State Hist. Society
Pittsburg County Guardian
GUARANTEED CIRCULATION EVERY WEEK, 1700— ANI) GROWING.
VOLUME XIV.
eight pages
Mcalester, oklahoma. Thursday, august 21, 1919
all home l'rint
NUMBER 52
i
4
GOVERNMENT SUPPLIES
10 BE OFFERED HERE
City and County Combine. Thru
Aid of Postoffice Department.
To Bring Two Carloads Sur-
plus Eood Here.
Mayor Watson announces that
requisition has been made for two
cars of food products from the
government supply station at St.
Louis, and the order placed for
same. The Roods are expected
to arrive shortly. A location
will be ready by the time the
goods arrive, and will probably
he the vacant building just west
j 01 the office of the McAlester (ias
1 Company, at Second and Grand,
' or the present building occupied
j by the Pioneer Abstract Company
; on East Choctaw, between Second
1 and Third streets.
By an agreement between the city
and county, with the postmaster as-
sociated to help in every way pos-
sible for the success of the plan,
there is to be shipped to McAlester j
from Saint Louis anywhere from 3
to 5 cars of surplus array food pro-
ducts, for re-sale to the public. The j
contract has been entered into with ]
the City Commissioners acting for:
the city and Judge Brown and other j
county officials acting for the coun-
ty. The public is to be given advan-
tage of any reduction possible over j
existing prices for the products
handled.
Requisition for what is thought can;
> e used here is being made up and i
will be forwarded to St. Louis as j
soon as completed. Tie goods should:
arrive withiri a short time thereafter.
Assistant Postmaster Holmes will
act in conjunction with the city and
county, giving all available assist-
ance from the postal end.
Postmaster Lester is highly pleas-
ed with the plan, and believes it
should work out to great public adl
vantage as this will enable them to ,
come and buy what they want and j
need without the necessity of order- j
ing same from St. Louis.
The privilege of buying these goods i
will be open to the public from all
over this section, country as well as
city, so long as the goods last.
In the meantime, orders can be
made by parcel post, Mr. Lestei mak-
ing the announcement that the trans-
portation rate has been reduced so
that Zone One rates will apply on i
all purchase frem this postoffice, al-
though St. Louis is in the third zone
from here. This is a great reduc-
tion in the item of cost.
Price lists, covering everything
from beans to bacon, may be obtain-
ed from the postmaster, and orders
placed for whatever amount is want-
ed paying for same at the time the
order is placed.
Wll.L TRY TO MOLD
ASSESSED VALUES DOWN
County Assessor Molliday Will Go To
Oklahoma City in Interest of
County Assessments.
In an effort to hold the property j
assessments for the count} to the |
figures originally set by the county j
equalization board, County Assessor
Holiday will go to Oklahoma City
Monday to meet with the State Board
of Equalization.
After his return recently from a!
conference with the state board, at
which time verbal notice of certain
hikes in valuations were given him,
the assessor's office received written i
notice confirming these advances,
but sul sequently received another
notice stating that the advances were
in error. This leads to the opinion i
that perhaps the assessment by the
county board can lie made to stand.
It is thought that action on the
fixing of county, school district and j
municipal budgets, and the tax-rate
to meet them, can be taken soon after
this conference by the county excise
board, and. if possible, a number of
over-due claims allowed at the Sep-
tember meeting of the county com-
missioners.
STEPSON CHARGED WITH
KILLING CHARLES LIDELL j
John Replogan, of Krebs. Makes His
Getawa* After Sending The
Fatal Bullet Home.
Market Advantages Here
Attract Texas Investor
Because of the splendid market ad-
vantages offere in McAlester and
also because he found the land here
as good as that he was disposing of
in Southern Texas, although the Ok-
lahoma land is only about half as
high-priced as the Texas soil, I. C.
Boehm, a typically progressive plant-
er, trucker and stockman of South
Texas this week closed a deal where-
by he becomes owner of the Ike Yoes
120-acre tract of splendid farm land
adjoining the penitentiary farm on
the west.
