Latimer County News-Democrat (Wilburton, Okla.), Vol. 28, No. 48, Ed. 1 Friday, July 16, 1926 Page: 1 of 6
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Oklahoma citt omi '
Hlitoricni Society
-1-'- --
i
A
t
Rock Island Fireman
Killed Here Monday
V Charles Pryor age 40 extra fire-
man on the California Limited due
in Wilburton at 10:22 a m was
instantly killed Monday morning at
the bridge east of Lutie when he
was leaning from a window observ-
ing a steam pipe which had not
been working good This was the
second trip for pryor on this divi-
sion and it is thought he was not
very familiar with the bridge’s lo-
cation The ’ bridge is on a curve and
when Engineer William Martin
looked over to Pryor for signals
he saw his fellow workman fall to
the floor of the cab he left the
throttle for a moment it is thought
and making a hasty examination
and finding the body lifeless he
brought his train to a standstill
He summoned the train crew and
after a conference the train bear-
ing his body was brought into Wil-
burton Here the body was re-
moved to the baggage conch and
word was received from Pryor’s
relatives at Shawnee to remove the
body to Hartshorne This was done
and the body was prepared for
shipment to Shawnee
An examination of the bridge by
Agent W E Brown and trainmen
was made in the afternoon An
engine of like size and make was
taken to the bridge and measure-
ments taken It was found that the
distance from the cab window to
the side of the steel bridge was
: exactly two feet A trainman took
' the position of fireman and leaned
out of the cab window far enough to
see the pipe which it is thought
Pryor was inspecting The engine
moved forward slowly and it was
demonstrated that the man’s head
would come in contact with a beam
just at a point where a greasy spot
was found and it was concluded
that it was in this manner that
Pryor met his death
Besides his parents wife and
eight year old daughter Louis Pryor
is survived by a sister Mrs Arthur
Larson He is survived also by
three brothers Josh of Bakersville
Calif Fred of Cedar Rapids Iowa
and another in Amarillo Texas two
sisters one in Tulsa and the other
in Texas
Pryor realized the danger of the
bridge for two days ago be told
his wife “he better watch out
there”
Pryor was transferred to the
"California” train Saturday The
“run” Monday was his second
He was an elder in the Church
of Christ at Shawnee and highly
active in church activities He was
affiliated with several fraternal or-
ganizations there it was said
In railroad circles the man had
’a large number of friends He was
---at one time employed in the Rock
Island shops
“He was a good church worker
and man” was the way friends
characterized the railroad man in
discussing the tragedy
To Hear Robertson
Quite a number of Robertson
supporters are going to motor to
McAlester Saturday night to hear
J B A Robertson speak in the in-
terest of his candidacy for Governor
Robertson has quite a number of
supporters here
Cattle And
Hogs to Market
John Shaw shipped a car load
of hogs to Kansas City last week
and for the hogs he received from
ten to fourteen and one-holf cents
per pound The cattle brought h'm
five and one-half cents tp six cents
On the same train Joe Kennigan
shipped two cars of cattle which
brought five and one-half cents
Boy Scouts Go Home
The more than a hundred Boy
Scouts with their dreetors and in-
structors broke camp at Deep Hole
' Monday morning and went to their
- t several homes in a dozen different
' communities
Mr McMullen stated that th’s was
the most satisfactory camp'ng ex-
pedition he ever had anything to
'i do with He regretted that th?
