between Deputy Bourland and William Wesley “Fred” Hudson for some time. The afternoon of May 22, 1906, Bourland had arrested Hudson for carrying a gun. The next time they saw each was in Robinson’s Saloon in Anadarko at 1 A.M. the morning of May 23. No words were spoken but both men immediately went for their guns. Deputy Bourland was shot in the stomach while Hudson was shot in both thighs. Bourland was operated on and three feet of intestines that were pierced in multiple places by bullet fragments, were removed. Bourland died at 6:30 A.M. on May 24 at the age of 36. Doctors also amputated one of Hudson’s legs and he died the day after Bourland.

Eli Hickman "Heck" Bruner, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On June 21, 1899, Deputy Bruner had 13 arrest warrants from the Muskogee federal court to serve east of the Grand River. He was in a hurry to serve the warrants while the court was still in session. When he arrived at the West’s Ferry Crossing near Spavinaw he found that the ferry was on the other side and the ferryman was gone. Deputy Bruner took his clothes off and attempted to swim across the rain swollen river but drowned before reaching the other side. His wife and three children in Pryor Creek survived him.

Ben C Collins, Officer/Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Indian Police/U.S. Marshals

About 9:30 P.M. the evening of Wednesday, August 1, 1906, Collins was riding through the gate to his pasture on his way home, about 200 yards from his home located between Emet and Nida, when he was shot from his horse by ambush with an eight-gauge shotgun. Collins was able to fire at his assailant four times before he was shot fatally in the face. Deacon Jim Miller was arrested for the murder but released

Bernard "Barney" Connelley, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Wednesday, August 19, 1891, Deputy Connelley attempted to arrest Shepard ”Shep” Busby on warrants for adultery at his home on Lee’s Creek about 15 miles from Fort Smith in the Cherokee Nation. Witnesses heard shots and approached the scene in time to see Busby fleeing in to the woods and found Connelley shot dead. Busby surrendered about a week later. He was tried, convicted and hanged on April 27, 1892 at Fort Smith

Robert "Bob" Cox, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

About 3 A.M. the morning of Sunday, April 13, 1890, Deputy Cox and Deputy U. S. Marshal Charley Canon arrested and handcuffed Ed Louthers for selling whiskey during a barn dance in Claremore. A father and son named Alex and Jesse Cochran witnessed the arrest and decided to free Louthers from the deputies. As Deputy Cox reached into a closet to retrieve his rifle, Alex Cochran shot him in the neck and shoulders. Deputy Canon returned fire and the men fired a dozen shots, one striking Cox in the thigh. The Cochrans and Louthers, still wearing the handcuffs, escaped during the gunfire. Although Cox’s wounds were first thought “not serious”, he died the next day April 14th.

Frank Dalton, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Sunday, November 27, 1887, Deputy Marshals Dalton and James R. Cole were attempting to arrest Dave Smith on a warrants for horse stealing and introducing whiskey in Indian country. The deputies located Smith in a wood chopper’s camp in the Arkansas River bottoms west of Arkoma in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma Territory. Smith was hiding in a tent and fired a shot that hit Deputy Dalton in the chest. Deputy Cole was near the tent when Smith fired and shot Smith to death. Friends of Smith, Lee Dixon and William Towerly opened fire on Deputy Cole wounding him. As Deputy Dalton lay helpless on the ground, Towerly ran over to him and shot him two more times in the head with his rifle even as Dalton pleaded with him not to shoot him.

Holmes Davidson, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshal's

Shortly after noon on Thursday, July 23, 1914, Deputy Marshals Davidson, William Edward “Ed” Plank and Ike Wilkinson went to the home of former Tulsa Chief of Police and convicted prohibition violator, William J. Baber, at 823 West Fifth in Tulsa. The marshals had a search warrant for the house to look for illegal liquor. Mrs. Baber met the marshals at the door and refused them entrance. As his wife was delaying the marshals, Mr. Baber, who was laying on a couch, loaded a double-barreled shotgun and fired a round through the front screen door, striking Marshal Davidson in the neck and shoulder killing him. Barber then fired the second barrel through a side window striking Marshal Plank in the chest killing him also. Barber reloaded and fired at a retreating Marshal Wikinson but missed him. Barber then called police and surrendered to them peacefully.

John T Davis, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Marshal Davis had been searching for Sam Butler, who was wanted for killing a store clerk during a robbery on March 28, 1895, in Braggs, nine miles east of Fort Gibson. On Thursday, August 1, 1895, Marshal Davis located Butler laying under an apple three at his mother’s home about five miles southeast of Claremore on the Verdigris River. As the marshal rode up to him Butler drew his gun and shot Davis in the chest. Davis fell off of his horse but was able to shoot and instantly kill Butler. Marshal Davis died about an hour later.

L P Dixon, Deputy U.S. Marshal/Posseman

U.S. Marshals

The morning of Friday, July 19, 1907, Deputy U S Marshal John Cordell deputized a posse in Wewoka to search for four men, wanted for armed robbery, who killed Deputy U S Marshal and Sasakwa City Marshal John Morrison the day before. The wanted men were brothers, John and Ned Cudjo, John Street and Joseph Harkins. One of the deputized volunteers was 35 year-old L. P. Dixon, a collector for the Oklahoma State Bank of Shawnee, who was in Wewoka on business. About 10 P.M. that evening Deputy Dixon was guarding a road near the Cudjo’s home when two men rode up to him. Dixon ordered them to halt and, when they continued on by, he opened fire on them. Ned Cudjo was wounded in one leg before both men opened fire on Dixon. Dixon was struck in the left shoulder with a rifle bullet that ranged downward through his chest. The deputy was found lying in the road by other possemen who captured Ned Cudjo nearby. Dixon died four hours later. The other three men were arrested the next day. Dixon was survived by his wife and four children.

Perry DuVal, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Sunday, November 2, 1873, Deputy U S Marshals DuVal, Willard Ayers and James Wilkerson and a guard were escorting four prisoners from Indian Territory to Fort Smith. One of the prisoners was John Billee (or Billy), a Creek Indian of ferocious temper. That night they camped in a deserted two-room building about four miles northwest of Muskogee. Deputy Ayers bedded down in one room with three prisoners chained to him. Deputy DuVal slept in the same room with John Billee. Deputy Wilkerson and the guard slept in the other room. During the night Billee got his handcuffs off, took DuVal’s gun and shot him fatally in the head. Billee then shot Deputy Ayers, the bullet going through one hand and ripping the nipple from his right chest. Billee then shot Deputy Wilkerson in the kidneys and Deputy Ayers began struggling with him. The guard then shot Billee, disabling him. Billee was taken to Fort Smith where he was tried, convicted and sentenced to death. On April 3, 1874, Billee was shackled and dragged, kicking and screaming, to the Fort smith gallows and hanged

Frank Faulkner, Posse, Deputy U. S. Marshal

U. S. Marshal Service 

The evening of Friday, September 14, 1894, Deputy U. S. Marshal Harris and his posse Frank Faulkner went to the home of John Seabolt, where a large dance was being held, to locate a man named Bush for whom Deputy Harris had an arrest warrant. Seabolt’s home was located seven miles from Muldrow, Indian Territory and twenty miles from Fort Smith, Arkansas. During the evening a dispute began between the lawmen and a Cherokee Indian named Charlie Benge. Shots rang out in the front yard of the house with at least three men shooting. When the smoke cleared both lawmen and Benge lay dead. Deputy U. S. Marshal Jim Cole was sent from Ft. Smith to investigate. Cole arrived Saturday morning and found the three men still laying in the front yard of the house. Deputy Harris was shot once in the chest still clutching his empty gun in his hand, posse Faulkner had been shot seven times with his empty gun found about ten yards from his body and Benge was shot once through the body with his empty gun in his hand. Cole noticed that all three men had been shot with a hand gun or rifle but Faulkner also had been shot with a shotgun. Deputy Cole was unable to find any witnesses who were willing to tell what happened. No one was ever charged with the deaths of the lawmen.

John Fields, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Near daybreak on Wednesday, October 19, 1892, a posse of six Deputy U. S. Marshals, including John Fields, attempted an assault on a fortress cabin twelve miles east of Tahlequah to arrest Ned Christie, wanted for the murder of Deputy U. S. Marshal Dan Maples in 1887. All attempts the previous five years had failed. As in the past a gun battle broke out and Deputy Fields received a fatal gunshot wound through the neck. The posse then retreated. Ned Christie was killed in another try on the cabin three weeks later on November 2nd

William Fields, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Deputy Fields and his posseman, Crowder Nix, had a warrant for James H. “Jim” Cunnicus for stealing 800 pounds of flour from a railroad car and proceeded to a camp near Eufaula where Cunnicus was believed to be hiding. The afternoon of Sunday, April 10, 1887, as they rode up to the camp, Deputy Fields recognized Cunnicus and advised him he had a warrant for his arrest. Cunnicus grabbed a shotgun from his saddle and fired both barrels into the deputy, killing him. Nix arrested Cunnicus after wounding him in both legs.

Edward D Fink, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Monday, November 28, 1904, Marshal Fink was searching for six Indians who had reportedly bought some illegal whiskey at Keokuk Falls. Locating two of them walking in a field a mile from Wetumka, the Marshal rode out to them. As he approached, one of the men, Peter Fish, raised a Winchester rifle he had hidden by his side and shot Marshal Fink through the chest. Fish was later arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to life in prison

Joe Gaines, U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Tuesday, August 22, 1893, Deputy Gains was assisting local officers in raiding gambling joints in Pauls Valley. After several arrests the officers went to the business of John Stevenson who was reportedly “under the influence of John Barleycorn”. When Gains tried to arrest Stevenson, he drew a .45 revolver and shot the deputy, killing him. Deputy Gains, 32, was mourned by his wife of two weeks. Stevenson was convicted and hanged by the Federal Court in Paris, Texas on September 13, 1895.

John Garrett, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Tuesday, July 30, 1895, the five members of the Rufus Buck gang were inside Parkinson’s grocery store at Seventh and Morton Streets in Okmulgee preparing to rob it, when Deputy Garrett entered the store. Rufus Buck immediately shot Deputy Garrett fatally. For the next two weeks the gang embarked on a spree of brutal rapes, robberies, horse thefts, shootings and at least one other murder. The gang was involved in a seven-hour shootout with other deputy marshals, Creek Indian Police and over 100 Creek citizens on August 10th and finally surrendered. All five members of the gang were hung together at Fort Smith on July 1, 1896.

