Omaha daily bee., 1920-12-12
Killings Of Sure.Shot Marshal
From Texas Are De-
scribed by an Eye
Witness.
By EDWARD BLACK.


and, as a, boy. observed this COM
monwealth pass through its early
day travail and emerge as sub
stantial Oklahoma city, being today
one Of the most prosperous centcrs
OF its state and the leading wheat
center Of its territory.
Is Naturally Reticent.
Mr.. Porter at first was lreticent
when asked to relate the story of
the birth of Enid He is averse to
being placed in any heroic light, be
ing naturally modest. He agreed,
however. TO tell his story, for the
first time in public print, for the
benefit of The Sunday Bee readers.
and for any historical value that 1t
may contain His story. aside from
its dramatic values, shows how an
ambitious boy may succeed under
adverse circumstances, if he just
makes up his mind that he will
As principal of the High School
OF Commerce. Mr.. Porter islguiding
the educational destinies of l,8O0
young men and women. He instills
into their minds the dignity OF work.
for he has, been through the mill
!, and is an inveterate worker today.
Leaves Nebraska.
A little romantic touch is added
to Mr.. Porters story by reason OF
the fact<tt,at he was born 40 years
ago at Fairmont, Fillmore county,
Nebraska, which was at that time
the western terminus of the then
Burlington and Missouri River
railroad, now known as the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy. After leav..
ing Nebraska at the age OF IS, and
living in Oklahoma for "a years, he
returned to Nebraska three years
ago. to assume the principalship OF
the High School of Commerce.
During 1898 Mr.. ,-Porter's grand.
father and father. S. ]. and J. Z.
Porter, operated general merchan-
disc store in Fillmore county, the
establishment having been the tlrst
of its kind in that county. There
were nine childen and the family
suffered the hardships of blizzards
and privations.
oGllS
At that time there was much in
terest in the opening of the Chero-
kee strip OF Indian lands, located Iii
what was then known as Indian Ter
ritory and now part of the state
of Oklahoma.
S. ]. Porter sold his store and
decided to cast his fortunes in the
great land opening which was set
for September l6, 1898. The Porters
went to the. strip and took their
place with hundreds of thousands
OF others who waited on the borders
of the tract which was about on
,suriles wide and 200 miles long,,
guarded by United, States soldiers
until noon of September 16, when
the soldiers fred salute as signal
for the landseekers to make their
rush. 1t was estimated that there
were 100000 people seeking these
government lands.
Grand Rush Starts.
Some rode fast horses, otbers>trav-
eled on mules and oxen and some
had prairie schooners. 1t was
wild scene and it was everybody
for himself. The elder Porter used
trotting horse, hitched to buck
board. and was accompanied by his
son. D. E., and another son, in maxi
ing the rush. He started from Hen
Messy and directed his movements
toward Enid, nearly 20 miles. reach
ing his destination within few
hours. Ha carried oats for the horse
ard several gallons of oatmeal TOR
himself and sons, this being their
only substance fer three days.
Along the way they observed that
some had driven their fast horses
to exhaustion, so that it was not
in every case a race to the swift.
They also observed "sooners," per-
sons who had evaded the vigilance
of the soldiers and had entered the
strip ahead of the crowd and in
some instances held claims thus OBJ
tanned at the point of their firesrms.
This was the origin of the term
sooner" WHICH is frequently ap-
piled to person from Oklahoma.
Hard Winter Follows.
A hard winter followed. Able
bodied men searched in vain for,
work. Mr.. Porter saw men who
hauled stove wood rs miles to Enid
and offered it for SO cents load
that they might have money with,
>y,ich to buy -four. Enid became a\
tented city of nearly $4,000 people,
being the site of government land
Office. Law and order were Of
primitive kind. The Rock Island
laid out >its own townsite three
miles from Enid, at place which
was knownas North Enid. and this
resulted in commercial rivalry be-
tween the places.
At this point Principal Porter be-
gan his story:
Il was IS years old at the time
and / remember that it was evident
that the Rock Island would have
to recognize. Enid proper or that
place would 60 out Of business. The
railroad would speed up its trains
when passing through Enid. but the
government required it to drop mail
sacks and pick up the mail.
Buildings Are Burned.
During the winter of 1894 the
situation reached a bitter climax,
when an incendiary. supposedly
from Enid, applied the torch to
North Enid and burned most of the
buildings. which were of light frame
construction of the frontier type.
The people of North Enid. attribut-
ing the fire to the rivalry which
existed in Enid, organized protec-
tive league and threatened retalia-
ton. by fire. Enid at once organ
lied home guard of every man
and boy able to walk. This guard
patroled every street and alley, day
and night, with instructions to first
shoot suspects and ask questions
aftn~u,,rJ