By J. M. Hall

© Karolyn Kay Garland 1997

Page # 38

citizen of the Osage nation and had a large ranch near Skiatook. He farmed some. He had a stable of fine racing horses. He owned Fanny R., whom the old timers will remember. Black Gold, winner of the 1924 Kentucky Derby, was a later product of this stable. Mr. Hoots died a year ago. His widow lives at 1738 S. Wheeling avenue, Tulsa. Black Gold suffered an accident while racing at New Orleans in January, 1928, and had to be destroyed

There were many more early day cattlemen, fine fellows all of them. Among these will be remembered P. L. Yoakum, Sims Miller, George Miller, Cyrus Rairie, Fred Errickson, Jim Boyd, Charlie Reynolds, J. W. Russell, John Freeman, now of Hominy, Joe Price, Jim Daugherty, now of El Paso; Jay Forsythe, Charlie Clinton, Mart Klinger, Lew Appleby, George Perryman, Sherman Dudley, W. T. Davis, Bud Middleton, George Sanger, Green Yeargin and B. L Naylor.

COWBOYS AND FARMERS

Some of the pioneer cowboys were Bob Thornton, Charlie Crane, Tel Bratton, John Hogan, Ben Hooks, Woodford Frost, Tuck Finley, Lee Youngblood, Jim Wilson, "Fatty" Johnson, George Harris, Henry Riley, Sam Beaver, Dave Beaver, Sam Smith, Jim Oxier, George Bigham, Sam Blair, Frank Wood, Walter Flippin, Wash Wolf. Bob Armstrong, John Fauts, O. J. Baker, George Howell, "Doc" Crane, Sam Flake, Ed Ogden, Casper Bill, Sam Miller, Tom Pugh, Bill McCullough later Tulsa county sheriff, and Jim Woolley, former sheriff and county commissioner,

Early day farmers who lived near Tulsa were more numerous. Among them were Jim Duncan, Jake Harlow, Charlie Harlow, Charlie Hendrick, John Jack, Alex Lewis, --- Flournoy, --- Metzer, John Duran, Alex Carr, Ben Haikey, William Vance, A. W. Lord, Amos Lord, Frank Clark, Henry Spybuck, Elam Hodge, Dave Hodge, William Gooden. W. C. Stamper, George Stamper, Sr., George Stamper, Jr., the O'Sharron brothers, Frank Mathewson, Jeff Baker, Mike Honner, Vic Shurtleff, the Adams brothers, Ace Kennedy, Gord Owens, J. W. Russell, Lincoln Postoak, Walt Goodman, Knute Cate, Warren Harlow, O. H. Haworth, Jack Wimberly, Tom Claywell, Jim Jack, Willis Dawson, Pace Hefflefinger, Amos Henry, Will White, Daniel Drey, --- Mudiloka, Bob Atkins, Jim Turley, Jacob Hunt, John Lord, John Miller, John Deerstone, L. T. Barton, John Perryman, Captain Adams, Oral Wolf, Albert Morgan, John Wyrick, Bill Wyrick, Joe Owens, John Hollyman, --- Bovard, Amos Fisher, the Boblett brothers, John Kennedy, Sam Brooks, Charlie Marshall, Frank Brown, Joe Patrick, J. C. Clemins, Corneil Perryman, John Yargee.

EARLY COURT PROBLEMS

At the beginning of Tulsa the only court having jurisdiction over Indian Territory was the United States court at Fort Smith, Ark., and it had jurisdiction only in criminal cases.

Many United States marshals with their posses made regular sorties through the Indian country to serve warrants or quell disorders. Seeing them pass through the country one might easily have mistaken them for members of a cow ranch outfit They had their wagons, tents and a cook. If they carried a warrant for a man in Tulsa they would make their camp at Bird creek or on the Verdigris. They would slip into town, get their man and take him to the camp. By the time they were ready to return to Fort Smith they might have had a dozen prisoners.

The laws were violated often in the Territory with no reports made to Fort Smith. Sometimes months would elapse after a crime and before the arrest of the suspect. In order to go to Fort Smith the early residents of Tulsa had to go to Monet, Mo. and change trains, or ride overland.

It was dangerous, too, for one private citizen to report another to the federal authorities. If the sentence gave promise of being anything heavier than a jail term retaliation was quite certain. The accused man would often kill the witness against him. The writer has known of more than one case of this kind. When trial day came then there would be no adverse witness and, presto, no conviction. Nearly everyone living here in the early days learned to mind his own business.

U.S. MARSHALS

Many criminals from the States came into this country and lived under assumed names. That meant the marshals had to deal with the very worst type of men. The officers took few chances Once arrested the suspect would be taken to camp and shackled and left with a guard. On at least one occasion in the old days near Tulsa, the guard must have gone to sleep The prisoner escaped his shackle and killed the guard with an axe.