The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-08-31
LIFE AND DEATH
OF BELLE STARR
0klahoma's Woman Ban
dit Who Died With
Her Boots On
HORSES HER WEAKNESS
Friends Flotked to Woodland
Retreat Where She Re
tired to GO Straight

4
s~.ILER, Aug. 3o.-Though tho
As,..r of oklahoma outlaws and
,HO.,us characters has been writ
\, -1ny times without including
he name OF Belle Starr. many os
no ..t.Iors near NounEerS bend,
n o.. north bank Of tho Canadian
gycr. have long Contcudgd that the
list. ot Belle, oklahoma woman
Ihlndf. who died "Wi'h her boots
TH.surics have been written, true.
hey .Iy. containing 'lifc OF Belle
Sarl but Belle was not the
b1r hirgy siren which many of
ne histories paint her, they say
Belle was Just Ordinary woman"
5re O. The number declares, and her
matt " true friendship was one
lh.th finally led her back into tho
outlaw life, after ono attempt TO
20 Straight"
Her grave at Younrer's bend, be-
hrd one Of the three cabins in
Vhgh She lived alternately, is one
d 'l. most piCtur, squc in Okla
bona lcCordiug to the state hstor-
Aors. .. and tho grave stone records
as love. The image of her IA
vor.,o horse is chiseled in relief.
ini tHo brand stands out clearly.
0s settlers who remember the
Bell of oklahoma outlaws" say
hs image is a close resemblance.
Jgs hove the horse. IN the right
hnl .urncr of the facing. a star is
worked out IN relief, and below in
he lD't hand corner, bell stands
"On tho Square"
WITH three are surrounded by n
alaru--the mark placed on many
an outlaw grave by the friend who
could swear he had always been
square" with his friends.
Her daughter caused the stone 20
be erected, and many friends aided
10 placing the marker.
It's Inscription reads.
BELLE STARR
Born
~ Al Carthage. Mo. Feb. 3. 1sis.
Died
February 3, 1889.
Shed not "A single tear,
'N0r give the heart to vain regret
"Tis but the casket which lies here.
The gem that fills it sparkles yet"
Belle STAIRS record love for fine
horses proved her undoing and the
thing which finally brought the
only jail sentence she ever served.
gShe was not particular her friends
omitted, as to where or in what
manner she obtained the horses
which she loved. With headquar-
iers near Fort Smith. Ark. she and
group of men Identified with her
obtaiHcd an entire paddock or herd
u. a No. p hoo 4
were unable to show a bill of sale
She was tried in Judge Parkers
court at Fort Smith and sent from
he fail there TO the house Of cor
Iec,iou at Detroit. Mich, for two
years.
HAD Time 10 ThinR.
Coming at the end Of period
spent IN Indian territory, Texas
southern Missouri and Arkansas, in
company with questionable char
ac,ers the sentence gave Belle time
~ for rrNoction--,hc only time she
NsaId she had ever had. She was
'.Nues'al numerous times after she
eas released. but that waa the only
Pan sentence she served
Upon her release she decided 10
go e'raight,' broke relations with
her gang" and married a Greek In
dian, sam starr. she had been
Bsle Reed, widow of several
years when she was sentenced. No
one NOT even her family. soemod
% remember what her maiden
name was
Tha pair moved TO Younger's bend
1850, and there, remote from the
Ts.I, world, Settled down for a
asort time, main.aining 4 home and
ta!s.us several children. Then her
iorNnr friends heard of Bellies
woodland retreat.
She never afterward appeared in
court, but several times was hunt
ed on warrants naming her as an
acomnlice in many crimes from
hsnVly robbery to murder.
Flock Into Retreat.
Jess James. friend OF Reed,
Belle first husband, was tho first.
she said, TO discover her hiding
Place. Two more cabins were built,
sh1 numerous friends began 10
,Sarm 10, a majority of them seek
VIZ some place 10 hide from the
Ther. were reports OF numerous
V4afrtIs at three cabins and re-
lofs wore current at the time that
We pt.l OEe man against the
Sas' ".lh case, one OF them always
U'ms 'he dust"
~, - N'' retreat DtCdTne more Wl1'-
~ Known, and a cave was built 20
.(omu odate tho iterent friend,
heNe became more particular. and
uan''hgN many OF the visitors, in
lF'.ng several enemies She took
Se0u.ng I'm the three cabins al
ufha.'.N never i'm the same one
"o nIsuts in succession, thereby
'ertrr surprises from both the
aW ana her enemies. For nine
years sHo lived thus, and on Feb
,tay 3. 1899, her forty-third birth
aay' 'ae made a trip 10 the back
olA,y folks" Returning aStr!de
.a.g' iaE0r!te mount. she was shot in
we back and killed. Her slayer was
hol aurahcndcd
n,eo WAT the most notorious of
9A,aa .Wa women outlaws. and the
& iE Nd 20 comrades 0f the gang.
es4 |'1 her boots on" and was
,I'.a behind the cabin in which
we ma. tried to go straight, raised
tst Jam 3, ana seen many pals die