Isaac Lincoln "Ike" Gilstrap, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Monday, March 12, 1906, Deputy Gilstrap was leading a posse in pursuit of Charley Wickliffe and his gang, which included his brothers John and Tom, on Little Sabine Creek, 25 miles southeast of Vinita. About 4 P.M. that afternoon the Wickliffes ambushed the posse. Deputy Gilstrap was shot in the head and killed and one other member of the posse, Dick Terry, was wounded but survived. The posse retreated for reinforcements. When they returned, the gang had escaped. Checking Deputy Gilstarp’s body, it appeared that in addition to his initial head wound, one of the gang had stood over his prostrate body and fired another shot into one of his eyes. His wife and several daughters survived Deputy Gilstrap.

Herbert Melvin Goddard, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshal Service

Sometime on Monday August 13, 1900, Deputy Goddard attempted to arrest a 20 year old full blood Choctaw Indian named Ambrose “Ombus” Wilson, three miles south of Goodwater in what is now McCurtain County. Wilson shot Deputy Goddard and Goddard returned fire with his shotgun hitting Wilson nine times with buckshot breaking one of his arms before he escaped. Deputy Goddard died the next day. Wilson was arrested from under his uncle’s house where he had been hiding a week later and taken to South McAlester.  Deputy Goddard was survived by his wife Mary Emma and four young children.

J Boley Grady, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Sunday, July 17, 1898, Deputy U. S. Marshals Grady and L S Hill were attempting to serve warrants on Floyd Simpson and a man named Self for disturbing a religious meeting. Deputy Grady wrestled Floyd Simpson to the ground when he resisted arrest. Floyd Simpson’s father, W. Jasper Simpson went up to Deputy Grady and shot him in the neck with a .45 revolver. When Deputy Hill approached the elder Simpson shot him in the chest. Deputy Grady died immediately and Deputy Hill died within an hour

James H Guy, U.S. Marshal/Sergeant

U.S. Marshals/U.S. Indian Police

On Friday, May 1, 1885, Deputy Guy had arrest warrants for the Lee brothers, Tom “Pink” and Jim for cattle theft and a warrant for Della Humby for murdering his wife. Humby was believed to be hiding out with the Lee’s at their ranch, near Dresden (now Gene Autry) a small town northeast of Ardmore. Marshal Guy deputized a posse of about 15 men, including William “Bill” Kirksey and brothers Andrew and Jim Roff. The posse approached the Lee ranch soon after dawn that Friday morning. The ranch house was occupied by “Pink” and Jim Lee, their brother-in-law, Ed Stein and Della Humby. As the posse approached the front of the house the occupants opened fire on them. Marshal Guy and his possemen, Andrew Roff, Jim Roff and William Kirksey were all shot and killed. The rest of the posse retreated and the men in the house escaped. The Lee brothers were killed in a shootout with lawmen September 7th. The other men were later arrested and acquitted at their trials.

West Harris, Deputy U. S. Marshal

U. S. Marshal Service 

The evening of Friday, September 14, 1894, Deputy Harris and his posse Frank Faulkner went to the home of John Seabolt where a large dance was being held to locate a man named Bush for whom Deputy Harris had an arrest warrant. Seabolt’s home was located seven miles from Muldrow, Indian Territory and twenty miles from Fort Smith, Arkansas. During the evening a dispute began between the lawmen and a Cherokee Indian named Charlie Benge. Shots rang out in the front yard of the house with at least three men shooting. When the smoke cleared both lawmen and Benge lay dead. Deputy U. S. Marshal Jim Cole was sent from Ft. Smith to investigate. Cole found the three men still laying in the front yard of the house. Deputy Harris was shot once in the chest still clutching his empty gun in his hand, posse Faulkner had been shot seven times with his empty gun found about ten yards from his body and Benge was shot once through the body with his empty gun in his hand. Cole noticed that all three men had been shot with a hand gun or rifle but Faulkner also had been shot with a shotgun. Deputy Cole was unable to find any witnesses who were willing to tell what happened. No one was ever charged with the deaths of the lawmen.

Bill Harrison, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

During the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 9, 1894, Deputy Marshal Harrison was part of a posse searching for escaped cattle thief, James E. Head in some woods east of Lexington. Shots were heard and other members of the posse soon found the dead bodies of Head and Deputy Harrison. The men were laying about 15 feet apart with a large tree between them. Evidence indicated that they had circled the tree, each trying to get a clear shot at the other until they wounded each other fatally.

Joseph P Heinrichs, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Tuesday, March 14, 1899, Deputy Heinrichs and a posseman named Thomas Kirk arrested Matthew Craig in the Cherokee Nation for selling whiskey in Indian Territory. Heinrichs took the prisoner to his home in Tahlequah to spend the night before transporting him to the federal jail in Muskogee. Posseman Kirk did not accompany them. Deputy Heinrichs slept in the same bed as his prisoner. About 3 A.M. the deputy’s wife and two daughters were awakened by a gunshot. They found Heinrichs dead in the bed and Craig escaped out a window. Craig was captured two days later and charged with the deputy’s death. Posseman Kirk was charged also when Craig alleged that Kirk had given him the gun and several rounds of ammunition to escape

William Hicks, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

William Hicks was one of 11 people killed, and as many as 19 wounded on April 15, 1872, at a schoolhouse east of Tahlequah, near the modern town of Christie in Adair County in the Going Snake District of the Cherokee Nation. Zeke Proctor was being tried by the Cherokee Nation at the schoolhouse for accidentally killing a widow named Polly Beck Hildebrand. The relatives of Polly convinced the federal court at Fort Smith to intervene in the case. The U S Commissioner issued an arrest warrant for Proctor on a charge of murder to Deputy U S Marshals Jacob G Owens and Joseph S Peavey. The Deputies led a posse including friends and relatives of Polly to the schoolhouse. As the federal posse entered the schoolhouse a massive gun battle erupted. Deputy Owens and possemen Black Sut Beck, Sam Beck, William Beck, William Hicks, George Selridge, James Ward and Riley Woods were killed

Leonidas Sengel Hill, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Sunday, July 17, 1898, Deputy U. S. Marshals Hill and J. Boley Grady were attempting to serve warrants on Floyd Simpson and a man named Self for disturbing a religious meeting. Deputy Grady wrestled Floyd Simpson to the ground when he resisted arrest. Floyd Simpson’s father, W. Jasper Simpson went up to Deputy Grady and shot him in the neck with a .45 revolver. When Deputy Hill approached, the elder Simpson shot him in the chest. Deputy Grady died immediately and Deputy Hill died within an hour.

Alonzo Walter "Lon" Holden, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

During the early morning hours of Friday, May 7, 1909, the Sheriffs of McCurtain, Pushmataha and Choctaw Counties along with their deputies and Deputy U S Marshal Holden congregated to serve arrest warrants on two local men, J. W. Myers and “Dad” Lee for operating an illegal still. Holden had served as the first City Marshal of Hugo before becoming a Deputy U. S. Marshal. Before leaving on the raid Deputy Holden told his wife Sarah that he felt someone was going to be killed. His wife responded, “Oh Lon I hope it won’t be you.” The almost twenty officers surrounded the house at the Lee farm. Choctaw County Sheriff R. W. Connell then went to the front of the house and told a child to have the men in the house come out. At that point two men ran out the back of the house and Myers and Lee were captured. Deputy Holden then left his post on the east side of the house and began walking around to the south rear side. He saw an 18-year old youth running into the woods toward the still. Holden fired his weapon in the air to try to halt the young man. When he fired though a general gunfight broke out. The firing stopped just as dawn was breaking. Two of the posse had been wounded as well one moonshiner plus two moonshiners were killed as was Deputy Holden. Deputy Holden had been shot in the head with a rifle accidentally by one of the other officers. His wife was left to raise their six children alone. The officers confiscated a 60-gallon still and 15 gallons of mash whiskey.

Luther "Lute" Houston, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Deputy Houston’s decomposing body was found on Wednesday, October 29, 1902, near Swan Lake in southwestern Caddo County. He had been dead almost two weeks. He had been shot numerous times and he was found with a rope around his neck, his hands tied behind his back and a nearby tree limb showed signs that he had been hanged there. Deputy Houston had been trying to infiltrate the Bert Casey gang but had been found out and murdered by the gang. Another deputy, Fred Hudson, had already infiltrated the gang and was a witness to Houston’s murder on Monday, October 20th. On November 2, Deputy Hudson and another deputy killed Bert Casey near Cleo Springs in Woods County

Thomas Jefferson Hueston, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

In late August 1893, Bill Dalton, Bill Doolin, George “Bitter Creek” Newcomb, Red Buck Weightman, Dynamite Dick Clifton, Tulsa Jack Blake and Roy “Arkansas Tom” Daugherty, members of the Dalton/Doolin gang were reported to be in Ingalls, a small town ten miles east of Stillwater in Payne County, Oklahoma Territory. On Friday, September 1, 1893, two covered wagons entered Ingalls. Concealed inside them was the ominous number of 13 Deputy U S Marshals; Thomas J. Hueston, Lafayette Shadley, Dick Speed, Ham Hueston (Tom’s brother), Henry Keller, George Cox, M. A. Iauson, H. A. Thompson, John Hixson, Jim Masterson (Bat’s brother), Doc Roberts, Ike Steel and Steve Burke. Seeing Bitter Creek Newcomb leading his horse down the street, Deputy Dick Speed opened the battle by wounding Newcomb. Deputy Speed was then shot and killed by Roy “Arkansas Tom” Daugherty. Daugherty then shot Deputy Thomas Hueston in the left side and bowels. Deputy Lafe Shadley was shot three times while trying to climb through a fence by either Daugherty or Bill Dalton or both. Daugherty was arrested that day but the rest of the gang escaped. Deputy Hueston died the next day on September 2nd. Deputy Shadley died the day after that on September 3rd.

