The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-27
Tried for The Murder ofSheriff
Smith and Deputy.
STORY OF TRAGIC CRIME
Evidence Against Him That
He BootIegged Whisky.


with the murder Of Sheriff Frank Smith
and his deputy. George Beck. The Ana
darko Times gives the details as follows:
THE case in district court this week
of absorbing interest has been the trial
of Pete Williams, charged. with others,
as being instrumental in the murder of
ex-sherif Frank Smith and his deputy,
George Beck, the morning of the 18th OF
last January few miles west OF Ana
darko.
The killing of those brave men IN stilI
fresh in the memory of many of our
readers, while others have probably never
heard of it or have forgotten the de-
tails. The circumstances which led up
to the bloody conflict which resulted in
the killing OF two officers on that Janu-
airy morning are as follows:
Word was brought to the sheriTs Of
nee the evening before that several hold
ups had taken place early in the evening
a short distance from the river. Deputy
Sheriff John Burger was sent out 20 try
to locate the robbers, while Smith and
his posse were to follow the next morn
ing. Before daylight the next morning
Sheriff Smith and his deputies Beck and
Briggs, left town to try to apprehend the
robbers. About eight miles west Of the
city they discovered horses hitehed in the
rear OF a deserted Indian cabin. and.
thinking they had located the men they
were after, made rush TO surprise them.
Just before they got to the house some
one came out 10 the we'll on the east side,
saw the officers approaching and gave
the alarm During the fight which fol-
lowed Smith and Beck were killed, while
Briggs escaped unframed. He came to
town and told what had taken place, and
dozens of men went in pursuit.
1T was several weeks afterward when
Pete Williams and Joe Mobley were ar
rested down in the east country and
lodged in Jail. Both made confessions,
LESSONS the grand Jury brought against
them. Their case came up for trial FH-
day afternoon. Mobley asked for and
was granted a change of venue to Kiowa
county Williams stood trial. and the
work of impaneling a Jury was begun. It
was Saturday noon before the following
jury was completed: Paul Meeting. Junius
Oldham. J. W. salyer. W. Hoagland J. O.
Burgett. A. c. Bowman, Richard Davis.
NJ. Mackabee, w. c. Covington. c. NJ
Knowles and w. w Peasants.
Judge Hastafn, W. r. Wheeler and V.
V. Hardcastle appeared as attorneys for
the defense. while Judge Huston Of Guth-
RE assisted the prosecution. The taking
OF testimony was finished Monday evening
and brought out IN substance the follow
ing facts:
-Four or five days before the killing
Pete Williams went to Mobleys home.
where he met Bert Casey. The three got
on spree and started for Caddo county.
They slept out Of doors nights and avoid
ed town as much as possible. On the
road up here Casey pointed out to the
boys where he had had a fight with two
officers three years before, wounding
both. It is also alleged that he told Of
killing man somewhere else. Just east
Of Anadarko, where the road forked.
Casey sent Mobley into town for quart
Of whisky. with the understanding that
he was to meet him and Williams at the
ford west of town. Mobley secured the
ran across Arthur Swaford and
wife. and together they went out TO where
Casey and Williams were at the ford.
Here they drank the whisky Mr. and
Mrs Swanord then went home. accom-
panied by young Williams. Motley came
back to Anadarko after more whisky. It
was while going out to swanord's that
the hold-ups were committed. After get
ting 10 Swaffords the party laughed and
ioked over what had taken place and be
fore daylight the next morning started
out all four of them. to hunt for an over
coat and pocketbook which Casey had lost
the evening before
They found the Overcoat but not the
pocketbook. They then went TO the de-
serted Indian house 10 warm. Here they
1t a bale OF hay and were warming when
the officers approached.
The only material difference in the tes-
.imony given on the stand and the con-
fession Of the boys was that in the lat
Ter they both swore that it was Mobley
who went 10 the we'll and gave the alarm.
While in the former they both confessed
hat Il was Williams who did this.
Witnesses were introduced 10 prove
hat Pete's character had always been
good. while one witness for the territory
testified that he bootiegsed whisky and
stole horses before starting on that fatal
trip.
The testimony was all IN Monday
light. and the next morning Judge GIIet
delivered his instructions to the Jury
County Attorney Crosby opened the ar
gumeut for the territory. He reviewed
The testimony at some length and insisted
hat justice BE- done the community By
inding the defendant guilty
Attorneys Wheeler. Hardcastls and
-IastaiR followed with nasterful pleas for I
he defense. They pointed out the prs
,ner's extreme youth and his hitherto /
good character. Judge Hastain pointed
1ut that any one was liable n - CAUGHT
n bad company occasionally. and thar
.ust the other day he walked W the street
xlth Crosby This raised a laugh but he
sid not explaia which was IN bad con-
,any. himself or Crosby.
Judge Huston closed the argument for /
he territory with a speech full Of argu- /
neat and good hard sense
AT 6 o'clock Tuesday evening TIE fury 1
VAS sent 70 the Jury room 10 deliberate 4
"a their verdict
.-Ths jay was cut untn this morning. /
when they brought n a verdict y man 1
Slaughter II TIE second degree
Given Their Freedom.