Caddo- My Home Town

New Year

The Caddo Herald

January 2, 1948

Caddo High Times

Lenora Evans, editor

Jolene Hunter, society

Paul Cannon, Joel Clark, voc. ag

Minnie Lou Thompson, library

Harold Young, Mary Choate, feature editors

 

New Year is Time to Shine up Your Good Ideals

By Leonora Evans

                Like a time-worn cane that, having seen its withering master glide away into another land, is laid aside to begin gathering dust, so are the memories of the old year that are stored away in the heart, making room for the new.

                Some memories of the past year will bring joy to the heart, while others will leave a lost and empty feeling to cast its gloom and utter darkness like a low hanging fog upon the world.

Hearts will ache at the thought of a world of conflict, of nations in opposition to each other, of starvation, hunger and cold.

                A determination to be more cooperative, more broad-minded, less greedy, and less self-loving would aid in making a friendly happy world. If nations would try to get along with half the force in their efforts as is put out in the battle to win a war, the world would enjoy a superabundance of prosperity. Money, labor and many of the necessities of life would not have to be used to make firearms for destruction. Half-crazed people would have no need to flee from whizzing, deafening roar of bombs; frail bodies would not suffer lack of food and clothing; inflation would not be a blight on the land or the building block which was torn away.

                The New Year is the time to cast off that which is causing a heavy fog to engulf the world and introduce co-operation for opposition, broad mindedness for narrow mindedness, and unselfishness for selfishness, and friendly folk for hatred. This will make a better person, a better school and a better world.

April 1921

April 15, 1921

Attending District Court

Lake Brewer, M. L. Tanner, J. D. Nickels, H. I. Meadows, A. F. Manning, and W. P. Turnbull are serving as petit jurors in district court at Durant this week.

The criminal docket was taken up Monday:

Alfred Gonia, who is well known in police circles, pleaded guilty to burglary in the second degree and was sentenced to four years in the state penitentiary. Gonia was found guilty of burglarizing a box car, taking a large quantity of shoes belonging to Perkins Dry Goods Company.

Wesley Williford pleaded guilty to burglary in the second degree and was sentenced to two years in the state reformatory at Granite.

George D. Cooper, charged with forgery in the second degree, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to the state penitentiary at McAlester for two years. He was charged with forging Edling Ewing’s name to a check and attempting to pass it at the First National Bank.

R.W. Nelson, charged with forgery in the second degree, pleaded guilty in two cases and was sentenced to two terms in the penitentiary of one year each, the second term to state immediately on the completion of the first. Nelson was charged with passing two forged checks on J. F. Roberts of Durant.

Hunter was sentenced to two years in the state reformatory at Granite on a charge of burglarizing a store at Armstrong, April 1. He also pleaded guilty.

Jesse Crossley was sentenced to reformatory on a charge of robbing the armory of a quantity of blankets and guns. He pleaded guilty.

 

April 15, 1921

Boy Sentenced

Tulsa, Ok. April 11- Eddie Shouquette, convicted of participation in the robbery of the Bank of Sperry last December, drew a fifteen-year sentence in the McAlester penitentiary. Frank Stanley, alleged leader of the band of robbers, was given a like sentence by a district court jury the first of the week. Shouquette, who is but 19 years of age, was the first convicted and the jury left his term of imprisonment up to Judge R. S. Cole.

 

The Durant Weekly News

April 29, 1921

Complete Auto Stealing Outfit

Simpson and Ivey Held in Jail on Bank Robbery Charge

Had Elaborate Sets of Tools

Whether or not the guilt of stealing the Chevrolet car and robbing the First State Bank at Calera is ever proven on Messrs. Simpson and Ivey, who are now held in jail as suspects of the crime, is yet to be seen, but one thing is certain, and it is that those birds had in their possession when arrested about as elaborate an outfit for the disguising of an automobile as have ever been seen here.

One solid leather portfolio, resembling that of a hardware drummer, was found to contain a varied assortment of things, which included several complete sets of automobile license tags for 1921, from numerous states including Oklahoma, Texas, and Missouri; complete set of number punch dies, with which the serial number of an automobile engine could be changed with one blow of a hammer on punch; several “motor meters” for Ford cars; several ignition switch boards for Ford cars; files, chisels and hammers of various kinds and sizes; complete automobile maps for practically every state, and numerous other electrical and mechanical appliances such as might be found in a garage tool chest. 