Ben Impson, Deputy U.S. Marshal/Posseeman

U.S. Marshals

“The Fort Smith Elevator” of December 9, 1887, reported that Ben Impson, posseman of Deputy U. S. Marshal Lawrence, was killed by Indians east of Stringtown in the Choctaw Nation. It also noted that the Federal Court at Fort Smith had no jurisdiction in the matter since Impson was also Indian.

William H Irwin, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Tuesday, April 13, 1886, Deputy Irwin was taking Felix Griffin from Webbers Falls to the Federal Court in Fort Smith on a burglary charge. Two members of Griffin’s gang, Frank Palmer and Jack Spaniard, ambushed and killed Deputy Irwin, freeing their leader. Deputy Irwin was a widower supporting two children. Felix Griffin was killed while trying to steal some horses the first week of May 1887. Frank Palmer was never apprehended. Jack Spaniard, 36, was arrested on March 25, 1888 and hanged at Fort Smith on August 30, 1889 for the murder.

A W Johnson, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Wednesday, October 21, 1896, Deputies Johnson and Ryan were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on Jess Stedham in the Chickasaw Nation. Upon approaching the Stedham house Deputy Johnson went to the front and deputy Ryan went to the rear. Ryan heard a shot and went to the front, finding Deputy Johnson dead. Stedham was charged with the murder.

John B Jones, Constable/Deputy U.S. Marshal

City of Pawhuska/Osage Nation I.T./U.S. Marshals

Friday, July 3, 1903, was the first day of a two day Independence Day celebration by the Osage Tribe on the grounds of the home of tribal Governor Bigheart on Bird Creek about 12 miles southeast of Pawhuska. The governor asked Constable Jones to be present during the festivities to maintain order. All seemed to go well until about 11 P.M. when Jones came upon two men drunk on wine. When the Constable tried to take the wine away from the men, one of them, Ed Lile, ran away up some stairs threatening to get a gun and shoot the Constable. Constable Jones was standing at the bottom of the stairs in a lit area. Lile came back out of a room at the top of the stairs with a rifle, which the Constable could not see due to the darkness at the top of the stairs. As Constable Jones tried to talk Lile in to coming down, Lile shot him, killing him almost instantly. Lile went back into the room and escaped out a window. The next day Ed Lile turned himself in at Pawhuska and was charged with the Constable’s murder. Constable Jones reported to be “about 50 years old” was married to a blind woman, 17 years younger than himself, named Grace Stutsman. When Mrs. Jones died in 1916 she was buried next to her husband in Fairlawn Cemetery in Oklahoma City.

Lincoln Keeney, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

In late November of 1894, Deputy Keeney arrested Bill West for disorderly conduct in Miami, Indian Territory. West managed to get out of his handcuffs and escaped. A few days later on Saturday, November 24, West rode up to Deputy Keeeney at a blacksmith shop in Fairland, nine miles south of Miami, fatally shot Deputy Keeney in the head and rode out of town. West was later arrested but escaped from jail in Fort Scott, Kansas on March 24, 1895. The next year he was arrested again in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

William Kelly, Deputy U.S. Marshal/Posseman

U.S. Marshals

On Monday, January 17, 1887, Deputy U S Marshal John Philips and his posse consisting of William Kelly, Mark Kuykendall and Henry Smith were in route back to the Federal Court at Fort Smith, Arkansas with a prisoner, Seaborn Kalijah aka Greene, charged with selling whiskey in the Indian Territory. The group made camp that evening 20 miles northwest of Eufaula (near present Stidham). Deputy Phillips went into Eufaula on business leaving the prisoner with his possemen. When Deputy Phillips returned the next day he found all three possemen dead and the prisoner gone. Smith and Kuykendall had been killed with an axe while they slept, then their bodies had been dragged into the campfire and burned from the waist down. Kelly was a dozen yards away, shot in the back and his head almost severed with an axe. Kelly was survived by his wife to whom he had been married only a short time. After burying his three possemen, Deputy Phillips tracked down and re-arrested Kalijah. Kalijah was convicted of the three murders and hanged at Fort Smith on October 7, 1887.

William "Bill" Kirksey, Deputy U.S. Marshal/Posseman

U.S. Marshals

On Friday, May 1, 1885, Deputy U. S. Marshal James H. Guy had arrest warrants for the Lee brothers, Tom “Pink” and Jim for cattle theft and a warrant for Della Humby for murdering his wife. Humby was believed to be hiding out with the Lee’s at their ranch, near Dresden (now Gene Autry) a small town northeast of Ardmore. Marshal Guy deputized a posse of about 15 men, including William “Bill” Kirksey and brothers Andrew and Jim Roff. The posse approached the Lee ranch soon after dawn that Friday morning. The ranch house was occupied by “Pink” and Jim Lee, their brother-in-law, Ed Stein and Della Humby. As the posse approached the front of the house the occupants opened fire on them. Deputy Marshal Guy and his possemen, Andrew Roff, Jim Roff and William Kirksey were all shot and killed. The rest of the posse retreated and the men in the house escaped. The Lee brothers were killed in a shootout with lawmen September 7th. The other men were later arrested and acquitted at their trials.

Mark Kuykendall, Deputy U.S. Marshal/Posseman

U.S. Marshals

On Monday, January 17, 1887, Deputy U S Marshal John Philips and his posse consisting of William Kelly, Mark Kuykendall and Henry Smith were in route back to the Federal Court at Fort Smith, Arkansas with a prisoner, Seaborn Kalijah aka Greene, charged with selling whiskey in the Indian Territory. The group made camp that evening 20 miles northwest of Eufaula (near present Stidham). Deputy Phillips went into Eufaula on business leaving the prisoner with his possemen. When Deputy Phillips returned the next day he found all three possemen dead and the prisoner gone. Smith and Kuykendall had been killed with an axe while they slept, then their bodies had been dragged into the campfire and burned from the waist down. Kelly was a dozen yards away, shot in the back and his head almost severed with an axe. After burying his three possemen, Deputy Phillips tracked down and re-arrested Kalijah. Kalijah was convicted of the three murders and hanged at Fort Smith on October 7, 1887

David H Layman, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Tuesday, April 10, 1883, Deputy Layman, 34, and his posseman with three prisoners in custody made camp near the home of Lewis Teel in the Choctaw Nation near the Texas border. After making camp Deputy Layman, Teel, and three other men George Delaughter, Lishe Barker and Jim McCauley crossed over into Texas to attend McCauley’s wedding. Deputy Layman also took one of the prisoners, named Meroney with him leaving the other two with his posseman. On their way back from the wedding Meroney escaped. Once back at camp two of the men, Teel and Delaughter, got in a fight and Deputy Layman disarmed them. Teel then asked for help and another man named Gabriel Davis, after also being disarmed by Deputy Layman, went to a neighbor’s house, armed himself and started back to the camp with two men named Nelson Meroney and Gillan. On the way back the men encountered the posseman and forced him to release the other two prisoners. Meroney then approached Deputy Layman with his gun drawn but the deputy grabbed it and drew his own gun. Gillian then shot Deputy Layman twice and Davis shot him twice more after he had fallen. The men then escaped. Meroney was later arrested and convicted of manslaughter in the deputy’s death. No record has been found of the other two men ever being arrested.

William Leech, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Wednesday, April 9, 1884, Deputy U S Marshal Bass Reeves and his posse made camp near Cherokee Town in the Chickasaw Nation, east of Pauls Valley in currant Garvin County. The posse had five prisoners in custody en route back to Fort Smith. One member of the posse, Deputy Leech, who was also black, brought a stray dog into camp and it started eating out of the skillet on the campfire. Reeves told Leech not to let the dog eat out of the skillet and to run him off. Leech refused and began to stand up when Reeves shot him with his .44 Winchester rifle. Leech was struck in the left chest or neck. Every indication was that Reeves did not shoot Leech deliberately. Even though Reeves took Leech to the doctor the next day, Leech died later that day, April 10th. Deputy Reeves was arrested, charged and tried at Fort Smith for murder but the jury acquitted him. Reeves continued serving as a federal lawman until 1909.

Newton LeForce, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Early the foggy morning of Wednesday, December 12, 1894, Deputy LeForce and Deputy U. S. Marshal B. C. Birchfield with a posse of six other men went to a farmhouse near Broken Arrow in the Creek Nation 15 miles from Tulsa, in search of two train robbers, Buss Luckey and Tom Root. After checking the house and finding it empty, the two Deputies started to check a haystack 200 yards from the house. The Deputies were about 100 yards apart with the haystack between them when dogs started barking. The barking awakened Luckey, Root and Root’s wife who were sleeping in the haystack. The outlaws opened fire and a general melee ensued in the dense fog when all of the officers returned fire. The outlaws escaped during the shooting and Deputy LeForce was found shot through the back with the bullet exiting out his side. He may have been shot accidentally by one of his own possemen. Deputy LeForce died at 8:00 p.m. that night.

James Robert "Bob" Logan, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

About 11 A.M. on Tuesday, March 9, 1915, Deputy Logan was walking down Main Street in Wister when he was fatally shot by Noah Emory from across the street with a double-barreled shotgun. Emory had challenged Deputy Logan to cross the street and fight him but Logan had ignored the challenge and continued walking. Emory held a grudge because Logan had shot him during a previous arrest when Logan was a Le Flore County Deputy Sheriff.

Joseph P Lundy, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Monday, June 10, 1889, Deputy Lundy was attempting to arrest Nocus Hodge on a warrant for horse theft. Deputy Lundy located Hodge in the company of Wills Leno and Puella Lindsay near Econtuchka (now in extreme northwestern Seminole County) in the Seminole Nation. As Deputy Lundy approached the three men, he was shot to death and the men escaped.

Dan Maples, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Wednesday evening, May 5, 1887, Deputy Maples was returning to camp in Tahlequah where he was with a posse attempting to serve arrest warrants on Bill Pigeon when he was shot from ambush. Deputy Maples fired four shots at his attacker as he fell, missing him. Deputy Maples died the next morning from his wound. For many years the Cherokee militant Ned Christie was suspected of being Maples’ killer but thirty years later an alleged eyewitness revealed that the killer was Bud Trainor.

W C McDaniel, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Friday March 15, 1895, Deputy McDaniel was part of a posse that located Bob Rogers at his father’s house at Horseshoe Mound in Indian Territory, 20 miles south of Coffeyville, Kansas. Rogers was wanted for cattle stealing, train robbery and murder. As the officers attempted to enter the house, Rogers fatally shot Deputy McDaniel and wounded another deputy. Rogers was finally killed by the posse in the gun battle that followed in which over 300 rounds were fired.

