The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-12-12
MURDER DOESN'T,
ALWAYS "0UT"
One Crime That Never
Was Expiated Before
the Law
WITNESSES SlLENCED
Many Were Afraid to Speak
and Criminals Stayed Away
Until Proof Was Lacking

TAlILEQCAlI, Dee. 1.-THE an
oen, saving that murder will OUT"
do,s not always prove true. and
there are times when. although II
eventually transpires who the mur-
berer may bc, Ii Is too late to mete
nut TO hlm the punishment suitable
IN the case. one OF the most cold
blooded crimes OF the wild and ex-
citing days OF some four. decades
and more ago was never avenged.
II was generally supposed that there
was no llcw to the killing, but now,
after the lapse OF years, when those
IMPLICATED lie beneath the sod, IL
,ranspifcs that there were some citi-
Ens who we're familiar with the
/1rcums but who, through
fear Of being themselves slain, kept
their mouths closed.
1t was a moss dangerous period,
that which prevailed for a decade
following the close of the clvil war.
Many Wild and reckless men scout
ed" about in the hills and forests,
and there were citizens who were
equally as desperate. 1t was not a
fugitive from justice from some 9TH
er section who committed the
crime which shocked the citizens OF
the little town OF Tahlequah early
In the seventies of the bygone cen-
,ury, bu; man who was reared
at no great distance from the town.
Though the fact was not divulged
until long time had flown.
In the fall time of year remem-
bercd be ause of the severity of the
weather there came to this section
syoung man who was buying cattle.
4, ie as there were no banks In the
hnd, carried his money in his pock-
cts All the stock buyers did like
wise and none had ever met with
injury, but this buyer got into the
wrong crowd" Late one afternoon
when the sun was near its setting,
he was seen riding out of town.
One man rode beside him and two
others followed at some little dis
lance behind on horseback That
was the last seen of the cattle buy
er alive. The next day. which was
the 18th day OF November. 1879,
deep snow. which had fallen In the
night, covered the earth. and heavy
mis-, obscured all objects. Few-peo-
pie ventured out, but next day,
while citizen was making his slow
way through tho snow he noticed a
herd Of hogs busily roofing at some
WHlNu 0lNpu anu may ytt ststIlu, Ofs
which stod, and may yet stand, on
the border Of Tahlequah prairie.
Investigation revealed the badly
torn body OF tho young cattle buyer.
The hogs were chased away and the,
body hauled into town in n wagon,
being placed in vacant room near
the mercantile establishment OF II.
D. Reese. Many citizens viewed the
body which was prepared for burial
and Inferred in the town burial
ground. but no one knew anything
about the killing. and the murderers
and robbers remained at liberty.
The perpetrators Of the crime no
doubt thought themselves safe. but
Il transpired that young man OF
the town had noticed the party of
horsemen leaving on the late after
noon. He mentioned the matter to
someone, and the men who had
followed the stockman got wind of
the fact" Some time later as the
Young man was with several friends
In a house in the outskirts of town
a shot was fired through A crack