The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-03-24
TWO DEAD, ONE DYING


IhomaOn crOuching close behind tn
TWO stacks OF boards lie opened fire
aud drove him out.
The pistol taken from the wounded
deputy failed 10 work rapidly and the
fugitive found himsel fat the mercy of
the policemen lie continued. however.
TO fight, and fusilade of shots fol.
lowed Three bullets struck hun. One
penetrated his bladder and lodged in
his hack against rib another shat.
tered his leg above the knee and a
third broke his shoulder He tumbled
to the ground, still clutching the pistol
taken from Hamil Scott and s:ilcn
had failed 70 work properly at the
critical moment
Five thousand men surrounded the
officers and the wounded man and It
was only by threatening the crowd
with drawn reyolvers that the police
were enabled to load the bleeding
body into the patrol wagon and haul
/ 1t away. The horses were lashed INTO
! a ran and several thousand people
followed to the police station where
/ after Thomson had been place I'm
the hospital, every available deputy
sheriff and policemen was thrown
about the building to guard it and pre-.
vent possible mob violence. for b,
! this time excitement ran him ald
the people were In an ugly frame of
mind
jeff Mclean had suppressed gamu.
ling in the city and had enforced the
Sunday closing and the destruction
o; his life was not boked upon witn
favor by the many who had watch d
his course for years
Shortly after his election as county
attornty in 1894 Jcff Mclean began
the raids Siinst gambling. which
| soon became feature OF his first
term. Campaign declarations that the
law would be enforced had been
thrashed over AS campaign promises
Mclean, however. soon showed thai
be meant what be said.
A few Saturday nights after assum
ing Office h. walked into the Office of
the Delaware Hotel. accompanied b,
then Sherin Honca, and placing
small bag on the counter. rolleu ouj
over $4,000 secured In Main street
gambling room. From that time on
raids became almost of nightly occur.
renee until soon Fort Worth was
town with the lid on
on several occasions Mclean and |
the ofiicers have been in struggl Is to |
gain entrance to rooms where gamb |
ling was thought to be going on. This |
is the first time, however, that loss
OF life has occurred
At O'Clock active preparations |
were being made to prevent any at /
tempt at lynching All of the special .
and extra police had been pressed in.
to service and Sheriff " oou was a.
the police station calling up his p
uties by telephone. Practically all tn
police on the force were at the station
and Nr the time being the regular
beats were abandoned.
Chief Maddox said tonight:
Il don't think there will be any call
for mob law. Thomson cannot live.
He is dying man now In view Of
his death he called me to his side and
said: / am sorry for my poor wife
and children, as leave them practi.
cally in poverty. In my inside vest pock.
ct you will find SIS check, take It l
out and give 1t to my Wife asked
Thomason to tell ME why he shot Nc {
Lean and his answer was. Jim. | was {
tired Of being imposed on and coulq q
stand 1t no longer" I
Chief Maddox says he will use his 9
entire force to protect the prisoner as c
long as he lives and will see TO II a
that the law takes its course.
Thomson has been growing weaker 4
all the time and there seems but nttle |
If any hope that he will live. q
Chief Maddox said to quiet the II
'ynching sentiment, he would h
consent to any committee of physi. 8
clans to examine Thomason and re. o
.ort what his condition was. He said o
Il don't believe there will be- any o
necessity o rexcuse for lynch law in y
his case, for n mob should possibly II
got hold of the prisoner and haas him,
I would he practically hanging a p
'orpsc" 81
Bin Thomason had only one hand. II
his right member having been shot o
n, sever al years ago, ..
II is said that he used an automat ;,
c pistol with which he shot County
Attorney Jeff Mclean and Hamill p a
icott. lie was man who never talk.
u much and up TO the tragedy this
uornoon was not regarded as a pa