' poor road forbade them camping in
the shadow of the pave and he is
lookihg forward to the time when
- the encampment will be had on the
' Scout’s own property three miles
further north and up Fourche -vMr
McMullen also stated that he
- never had better cooperation from
I ’local men than he had here Every-
' ' ‘thing asked or hihted for was done
I with a wil'ing spirit and he ex-
pressed a delight that the camp site
i to be located near 'a community
where the people are- so kind and
friendly
The future camping ground will
be at the cave The 120 acres to
be donated to the organization by
I J E Little Carlton Weaver and
other citizcnS of Wilburton will be
surveyed this week and an engineer
1 from the State Highwy Department
is expected here within a few day
" to locate the ’ route for the road
to this ground Wilburton 's d"s-
tim'd to become the center of Boy
Scout Camping activities ’
Scout Camp Is
Closed Monday
After havlijg been inspected by
the Choctaw Council board and re-
ceiving their official approval the
first boy scout encampment in
Southeastern Oklahoma came to a
close Monday
More than 150 boys attended the
camp at Deep Ford north of
Wilburton during the week 83 of
whom were registered
W H McMullen scout executive
for Choctaw council reports that in
many respects it is the best encamp-
ment he has ever assisted in Not
a single accident occurred during
the stay at camp and there was no
sickness The boys appeared eager
to learn and obeyed orders readily
Practically every boy in camp
raised his rank or earned merit
badges Some boys entered the
camp as tenderfoot scouts and were
raised to first-class scouts after
taking examinations
At the court of honor held Sun-
day night with Gould Bryan and
Victor Buell of McAlester and
Judge W Ci Farmer of Wctumka
presiding 53 merit badges for scout-
ing were given to first-class scouts
in the camp
Sunday morning three Sunday
school classes of fifty boys each
were conducted by the Rev H W
Hunter of McAlester Rev J L
Welcetka and J F Reidt of Mc-
Alester A meeting of the boy scout camp
committee was held Monday at
which time plans for pushing the
construction of the permanent boy
scout encampment were made
One hundred and twenty acres of
ground will be donated by the citi-
zens of Wilburton to the scout coun-
cil and will be surveyed at once
and the camp site mapped out The
campsite will be just adjacent to
Robbers Cave Fifteen hundred and
sixty acres will be leased to the
scout council by the grand com-
mission for use in encampment
Construction of a road from Wil-
burton to the Robbers Caves will
be started August 1 The admisis-
traiion buildings and mess halls of
the camp will be constructed by
the Choctaw council and each city
in the council which embraces prac-
tically all of southeastern Oklaho-
ma will build its own permanent
camp:
The camp houses will be built of
p!ne logs cut on the grounds which
will give the whole encampment a
“rustic” effect
Thursday Scout Executive McMul-
len and Frank Graham his assis-
tant will leave for Okmulgee to
attend the regional scout conference
of southern Oklahoma
Unfortunate
It is unfortunate to see so
much division in the Governor’s
race It would be better to see
the Robertson-Cargill froces
unite in a common opposition
to H S Johnson who recently
became prominent in Demo-
cratic circles through the help
and support of N C Jewitt a
Republican Dragon and Ed
Semans whose name has been
linked more than once in ques-
tionable political conduct The
best way on earth for the Dem-
ocratic party in Oklahoma to
divorce the Klan from politics
and to repudiate H W Evans
and his Republican Dragons
throughout the United States
is to defeat Henry S Johnson
for the nomination on August
3rd
Some Democratic Klansmen
tell us that the Klan matter
should be forgotten that it is
not an issue how and advise
silence but we must remember
that it has not been very long
since Hiram Evans the Klan
General came to Oklahoma
and paid great and "glowing
tributes to Senators Harrell
and Pine Yes the way to kill
the Klan issue in Oklahoma
politics is to defeat the Klan
candidate or the cand:date who
:s receiving the support of the
Klan “bitter enders” :
Fitzparick Here
v -
Kirby Fitzpatrick Ardmore law-
yer and cand date for Attorney Gen-
eral was here Tuesday afternoon
and spoke to a small crowd of
voters on Main Street Kirby offers
his record as a friend of the com
mon peonle as a recommendation
to the voters in this contest
More Fain-
The b’g rain Monday n’ght was
not needed but it w'll mean fewe
nubbins and more Mg ears of corn
Owners of hog and w’ld-cnt still-
are rejoicing - It assures a big turn
out of whiskey and pork
We do First Class Job Printing
' X '
Craig Is Dead As
' Result of Sudden
Illness Wednesday
McAlester July 15— Frank Craig
former banker and pioneer resident
of McAlester who attained national
recognition in Masonic ranks and
for the past few years held the post
of Soverign Grand Inspector Gen-
eral of Scottish Rite Masonry in
Oklahoma died at 1:30 o’clock
Wednesday -
The extreme critical condition of
Mr Craig from the time of his en-
try into Albert Pike hospital Sun-
day was the cause of alarm to his
family and friends An emergency
operation had been necessary ow-
ing to the condition in which the
patient was suffering with an at-
tack of acute appendicitis His bat-
tle for life proved a losing one as
his system wns unable to throw off
the poisons that local conditions
set up prior to the operation : ?
