The Tulsa star. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1913-1921, 1920-03-20
Elk HELD AS RESULT
KILLING OF WHITE
MAN IN NEGRO DIVE
Merle Brown Escaped Shrapnel and
Gas Flame of Huns to Die
in Tulsa Joint.
BLAME wOMAN'S TALK
Detectives Believe All of Parties
Concerned in Fight Will
BE Arrested.

Merle Brown, 2S, residing at Jil
North Denver avenue, a machlniNt
employed by the Auto Cylinder
works, 3O7 West Third street, and
only recently released from thc
United States army is dead.
Bryan Turlcy, John r. Sears, llar-
nv Edwards and Wheeler Burgess
residing at or near Turlcy, are be
irg held in the municipal jail for in
vesligation i'm connection with the
death of Merle Brown while police
detectives are searching the city for
a firth Indian who is said to nave
been a participant in drunken fight
STAGED shortly before dawn Sunday
morning
Marguerite Dean and Madge Wat
son, sisters whose homes are at Sa-
pulpa, are held in the women's sec
ton of the Jail as states Witnesses,
and it is from these women and T..
W Hooker, jitncy driver, residing
at lfS South Madison avenue, that
the state expects to draw testimony
tina! will point to the men response
bic for Browns death.
Stabbed to Death.
Brown served Is months i'm France
with combat division. lie died a,
a hospital early Sunday morning
from the effects of three knife
wounds in the fight staged at a
"choc joint" operated by Slack Rob
inson and his wife, Sarah, in tn
Negro settlement less than one-half
mile northeast of the city limits,
near the Oklahoma Iron works. One
wound in the abdomen and another
in the head, just behind the right
ear, caused his death. There was a
third wound in the right Shoulder.
Browns body was sent to Erie, Pa,
last night his old home.
In the concluding analysis of the
tragedy, police detectives say, it will
be found that woman sent Merle
Brown TO his death. She was inno-
cent of any criminal intent, the de
t"ctives state, but profane tongue
lashing about in a fury superinduc-
ed by the wierd contortions of Il
brain inflamed by an over indul-
gence of alcoholic beverage was di-
rectly responsible for the actions of
a ormer sweetheart.
That, briefly, is the theory of Po-
lice Detectives Frank Wolfe and Jim
PaltCn and Joseph +. Duran, Bertil-
Ion expert, who were detailed 10
work on the case Sunday morning.
This theory is advanced after a
minute scrutiny of the facts that are
in substance as follows:
Some months ago Turlcy and a
white youth, who followed the oc-
Cupalion of soda dispenser, and
two girls engaged adjoining apart
mcntS at roOming house. They
maintained these rooms for a few
weeks and then departed.
The girls went to Sapulpa. Sine
their departure Madge Watson has
filed suit in Greek county court
seeking divorce from her husband
The other sister after leaving Tulsa
married Frisco railroad fireman
ramed Dean. The girls are able to
supply complete information reSdrd-
ing the soda dispenser, who\ has
left Tulsa, but in the matter of tho
Indians identity they know nothing
"bCLt him and only know him by
sight.
Notwithstanding continued and in
SlStent efforts put forth by the de
ieCliveS, Madgc Watson, the girl who
was {, friend of the Indian, insisted
she did not know the Indians name
and only knew him when she saw
him. Monday morning she Sloutly
maintained the same attitude, al
though subsequent developments
lead the detectives to believe other
wise
Profane Words Started Fight.
W. W. Darner, %, of If North
Wheeling avenue, and employed by
the Tulsa Armalure works, 3l4 East
Fourth street, who was with Brown.
in his statement to the police con-
Tended that when the quartet en-
tered the Negro establishment some
one asked Brown if he was with
the Watson girl and the fight start
ed when he said he was.
On the other hand, L. w. Hooker.
Jitney driver, who voluntarily ap-
peared at police headquarters a,
noon Sunday tells a story that diff
ferS from Darner'S in only one or
Two phases. He contends that when
Brown and his party entered the
room Madge Watson saw Turlcy and
some strong language was uttered.
Turley replying.
While Turley and Madge Watson
were curSinR one another, a coffee
pot was hurled, striking Brown on
the head and while attempting to
Ilinl lhn I.a-A -. LII -