The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-12-21
GILLIAMS
STATEMENT

A statement from j. A. Gillian,
oil lease man, one of those arrest
ed in the Wilson murder case,
was made public shortly after six
o'clock last night. The statement
names all the men. now held in con.
nection with the triple killing. 1t does
not show they had any direct con.
nection with amy of the three deaths
and does not show them % be con-
nected with any secret organization as
has been charged.
From the statement made, it is evil
dent that Policeman SINS was out
solely on a mission of law and order
and that those who were with him
The statement follows:
about II o'clock a. M, Thursday,
Mr.. Sims said he wanted me to go
with him TO q meeting at Wilson; that
he was committeeman selected by a
committee meeting who invited coop.
Grafton Of Ardmore tizens to meet in
a mass meeting for the discussion of
better conditions in the oil fields. He
also stated he was planning raid
and had taken pains TO secure detec.
tive. as he would be out of the city.
told him l could not go on account of
business. So l saw him no more till
about four or five o'clock p. m., when
son building and talked again about
going
Then We went 10 see other par
ties about going, Mr.. r. G. Raines,
the saddler, Guy Harris and Ray
Beede.
Then / told him l could not go on
account of business, and ne said that
| was no buster than he as he had
called off a whisky raid with Hath.
cock to make this trip. He also stated
there would be no danger as he had
planned the raid which he thought
would uncover wet car dealer as
we'll as the whisky traffic, and had
planned for Mr.. John Smith TO do the
buying of the whisky as he knew the
game but had quit; that he was plan.
ming to have four or six men to be
present and nearby so they might take
charge without harming anyone.
"Mr. c. G. Sims, Mr.. Ray
Beede, Dan Ridpath, Mr.. Pitts, of
the Ward Motor Company, and |
got into the car about seven O'Clock
p. M, and left Ardmore for Wilson.
When we got to Hewitt We stopped
and Mr.. Sims got out. saying he was
to get Mr.. John Smith there at Hew.
lit; and l remarked that John Smith
lived at Healdton. lie said not
Merchant John Smith at Healdton.
but John Smith at wilson
we stayed at Hewitt about forty
minutes and Mr. Sims said, Drive
on to Wilson
When we got to Wilson he said,
I will look things over He got
out Of the car and was gone about
an hour. When he came back, with
a bunch in Ford car saying he
had his man. Then is wher he
told me OF tho meeting place south
west of Joiner and we drove over
there following the car.
When we got there. there were sew.
eral cars parked and we drove our
car in above them on the hillside like.
when he got out, looked around, came
back and tool; something in a paper
out of our car, saying his men, were
with him and he was going to town
and for me to stay there to watch
things; that if he was not back by
1880 at least, We might figure, he had
come to Ardmore by way OF Milo. as
he figured there was q still about
Milo that he wanted 10 put this same
detective next 10. He came back
once and said he had located every.
thing and il was setting pretty.
Il again said: i had better go with
YOU and he said, no. we've got plenty
men who know the parties. know the
thing and 1t was setting pretty.
'tle did not show up again; and We
heard OF the killing. | think ii was
j. ID. Smith who brought the news.
! had not gotten out Of the car. Mr..
Pitts was driving our car and the cars
all began TO leave. Pitts then reported
that Carroll and John Smith were
killed and Sims had returned to Ard.
more with some of the parties con.
nected with the shooting. We came
back by Orr and the Marietta road.
Dan Ridpath and Pitts came back with
me.
1.-THE object was to get Carroll and
make him come clean on wet" car
deals as well as whiskey.
ION the pasture field / saw besides
those above named, c. G. Whitchurch,
+. c. Harlow. Tom Hailes, j. d.
Smith, Frank Cardwell and w. L. T.
Hilton.
"As to myself, / did not think OF
any trouble whatever. | had no gun.
do not think any of the parties ex.
pected trouble. The reason we came
back to Orr was on account of in.
structions from Sims to come that
way as l was known all over that