The purchase price was $90 per
acre and the purchaser made no at-
tempt to conceal his pleasure at
what he termed a great bargain. He
had just sold a farm in Texas, where
the land, he said, is no better than
the land he is buying here, at more
than twice this figure per acre. He
also stated that he could have bought
good land in other sections at about
half what he paid here, but what at-
tracted him to McAlester was the
market advantages.
He expects to stock the place with
dairy cattle, and also to go in for
extensive trucking. He has obtain-
ed facts and figures about McAlester
as a market center and is coming
here only after carefully investigat
ing the advantages and opportuni-
ties offered in comparison with other |
sections and cities. It wa.> a clean
win, hands down, for McAlester and i
Pittsburg county.
This purchase, by the way, gives
Mr. Boehm about 200 acres of well- '■
improved land in a body, as he had,
previously purchased from Major B.'
F. Hackett the land adjoining the i
place of Mr. Yoes.
Another interesting feature in the'
deal is the increase in property val-j
ues during the past two years. Mr.
Yoes bought the place about two
years ago, paying $70 per acre. The
increase of $20 per aero has been ad-
ded in that time, largely because of
the improve mi nt- made in the prop-
erty by Mr. Yoes. who has reduced
nearly all the land to an arable con-
dition.
It alo indicates the steady, up-
ward climb of values in this section
under the refining processes of in-
dustry and develovment.
Mr. Boehm expects to move onto
the new property early in Septem-
ber. or the latter part of this month,
if possible.
STRAIGHT TICKETS IN
EIEED ALMOST ASSURED
Meeting of Regular Democrats
Advocates This Course—Fus-
ion Ticket Meeting is Also
(ailed.
Indications are, as previously fore-
Charged with the murder of his
stepfather. John Keplogan is a fugi-
tive from justice and up till Thurs-
day had not been apprehended. So
far as information \va- obtainable,
no clue as to his whereabouts was
in possession of the officers.
The tragedy occurred at Krebs last
Sunday night. Iieplogan, a young
man about 26 years of age, is said
to have given a note which he was
unable to meet and which was paid
by his stepfather, Charles Lidell. In
compensation for taking up his note
Lidell was to be given ownership of
a muli belonging to Keplogan. it is
said, and the muh had been turned
cer to Lidell.
Sunday night Keplogan came to
the Lidell home and demanded the
mule, when an argument ensued, Li-
dell claiming the animal on the
above grounds. Whereat Keplogan is
declared to have whipped out
Over 2-Inch Rainfall
Worth Million To Crops
yolver and shot his stepfather thru'
en hurried away,
the abdomen. He the..
and is thought to have made his es-
cape mounted on a horse taken from
a neighbor.
Lidell was brought to a local hos-
pital, but died late Monday afternoon.
The body was taken to the family
residence, where funeral sen' ices
were held Tuesday.
Officers are scouting for Replog-
an and it is not thought he can make
his escape good for anv length of
time.
WOMEN TO HAVE BIG PART
IN FARM CONGRESS WEEK
WORRY OVER ILL HEALTH
RESULTS IN SUICIDE
J. H. Carter, of 321 W:est Madison
Avenue, Ends Life By Tak-
ing Carbolic Acid.
Driven, it is believed, by worry over
ill health and his inability to lead
his usually active life, J. H. Carter of
321 West Madison Avenue, ended his
life last Saturday night by taking
carbolic acid poison. He was found
dead by the family of his son, J. Q.
Carter, when they returned home
Saturday night from downtown.
The dav before he had gone to
visit the family of another son, C.
W. Carter, at Hartshorne, but found
the family away and so returned to
his home in McAlester without stay-
ing the length of time intended at
Hartshorne. He has been making
his home for some time with his son
here. , ,
Mr. Carter had always led a very
active life, chiefly as a farmer, but
about a year ago he fell and broke
his hip. Since that time he has been
unabel to work regularly, and this
appears to have preyed unon his mind
and to have affected his general
health. According to his son, how-
ever, he appeared in the best of spir-
its recentlv, with no apparent indica-
tion that he contemplated suicide.