Mr Craig was soverign grand in-
spector general of Scottish Rite Ma-
sonry in Oklahoma having been
elevated to this pluce in October
1923 He was ranked as a deputy
for a short while this honor of
Scottish Rite Masonry having been
conferred in October 1921 The
rnnk of 33rd degree was attained in
1907 when Craig was one of the
first Oklahomans to be advanced
to that circle
Craig was born at Ghent Ken-
tucky April 29 1870 Prior to com-
ing to Indian territory in 1898 he
resided with his parents at Vevoy
Indiana and for a period of time
after leaving the Hoosier state he
dwelt in Wichita Kansas It was
there he commenced his Masonic
career
When Mr Craig came to (South)
McAlester he was a lawyer by pro-
fession and he entered into part-
nership with W E Browne Only
a short time in this line occupied
his attention for the formation of
a bank drew Craig from law books
to active banking business The
City National Bank founded at that
time existed until very recently
when consolidation merged it with
the McAlester Trust Company Since
this merger his undivided attention
was given to the office of Inspector
General and with both the consis-
tory in McAlester and at Guthrie
under his supervision the duties
kept him busily occupied
Mr Cra:g is survived by his wife
and one sbn Albert Pike Craig
The mother of Mr Craig was sum-
moned from Indiana by news of
his critical illness and accompanied
by her daughter Miss Eveline Craig
endeavored to reach the bed-side
before death
The Masonic fraternity in Okla-
homa found Frank ‘ Cratig indefa-
t gable laborer in its cause He en-
tered the Scottish Rite order early
‘n its work in the state and at
Guthrie in April 1902 received
the 32nd degree
When the Indian Consistory was
organized in (South) McAlester Mr
Craig was elected venerable master
and he was retained in this position
until his election as inspector gen-
eral necessitated turning the office
to another
During all of his residence in
McAlester he was active in promo-
tion of c'vic matters und had a
voice in the solution of problems
shaping the destines of the early
settlement here
Until suddenly stricken last Sat-
urday Craig had been enjoying ap-
parently good health and news
Monday of his sudden entry into
Alb-rt Pike hospital was a distinct
shock to h!s friends especially when
bulletins authorized by his attend-
ants indicated that the condition of
the patient was very critical — Mc-
Alester News Cap'tal
County Politics
Warming Up
Politics in Latimer' County is
warning up some -
Candidates for county office are
now in the woods talking to the
voters Supporters of the sev-
eral candidates for governor are
also appearing on beha'f of their
cand'dates At Higg ns Wednesday
n'ght Jeff Thurston and John Shaw
held a real lively and interesting
d bate on the gubernatorial contest
Thurston spoke for Cargill and
Shaw spoke for i Robertson Ob-
servers say that these two politi-
cians may develop into big attrac-
t'ons before hte campaign closes
Mrs Loonev and
Jess Harper Here
N v v -
Mrs Looney candidate for Sen-
ator was in Wilburton Thursday
n'ght and spoke to a small crowd
on the street that ev-ning Jess
Harper esnd’date for Congress on
Democratic t cket was also in
Wilburton that evening and while
not billed to speak he followed
Mrs Looney and made a stout cam-
na’gn talk in he :nterest of Ms
candidacy' He took -issue with
Corgres'msn Carter on the contents
of the Carter 'and bill and Insisted
that th’s measure would (ontinue
the tax burden on the tax payers
of the Choctaw and Ch'ckasaw na-
ions We do First Class Job Printing
Boy Scouts Get
Full Pleasure
( Out of Camping
Boy Scout Camp Latimer County—
July 9— Presiding over little city
all his own W H McMullen scout
executive for the Choctaw Council
reports that he is now having the
best boy scout encampment at
Cooper’s Ford in Latimer County
that it has ever been his pleasure
tq assist in i
'Thursday while the boys were
scattered like ants over all the sur-
rounding territory a visitor voiced
the question as to whether or not