They stopped at the best hotels, and put up an appearance of prosperity. Considerable currency was found in their possession when they were arrested officers said.

They have employed Utterback & MacDonald to defend them as well as several lawyers from other cities and states. Their defense is said to include Moman Pruitt, famous criminal lawyer from Oklahoma City.

Both men are charged with two cases larceny of an automobile and burglary. The examining trial on the larceny case will be held in Justice Phillips’ court this coming week and that in the burglary case in Justice Archibald’s court. The exact dates of the hearings have not been determine.

 

The Durant Democrat (published in the Caddo Herald)

April 29, 1921

Still of Prosperous Farmer is Raided

What is believed to have been the biggest and most cunningly concealed still ever operated in this county was raided and dismantled by Deputy Sheriff C. M. Etchison and Constable Reuben Meek of Mead at the home of Henry Golding two miles southeast of Mead Monday morning at 1 o’clock. The still was of 50-gallon capacity and 300 gallons of mash and several gallons of whiskey were taken along with it. Eight large barrels formerly containing the mash were on display at the court house this morning.

It is said that the still has been in operation for two years, but it was so skillfully concealed that officers were not able to find it until last night. Golding, who owns a big farm and a handsome bungalow, has been suspected of manufacturing whiskey and officers have been watching for him the past week. Saturday night they lay and watched the house, but found no clue on which to work. Sunday night Etchison and Meeks returned to make the raid. Golding, supposing himself safe from the prying eyes of the law, worked. In the parlor of Golding’s residence, raising an art square the floor in the parlor the officers found a panel trap door. Under the floor was a cellar, and leading from the cellar was an underground tunnel in which the still was running on full time, as complete a still as was ever  run in the days of revenue payments. Smoke from the furnace was directed to go out the kitchen flue. It was in reality a place of industry and production.

With the breaking up of this still, it is believed that the biggest source of the whiskey supply in that neighborhood will be cut off.

 

The Durant Weekly News

April 29, 1921

A Jealous Man Slays His Wife

Had Been Divorced and Wife had Returned to Nurse Child

Man Afterward Kills Self

Crazed with jealousy over the attentions of his step-brother paid to his recently divorced wife, D. W. Williams, a farmer living five miles from Atoka, shot and killed his former wife and then committed suicide by taking strychnine Tuesday.

Williams shot Mrs. Williams four times with a shotgun, blowing off entirely her head and one arm. He then wrote a note to the Odd Fellows, asking that they bury him, and took poison.

Mrs. Williams, who had been staying at an Atoka hotel, went to her former husband’s home in the country Saturday night to nurse one of her five children, reported to be seriously ill.

After breakfast Tuesday morning Mrs. Williams was walking in the yard with the other four children. When she returned to the house Williams began shooting, it was said.

After the murder he walked calmly to the barn 200 yards distant and took poison, returning to fall by the side of the woman over whom the deed had been committed.

All the children are under 15 years old, neighbors who are caring for the children said when the deputy sheriff from Okataha made an investigation of the affair.

Merry Christmas

Enjoy your family time...in person or virtual. And remember to ask those important family questions. 

Executions

 

 

The Vindicator (Atoka)

May 3, 1876

At Fort Smith, Ark., on the 21^st, another wholesale execution took place, five men being swung off simultaneously from a single gallows. The names of the culprits and the nature of their crimes are as follows:

Wm. Leach, a white man, aged 42, murdered John Watkins, in the Indian Nation, about eight miles from Cincinnati, Ark., in March, 1873.

Aaron Wilson, a negro, aged about 25, murdered an old man named James Harris, and his young son, about 12 miles from Fort Sill.

Isham Seeley and Gibson Ishtanubbe, both Choctaws, murdered an old Indian doctor and a colored woman in the Chickasaw Nation.

Office McGee, another Choctaw, killed Robert Alexander, a white man, who lived on the Red River, in the Choctaw Nation, in April, 1874.

 

1915

Caddo Herald

December 24, 1915

High School Notes

 

School turned out Friday at noon and did not take up until Monday at noon on account of being out of water.

The Websterian Society met at recess Tuesday morning and elected Jack Glasscock and Fayne Harris to represent them in the skating contest between the two societies Thursday night. If they don’t win the race, Ignorance and I will run them, then, too. I think I am safe in making this statement.