The funeral services were held on
Mondav afternoon. Rev. W. A. Turn-
age, of North McAlester, having the
obsequies in charge. Burial was in
Oak Hill cemetery.
The women of Oklahoma have been
assigned to a leading part in the
work of the farm congress week at
the state A. & M. College, Stillwater,
Aug. 25-29, and a number of Pitts-
burg county women will be in at-
tendance.
Mrs. W. L. Breckner, county lady
agent, is already there, and writes
back that the work is of a particular-
ly valuable order and the courses of
instruction exceptionally fine. She
will stay throughout the "short
course" week.
The discussions in the woman's
section of the congress includes home
economics, social relations, feeding
the family, improved laundry meth-
ods, poultry raising, etc., winding up
with a farm council meeting Wed-
nesday, Aug. 27, and a reception to
the visiting women by the girls'
clubs. Dr.F rancis Bishop, of St.
Louis, Dr. Charles Marsh, ' of Chi-
cago, anl other speakers of nation-
al note, will address this and other
features of the congress.
Mr. Nelms county agent, left Fri-
day to make preliminary plans for
the Pittsburg county delegates. A
number of fanners are expected to
go in their automobiles and spend
the week.
The boys who are entitled to at-
tend the congress as prize-winners
are Clyde Ramsey, McAlester; John
Piepgrass, Alderson: Kelso McFall,
Featherston; Paul Terrv, Alderson,
and James DeGruchy, Kiowa.
YOUTHS CHARGED WITH
DISTURBING THE PEACE
The helated rain that fell Wednes-
day measured, according to the wea-
ther bureau, 2.29 inches, and was
worth a million or more dollars to
the county, according to well-inform-
ed land owners. It was the first
real rain since early in July.
Crops had held up wonderfully well,
however, this season, and it is be-
lieved that the rainfall this week
will not only benefit the forage crops,
fall pastures, etc., but will even
greatly aid late June corn, much of
which had been planted.
Cotton, it is asserted, will be vast-
ly helped by this abundance of rain,
anil with anything like a late frost
it will increase the crop to something
neal' normal. The stalk will "throw-
off" to some extent from the imme-
diate rain, but will begin with new
life for the late summer and early
fall fruiting.
Peas, peanuts, cane, all sorts of
fall pasture crops will be put in
prime condition, and fiuit of the late
fall variety will be given a e n
for full development.
Another big item was the replen-
ishing of the supply of stockwater,
removing all danger from any scar-
city from this source.
Reports indicate that the rain was
geneval all over the county. It in-
sures the greatest interest in all
fomis of fall planting, and will put
the finishing touches on interest in
the big county fair.
There wa some damage by the ex-
cessive rain in places, but it was of
a minor nature. Here in the city a
number of business houses were
flooded by the unprecendented fall of
lain (over 2J inches in an hour),
j Choctaw Avenue resembled a river,
and the by-streets and alleys down
from Washington and Grand looked
like irrigation ditches gone wild.
Lightning also played havoc with
the telephone service, putting nearly
! a thousand lines out of commission
In McAlester alone. About 600 of
these, it was found Thursday, were
| out of order due to a break in the
I cable near the main downtown office.
! However, what did a few "bruises"
j amount to in the face of the down-
pour everybody had been awaiting
j for weeks? Moreover, it is believ-
ed the "hot season" is practically
i over, and business generally is ex-
j pected to put on a revival air from
I now forward.
No Formal Agreement On
Prices, Say Local Jobbers
During the electrical display ac- j
companding Wednesdav's heavy
downpour of rain, the old Sneakmnn
house, near the Fifth Ward school,
in North McAlester, was struck bv |
lightning and set on fire. It burned
ranidlv and was soon destroyed. The
building was unoccupied at the time, j
It was a large old building, a sort j
of landmark of that part of the city.
