The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-11-02
',0LD TIMERS RECALL
KILLING OF MATEER
Ills As<ailRnt, CrDw. Acquitted When
Placed On Trial. hycs To-day
In the West.
U. S. DEPUTIES WERE HATED
Gan Of Cherokee Nation Almost
Came 10 blows over Shooting
Near CRncy.
Special p The World.

Special 70 The World.
TAHLEQl'AH Nov l.-'You vii
hsar some shooting after whil
and then you viii hear tho news tina
killed Crow"
with thiA assertion. nm Mater
pistol in his holster, attached to hn
belt, left number OF his acqunin,
ances and made his way through TN
woods, along the banks OF the CaHel
creek 10 the home OF Anna ChrNs
tie, Soon the repOrts OF revolver
were heard and after awhile thu IN
tolligenco spread through the neigh
borhood that there had been klll
ing but that tho victim was no
Crow.
The Killing occurred years ago, IN
the latter seventies. 10 bo exact, bu
the circumstances are yet wen fe
memberod by old timers and lh'
trouble leading thereto was recalled
by one OF the old citizens a few day
ago
There were some troubleous time,
In the old neighbOrhood near the
Canoy creek in thu days now "
years nAsl An iutefinafried white
man had incurred the onnilty or some
OF his ncighbors among the fullblood
Indians principally. Tho deputy
maTshals OF the United States court
at Fort Smith, ARK, had been In ths
habit of making their headquar trfs
at tho white citizens home whilt
they operated In the hill county
east OF the Illinois river. The mar
shala were cordially hated. Rattle
snakes were better thought Of by
many OF the natives, Rough treat
ment was accorded 10 their pr iso oners
by many OF the officers Men Ar
rested for trivial offenses were hand
ouffed and chained together. thrust
into wagons and hauled over the
dugger trails TO Fort Smith. Some
times they were beaten over their
heads with revolvers on small provo
cations Consequently anyone show.
Ing friendlineHs to an officer was re-
garded AZ nm enemy OF the Indians
MAtrcr Was Too slow.
At dusk one evening two men went
TO tho home OF tho white citizen and
shot him to deathy Suspicion was d.
rected TO two men and they were az.
rested by . Cherokee officer and
turned over to the deputy marshals
to be taken to Fort smith for trial.
One OF the prisoners was Bill MAtecr.
who managed to escape and there
after he secuted about tho hills for
several years. His companion was
tried for his assassination, convicted
and hanged Not all OF the full
blood Cherokees sympathized with
the asss ssins and In consequence
there was a division among them.
Matecr, finding that among such
citixens who were opposed TO him
was a man named Crow. decided 10
kill the latter. 30 he made the as
ssrtion previously quoted and set
forth to make good his threat
Natter came very near putting his
decision into effect. He was very
near the house when seen by Grow,
who FASTENED to close the door, In
tending to secure II against an at
tempt Mateer might make TO enter,
He was not quick enough, however.
~ Natter threw his weight against
the door ana thrustins his hand info
the opening fired At his oontsm plated
victim. The latter, with = quick
movement, caught the pistol by tho
barrel, wrested II from Matters
grasp and fired. Mateer fell over
dead and when the news OF his death
wac circulated there we're number
Of citizens who felt relief, There
after there was considerable trouble
In the nelghborhood. Both sides
wore angry and Crow was arrested
and placed on trial for the killing OF
Mateer, but wns acquitted. Knowing
that his life WAS In danger Ne re-
moved to another section OF the dis !
trict and II yet living at an advanced !
age. but even now his visits to the
hill county are few and far between. |
While nearly all Of those who par
ticjpated In the Old trouhles nre lons