A few days ago the High School boys met and organized a basket ball team and elected Jack Glasscock as Captain. Now we have a bunch here that will make a fast team; they are coached well and have proper encouragement. This team expects to make a good showing this year.

Miss Petty intends entertaining the 9^th grade one night this week with a party.

Wanted, by the 11^th grade, a fireless cooker for Laboratory experiments.

“Ma, these pants are too tight; They are tighter than my skin.” “No, Fayne,” his mother answered, “they can’t be tighter than the skin.” “Yes, they are ma. I can sit down in my skin, and I can’t in these pants.”

Thursday afternoon the Societies will give a joint program, this program has some very good numbers and everyone is invited to come FREE.

School will turn out Thursday for Christmas holidays.

Miss Blackwell: “You have in front of you the North, on your right the East, on your left the West. What have you behind you?” Sidney: “A patch on my pants; I told mama you would see it.”

Wanted, five men out for basketball practice. Thursday will be a game between Caddo and Caney at the old tin shop building next to the Post Office. Everyone is expected to attend.

Kirby Glasscock and Elmer Jeanes will represent the Eureka Society in the contest at the skating rink Thursday night.

Christmas Program

At Christian Church Friday night.

Chorus, Christmas Bells, little folks.

Selection, Kee Malone

Song, Mary Beth Moore and Lucille Grassham

Recitation, Mamie Lou Malone

Recitation, Jewel Marshall

Recitation, Lola Putman

Song, Louise Clower

Recitation, Dodie Harris

Recitation, Lena Willis

Recitation, Lena May Leivsay

Recitation, D. O. Nail

Chorus, young folks

Recitation, Jerome Smiser

Recitation, Wm. Drake

Song, Ruby Mead, Estella Owens, Thelma Malone

Recitation, Floyd Harris

Recitation, Louise Clower

Vocal duet, Misses Owens

Vocal duet, Misses Jennings

Chorus, young folks

Santa Claus

 

Be nice!

Caddo Herald

May 1, 1903

A Telephone Girl Causes the Arrest of a Patron for Using Cuss Words

            Okmulgee: William Davis, of Spokogee, was fined $40 and costs by Judge Swain for “cussing” over a telephone. Davis was talking with a man at Weleetka over the long-distance line on a business proposition. Things weren’t going to suit him, so he proceeded to cuss the other fellow for four minutes by the watch. The judge thought it was worth $10 a minute and fixed the fine at $40. The strange part of the story is that the man who received the cussing was not the complaining witness. The “hello” girl filed the complaint.

Notes:

Spokogee- original name of the Muskogee tribe. Creeks considered those of Spokogee origin to be royalty. Town name was changed to Dustin in 1904.

“Hello girl” was commonly used to refer to the telephone operator.

It pays to be polite on the phone!

Zion Letters

The Caddo Herald

August 2, 1912

Died at her home near Matoy, July 27,1912, Mrs. Susie Zion, wife of Early Zion; all was done that medical aid and loving friends could to, but to no avail. The Savior calls and we must go. That awful disease, consumption, wore her life away. While she had been in bad health for some time it was not thought the end was so near until last week when she took to her bed, never to be up again. She was about 30 years of age, the mother of 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls, the youngest of which was only 2 years old. It is sad indeed that the silver chord should be loosed and the golden bowl broken, but the all wise Father knoweth best. She leaves a father, husband, sister, and brother besides the children and a number other relations to mourn for her, but let us say you mourn not as those without hope, and while you must for a while bear the burden of life, be faithful in the discharge of your Christian duties and when the summons comes, Susie will be there to greet you at the golden gate. A Friend.

Early and Susan Matoy Zion had many friends in Caddo. According to Albert Tidwell’s book, Matoy, Susan Zion was born May 20, 1881 and was the first person buried in the New Matoy Cemetery. His sister, Mabel, was the second.

Caddo Herald

August 6, 1915

Zion-Boydstun

At the home of the bride’s father, Bill Boydstun, near Matoy, Sunday afternoon, Mr. W. E. Zion and Miss Ida Boydstun were united in marriage in the presence of a number of friends and the families of the contracting parties. Mr. Zion is a prosperous farmer living near Matoy, and served two years as deputy sheriff, is a fine man, well-liked by all who know him. The bride is a handsome young woman of many charming traits and The Herald hopes for both every joy that life may hold.

