The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-01-26


by A. O. 4und. OF Blackwell. then a
deputy United States marshal; there
hal been many highway robberies, in
cludng the robbery Of a general store
at HeWens Kan: l.und learned that
+ Cravens and Kid McElhaney, known
as Diamond Dick were planning 70
rob the Bank OF Blackwell: accon.
panied by Deputy Sheriff j r. Cox,
Jack Hunter and William Sherr, ali
Of Blackwell. and l.. W. Clark, Of BaX-
ter Springs, Kan. l.und lam a trap
/ for jravens and McElhaney. into
which they walked, duel occurred,
during which McElhaney was killed
and Cravens wounded, Cr9yens was
guarded at Blackwell by I.und TOR sew
eral weeks; Lund recently identified
Maust as Crayens by the wounds
Crayens received in the Blackwell
battle
Sentenced To 20 Years
Jan r., lS97-Haying been turned
over to Chautauqua county by Lund,
Cray ems was convicted am sentenced
to serve twenty years in the Kansas
state renitentiary at Lansing for high
way ROBBERY: he was at Lansing three
years, working in the shops, in the
coal mines and later in the PRISON
Kitchen. lie was seen there by Yard
master Davd A. Walker Of the prison
and Maust was recently Identified by
Walker as Crayens
Leaves State Pen
November l6, 1900-Crayens escap-
led from the Lansing prison with +.
f. Estelle and sam Smith, both life
termers lGst"le. Frenchman, HAD
Killed a man in Marshall county dur
ing a Jail break and Smith, aged %,
had killed Il man during a train wreck
ing in Butler county The three men
shaped wooden reyovers to resemble
guns. and with these they held up the
prison guards Smith was killed and
Cravens received Il bullet in the top
of Is head He escaped in corn
field. GstelIe was captured several
years later at Memphis Tenn, for
train robbery near quincy, ill,, and is
now in the Joliet prison When his
tern. expires he will be returned 70
Lansing to complete his life term.
December l900-CraVens appeared
at the ranch home Of Uncle Joe
Webb. in the Otoe country When he
went to the penitentiary he lett Il
horse and several head of cattle with
Webb to keep for him He forced
Webb TO accompany him to the barn
loft and cut the bullet from the top .of
his head with razor. He swore
Webb TO secrecy, not wanting Mrs.
Webb to know Of the operation.
Appeared At Dover
January, 1901 Cravens appeared at
the home of Bert Welty near Dover,
in Kingfsher county, Okla. Welty
had been serving a term in the kans-
as prison for horse stealing and knew
Crayens there Welty had recently
been pardoned by Governor Barnes,
of oklahoma ut the solicitation ot
Col. A. A. Ewing, now living in Guth-
rie Ewing acted because OF Welty
parents. seer friends of Ewing.
March IS. 190l-Cravens and Wei
tv attempted to rob the schwartz
store at Red Rock, of which Alvin
Batsman was manager and also as
sistant postmaster They get Sl,2oo
in money and during the fight that
resulted Bateman was killed. In es-
.caDing Cravens mistoOk Wei, for
pursuer and shot him. His wounds
were critical and Cravens left him TO
die on the Otoe prairie, according 10
Weny's confession later TO Bird >
NcCuire. then federal prosecuting at
forney. During the Red Rock rob
herv Cravens. with Winchester rifle
forced nine men to stand with their
hands up while Welty got away with
tbe booty. The story is told that
Cravens wanted money in order TO
oct married When Welty was shot
by Cravens he dropped the sack OF
bootv in a wheat field. where 1t was
found perhaps by cowboys.
A Narrow Escape
March 10. l9O1-Cravens in eseap-
inc sought refuge in the ranch house
lof Isom Cunningham in Pawnee coun-
lty The house was surrounded Dy ol.
fcers headed by George Foster o.
perry Craveus thought Mrs. Cunning
nam had "peached' on him and threat ih
ened to kin her Opening the aoor
lCravens shot his way through iPe