On complaint of C. C. Penderprrass,
postmaster at Bower, Justice of the
Peace WesleyF armer has issued war-
rants for the arrest of Dewey Stone,
Chuck Howell, Clarence Pearson and
Kimey Monk, of the Bower neigh-
borhood. It is alleged that the young
men fired several shots into the air
from the steps of the postoffice build-
ing at Bower. •
-O
ABOUT ADVERTISING—
You may know of distant
1 planets never heard of hereto-
I fore: vou may find the "yonth-
I ful fountain" that the world is
I searching for: you can stock
I your place of business with the
I finest merchandise, but th« world
I will never know it—until you
I Advertise.
I
O —  
A. J. Gamhill, aged 90 years, died
at his home. 306 North Third street,
early Wednesday morning, after a
long illness. He had been in indif-
ferent health for several years. Mr.
Gamhill had been a resident here for
nearly a quarter of a century. Fun-
eral services were held Wednesday
afternoon, conducted by Rev. A. B.
Johnson, and the body was taken to
the old home at Honeygrove. Texas,
for interment. The deceased is sur-
vived by his wife, two daughter' and
a son. His daughters are Mrs. Net-
tie Bradley, of Honeygrove, and Mrs.
Cassidy, of Denison, Texas.
That there is no collusion or spe-
cific agreement between the produce
jobbers of this territory to fix prices
to retailers was brought out in the
testimony of representatives of the
produce business here, during the in-
vestigation being conducted by Coun-
ty Attorney Monk the past week as
to the cause of the alleged high cost
of living.
Both Sam Home, of the Sam ,
Home Company, and L. B. Cox, man- j
ager of the Dawson-Cox Produce j
Company testified to this effect
Thursday, when asked specifically by
Mr. Monk if the local jobbers did not
fix uniform prices on the produce
sold to the retailers.
The question was prompted by the
fact that the produce jobbers here
have a habit of pooling in the pur-
chase of certain commodities at times,
such as lemons, oranges, etc., each
taking a portion of a car of produce
shipped to this point. The jobbers
explained that this practice of "split-
ting" on a car of goods was of ad-
vantage all 'round, as it saved wast-
age to both the jobber and retailer
and consequently to the consumer,
and at the same time provided a
fresher and more wholesome condi-
tion of the product handled. At
times, it was stated, each house
bought in carload lots, but at cer-
tain seasons, particularly in summer,
the split-car policy was preferable.
"The cost on such produce is the
same laid* down to each iobhei. urder
these shipments, isn't it?" asked Mr.
Monk.
"Certainly," said Mr. Cox.
"Then isn't this likely to lead to
an understanding or agrrement as to
selling price, or does this in fact
lead to such a practice?" asked Mr.
Monk.
"The selling price to the retailer
would naturally he around the same
figure," said Mr. Cox, "but there has
never been any agreement on prices."
Mr. Home, of the Sam Home Com-
pany, said that sometimes the job-
bers discussed the conditions of the
trade and suggested about what
would be a fair price for the product
handled, but never fixed any price
by agreement.
"The high man sets the market,
doesn't he?" inquired Mr. Monk.
"Not necessarily," replied Mr.
Home, "but you can readily see that
where the cost to the jobbers is the
same the selling price to the retail-
er would necessarily run in the same
neighborhood."
Mr. Home admitted that so far
as getting trade by cutting prices is
concerned he does not pose as a
"price-cutter."
All of the jobbers presented their
invoices and cost sheets willingly
and answered freely all questions
asked. Practically all stated that
they sold to the trade on a "replace-
ment" basis; that is, when the mar-
ket advanced, they usually marked up
the goods they had on hand to match
what it would cost them to lay sim-
ilar goods down at that time. This
was not done at all times, however,
or.e instance being given where a
wholesale grocer had sold one prod-
uct at $10 per hundred after the re-
placement cost had reached $14, he
said.