it is safe to have the boys running
apout and is it not impossible to
keep a check upon them -
V McMullen stated that he could
locate everybody in the camp with-
in five finutes and upon a wager
being made blew a shrill blast on
his whistle Within two and a
quarter minutes every boy in the
encampment was standing at atten-
tion beside his patrol leader in front
of his tent The boys swarming
into the campgrounds looked like
ionic invading army charging a
home dinner table the visitor re-
ported - Of high interest in the camp is
a secret order known as the
“Cheat” which has sprung up and
it is reported that three McAlester
boys have been initiated into its
mysteries The evidence is a small
flag shield which they were wearing
but they refuse to divulge any of
the mysteries of the order It is
rumored however that the neces-
sary qualification for entrance lie:
in having volunteered to assist
some other boy in scout work
which he doesn’t understand The
first inkling the selected candidate
has of his being chosen is when
someone grasps (sis left toe at mtd-
n’ght and whispers for him to
dress at once and follow the masked
emisaries A banquet is - found
awaiting for him
Of the eleven patrols of 84 boys
in camp there is only one who
complains and worr’es anu this
young man is constancy approach-
ing the officials about some phase
or another which he wants changed
in the camp He is the “squidge”
who has been elected to do all the
worrying for the camp Anyone
having any compUiuLJainake or
any problem bothering him tells it
to the “squidge” and he does all
the worrying and adjusting neces-
sary Not a boy has been reported sick
nor has there occurred an accident
during the camp so far According
to Dr Chas M Pierce examining
physician the boys are a husky and
representative bunch of American
manhood
Especial precautions are taken in
the swimming pool where the
"buddy” system is used and where
there are four swimming instruc-
tors Each boy is assigned another
boy to watch and when the whistle
for checkup blows each boy grabs
his “buddy” The boys who can’t
swim are being taught how
A constant stream of visitors are
visiting the camp Among those
who have called are Mayor and
Mrs W E Beatty Mr and Mrs H
C Clark Rev Harry Shiftier and
family Judge W C Farmer of We-
toraka president of the Choctaw
Scout Council Mayor Toby and
family from McAlester and a num-
ber of others — McAlester News
Capital
Stung
The editor was stung Wednesday
Fact is he was stung three times
He acted the good Samaritan and
gave Zeke Mark a ride home and
to show his appreciation of the
ride Mr Mark took ye editor out
to his bee colony to show him the
beautiful sweet honey Mark used
the knife and the editor held the
smoke bellows The bees three of
them were mighty glad to see the
town editor and kissed him but
the kiss was from the business end
We qu t the job hurriedly and came
away singing the very popular
song “Let the Honey Bee Bet”
P M Cordell manager of the
Securities department of the South-
west Power Co was here on busi-
ness for the company Thursday
J B A ' Robertson who is to
speak in McAlester Saturday nighL
State Seeks a
Game Preserve
1 At City Doors
' McAlester July 9— With an in-
investment of 134750 in wild life by
the state game commission in pros-
pect during the next week McAles-
ter by taking prompt action in leas-
ing its watershed to the old lakes
may secure the first state ’ game
farm of importance to be used in
raising deer turkey and other game
birds and animals according to
Sam Morley head of the game com-
mission who returned to McAlester
Friday
Negotiations to secure 100 deer
500 wild turkey and 1500 bob white
partridges are now being made with
parties in Old Mexico and will prob-
ably be completed this week ' The
deer and turkey will be delivered
this fall and the partridges next
spring Mr Morley said
In case the city council of Mc-
Alester decidps to lease the 3000'
acre watershed to the state game
commission it will not interfere in
any way with the fishing in the
