Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1916-04-15
SMITH BOYS DID It,
IS THE PLEA
BROTHERS BLAMED FOR TRAIN,
BANK, AND OTHER RoBBERiEs
BUT ONE CHARGE UPHELD
BIG REWARDS OUT FOR Them
Officers Of Four Counties Engaged In
Continuous Search and Expect
No Easy Capture

Muskogee, Ok.-Officers of Musko-
gee, Mcintosh, Haskell and SeQuoyah
counties are conducting an almost COLI
tinuous search for Joe and Dave Smith
brothers and alleged contenders for
the bad men, championship
For each of them there is outstand.
ing a reward of $500, offered by the
American Express Co., on suspicion
that they were principals in the M. II.
& II. train robbery at Onapa, Ok, and
Sheriff j. S. Barger has also offered
a reward Of 500 for Dave, who broke
Jail here after a jury had sentenced
him and Cole Shoemaker to serve
terms of seven years each in the peni'
tertiary for robbing a drug store at
Forum of less than $50. the druggist
being severely beaten.
cry crime committed in this section OF
Oklahoma is credited to the Smith
brothers, and this is generally accept
ed as fact by the officers for the sim
pie reason that there seems to be MOTH
ing for the fugitives to do but dodge
officers and live from day to day on
the fruit Of law violations. So far as
can be ascertained, the boys have net
slept in a bed since the night Dave
escaped from the Muskogee Jail. They
IRE believed to be on horseback every
day, sometimes eating at their own
campfire of game they have killed, at
others in the house of someone whom
they know will not betray them.
In the way of ammunition and CLOTH
ing, the Smiths are believed to have
sufficient to last them for years. Re-
Gently a store at Webber's Falls was
robbed, large lot of ammunition and
clothing being taken. The Smiths are
held to have done the job.
But the officers trailing Dave and
Joe Smith are not fearing surprise by
them and violent death or injury. Thav
are convinced the fugitives are guided
by purpose to evade the law and not 10
add to their difficulties the charge of
killing an officer or posseman. 1t is
the belief of Sheriff Barger that should
q lone officer encounter the brothers
he would be well treated, probably fed
and entertained with account of some
lively experiences, but they would not
harm him unless attempt were made 10
force them to surrender. No one, so far
as known, entertains an idea that tho
boys will become prisoners unless sur
prised and overwhelmed or without
being beaten in a shooting match.
Dave and Joe Smith are Muskogee
county products. They hail from the
southeastern part of the county and
and are said to be related to most OF
the denizens of the Kiamichi Noun
tain region. They are sons Of Famous
Cmith, who himself had a record for
killing men, not as murderer, but
because he reached them before they
could get to him, so that his plea Of
self defense always had foundation.
The first charge of violence regis
tered against the Smith brothers, 50
Ear as is recalled, arose several years
ago, when Joe shot rival for girls
favor at country dance.
Two years ago complaints were
made to county authorities that Dave
and Joe were rustling cattle from
farmers. Warrants for their arrests
were issued, but the arrests were not
made for the reason that the boys
could not be located.
Then followed the report that Dave
Smith and Cole Shoemaker had enter.
I'd the drug store at Forum and robbed
it. This time the officers found their
men, brought them to this city and the
trial ended with sentence of both t.
seven years in state prison. In en-
cheering the escape in March last,
Dave Smith entered the jail runway
and, awaiting moment when guard
named Payne turned his back, dealt
him a blow with a flatiron.
Payne was left for dead and Smith,
Shoemaker and Will Burnett, another
prisoner, FASTENED into the jailor's Of.
flee. beat him down, seized guns and
lied. Outside the Jail they seized bug
gy and drove to the fair grounds,
where they took three race horses and
escaped to the Warner Bottoms. Shoe
maker was recaptured after being
wounded, and Burnett, whose where
abouts was disclosed by farmers, was
also returned to Jail. Smith has not
since been prisoner.
Nothing but suspicion exists upon
which to hang the charge that Dave
and Joe Smith were members of the
gang Of eight men who recently held
up the Katy train at Onapa, but every
officer who has had part in the In.
vestigltion entertains no doubt that
they were, and that the express COM
pany so believes is shown by the Of
fer of $500 reward for each of the
brothers.
There also is talk that the boys
have committed some of the bank rob-
berries, which have so aroused people
Of the state that the legislature enact.
ed law offering specific rewards for
capture of that class of criminal, but,
so far as known, as in the case of the
train robbery, positive evidence Is not
available.
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