Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-01-31
PATRIOT, PIONEER
AND F. N A N G | f r
STRONG IN POLITICS

4
| OF ~ he took the examination for the
bar and passed. becoming county at
toruey Of Barber county. kan. when
bat ? years of age
EetiriDg as county attorney. after
two terms In that office. he organized
a bank at Medicine Lodge. where he
made his home. ana II was while IN
the banking business nj that place
that he organized the "Civll Army"
band OF fearless men, bent on sav-
iug that community from the wrath
~ Chtef Dun Knife and his raiders
who made life and property unsafe
f"r the people OF Kansas during the
latter part OF 1870 and the early part
Of 1883 II was while In the banking
business at Medicine Lodge that his
attention was attracted To the pros
poets OF the new territory. Oklahoma,
and he was among the first 10 realiss
that the opening of that, then re-
Nrlcted territory, meant the opening
~ one OF the most fertile portions OF
the Mississippi valley. The opening
OF the territory for settlement saw
him organizing the first bank In the
t'atc. and untll his death he was in
tcrcsted In financial Institutions.
Member of Charter Commission
Tulsa had no more active civic
worker, or patriotic citizen than Mr.
McNeal and NJ the time OF his death
he was chairman OF n committee OF
bankers. lawyers and professional
men. appointed by Mayor J. II Sim
mons to prepare and present re-
,iscd chhrvr which rs TO be submit.
ted 10 the voters during the next two
months
Az the time ~ his trip TO Texas he
was thot 10 be In the best of health,
and only few days previous. he had
made trip To Kansas city. Mo. In
company with Major Niles. 10 attend
10 some business matters In connec-
ton with the refining company In
which he was one OF the largest
stockholders and a director.
He IS survived by four children: a
son, three daughters and a brother
MrA Alva J. Niles. and the Misses
tublo and Elizabeth McNeal are
daughters. His brother Tom Nc
Neal Is editor OF the Farmers Mail
and Breeze OF Topeka. Kan. and his
son. haul McNeal. is "a banker at
kusa, OF this state.
lie was Uncle Joe" 10 me. and he
Was ~ lo'able man OF the highest
Character. He gave away much. but
without noise. Being scrupuluHsly
honest himself he expected every
body else To be the same, and he de-
manded that OF every man before he
would call him friend. He bore the
reputation OF being the safest banker
In the state. and when he opened
bank In Tulsa four years ago. those
who knew him best said he would not
do we'll In Tulsa because he would
hot be liberal enough In his loans 10
the OIL men, who expected loans on
doubtful oil territory But n, was
JnSt us careful as he always had tceu.
and he was Just as successful lie
retired from the banking business a
few weeks ago. and had Intended TO
devote his time 60 his oil interests,
principal among which was his large
interests In the Pan-American refin-
cry OF THIS city
story of Tragedy Released.
| have known an interesting story
connected with the life Of Joe McNeal
Tor years. and frequently asked him
TO let me write IL for publication, but
always he requested me not To write
II as long as any OF the parties con
nected with II were living. He gave
me his permission To publish the
story after he was gone, ana now. af-
ter thirty-stx years. | will clear up
the mystery OF spectacular bank |
robbery that took place ia Medicine
Lodge, Kansas.
About ~ o'clock one morning in !
the spring OF 1852, four men rode /
horseback into the little inland town |
or Medicine Lodge, then with less |
than rive hundred populatios |
hitched their horses, and quietly en- |
tered the Barber county bank. and |
attempted TO hold up the cashier, "A .
Mr.. Kcphart
Just as they were In the act OF rob
hing the bank. John Payne, who was /
supposed TO be far away, rich cat
tleman, and president OF the bank.
uheNpecedly ertered at the rear door.
In reply TO demand to throw up"
his hands. he pulled '45". but
before he could fire he was shott
dead kephart was killed as he .
emerged from the vault BY another
member OF the robber nand.
The men mounted their horses and
rode ont OF town. a posse formed
and followed them 10 Medicine creek.
where they took refuge an cave. The /
possee surrounded them and demand
ed kheir surrender. which was re-
FUSED a courier was sent back u
town ana two barrels Of kerosene
were taken ont 10 ;hc cave. aud The 1
men were literally smoked out Of
lheir hiding places. and surrendered
hair dead
They were takcn hpck to Medicine
And II was arranged to hold a neck
,ie' party that ngiht Lynchiugs were
frequent occurrances In those lays
nr the frontier. ana the men expected
~ better fate
About nine o'clock that night. the
leader OF the Rithg sent for Joe Me-
Neal VINO was prosecuting attorney.
ana asked him N he thought there
was any hope There IN no hope on
earth for Nuu--that mob will lynch
YOU iD one hour from now. aad ali
li'aNen cannot prevent H." replied
Mt McNcal
Then ! win die with q cIcar con
'ci,n'e," said the leader And he tolI
. remarkable story.
Ills namc was Jim Wheeler. and
he was city marshal OF Caldwell
KAN, at that time. and ono OF the
men with him was deputy sheriff !
he two others cowboys from a Cher
'kee strip ranch.
Fake to save Cashier.
This bank robbery is a fake eue
stSted Wheeler "a am an tnposcnt /