property The only provision would
lakes or with present usage of the
be that the man with the gun or
dog would be barred from coming
on it
The state game commission is
now contemplating starting a farm
from which deer and birds can be
raised at a much cheaper cost than
they can be purchased in the re-
stocking of Oklahoma’s wild life
A game fence 10 miles long and
from eight to nine feet high cost-
ing $20000 would be built around
the property by the state after
which bird pens for peasants wild
turkey and bob whites would be
built A fish hatchery would also
be put in operation in which black
bass and other game fist would be
propogated
Driveways through the preserve
would be established and the city
of McAlester would be able to start
a zoo at the watershed if they
wished to be run in ' connection
with the game farm
While the farm would start with
only the investment in the pens
fence and fish hatchery it will
probably become a large proposi-
tion involving an investment by the
state of many thousands dollars
within thenextfewUr years Mr
Morley predicted
Labor Tossed
Into Ash Heap
By President
Paul Smith’s N Y— July 13—
(AP) — President Coolidgc has def-
initely put aside things political during-
the period of his vacation
This was made clear Tuesday
when additional evidence was given
at the summer White House that
only urgent government business
would bepermitted to interfere with
his rest here
Mr Coolidge has no plan at pres-
ent for participating in any repub-
lican primary campaign it was
stated and expects fewer visitors
at White Lake even that were re-
ceived at Swampscott Mass last
summer
Governor Smith of New York and
Mrs Smith Tuesday-accepted an in-
vitation to luncheon Friday but as
chief executive in the state in Which
the president temporarily is resid-
ing the visit necessarily would have
a strictly social tinge even if Gov-
ernor A1 were not outstanding a
representative of the opposing
party
Whether any republican leaders
will visit the “camp” it is under-
stood will depend upon the con-
venience of such leaders Plans of
the chief executive were learned
after a visit he made to the execu-
tive offices four miles from his
camp and the second he has made
there since he came to the moun-
tains During the visit he attended
to a number of routine government
matters and received newspaper
correspondents who have accom-
panied him to the Adlrondacks
A complete rest is being enjoyed
by the president who finds time
for diversion after government busi-
ness has been attended to because
he is not occupied as in Washing-
ton by confrences With face and
hands burned by the sun and w ad
he appeared in happy mood Tues-
day an daftef attending to matters
of the executive offices returned
to his camp in the afternoon and
again tried-his hand at fishing
Casting from the foot bridge con-
necting two promontories in Lake
Osgood he disp’ayed an improve-
ment fn form which spoke much
for his practice of the past week
but unlike Monday when he landed
a pike and five trout in two fishing
excursions he caught noth'ng
The day was co'd and overcas
and after lunch Mr Coolidge re-
mained indoors resting turning
again late in the day to government
matters
He is expected to attempt another
fshingtrip soon while Mrs Cool-
idge may jo'n him as Mrs Smith
’s understood to have procured a
licence for her and plans to presen
it Friday The license the president
wears in his cap was sent him by
Governor Sm th before the president
left Washington '
Automobile Accident
On Winding Stair
An automobile accident occurred
Sunday evening at the foot of
Winding Stair - mountain when 'a
Ford coupe which was being towed
to town went over an embankment
completely demolishing the coupe
and painfully injuring the driver
John Micassick and Miss Helen
Henley
The other occupants of the coupe
were stunned but are all right now
It seems that R Sussman’s Ford
had stalled on the other side of
Winding Stair and Micassick passed
and volunteered assistance He
came into town and returned with
