Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1922-02-17
CANEY SLAYER is
TO DIE FOR CRIME
Samuel Watkins Sentenced Monday
For Brutal Murder of Mrs.
Cora Jones last Friday

Samuel Watkins, who last Thurs
day hrutally murdered Mrs. Cora
Jones, near taney, pleaded guilty
Monday and was sentenced by Dis
trict Judge Limbaugh. at Atoha to
be clrctrucutcd. He was immediate
~ transported to MrAlcstcr, To be
rcutud
. The rapidl'y with which Watkins
was tried was brought about by the
demand pi the people, who had "a
, tempted to mob him Saturday night
The murder to which Watkin- CON
fcS,cd was the mot brutal in the
history of A'oka county. according to
the authorities. Watkins is 81 years
Of age and farmer. residing three
mile from tancy Mrs. Jones was
80 years Of age and the wife of A 4.
Jones. Watkins sister is married to
Jones brother Mrs. Jones' i-ycar-
old son and 2-year-old daughter wit
messed the tragedy Mr.. Jones was
at mill at the time. Returning he
found his wife's mangled body in the
hog lot, where the hogs had eaten
away parts of the face and one Of
the hands.
The murderer in a signed confession
told that he had killed the woman be-
cause she had lied about him, and
that he had beaten her to death with
a stick Of stove wood. The house
was blood spattered and pools of
blood were found in the yard
Officers believe however that he
used broad ak with which to brain
the woman, as one is missing from
the Jones house. They likewise be-
lieve that he had attempted crimi-
nal assault upon the woman before
killing her. A sister Of the slain
woman says that Watkins had been
tried and acquitted on a charge Of
criminal assault when living in Ar
kansas.
When news of the killing reached
Atoka, Sheriff Jess Phillips had a
possee of trusted deputies after the
killer. The Watkins house is only
about quarter of mile from the
Jones house Watkins had left home
early that morning ostensibly to
work in the field. About noon he
called to his sister asking her to
bring him suit of clothes, stating
that the apparel he had worn had
caught fire from brush fire he
started in his field
The officers upon examining Wat
kinS failed to find he sustained any
injuries. They discovered in his field
the remains of fire that consumed a
quantity Of wearing apparel A hat
and coat, both bloody, and identified
as belonging to Watkins also were
found in the field.
Arrested and confronted with cir
cumstantial evidence of gilt, Wat
kins confessed, telling in terrible of
his fiendish staying of the woman.
Saturday mob estimated at $50
men formed, intent upon a speedy
vcngence. The terrible crime seems
TO have upset the entire country.
Sheriff Phillips met the mob at the
Jail and was informed that they re-
spected Officers and law, but that
Watkin, must die and that they
meant to have him, AT Phillips
suggestion the Jail was searched and
Watkins was not found, The sheriff
had beaten the mob. which quickly
and quietly dispersed But before
the men scattered, County Attorney
Banta and assured the men that he
would, if necessary ask for a special
term of court and demand the death
penalty
Monday Watkn, plead guilty and
was promptly sentenced to pay the
penalty with his life. He is now at
the prni,entiary awaiting elcctrocu-
ton