John L McHenry, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

On Thursday December 26, 1895, Deputy McHenry was leading a posse attempting to arrest a group of outlaws about 16 miles west of Caddo in Indian Territory. One of the outlaws killed Deputy McHenry whose 16-year-old stepson then killed the outlaw. The rest of the outlaws escaped.

Mose McIntosh, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Deputy McIntosh was a member of a large posse that had divided up into three posses to check houses for the outlaw Wesley Barnett and his gang. As the posse approached the house of Abe Carr, north of Okmulgee, that Friday morning, November 9, 1888, gunfire erupted from the house. Deputy McIntosh was killed and two other possemen were wounded. The gun battle lasted into the night. The next morning the posse found the outlaws had escaped. Deputy McIntosh was also a member of the Creek Lighthorse. Two months later Wesley Barnett was shot and killed but by another Deputy U S Marshal, Wallace McNac.

Abner David McLellan, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

The evening of Friday, July 20, 1894, Deputy McLellan attempted to arrest Gerald Bryant, 19, for stealing corn about ten miles west of Caddo in the Choctaw Nation. As Bryant was leaving the cornfield he saw the Deputy and opened fire. Deputy McLellan was hit fatally in the right shoulder, the bullet passing through his body and exiting his left side. Bryant escaped to a farm about six miles away. The next morning Bryant and his horse were shot and killed by a posse as he tried to escape from the barn. Deputy McLellan was survived by his wife Susie, a young son and a soon to be born daughter, Abner D “Abby” McLellan.

John McWeir, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Deputies McWeir and J H Wilkinson along with a cook were transporting a Creek Indian named Johnson Foster from Fort Reno to Fort Smith for trial on a charge of murder. On Monday, July 2, 1883, they made camp near the Osage Agency at Pawhuska. Deputy Wilkinson and the cook went to the agency leaving Deputy McWeir with the prisoner. When they returned to the camp later that day they found Deputy McWeir dead from several gun shot wounds and his head almost severed by an axe. Foster was missing along with the deputy’s guns and ammunition. Foster was shot and killed a few weeks later by friends of two brothers he had robbed and killed.

Lewis Merritt, Posseman, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

By 1883 Addison Beck had been a Deputy U S Marshal working out of the Fort Smith court for eight years and promised his wife he would find a safer occupation after one more trip to the Indian Territory. During that last trip Beck and his posseman Lewis Merritt were looking for John Bart (or Bark) for whiskey violations. About 11 A. M. on Thursday, September 27, 1883, they located Bart working in a corn field with Johnson Jacks near Big Vienne, east of Webbers Falls and about 40 miles from Fort Smith. As the officers approached the men a gun battle broke out and Deputy Beck was shot in the head and killed instantly. Merritt was wounded in the chest and head and was still alive when a wounded Jacks approached Posseman Merritt and shot him several more times before beating his head in with a gun

Henry Miller, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshal Service

About 3 P.M. on Friday, April 9, 1886, Deputy Miller was one of a group of deputies who made camp near Flatwoods in the Cherokee Nation, about 22 miles from Fort Smith. The deputies were taking a Cherokee Indian outlaw named Big Chewery to Fort Smith for trial. Deputy Miller was left with the prisoner for a couple hours while the other deputies were away on business. When the other deputies returned they found Deputy Miller dead. It appeared his head had been crushed from behind by an axe found lying next to him. The prisoner was trailed and recaptured about a mile from the camp. Apparently he was later tried in a Cherokee court and acquitted of the murder.


 

Z W “Bill” Moody, Deputy U S Marshal

U. S. Marshals

John W Morrison, City Marshal, Sasakwa, I.T. / Deputy U S Marshal

U. S. Marshals

Late Thursday evening, July 18, 1907, Morrison, 37, was part of a posse searching for some men who had robbed a store in Spaulding, six miles north of Sasakwa, the night before.

About 18 miles south of Wewoka, Morrison was riding just ahead of his two possemen when he came upon the area where the four robbers had set up an ambush. The robbers opened fire on Morrison, killing him before his possemen could arrive to help.

Marcello Garcia Moya, Guard, Deputy U S Marshal

U. S. Marshals

James Nakedhead, Deputy U S Marshal – Officer 

U. S. Marshals – U. S. Indian Police 

Near day break the morning of Wednesday, February 27, 1895, Nakedhead was a member of a group of deputies and Texas Rangers that surrounded a house near Brush Hill, about ten miles southwest of present day Checotah, in hopes of arresting the Hughes gang,  suspected of a Texas train robbery. The gang’s dogs alerted them of the officers’ approach and they began firing on the posse. During the gun battle that followed Deputy Nakedhead was shot in the head and killed. Nakedhead was buried in Tahlequah and was survived by his wife and several children. 

Gang members Ben Hughes and Judd South were arrested and tried for the murder of Nakedhead. Both men were acquitted when it was brought out that the officers did not have an arrest warrant for any members of the gang when they went to the house.

Eight years later Ben and his brother, Jim, were tried for the brutal murder of another deputy, Lute Houston, and again were acquitted.

Joe Nix, Deputy U. S. Marshal 

U. S. Marshals 

On the evening of Friday, August 3, 1894, Deputy Nix rode out of Vian, a small town ten miles west of Sallisaw, on his large gray horse. He had told friends he was going out to arrest James Gertie, who had taunted the deputy earlier in the day saying he had whiskey and for the Nix to come get it. About midnight Nix’s gray horse returned to Vian, without Nix. The next morning Nix was found dead with numerous shotgun pellet wounds in his body. James Gertie was arrested for the murder of the deputy that same day. 

Jacob G Owens, Deputy U S Marshal

U. S. Marshals

M F Parker, Deputy U S Marshal

U. S. Marshals

Henry Peckenpaugh, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

W.A. Cox was the postmaster of the small town of Wilburton, located about 25 miles east of South McAlester in the Indian Territory. At 8:30 p.m., Monday, November 27, 1899, after working on the books for several hours, Cox started walking home. It was his normal routine to take the daily receipts home with him, and this evening he had $240.  While walking, Cox was approached by two men who demanded the money he carried.  Cox refused and was knocked to the ground by the two men, who grabbed the moneybag and walked away. Cox’s cries for help were heard by Dr. W.A. Woodward, a dentist, and Deputy U.S. Marshal H. Peckenpaugh, who were walking together on an adjacent street.

As Peckenpaugh and Woodward ran toward the sounds of the cries, they observed two men walking toward them. Peckenpaugh told the men to stop, grabbing one of the men by the slicker he was wearing. The man spun, slipping Peckenpaugh’s hold, drawing his revolver at the same time. Peckenpaugh was in the process of drawing his gun when a shot rang out and the deputy staggered a few steps and then fell into the street. The two suspects ran, leaving behind a slicker, one glove and a mask.           

Dr. Woodward and Post Master Cox attempted to help Peckenpaugh, but found he had been shot in the heart and was already dead. John Hart and Oscar Mickle were later arrested and held without bond for the murder of U.S. Deputy Marshal Peckenpaugh.  Peckenpaugh was survived by his wife and five children.

John B. Pemberton, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

Marshal John Pemberton was issued an arrest warrant for William Payne, who had assaulted Deputy U.S. Marshal W.C. Simpson on Thursday, February 18, 1892, in Muldrow, Indian Territory.  Marshal Pemberton traveled from Muskogee to Muldrow on Friday evening with his posseman named Woods.  On Saturday morning, February 20^th, Pemberton and Woods located William Payne and placed him under arrest. An agreement was made with Payne that they would release him only if he promised to return to the train station that evening for transfer to Muskogee. Payne agreed.   

Steve Pen-Su-Wau (Pensoneau), Posseman 

U.S. Marshals  

Pen-Su-Wau was a sergeant of the Kickapoo, Pottawatomie, Iowa and Sac and Fox Indian Police.  The Oklahoma City Gazette of February 12, 1891, reported that Pen-Su-Wau had acted as a posse for Frank Cochran and Sheriff DeFord during the arrest of several parties in his neighborhood.  Deputy U.S. Marshal Preston Armstrong had an arrest warrant to serve and expected the man named on the warrant to ride along a certain road. Armstrong secreted himself by the roadside and waited for his suspect. Pen-Su-Wau was riding the same road on his way home and as he approached Armstrong stepped out and commanded the Indian policeman to halt. Pen-Su-Wau refused and Armstrong shot him out of the saddle, falling into the dirt, dead. Armstrong stated he had fired with his six-shooter, although some witnesses claimed he fired with a shotgun.

According to a report printed in the Oklahoma State Capitol of Guthrie on February 21^st, Armstrong came in from Shawnee Town the night of the 6^th to face trial the following day.  A coroners jury was impaneled on the morning of the 7^th, returning a verdict of justifiable homicide. John Decker testified that Armstrong had stopped him when Pen-Su-Wau rode up on a horse. Armstrong told him to halt, Pen-Su-Wau refused, firing a shot at Armstrong and it was then that Armstrong shot him, firing eight or nine shots, hitting Pen-Su-Wau five times.

Another report at the Oklahoma State Capitol on November 22, 1894, Deputy U.S. Marshal Frank Cochran brought Captain S.J. Scott, Ex-Sheriff James H. Gill, Deputy U.S. Marshal Preston Armstrong and Daniel Brestman into Guthrie and jailed them on charges of killing Pen-Su-Wau.  A separate report states that Pen-Su-Wau was killed by three deputy marshals who mistook him for Bob Counallis or George Howell, both noted outlaws who the marshals were looking for.

On February 12, 1895, the Guthrie Oklahoma State Capitol reported that Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal John M. Hale and posses left on a train bound for Brooklyn Penitentiary with George Howell who was sentenced to ten years in prison for the killing of Pen-Su-Wau, who was “acting as posseman under Deputy United States Marshal Armstrong.”

Steve Pen-Su-Wau (Pensoneau) was survived by his wife and several small children.