Pollock’s Chevrolet which was used
to tow the coupe to town Sussman
driving the Chevrolet and Micassick
guiding the Ford they came on over
the mountain nearly to the foot of
this side where they met another
car with glaring headlights Suss-
man slowed up to pass and the front
wheel of the Ford became tangled
in the chain' being used to pud the
car The result was that the Ford
went over the enbnnkmcnt Suss-
man brought the parties to town
and secured medical aid for the in-
jured r 1
It seems to be one of those un-
fortunate accidents in which no
one in particular seems to be to
blame - - However It should serve
as a warning to all autoists that
towing cars over mountain roads
is dangerous an that the utmost
care should be exercised at such
times Talihina American
John D Plays '
Birthday Golf
TARRYTOWN N Y July 8—
(AP) — A game of golf and a ride
through the Westchester hills were
the high spots Thursday in John
D Rockefeller’s observance of his
87th birthday
The day was spent for the most
part in quiet at his Pocantico Hills
estate in the company of members
of his family and friends
After a light breakfast Rockefel-
ler as is his custom retired to his
study and attended to his business
affairs Then he played his daily
game of golf the pastime he expects
to carry him to the century point
His oppbnentwas W O Inglis who
is writing his biography The score
was not made public
A light luncheon preceded his
ride through the hills Upon his
return he spent nearly an hour
reading some of the many messages
of congratulation whirh poured in
from various parts of the world
In the evening a birthday dinner
in the Rockefeller home was attend-
ed by old friends and relatives
Don’t Grunt — Let’s
Do Our Stunt
For 15 months we have carried
on for the taxpayers’ program
The total amount made available
for this work has been a little less
than $1000 per month
We have won every fight so far
— August 3rd we make our frist
“touch-down" (with No 92) — then
we kick the goal on the 1926 tax
Better safe than sorry — better do
too much than too little — 100000
“yes” majority is no more effective
than- 3 majority but one too many
silent voters will be fatal
Reading the argument for the
adoption of No 92 you will observe
that at 6 per cent the loss of interest
alone on the tax money tied up
in escrow in this one county for
one year is four times as much as
the total cost of correcting the law
so that ‘all may be protected and
ye tl find those who have grown
weary want- to lie down and give
up
We haven’t lost a battle much
less a war
Why be discouraged?
We could not have forced a vote
upon any of our measures until the
regular general election in Nover-
ber but in response to public sen-
timent the Governor has set Aug-
ust 3rd for the election on No 92
'As you will note the 8th Legis-
lature tremendously increased the
burden of those who initiate any
measure by striking from the stat-
utes the provision which requ red
such measures and the arguments
thereon to be printed in two news-
papers in each county at publ’c ex-'
pense With this done as provided
in the 1917 Session Laws we could
have felt fairly safe on No ’ -But
we -are left to carry on at our
own expense or lie down if we see
fit
Of course we will carry on: One
good pull nil together ! and we are
over the top
What can you do to help?
: - Fire ‘
‘ The residence of G P Brockett
had a narrow escape from destruc-
”on by fire Wednesday morning
when a blaze was discovered in a
te ling A faulty flue stop was the
‘muse - The fire department togeth-
er with handy neighbors prevented
a total or serious loss
Sterling Haynes at the home of
his aster Mrs J E LLtle is re-
ported as being some better
'-i 7
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Weaver, Carlton. Latimer County News-Democrat (Wilburton, Okla.), Vol. 28, No. 48, Ed. 1 Friday, July 16, 1926, newspaper, July 16, 1926; Wilburton, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1755408/m1/1/: accessed April 23, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.