These are the children of Early Zion:

 

Durant Weekly News

December 16, 1927

Dear Santa Claus:

I am writing you a letter to tell you what we wish for Christmas. There is 6 of us children and Father and mother.  The baby is a year old, she would like a baby doll. Delene Inez is 3 years old and she wants some little dishes and a doll. Francis Alice is almost 5, she wants some little dishes and wash tub and board. Ray wants a little tractor with a plow. William Early he is the oldest, he wants a pair of house slippers and a box of handkerchiefs. I am a little girl 10 years and I want a little sewing set, pair of gloves, and water colors and a celluloid doll. We all try to help mother and father. We have been good. I think father and mother would like a pair of gloves.

From,
Mary Zion, Caddo Rt. 2

The Caddo Herald

December 21, 1928

Dear Santa Claus,

Logan

How are you? Have lots of toys, I guess. I hope you don’t forget me. I want a little telephone, toy truck, and some candy and nuts. Don’t forget my brother and sisters; bring them some toys, candy, and nuts. Ray Zion

 

How are you getting along with your pack of toys? I hope you don’t forget me Christmas. I want you to bring me a celluloid doll, a fountain pen, a pair of garters, and a box of handkerchiefs. Don’t forget my brothers and sisters. My little baby sister wants a baby doll and some candy and nuts. My little sister three years old wants a baby doll, climbing monkey, and candy and nuts. Francis Alice wants a doll, doll bed, and a little stove and some candy and nuts. My big brother wants a box of handkerchiefs, a pair of gloves, and socks and some candy and nuts. With love, Mary Zion

March 1, 1929

Early Zion, deputy sheriff, has a new baby girl at his home near Matoy.

Bank Robbed, 1940

The Cushing Daily Citizen

July 29, 1940

Robbers Hold Up Caddo Bank, Escape in Car

Cashier, Customers, Forced into Vault at 12:30p.m.

Pair Scoop Up Cash, Flee

            Caddo, Okla.- July 29-Two bandits held up the First National Bank of Caddo today, locked the cashier and two customers in a vault, and escaped with $604.25 in currency and silver. Cashier Joe Gibson said the bandits overlooked $3,773.43 concealed in the front part of the bank.

            Gibson said the men entered the building at 12:30 and asked the whereabouts of a farmer of the Caddo vicinity. When Gibson said he did not know, one of the bandits remarked: “You’re going to know more about us though.”

Locked in Vault

            Gibson and the customers, Mark Davis and Melvin Hale, at first were ordered to sit on the floor. Then the bandits escorted the cashier to the vault, ordering him to “hand over the rest of the money”.

            “I told them there wasn’t much in the vault, that other bank employees had gone after more money”, Gibson said, “I opened one of the vault compartments and they took a small amount of silver. Then they locked us in the vault and took all the currency in sight in the cashier’s cage.”

Leave Going West

            Townspeople said the bandits entered Caddo in a late model automobile from the west and left in the same direction. Caddo is in Bryan County, approximately 20 miles from the Texas border. The car bore a Texas license according to the highway patrol.

            Gibson said he released himself and the customers from the inside and tripped the fire alarm near the bank building. Then he began telephoning offices in nearby towns.

            The bandits were described as about 25 and 25 years old. One wore a slack suit with a gray hat and was of light complexion and medium build. The other was of small build and dark complexion and wore light trousers and a blue shirt.

One Seems Familiar

            Gibson said one of them “seemed familiar to me, but I couldn’t place him.” Both were sun-tanned “as if they had been working a long time in the open”, the cashier said.

            Motorists on a county road a short distance southwest of Caddo reported seeing a car answering the description of that used by the bandits, a few minutes after the robbery. They said it contained three men.

            Police theorized that one man might have been left with the car as a lookout.

            Note: Another article stated that Howard Holmes, president of the bank, was away on business in Durant. Cashier J. D. Maytubby was at lunch.

Joe W. Covey

Indian Citizen (Atoka)

July 4, 1940

Joe Covey Dies Near

Caddo of Heart Attack

            Joe Covey, 68-year-old farmer living southeast of Caddo, died last week from a heart attack suffered as he was eating dinner. He was a brother of Jake Covey of Atoka.

            Covey had been working in the fields the morning he suffered the attack. He was born in Joplin, Mo. in 1872 and had lived for 17 years near Caddo after coming to Oklahoma from Grayson County, Texas. He was a member of the Pentecostal church.

            Funeral services were held in Caddo and were conducted by Rev. S. V. Pendley. He was buried at Caddo.