John Phillips, Deputy U S Marshal

 U. S. Marshals          

On Saturday, June 30, 1888, Deputy Phillips and his posseman William Whitson, had gone 20 miles east of Eufaula and waited in hiding along a trail in the area of a “green corn” dance in an attempt to locate Daniel Thompson, a Creek Indian prisoner who had escaped from them.

William Pitts, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

William Pitts was relocated from Paris, Texas, to McAlester in the Choctaw Nation of the Indian Territory. On Sunday, November 30, 1890, he traveled to Lake West where he started a surveillance point after being informed that three Indians were smuggling liquor into Indian Territory from Texas. Pitts spotted a wagon traveling north occupied by three Indians.  He stepped out of the brush and stopped the wagon. The Indians identified themselves as Isam Frazier, Lige Woods and Jim Allen.  Pitts told the three men that he suspected they were transporting illegal liquor and he was going to search their wagon. An argument ensued and escalated into a struggle.  As Pitts fought to control the three men, his gun was ripped out of its holster and he was shot in the stomach. Pitts staggered back, dropped to the dirt and died within minutes. The three men quickly left the area. 

William Edward Plank, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals

Just after noon on Thursday, July 23, 1914, Deputy U.S. Marshal William Edward “Ed” Plank, Deputy U.S. Marshal Holmes Davidson and Deputy U.S. Marshal Ike Wilkinson went to the home of William Baber in Tulsa.  Baber had a long record of liquor violations and was currently waiting to start a two-year prison term for conviction of bootlegging. He had previously been the Chief of Police at Tulsa but had been ousted from that position and had then taken up bootlegging as a means of making a living.

When the deputies arrived at the Baber home, Wilkinson headed to the back of the house, while Plank and Davidson went to the front door and knocked.  Mrs. Baber answered the door, opening the inner door, keeping the screen door shut.  Davidson stated they were going to search the house at which time Mrs. Baber denied them entrance. William Baber then came to the door again denying the deputies entrance.  Davidson started to draw his gun, at which time Baber grabbed a double-barreled shotgun and fired one barrel into Davidson’s neck and shoulder. He then turned toward Plank and fired the other barrel into his chest. Davidson turned and started walking toward the street when he collapsed and died.  Plank staggered a couple of steps and then fell to the ground.  Tulsa Police would later say that Davidson’s gun was in his hand when he was found but it hadn’t been fired.

William Baber called the police and confessed to killing both Davidson and Plank.  He was arrested and in 1917 the case finally came to trial and a jury found Baber guilty two counts of manslaughter and the court sentenced him to four years in prison.

John Poe, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

John Poe was appointed a deputy U.S. Marshal by U.S. Marshal John Hammer of the Southern District of Indian Territory.  On Wednesday, September 25, 1901, Poe and his posse, J.H. Neely boarded the northbound Frisco train in Denison, TX.  The trip was peaceful until the train was approaching Ravia, a small town three miles of Tishomingo. Poe walked toward the rear of the train. As he entered he noticed B.W. Taylor causing a disturbance.  Poe identified himself and then advised Taylor to settle down or he would arrest him.  An argument started and Poe told Taylor he was under arrest for disturbing the peace. As Poe tried to handcuff him, Taylor jumped him and a fight started. 

Another passenger told Neely of the fight. As Neely entered the rear of the train, he saw Poe trying to handcuff Taylor. Dave Bruner got up and headed toward Poe. Neely charged Bruner and knocked him to the floor with the butt of his gun. George Yargee was headed toward Poe and was also knocked to the floor by Neely.  Taylor broke away from Poe and then knocked Neely to the ground, at the same time grabbing the posse’s gun. Poe tackled Taylor and all three men began a desperate fight for control of the gun. As the fight continued a shot rang out and Deputy Poe dropped to the floor. A bullet had entered the right side of his chest, traveled through the chest and exited out of the left side.  

Josiah Poorboy, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

Marion Prickett, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

Deputy U.S. Marshal Anderson Keen and his posse, Marion Pricket, had a warrant to arrest a man named Brown.  They learned that Brown had fled into Indian Territory around Tahlequah, the Capitol of the Cherokee Nation.

On Monday, December 15, 1890, Keen and Prickett knocked on the door of a house and were met by a man fitting the description of Brown.  The two men in the house identified themselves as A.B. Smith and Tom Smith. Both men cooperated with the deputies but maintained that they did not know Brown. Keen and Prickett took both men into custody.  They took the two men to a neighbor’s house, where the neighbor identified the older man as A.B. Smith, stating he was a mason and a good man. Smith then told the deputies he was also a U.S. marshal and suggested they return to his house where he would produce his oath of office.  Upon arrival back at the house, Smith produced a deputy’s commission issued by Marshal Jacob Yoes. The commission read that is was only for the purpose of arresting Ned Christie, whom Smith told Yoes he knew. Although Keen still believed the suspect was Brown, there was now doubt in his mind and he asked Prickett to join him outside for a conversation. Both lawmen exited the house leaving the Smith’s inside.             

Charlie Proctor, Deputy Sheriff 

Tahlequah District, Cherokee Nation 

Bud Pursley, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

In early November 1884, Deputy U.S. Marshal James Mershon and his posse went in search of Jonas Layson and Salone George, wanted for murder.  Mershon had information they might be in the area of Tishomingo.  Mershon set up camp near Tishomingo and his posse went into the field in search of information on the two men. The posse returned with information that Layson and George were living with Jonas Layson’s father near Tishomingo.  Because they were dealing with two murder suspects, Mershon assigned four posse, George Pound, Bud Pursley, Wit Blankenship and Bruce McKee to make the arrest.

On the early morning of Monday, November 3^rd, the posse rode up to the Layson house and announced their presence and indicating they were federal officers. They ordered the occupants to surrender. Before the posse could take any further action, Jonas Layson fired on the posse with a Winchester rifle. One of the shots struck Pursley in the left arm, totally disabling him.  The other officers returned fire as Layson and George ran from the house.  One of the posse managed to hit Layson, who feel dead in the bushes. George managed to escape unharmed.  

Robert Reed, Deputy U S Marshal

U. S. Marshals

James E. Richardson, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

J.E. Richardson, his wife, child and sister moved to Ft. Smith, Arkansas from Texas to start a new life. In September 1885, he accepted an appointment as a Deputy U.S. Marshal offered him by U.S. Marshal John Carroll of the Western District of Arkansas. Richardson, during the six months he served, made numerous trips into the Indian Territory, serving arrest warrants, subpoenas, and other federal process.

Richardson and his posse returned to Ft. Smith on March 15, 1886, with three prisoners, lodging them in the federal jail. John Vann, Robert Childers, both black men, and T.J. Ellis, a white man, were all charged with assault with intent to kill. Although these three had been arrested and transported to Ft. Smith peacefully, all had not gone well on the trip. Richardson had arrested a man named William “Bill” Pigeon on a charge of murder and had taken him back to the camp the lawmen had set up near Pryor, in the Cherokee Nation. Pigeon was accused of murdering Joseph Rogers in 1882 and had been a fugitive ever since. After leaving Pigeon in the care of his posse, Richardson left camp to make another arrest in the same area. Upon returning to camp, the deputy discovered that Pigeon had escaped and was again at large. The decision was made to transport the three prisoners they had in custody to Ft. Smith and then return to Pryor to track down Pigeon.

Richardson spent the next eight days with his family, leaving Ft. Smith on March 23^rd for the trip back into Indian Territory. On Monday, March, 29, 1886, Richardson and his posse located Pigeon ten miles east of Pryor, at Choteau Station. This time Pigeon resisted arrest and a gunfight ensued, resulting in the shooting death of Deputy Richardson. Richardson’s posse emptied his pistol at Pigeon, all apparently missing their target as the outlaw made good his escape. Richardson’s body was transported back to Ft. Smith and buried in the Oak Cemetery. 

Samuel Elgen Roberts, Posse, Deputy U. S. Marshal  

U.S. Marshals 

Andrew Roff, Posseman, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

Joe Henderson leased land in the Chickasaw Nation. On March 18, 1885, he found that two of his horses had been stolen and he believed he knew the thieves. He traveled to Ft. Smith, Arkansas to report the theft of the horses. Arrest warrants were issued for two brothers, Jim and Pink Lee.   The warrant was turned over to James H. Guy, a sergeant with the U.S. Indian Police.

A murder warrant had also been issued for a black man named Dallas Humby and Guy had information that Humby might also be at the Lee ranch. Humby was accused of killing his wife and had avoided apprehension earlier. Guy was anxious to make the arrest.  

On Friday, May 1, 1885, Guy gathered a posse of thirteen men, including brothers Jim and Andy Roff. The posse proceeded to and after dismounting, surrounded the Lee home. U.S. Marshal Guy called out for the Lee’s to come out of the house to answer warrants. Someone inside the house asked who it was and for them to come to the front of the house where they could talk. Guy walked to the front of the house and stood by a tree. 

The posse was immediately met by gunfire coming from within the house. Guy was struck by two bullets and died during his fall to the ground. The posse members returned fire and a shootout ensued. Andy Roff was struck by five bullets and Jim Roff, once. As the gunfight increased, Bill Kirksey fell from shotgun fire. All died within minutes and the remainder of the posse grabbed their horses and retreated.  

Not until September 7, 1885 when Heck Thomas, Jim Taylor and Jim Shattel were in the Gainesville, Texas area were the Lee brothers brought down.  The Lee brothers were spotted trying to cut their way through a fence. The lawmen crept to within forty or fifty yards and called out to the Lees.  Both Jim and Pink started firing at the posse with rifles.  The lawmen returned fire until both Lee brothers were dead.

James Roff, Posseman, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

Joe Henderson leased land in the Chickasaw Nation. On March 18, 1885, he found that two of his horses had been stolen and he believed he knew the thieves. He traveled to Ft. Smith, Arkansas to report the theft of the horses. Arrest warrants were issued for two brothers, Jim and Pink Lee.   The warrant was turned over to James H. Guy, a sergeant with the U.S. Indian Police.  

A murder warrant had also been issued for a black man named Dallas Humby and Guy had information that Humby might also be at the Lee ranch. Humby was accused of killing his wife and had avoided apprehension earlier. Guy was anxious to make the arrest.

