Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-17
DESPERATE MAN KILLS FOUR
Several by Him, After
Which He Is Killed and Body
Burned with Home.

oKMULGEE, okl., Nov. 16.-Five per-
sons were killed and ten others wounded
yesterday afternoon in a fight between Jim
Deckard, a negro desperate, and law Of
ficers. The dead:
EDGAR ROBINSON, sheriff Of Okmul-
HENRY KLABER, assistant chief Of po-
CHAPMAN BROTHERS, negroes.
JIM DECKARD, negro.
The Wounded:
Steve Grayson, Indian boy, fatally beaten.
Vic Farr. chief Of police; shot through
shoulder.
Deputy sheriff, name not learned, arm
broken.
Seven others, slightly wounded.
The disturbance began at the St. Louis
& san Francisco station. where Jim Deck
ard engaged in a fight with an Indian boy,
Steve Grayson, and beat him into insensi-
bllity with a rock. Friends of Grayson
rotified the police, and when Policeman
Klaber went to the station Deckard fled
to his house nearby, barricaded himself In,
and when Klaber approached Deckard shot
and instantly killed him. Sheriff Robinson
gathered a posse in a few minutes and hur-
ried to the scene. Part of this posse WAS
made up Of a group of negroes whom the
sheriff commissioned as deputies.
AS the posse approached the house Deck
I ODOlltu AlIE III u HE lIlllSI do
rapidly as he could load his weapon. The
sheriff fell first. instantly killed. Then
five of the negro deputies were slain.
Deckard's house was soon surrounded by
a frenzied mob OF armed men. Fire was
set to a house just north of Deckard's.
Volleys were poured into Deckard's house
and he was shot down. He was seen to
roll over on the floor, strike a match and
set fire to his own house, which was soon
a roaring furnace in which his body was
incinerated. Deckard evidently had n large
quantity of ammunition stored in his house,
as many cartridges exploded while the
house was burning.
Governor Haskell at Guthrie was notified
of the battle and OF the bad feeling between
whites and negroes that had grown out
\ f it and threatened a race riot. The gov
ernor at once ordered the militia company
at Muskogee to prepare to go to Okmulgee
and a special train was made ready to
carry the troops, the governor remaining
at his office to keep in touch with the
situation. News of the preparation to send
militia here had a good effect on the
disorderly. element of both races and at 7
p. m. the crowd had dispersed and further
trouble was not expected.
When it became known that no other
negro had assisted Deckard against the
officers the talk of repr.sals subsidized.
The news that troops have been ordered
out by Governor Haskell had a good eff
feet, and tonight tine town was quiet and
no further trouble was expected. The
militia will not reach Okmulgee until late
tonight. The governors order will be is
sued at 6 o'clock and some time will be
required to mobilize the troops.
A dispatch from Muskogee tonight said
that the Muskosee company OF the militia
would depart for Okmulgee late tonight.
The Guthrie companies are already on the
way.
A telephone message from Governor Has
kell at IL o'clock tonight says that he will
not order the Muskogee company to ok
mulgee unless he receives further lnforma-
lon. The officials have advised him that
the town is quiet. though there is still
much feeling over the events of this aft
hrnoon.
during the last week district court has
oeen IN session at Okmulgee and there bas
oeen wholesale convictions of negro boot-
.esgers. Yesterday a protest was made
because the white jury convicted the no.
Sroes as fast as they came up for trial A
negro woman was to be tried SATURDAY.
ana Judge Alexander had a special Jury
composed OF negroes try her. She was
aeltItted' This has caused a bitter race
feeling and tomorrow an effort will no
maue TO quash the panel Of negro Jurors.
81 LOUIS, Nov. ia special to tbe
Glooe-Democrat from Wetumka, Okl.. saws
lhat IN a street battle there this noon Bcn
9ml'n was Killed and John Tabner. the
Town marshal was fatally wounded. The
nlarsnal was shot, after he had killed Ben
oml'h' by JEFF Smith, a brother OF the
sam man The trouble started in a fight
oYsr a uos and was between jeff Smith
anu monroe Reed, The Interference OF
shooting. ''