            Covey is survived by his wife, six sons, and four daughters: C. O. Covey, Durant; B. E. Covey, Caddo; J. L. Covey, Fresno, Calif.; Leon Covey, Caddo; Beuron Covey, Caddo; Mrs. Zula Jones, Three Rivers, Texas; Mrs. Emma Cravens, Amhurst, Texas; Mrs. A. Smith, Caddo; Mrs. Opal Jamerson, Whiteflat, Texas. Two brothers: Jake Covey, Atoka; Jim Covey, Caddo. Two sisters: Mrs. Ida Heston, Dallas; Miss Liddie Covey, Sherman, Texas.

Wapanucka Day

If at least one of these photos isn't of Wapanucka Day, then it should be. I've had them in my files for years and wondered about the crowd and chaos. 

The Caddo Herald

October 19, 1900

Wapanucka Day

Farmers from Wapanucka Bring 400 Bales of Cotton

To Caddo on That Day

            Tuesday was “Wapanucka Day” in Caddo, so designated because of the fact that the farmers of the Wapanucka country brought about 400 bales of cotton to Caddo and sold it.

It was known beforehand that the cotton would be here, for the Board of Trade, recently organized, had been at work in the interest of Caddo and this board was instrumental, to a large extent, in making this day for Caddo.

            The cotton began to roll into Caddo late Monday afternoon and kept coming until a late hour at night. Tuesday morning it continued to come and all was not in until Tuesday afternoon.

Wheeler’s band had been engaged by the Board of Trade of Trade for the day and discoursed good music on the streets in honor of the Wapanucka farmers.

            Free dinner at the best hotels and restaurants had been prepared and each person bringing cotton from Wapanucka was presented with a ticket for dinner at these places with the compliments of the Caddo Board of Trade, in an endeavor to show these cotton raisers that Caddo appreciated their coming. Those who arrived too late for dinner were presented with free suppers.

            When the cotton lined up on the streets Tuesday morning traffic was almost blockaded. Buffalo Street from Smith & Sweeny’s drug store to the Nail Hotel was crowded and there were some wagons on North and South Main Street. Every wagon contained from two to five bales.

            There were buyers here from Durant and other places who had been notified that the cotton was coming here. There was no sale made Tuesday, however, for the cotton market had gone to pieces in the cotton centers and neither the local nor foreign buyers here had limits which the farmers thought would justify them in selling. Cotton had dropped a cent in New York Monday and went off again Tuesday and of course the little markets were controlled by the cotton centers.

            The farmers decided to remain with cotton in Caddo until Wednesday with the hope that cotton would go up. The market was better Wednesday and they closed out to the local buyers at the very top prices that the market would allow the buyers to pay and at a price that could not have been beaten on the same day by any town in the Territory.

            There was nearly $20,000 paid for cotton here that day, which is a considerable sum for one day’s marketing of cotton in a town.

            The people, the Board of Trade and the buyers did everything in their power to make the day profitable and pleasant to the people of Wapanucka and how well they succeeded is told by the following card of thanks by the Wapanucka people:

                “We, a committee appointed by the people of Wapanucka and vicinity, in Caddo on October 16^th with cotton and on behalf of these people, take this method of extending to the people of Caddo through their Board of Trade, our thanks for their generous treatment of our people and for their efforts to make our visit to Caddo both pleasant and profitable, and especially do we congratulate the people of Caddo upon their splendid organization and unanimity of effort on behalf of their town, and the effort for the pleasure of their quests on this occasion.

                We will long remember it as one of the pleasant incidents of a lifetime. W. J. Ball, A. W. Taylor, J. J. Clark, W. A. Taylor, H. J. Bailey, G. A. Truth, M. E. Smith, J. A. Morgan, V. C. Trout, J. J. Bailey, J. A. Moody, B. F. Simpson, W. T. Copland, and others.”

 

            It is hoped that the good people of Wapanucka will come back to Caddo again in the near future when they will be treated as cordially as this time and be given every cent for their cotton that the market affords.

            Caddo’s prices all this season have been the very top and parties who have sold here and elsewhere admit that our market pays them the best.

            Caddo will never forget the Wapanucka people for Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s show of the appreciation of our market and when they have anything to sell, she will buy it and pay the top price and sell them goods just as cheap as they can buy them anywhere. She appreciates their trade and not a thing will be left undone to make it profitable for them to buy and sell in this market.