All Took the Limit.
Floyd Home, of the Cochran Gro-
cery Company, testified that they
were selling flour lower than during
the days of the food administration.
"We are selling on a basis of
about 55 cents per hundred profit to
the retailer, whereas, under the food
administration we were allowed a
profit of 75 cents," said Mr. Home.
"Then you are selling now cheaper
than when the price was regulated
by the federal government?" inquir-
ed Mr. Monk.
"Yes. for then we were all en-
titled to the same margin of profit,
and everybody took the maximum
profit," said Mr. Home.
On further questioning he said
that, in his opinion, the jobbing busi-
ness tended to reduce the price to the
retailer. ,
Mr. Floyd Home predicted a slight
decrease in the price of flour due
to the movement of the new crop,
and said that decreases were already
on the way in some grades.
During the week there was ah o
examination of retailers in a number
of lines, especially shoes.
Most of the dealers examined
blamed the high price to the manu-
facturer, but one of them, N. Levy,
said he charged a high price to keep
the trade from going somewhere else
to buy; that the nublic exnected to
pav a high price and didn't want tha
product without it, in many cases.
Among the shoe dealers question-
ed were F. M. Chilson, Joseph Hy-
man and N. Levy.
In the course of the investigation
of the wholesale grocers a represent-
ative of the Hale-Halsell Grocery
DEATH OF r.EOKC.F. THOMAS
R ESI L I S I S
Frances Caterton. Buster Yunctint
and Rnbt. B. Fltinari Named
in Warrants Issued.
Frances ('ate it on and Robert B.
Flanury were arrested this week near
Rock Pen, in the northern part of
the county, charged with knowlelge
of the facts concerning the death of
George Thomas, who wa.- found dead
in a pasture near his home east of I
Crowder, July 13. Buster Yancune,
also of that neighborhood, is includ- j
ed in the complaint, an<| warrant foi
hi- arrest has been i . ut had cast by The Guardian, that there will
not been served up to Thin day of b< straight party tickets in the mun-
this week. \ ancunc .. ,| ,. iv ieipal election field, when the time
been the last man to arrives for the primary, Sept. 9.
alive, so fai as known, and the oth Whether it is best or not is an-
ers are declared to 11\■ : i w , other question, but anyone observ-
him en the da> or near the da> of ant of politics in any section of any
his death. The warrants were is- country anywhere knows that such
sued on complaint - filed in the court situations as now face McAlester al-
of Judge W. A. Treadwell b\ J. (i. most universally resolve themselves
Tucker, of Crowder, who.-, family is into a straight party fight for gov-
related to the family of the dead j einmental control, whether city,
man. county, state or national.
Thomas had attended a neighbor The fu.-ion theory is alright, but
hood dance on Saturday night, an.i when it gets down to the crux of the
the last seei; of him, -o fa. as re case, both sides generally thresh out
ports go, was on the following Sun- a ticket and put it in the field,
day about 10 o'ciock. His body was Much confusion ha- already re-
found the fololwing Wedm -day by a . ilted with regard to the men named
younger brother, about a mile from on the fusion ticket, some of them
the home. His skull i said to have declining to be placed on the ballot
had an abrasion, as if struck by j except as party men, it is said.
some heavy instrument. Thursday there was a meeting of
i aterton and Flanary were roleas- a number of "straight Democrats" in
ed under $2500 bond, and their pre the district court room, at which time
liminary set lur Aug. 22, but latei a resolution was adopted calling for
postponed to Sept. 2. a the state the placing of a straight democratic
was not ready to go to trial on tre! ticket in the field. The meeting was
first date. called by W. T. Hardy, anil was at-
 — | tended by a score of well known Dem-
Company stated that Armour & Com- °crats.
pan.v's local manager attempted to Some leading Republicans have
buy a supply of rice they had on also declared that, should the fusion
hand at a price considerably in ad- '''ea abandoned, they will put _ a
vance of the local market, for ship-
ment elsewhere, but that they re-
fused to sell and held the product
for the local market at a price under
that quoted to them by Armour's.