On Friday, May 1, 1885, Guy gathered a posse of thirteen men, including brothers Jim and Andy Roff. The posse proceeded to and after dismounting, surrounded the Lee home. U.S. Marshal Guy called out for the Lee’s to come out of the house to answer warrants. Someone inside the house asked who it was and for them to come to the front of the house where they could talk. Guy walked to the front of the house and stood by a tree.

The posse was immediately met by gunfire coming from within the house. Guy was struck by two bullets and died during his fall to the ground. The posse members returned fire and a shootout ensued. Andy Roff was struck by five bullets and Jim Roff, once. As the gunfight increased, Bill Kirksey fell from shotgun fire. All died within minutes and the remainder of the posse grabbed their horses and retreated.  

Isaac “Ike” Rogers, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

Hayden, Oklahoma was one of the distribution points for dispensing of federal money to the black freedmen in the area from the sale of the Cherokee Strip. This money meant for the former slaves or relatives of former slaves of the Cherokees in the region. Irk Rogers and a man named Clarence Goldsby both had a share of that money coming to them and their paths crossed.  Clarence Goldsby had a hatred for Ike Rogers.  Rogers tricked Crawford Golsby, Clarence’s brother, betrayed his trust, and arrested him for a reward on his head.  Crawford Goldsby was very well known as outlaw “Cherokee Bill.”  This arrest caused Cherokee Bill to be hanged on March 17, 1896.  Clarence Goldsby told Ike Rogers if he ever saw him in Ft. Gibson he would kill him.

Rogers sent word to Goldsby that he would be on the morning train into Ft. Gibson. As Rogers got off the train in Ft. Gibson at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 19, 1897, he was shaking hands with a man on the platform when Clarence Goldsby fired a shot from behind him. The first shot missed Rogers and hit a bystander.  The next three shots hit Rogers, two in the head and one in the body. Clarence escaped on foot amid a hail of gunfire from a rapidly assembled posse of citizens and deputy marshals. Goldsby was never apprehended.
 

Sherman Russell, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

Hilton Elmore Schorre, Deputy U S Marshal

U. S. Marshals

George Selridge, Posseman, Deputy U S Marshal

U. S. Marshals

George Selridge was one of 11 people killed, and as many as 19 wounded on April 15, 1872, at a schoolhouse east of Tahlequah, near the modern town of Christie in Adair County in the Going Snake District of the Cherokee Nation.  Zeke Proctor was being tried by the Cherokee Nation at the schoolhouse for accidentally killing a widow named Polly Beck Hildebrand.  The relatives of Polly convinced the federal court at Fort Smith to intervene in the case. The U S Commissioner issued an arrest warrant for Proctor on a charge of assault with intent to kill to Deputy U S Marshals Jacob G Owens and Joseph S Peavey. The Deputies led a posse including friends and relatives of Polly to the schoolhouse. As the federal posse entered the schoolhouse a massive gun battle erupted.  Possemen Black Sut Beck, Sam Beck, William Hicks, George Selridge, James Ward and Riley Woods were killed that day. Deputy Owens and Posseman William Beck died the next day from their wounds.

 

Lafayette Shadley, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

In 1892, while serving as a deputy marshal out of the federal court in Guthrie, Lafayette Shadley had been involved in a gunfight with Doolin gang member “Dynamite Dick” Clifton in the Osage Nation. Although Clifton was able to escape, Shadley wounded him in the neck. The next time they met, the fortunes would be turned. On the morning of Friday, September 1,1893, a small group of Deputy U.S. Marshals entered the small town of Ingalls, Oklahoma Territory where it was reported that several members of the Doolin gang were hold up. The posse consisting of thirteen marshals including John W. Hixon, Dick Speed, Henry Keller, George Cox, M.A. Iauson, H.A. “Hi” Thomson, and two brothers, Thomas J. & Hamilton B. Hueston, were quickly met with heavy resistance from members of the Doolin gang. Deputy Marshal Speed was the first to be hit, receiving two bullets from the rifle of “Arkansas Tom” Jones who was perched in an upstairs window. The next officer to be fatally wounded was Thomas Hueston who had also been shot twice by “Arkansas Tom” Jones. The final marshal to be dispatched was Lafayette Shadley who received fatal wounds. Thus ending the killing at the Battle of Ingalls.

W.R. “Dick” Shaver, Deputy U.S. Marshal and City Marshal

U.S. Marshals

City of Boley 

Charles Edwin "Ed" Short, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals

Charley Bryant was regarded to be a restless and reckless individual who suffered with occasional dysfunctions.  Bryant’s nickname was “Black-Faced Charley” because of powder burns from a gun fired too closely to his head resulting in permanently darkened spots on his face.  Bryant always stated that when he died he wanted to go “in one hell-firin’ minute of action.” Bryant had become acquainted with Emmett Dalton, Bill Doolin, “Bitter Creek” Newcomb and others while working on cattle ranches.  He was involved in robbing the Texas Express with these men, headed by Bob Dalton, on May 9, 1891.  A couple months later another train robbery was in the works when Bryant became quite ill having to take a room at a local hotel.  Ed Short, a Deputy U.S. Marshal and Hennessey’s City Marshal, was out of town when Bryant became ill. When Short returned to Hennessey he was told of the doctor’s new patient staying at the local hotel. Short took an opportunity to observe the patient with his knowledge and felt confident that he was one of the “wanted men.”  With the cooperation of the hotel owner, Short set forth to capture Bryant. By the time Bryant realized someone else was in his room, Short had him covered and the suspect couldn’t grab either of his guns. Bryant was denied his real “blazing moment of glory.” Deputy Short took Bryant on the Rock Island train the next evening heading for the federal jail at Wichita, Kansas. Short placed Bryant in the baggage car figuring this would be the safest place fearing the Daltons would try to rescue their cohort. Deputy Short surmised that if they Daltons did plan a rescue attempt they would most likely attack at Waukomis, the first station north of Hennessey. When the train started to slow for that scheduled stop, Short handed his gun to a mail clerk and asked him to watch Bryant while he stepped out on the platform for “a look out.” The mail clerk was not overly excited about his new assignment and when Short left, he laid the pistol aside.  Bryant immediately noticed and decided to make a break for freedom. Bryant, with great gusto, sprang to his feet and grabbed the unattended revolver. “Black-Faced Charley” Bryant rushed to the exit, opened the door and saw his target standing on the platform. Deputy Short realizing the door was opening, turned and saw Bryant raising the pistol. Bryant fired then Short returned fire. Both men were shot. Each man continued shooting until Bryant fell and began sliding off the railroad car. Even though Short was mortally wounded, he grabbed his prisoner and pulled him back on the platform. When the train arrived at Waukomis, O. T. the evening of Sunday, August 23,1891, the prisoner was dead and Deputy Short was dying.

Samuel Sixkiller, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

In 1880, Sam Sixkiller became the first appointed Captain of the United States Indian Police of the Five Civilized Tribes commanding 40 officers in Muskogee.

In 1886, Sixkiller became involved in a gunfight with Jess Nicholson in which Sixkiller wounded Nicholson.  Nicholson eventually died from his wounds.  Nicholson was a friend of hot-tempered Dick Vann and once had been arrested for harboring Vann from the marshals. Vann was also arrested once by Sixkiller during which Sixkiller allegedly kicked him. Vann threatened to kill Sixkiller for that.

David Sizemore (Sigemore), Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

Henry Smith, Posseman, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

On Monday, January 17, 1887, four lawmen, Henry Smith, Mark Kuykendall, and William Kelly, the posse for Deputy U.S. Marshal John Phillips, arrested Seaborn Green (also known as Kalijah) an eighteen-year-old Creek Indian who was wanted on a federal warrant for a whiskey charge. After the arrest the lawmen established a campsite near Hillabee, I.T.  Deputy Phillips left the three posseman in charge of Green while he returned to Eufaula on business. The three possemen agreed to take turns watching the prisoner during the night. Henry Kelly drew the first watch. Sometime during the night, either Kelly fell asleep or was surprised by Green who had obtained the camp axe. Kelly was struck in the neck by the axe, with his head almost severed. Green then used the axe on Kuykendall and Smith striking them both in the head killing them. Green then piled logs around the bodies and set fire to the bed clothing and logs to burn the bodies. 

The following day Phillips returned to the gruesome site at the camp. His entire posse was dead and Green was gone. Phillips discovered that all weapons had been taken from the camp. He buried his fellow lawmen near the campsite and then went to find Green.

Thomas Calton Smith, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

On Friday, November 4, 1892, Deputy Marshals Tom Smith, Dave Booker and another deputy named Tucker took a northbound train from Gainsville, Texas into the Chickasaw Nation of the Indian Territory to perform certain duties assigned to them. Sometime during the trip north, and when the train was nearing Thackerville, just inside Indian Territory, the deputies had gone into the “Jim Crow” passenger car normally reserved for blacks. One of the blacks took offense and asked what whites were doing in their car. Deputy Smith replied that whites could go where they wanted and got up to leave the car. The black man pulled a pistol and shot Deputy Smith through the heart, killing him instantly.  Deputies Booker and Tucker both pulled their weapons and killed the black man. The body of Deputy Smith was returned to his home in Taylor, Texas.  Deputy Smith was survived by his wife and five sons. 

Sam Sorrels, Posseman 

U.S. Marshals 

Sam Sorrels worked for a twenty-two year old Deputy United States Marshal Ralph Scargill. On Friday, January 2, 1903, both lawmen were riding on the Fort Smith and Western Railway train when they were told by a passenger about two suspicious men riding in one of the boxcars. The passenger thought one of the men was wanted. As the train slowed for a stop in Spiro, I.T., the lawmen worked their way back to check the boxcars. Unknown to Sorrels and Scargill one of the men was Sam Morley, a very dangerous man. Morley was wanted for murder, assault and escape in Oklahoma Territory. As the train came to a stop, Sorrels and Scargill jumped down from the passenger car and walked back to the boxcar.  As they approached the boxcars they saw two men jump down from one of the cars. Scargill and Sorrels identified themselves as lawmen and told the two men to throw up their hands. Morley and the other suspect drew their handguns and started firing at the lawmen. Scargill and Sorrels returned fire. They were only standing about four or five feet from each other.  As they fired, they began backing away from each other.  As they back away, Morley was shot through the right side of his chest and fell to the ground. Sorrels was then shot in the chest. He was able to fire two more shots before being killed by another shot to the chest. The second suspect had been wounded but kept firing, hitting Scargill in both legs causing him to slump to the ground. Scargill kept firing but his gun was now empty. The second man walked up to Scargill and took his gun, then walked over to Sorrels and took his gun. He told the passengers that had been watching the shootout to back up or he would start killing them. He turned and walked into the woods toward the Poteau River and disappeared.  A lengthy search was conducted but he eluded authorities.

Richard “Dick” Speed, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

Richard Speed became a constable in Chautauqua County Kansas, on the northern border of Indian Territory and held that position for four years. He then became a Deputy U.S. Marshal in the Oklahoma Territory and was one of three officers fatally wounded during the battle of Ingalls with the Dalton/Doolin gang on September 1, 1893.

William “Bill” Spivey, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

William Spivey worked for Deputy U.S. Marshal William Irvin in the Indian Territory. Part of their area involved the southern part of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations that bordered Texas.

James Moore, a twenty-eight year old native of Johnson County, Tennessee and James C. Hunton had stolen several horses from a man named Cox in Washington County, Texas. Civilians had tracked the horse thieves from Washington County north into the Indian Territory. After crossing the Red River they notified Irwin of the chase and requested he assist. Irwin and Spivey joined the hunt for the horse thieves, searching the area just north of the Red River.

On Thursday, August 6, 1874, the two lawmen found their prey and attempted an arrest. Both Moore and Hunton resisted arrest and both sides commenced firing. During the shootout Spivey was shot in the head, dying instantly and Irvin was also wounded, although not seriously. Both Moore and Hunton were able to make their escape. Once notified a large search was begun for the killers.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Kidder Kidd and his posse, L.P. Isbell and R.T. Brewer, along with guard Nelson Foreman tracked Moore to Caddo Creek in the Chickasaw Nation, arresting him on September 15^th. Next they traveled to Fayetteville, Arkansas where they located John C. Hunton and placed him under arrest. Both prisoners were then taken to Ft. Smith and confirmed in the federal jail to await trial. On February 9, 1875, while awaiting trial, Hunton was able to escape. In April the U.S. marshal was notified that citizens had shot and killed Hunton during a chase, after he had stolen a horse.

William Tener Starmer, Posseman, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

E. A. “Ed” Stokley, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Deputy Stokley was twenty-seven years old and lived with his father in Marietta.  He had worked for Deputy U.S. Marshal Heck Thomas for two years as a posse receiving some of the best training he could have received. In June 1887, partially due to the recommendation of Thomas, John Carroll, the U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Arkansas, had appointed Stokley a Deputy U.S. Marshal. Everything appeared to be going well with Stokley’s life. He had a full appointment as a Deputy and was scheduled to be married to Josie Peterman of Gainesville, Texas, on January 25, 1888.

On December 2, 1887, Deputy U.S. Marshals Heck Thomas and Ed Stokley had approximately forty prisoners in their charge and were transporting them to Ft. Smith when they received information that Will Towerly had just arrived at his father’s home near Atoka. Every Deputy U.S. Marshal in the Indian Territory had been put on alert to watch for and apprehend Will Towerly, who was charged with the murder of Deputy U.S. Marshal Frank Dalton.  Both Thomas and Stokley carried posse and guards with them and after talking the situation over, decided that Thomas and some of their men would remain in camp with the prisoners while Stokley, along with William Moody, James Wallace and James McAlester, would check out the Towerly house.

The following morning around 7:00 a.m., the lawmen surrounded the Towerly home with Wallace and McAlester covering the rear of the house and Stokley and Moody at the front. Towerly must have seen the lawmen approach, for he suddenly appeared at the front door and opened fire.  He missed with his first shots and Stokley and Moody both opened fire on Towerly.  He was hit in the right shoulder and the leg knocking him to the ground. Stokley was running toward the downed man when Towerly rose up and fired two rounds with his left hand, both striking Stokley, once in the chest and once in the groin.  Stokley dropped and died within minutes.  Moody continued to fire at Towerly as his parents and sister tried to pull him back in the house.  Moody pushed them off and fired through a window at Towerly, striking him several times. Towerly died from the eight bullets that pierced his body about twelve hours later.

Robert Osborne “Bob” Sumter, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U.S. Marshals 

On Wednesday, August 9, 1933, Deputy Sumter left his home in Ada and drove to Coalgate stopping at the Mayer Meat Market to pick up his friend Paul Mayer to ride along while he served some papers.  The two men rode south on Highway 75 toward Lehigh, four miles south of Coalgate. They stopped and asked for directions to Frank Kosack’s place. Sumter drove his car to within a half mile of the Kosack home and told Mayer to wait in the car. Around 3:00 p.m. Sumter set out on foot up a small trail. Mayer waited an hour and then became concerned.  He went looking for the lawman. Mayer came upon a working still and the body of Deputy Sumter, who was lying face down in a twisted position. Mayer ran back to the car and drove the deputy’s car into Lehigh where he called the Sheriff, asking that officers and an ambulance be sent to the scene.

Sheriff Clark and several deputies responded, as did the county attorney and Justice of the Peace, E. Pritchard. When the lawmen examined Sumter they noticed that his gun was missing. They knew he was right handed and also noticed that he was clutching a smoking pipe in his right hand.  Sumter had been shot at least six times with shotgun wounds to his chest, back, abdomen, face, neck and top of the head. Mayer had returned and informed the officers that he had seen nineteen-year-old John Cisco running in the area shortly before he had found Sumter’s body. Cisco was immediately picked up for questioning. He quickly implicated his brother Tom Cisco, as well as Barnard Blue, John Gruber, Will Smith and Oscar Lovingood. He also stated that when Sumter approached the still they all ran except Lovingood. Cisco also stated Lovingood had a shotgun with him when he was last seen.

Deputy Sumter was survived by his wife, Lena, a daughter, Cleo, and a son, Robert O. Jr.  

Marion A. Sweeten, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals

Marion A. Sweeten, was appointed a Deputy U.S. Marshal of the Western District of Arkansas in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, and lived in Oklahoma with his wife, Harriet and son, John Alexander Sweeten born in 1866.  They farmed a piece of land in what is now Haskell County and had another couple living with them, the Wilburn’s.  Wilburn had married a niece of Sweeten and worked the land with the Sweetens.  Wilburn was also Sweeten’s posse. 

On Monday evening, May 3, 1886, Wilburn was beating his wife when Marion Sweeten interfered.  Wilburn grabbed a rifle and shot Sweeten in the chest, killing him instantly.  John Sweeten, now twenty years old, heard the shooting and started to run from the area when Wilburn shot at him.  The shot missed and John kept running stopping at a neighbor’s house three miles away.  The following morning, John returned, along with several other men. No one was in the house when they arrived and they searched the surrounding area.  They found Marion Sweeten’s body at the bottom of the well from drag marks on the ground. They were able to raise the body out of the well and noticed there were scuffmarks on the dead man’s face indicating he had been dragged. 

There was no sign of Harriet Sweeten and the group started a search in the area, finding her dead body concealed under brush two hundred yards from the house. Wilburn and his wife had fled; taking their personal belongings with them. John noted two horses, as well as two rifles and Sweeten’s handgun were missing. The nearest deputy U.S. marshal was notified and arrived on the scene, examining the bodies as well as the house for any evidence as well as any trace of the Wilburn’s.

No record was ever found indicating if Wilburn was ever arrested. John Sweeten continued to live in the Indian Territory, married and had a son who moved to Texas. John’s son, Jess Sweeten, followed his grandfather into law enforcement, serving for twenty-two years, part of that time as a county sheriff.

R. Lee Taylor, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U. S. Marshals

Deputy Taylor was a assigned to work the Osage Nation, now Osage County, Oklahoma.  On Thursday, October 1, 1891, Taylor had ridden to the store of William Rogers at Skiatook, a small town located one mile inside the Cherokee Nation of the Indian Territory, and about thirty miles northwest of Tulsa. Taylor was at the store in order to interview Ben Haney about the location of a whiskey peddler for whom he had a warrant. Haney’s sister, Nan, worked for Rogers as a housekeeper in the house that adjoined the store. Haney arrived at the store about noon and invited Taylor to have lunch with him at Rogers’ home where Haney’s sister would cook for them. 

William Rogers entered the house while the others were still eating and, evidently displeased at his surprise guests, walked out muttering about “feeding strays.” Rogers had just returned from Coffeeville, KS, where he had been drunk for two days and had not recovered. After lunch, Taylor, Haney and Nan Haney left the house and walked into the front yard where they met Rogers coming out of the store carrying a shotgun. Rogers ordered Deputy Taylor off his property and then raised the shotgun firing both barrels into Taylor’s chest. Taylor dropped to the ground dead.  Rogers then hitched a team of horses to a wagon and left the area headed north.

Thomas Jefferson Taylor, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U. S. Marshals

On Saturday, October 13, 1900, Deputy Taylor traveled to Ralston where he arrested Orrin DeLaus on a federal warrant for selling liquor to Indians. Deputy Taylor, before leaving Ralston, told several friends of DeLaus that the prisioner would be taken to Pawnee and arraigned and that bond would probably be set. They agreed to come to Pawnee and post bond for their friend. Deputy Sheriff Lowry accompanied Taylor to Pawnee with DeLaus, where he was arraigned. Taylor thinking DeLaus’ friends would arrive soon, agreed to keep DeLaus with him until they arrived.

The men were in the back room of Cook Horton’s saloon finishing up paperwork, when John Horton walked into the room.  Both Lowry and Taylor greeted the man who then exited through a back door. Lowry then left Taylor and DeLaus in the back room alone.  Suddenly, DeLaus jumped up from his chair with a gun in his hand and shot Taylor a few feet away. After being hit by two bullets, Taylor managed to draw his own gun and return fire, missing DeLaus.

George E. Thornton, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U. S. Marshals
 

Edward Ellis Thurlo, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U. S. Marshals

Thurlo was a Deputy U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Indian Territory in 1896. Thurlo was also the City Marshal of Duncan. On Thursday, February 6, he saw Dave Putty (also spelled Petty) loading a wagon with what appeared to be illegal whiskey. Thurlo, thinking the whiskey might be sold to the Indians, watched Putty and after a while approached him telling him he was going to check the load. At first Putty said nothing. Then he drew his gun and opened fire on Deputy Thurlo, killing him.  Putty then escaped. After being notified of the killing, all deputies in the southern district began a manhunt for Putty. When found, Putty resisted arrest and gun shots were exchanged. He was hit in the shoulder and captured. He was transported to Dallas to await trial. Thurlo was survived by his wife Geneva and a daughter Pearl. His wife, Geneva, was pregnant with their second daughter at the time of his death.