J. A. Payne, manager of the local
Armour branch, who was later
straight ticket in the field for the
September primary.
As a climax, a meeting of friends
of the fusion ticket idea has been
called for Friday night of this week,
to determine definitely what to do in
order to save the day for the fusion
the stand, explained that the effo'-i! idea. This meeting is scheduled to
to secure local rice was in order to be held at the district court room.
fill out a car for shipment on a) A" nominations for either com-
contract which Armour & Companv missioner at large or mayor must be
had made, and was in order to secure announced by Aug. 30, ten days prior
sufficient quantity to entitle them toI to the (,ate of the primary election.
call for a ear under the federal res- I    , " "
trictions at that time. j Dow Smalley and Norman Ma-
in subsequent testimony by the Jfruder this week closed a deal with
produce jobbers there were still fin C. Hopkins, of North McAlester,
ther echoes of the rice matter, one j whereby Mr. Hopkins becomes the
jobber saying he had been approach- owner of the valuable business prop-
ed by Armour's representative who erty located on North First street
wanted to buy a large part of the and now occupied by Dunlap Bros,
rice stork he' had on hand and at j as a department store. The consid-
a price higher than the local market I eration in the deal was about $12,-
price. Ho said he thought an effort' 000. Mr. Hopkins made the purch-
had been made by Armour & Com- ase as a business investment, and
pany to corner the lice market. ; was highly pleased. He considers
So far as the inquiry generally is' investment in well placed McAles-
eoncemed, it is being made as com- J lpr business property as very de-
plete as possible within the time and sirable.
scope undertaken, and copious notes j — 
on the testimony is being taken by OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Mr. Monk, in addition to full, st.en- q O
ographic report being made by Mr. j o THE WEATHER. O
Aston, as official stenographer. ()   O
Most everybody examined has had o Reported Weekly Bv Walter O
a plausible reason, at least so far as I o T. Edwards. U. S. Weather O
he could see, for the way he did busi- O Observer, McAlester, Okla. O
ness and the prices charged, and
much of the testimony taken will un-
doubtedly have the effect of quiet-
ing various charges and counter-
charges, whether it has anv effrct on
reducing the high prices or not. It
will tend to show whether or not
these high prices are due to local
causes, so the investigators believe,
and if due to local causes, then it
will be largely up to public opinion
to force a correction.
ion j
0 0 0 0 0
OOOOOOOOOOO
Date
Rain-
State of
Aug.
IB
Max.
Min
fall
Weather
103
79
Cleat
16
101
76
Clear
17
103
67
Clear
18
102
72
.02
Pt. Cloudy
19
99
67
.15
Clear
20
98
64
Cloudy
21
89
69
2.29
Cloudy
The McAlester Trust Company
(STATE BANK)
There are several things about this bank which we
wish to impress and which we are entitled to im-
press upon the general public:
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiimiiimimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
1. It is "THE PERSONAL SERVICE BANK."
2. Its deposits are GUARANTEED under state
law.
3. It has made a special effort to serve farmers
and stockmen of Pittsburg County, and it is
especially proud of the record it has made in
this respect.
4. It is the largest STATE BANK in Southeast-
ern Oklahoma, and has ample strength to take
care of the largest business. Its personal ser-
vice extends to the smallest customer and de-
positor.
5. It pays 4 per cent interest on Time and Sav-
ings Deposits.
6. Its business has increased over one thousand
per centum under the management of its pres-
ent officers and directors, and its profits earn-
ed, dividends paid and the gradual increase in
value of its stock is substantial evidence of the
conservative and successful management of it!
affairs and interests of all—Depositors, Stock-
holders and the general public.
'Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
"IN THE HEART OF MCALESTER"
Choctaw and First
MELVEN CORNISH BEN MILLS
President Vice-President and Cashier
n