 

John Henry Vier, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U. S. Marshals 

James Ward, Posseman, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U. S. Marshals

 
James Ward was one of 11 people killed and as many as 19 wounded on April 15, 1872, at a schoolhouse east of Tahlequah, near the modern town of Christie in Adair County in the Going Snake District of the Cherokee Nation.  Zeke Proctor was being tried by the Cherokee Nation at the schoolhouse for accidentally killing a widow named Polly Beck Hildebrand.  The relatives of Polly convinced the federal court at Fort Smith to intervene in the case. The U S Commissioner issued an arrest warrant for Proctor on a charge of assault with intent to kill to Deputy U S Marshals Jacob G Owens and Joseph S Peavey. The Deputies led a posse including friends and relatives of Polly to the schoolhouse. As the federal posse entered the schoolhouse a massive gun battle erupted.  Possemen Black Sut Beck, Sam Beck, William Hicks, George Selridge, James Ward and Riley Woods were killed that day. Deputy Owens and Posseman William Beck died the next day from their wounds.

Charles Thomas Warner, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U. S. Marshals


On Thursday, December 29, 1932, Deputy Warner left his home in Bartlesville and traveled to Vinita with thirteen other lawmen from Oklahoma and Kansas to track down the men who robbed a bank on December 9^th in Kinsley, Kansas. They had captured two of the outlaws, but were sure the rest of the holdup gang, numbering five or six, had made their way to Oklahoma in an attempt to avoid capture.  After planning the raid the group left Vinita at 11:00 p.m. traveling to Spavinaw. Surveillance was set up on the small house believed to be where the outlaws were holed up. After throwing several “gas bombs” in the house and riddling it with bullets, four men walked out of the house with their hands raised above their heads. One man remained inside and had to be forcibly dragged outside and handcuffed.  Two of the men were wounded, but not seriously. The prisoners were loaded into cars and taken back to Vinita.  As the prisoners were being loaded, Deputy Warner remarked that he had been hit in the arm and probably needed to have it treated.  It was found that a bullet had entered his forearm just above the wrist, had traveled upward and exited just below the elbow. The doctors found as the bullet had traveled upwards it went between two bones. X-rays showed that the bullet had actually nicked one of the bones.  For the next two years, Deputy Warner kept up his usual work routine. In early 1935 infections set into his arm, and although treated, kept getting worse as time went by. By May 1935 he was confined to his bed and on Thursday, May 23, 1935, he passed away.  Physicians stated the arm wound he received in the gunfight in 1932 was the direct cause of his death.

Thomas Whitehead, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U. S. Marshals
 

William Whitson,  Posseman, Deputy U S Marshal

On Saturday, June 30, 1888, Deputy U. S. Marshal John Phillips and his posseman William Whitson, son of Deputy U S Marshal Cal Whitson, had gone 20 miles east of Eufaula and waited in hiding along a trail in the area of a “green corn” dance in an attempt to locate Daniel Thompson, a Creek Indian prisoner who had escaped from them.

George Williams, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U. S. Marshals
 

Until midnight on November 15, 1907, Oklahoma was under the jurisdiction of the territorial deputy marshals of the Northern District of Indian Territory.  9:00 A.M. on Saturday, November 16, 1907, was the time that President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed that Oklahoma would become a state.  Since that left a 9 hour period with no one with federal jurisdiction, the U.S. Marshals gave the county sheriffs commissions as special Deputy U.S. Marshals. They also gave the sheriffs several blank special deputy commissions so they could appoint their own men to assist them. 

Jim Williams, Posseman, Deputy U S Marshal

U. S. Marshals
 

Sore Lip Willie, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U. S. Marshals

Robert Reed and Sore Lip Willie had been appointed Deputy U S Marshals for the limited duty of apprehending a black man named Coffey Barnes for stealing horses. The lawmen located Barnes in the Seminole Nation and when Barnes resisted arrest and he was killed in the shootout. Later on Sunday, October 27, 1889, the lawmen were setting on their horses talking to John Halsey at a gate near his home. As the three were talking, five men were observed riding toward the house. As the five men neared the gate they drew their pistols and opened fire on Reed and Willie, shooting them out of their saddles. The lawmen were dead when they hit the ground. The five men then rode away without saying a word. Halsey recognized the men as Cudge Barnett, Prince Hawkins, Ross Ryley, D. Brown and a man he knew only as Lane. No record can be found indicating if the five men were ever arrested for the murder of the deputies.

 

Nolan R. Willis, Detective 

MK&T Railroad
 

Charles B. Wilson, Deputy U.S. Marshal

 U.S. Marshals

In 1881, Deputy Wilson worked a case of murder against a Negro man named Jack Crow which may have eventually led to Wilson death.  On August 6, 1884, Wilson commented to his nephew, Edmond Pickens, that some men intended to kill him over a case he had worked.  Wilson stopped at a friend’s home on his way home from a Choctaw election to stay the night. Thursday morning, August 7^th, Wilson started home but was approached by a group of men including Bob Burton, James Franklin, Charles Fisher and Jack Crow. He was about 10 miles from home at the time. Burton asked Wilson if he was still a marshal and Wilson responded that he was.  The men then drew their guns and disarmed Wilson. When he was disarmed, Wilson was shot by Burton and fell off his horse. Burton then beat him with the butt of his pistol. Crow walked up and calmly shot Wilson in the back. The men rode off, leaving Wilson to die.  Wilson’s nephew was notified of the killing and headed toward the scene of the murder.  He came upon Abel Harris who had Wilson’s body in a wagon and was heading for the Wilson home. The U.S. Marshals in Ft. Smith were notified and started in intense investigation.  Interviewing John Slaughter they found out that Crow had told Slaughter that Wilson was going to be killed that day because Wilson had arrested him previously. On November 20, 1985, a warrant was issued for Jack Crow charging him with murder but eluded arrest for over a year. He was finally arrested on January 2, 1887, Deputy U.S. Marshal Charles Barnhill arrested Crow fifteen miles southwest of Poteau. On September 15, 1887, Judge Isaac Parker presided over the trial of Crow.  The jury found him guilty of murder and Judge Parker sentenced Crow to hang. On April 27, 1888, after appealing his case and loosing, Jack Crow was hanged.

(Drawing by Janet Frankovic)

Floyd Wilson, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U. S. Marshals 

Floyd Wilson had been a deputy U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Arkansas out of Ft. Smith for several years.  He was appointed in 1884, in 1889 and again in 1892 when Deputy U.S. Marshal and Detective for the Pacific Express Company, Henry C. Dickey, explained he had a warrant for Henry Starr and asked Wilson if he would help capture Starr.  Henry Starr had been arrested for horse theft in December 1891 and failed to appear in court. He was also suspected of robbing the Nowata Railway Depot of $1,700, followed by more robberies. An additional warrant being issued on November 18, 1892,   On Tuesday, December 13, 1892, as they were finishing dinner at the XU Ranch, Arthur Dodge rode up and told them he had just seen Starr riding by.  Wilson and Dickey ran to the corral for their horses. Wilson’s horse was already saddled.  He rode off in the direction Starr had gone.  Dickey would be several minutes behind Wilson since he had to saddle his horse. Wilson caught up with Starr on Wolf Creek shouting to him, “Hold up, I have a warrant for you.”  Starr stopped his horse, turned back toward Wilson and shouted back to Wilson, “You hold up.”  Wilson announced he was a federal officer and then fired a warning shot over Starr’s head. Starr quickly fired several shots hitting Wilson and knocking him off his horse. Starr then approached Wilson as he was lying on the ground and shot him once more, point blank, in the chest, killing him. When Dickey arrived he found Wilson’s body, noting the powder burns on his coat and five bullet wounds in the lawman. Wilson had been shot in the left hip, right hip, left thigh, left lower leg and once in the chest.  Starr eluded a huge manhunt for the next six months. In July, he was arrested in Colorado and extradited to Ft. Smith where he was tried and found guilty of Wilson’s murder. After several appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, he pleads guilty to manslaughter and is sentenced to three years. He also received a sentence of seven years for robbery. He was released in 1903. Five years later, he resumes his life of crime. On February 18, 1921, Henry Starr attempts his last bank robbery in Harrison, Arkansas. He is shot and arrested and died of his gunshot wounds on February 22^nd.

Joseph S. Wilson, Deputy U.S. Marshal

 U. S. Marshals 

Riley Woods, Posseman, Deputy U.S. Marshal 

U. S. Marshals 

Thomas Young, Deputy U.S. Marshal

U. S. Marshals

On Saturday, August 12, 1882, Deputy Marshal James G. Farr and his posseman, Thomas Young, arrested a man named Robert Love aka Robert Jones on a murder warrant for the murder of a Dr. Bailey at Lake West in the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory. As Posseman Young was walking Love to his horse, John S. Lennox and G. G. Randell, Love’s brother-in-laws attacked Young, shot him eight times and freed Love.  Young was treated for his wounds and for a while it appeared he might survive but he died from his wounds on Friday, August 25^th.

John Zeke, Deputy U. S. Marshal

U. S. Marshals

About 10:00 p.m. the night of Wednesday, February 14, 1872, Charles Goodard was brought in by the night clerk and night watchman and allowed to sleep off his intoxication in the offices of the Muskogee Railway station. About an hour later Goodard left. Shortly after that it was discovered the express chest had been unlocked and the $602 in it taken.

Goodard was arrested the next morning and taken to Fort Gibson to be held until he could be taken to Fort Smith, AR for trial. About 11 p.m. that Thursday night gunshots were heard coming from near the railway station. Deputy Zeke was found to have been shot in the chest. He was taken to a near by hotel and a doctor sent for. Shortly afterwards the doctor arrived however Deputy Zeke died moments later. Before he died he stated that he had arrested someone in connection with the theft from the express chest when several teamsters interfered and shot him.