The Weekly Democrat-Chief (Hobart, Okla.), Vol. 18, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 13, 1920 Page: 1 of 10
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THE WEEKLY DEMOCRAT-CHIEF
Official Paper of Kiowa County. Largest and Oldest Bona Fide Circulation 01 any Publication in The County^
vol xyra.
HOBART, KIOWA COUNTY, THURSDAY. MAY 13. 1920.
NO. 42.
ELEVEN OF FAMILY
OF FOURTEEN DEAD
Mrs. R. M. Stevens and Ten
Children. Formerly Residents
of Roosevelt Victims of Tor-
nado at Peggs
Eleven members of the family of
R. M. Stevens, who resided last year
near Roosevelt, and were well-known
in Otter Creek township, were killed
in the tornado, Sunday night, which
razed the little town of Peggs in east-
ern Oklahoma. Mr. Stevens was in
this county last week, after his father
who is 80 years old, to take him to
Peggs to give him a home- The two
had reached Muskogee, when they
learned that two of his sons were in
a Muskogee hospital and the other
eleven members of the family of 14
were killed outright.
Of the Stevens family, only three
survive. Two of them, Charlie, 18
years old, and Homer, 5 years old,
are in a Muskogee hospital with frac-
tured skulls and broken bodies. The
other is the father.
A partial list of the members of the
family killed follows:
N. Stevens.
Roscoe Stevens.
Sam Stevens.
Mary Stevens.
Forbes Stevens.
Roy Stevens.
Baby Stevens.
John Stevens.
Mrs. Stevens.
Mr. Stevens is quoted as saying: *^1
was taking my father home," he said
today. "He had an excellent home in
Roosevelt with my sister but I want-
ed him to live with me. I had lots
of children to take care of him.
I haven't any home now—I guea 1*11
have to send him back."
The family farmed a tract of land
near Roosevelt in 1919.
SALES TAX PLAN IS
ABANDONED BY 6.O.P.
Republicans. With Only Fifty
Avowed Supporters, Back lTp
on Method of Raising Money
for Soldier Bonus
SERES HISSED
01IWO HIS
Roy Smallwood Gets Five Years
for Adultery, and Pierce
Draws Sentence of Four Years
for Bigamy—Both to Appeal
RED CROSS MIXED
Ml FOR URGE
Home Service Section of Chap-
ter to Co-Operate With De-
partment in Bringing Sol-
diers' Bodies Home
District court reconvened Monday
morning after a recess from last
Thursday, and Judge Edwards pass-
ed sentences on the two men convict-
ed last week, and adjourned court un-
til Mondky morning, May 17.
Roy Small wood, convicted of adult-
ery. was sentenced to serve a prison
term of 5 years. Walter V. Pierce
found guilty by a jury of bigamy,
drew a four year term at Granite. In
both cases the juries could not agree
on the punishment of these men and
left it to the court to fix their sen-
tences.
Attorneys for the defendants both
gave notices of appeal and appeal
bond* were fixed at $1000 in each
case.
Hibert Gipson, broughe here from
Oklahoma City last week, on
charge of stealing an automobile was
arraigned before Judge Edwards and
took 24 hours to plead.
Washington, May 8.—Republican
leaders of the house have abandoned
their plans to raise the necessary rev-
enue* for a soldier bonus through ap-
plication of a tax on sales. With not
more than fifty avowed supporters
among the republican majority, the
sales tax plan has gone down to de-
feat.
Until the republican leaders in the
house are convinced that the sales tax
would not place most of the burden
of the government upon the poor and
middle classes, no consideration will
be given to sales tax suggestions.
Now thhat they have been driven
from the demand for a consumption
tax, the republican leaders are pro
posing various compromises which
might assist in the enactment at this
session of congress of soldier legisla-
tion. It is the conviction, however
of members of the house in general
and republican leaders in particular
that the legislation cannot and will
not be passed through both the house
and senate by June; that the soldiers
must be contented with promises in
the republican platform to be adopt-
ed at Chicago.
Democratic leaders are for a bonus
and are willing to assist in putting
through the legislation if the repub-
licans, who are in control and there-
fore responsible, will only make a sin-
cere attempt to write sane legislation,
and will not place an undue burden
on the poor and middle classes and
protect the rich.
Defeat of soldier bonus legislation
at this session of Congress can be
charged to the demand of the "Old
Guard" republicans that a sales tax
be levied to provide the revenue. For
years, men with the theories that a
tax should be equalised among all per
sons hsve insisted on the sdoption of
a sales tax. Their only argument
that the poor would not carry the
greatest burden is that the rich pur-
chase considerably more than the poor
and that the rich, paying a tax on
each purchase, would pay a greater
tax on his greater purchases.
This argument has received the
answer thst if the owners of Stsndard
Oil buy a loaf of bread they pay no
more tax on this bread than the poor
p«y-
Those who have opposed the de-
mand for a sales tax insist that the
rich should psy in proportion with
their wealth. They take the position
that a man with anl income of $600.-
000 a year can better pay a tax of 80
par cent, on this income, and still
have $100,000 left, than to tax a $1.-
000 income.
id insistence that the sales tax
be adopted brought about the situa-
tion which now confronts the bonus
legislstion, a situation which does not
look favorable for the soldiers. Re
peated demands were made by the
friend's of a bonus that no plan for
taxation on sales be reported but
publican members of the ways and
means committee refused to abandon
the sales tax plan. They insisted and
finally, in order to protect the poor
a small group of insurgent republi-
cans joined with the democrats in the
house in defeating the plan tempo
rarily at least, and in doing so they
have been commended in letters and
telegrams received from the soldiers
thrmselvs.
The Home Service Scction of the
Kiowa County Chapter of the Red
Cross may be asked to cooperate with
the War Department in connection
with the return of the bodies of Amer
icai> soldiers killed' in action oversas,
according to advices received recent-
ly by Red Cross officials here from
Southwestern divisional headquarters
at St. Louis.
As soon as the time of arrival of
the bodies is known the War Depart-
ment will notify the next of kin and
the Red Cross. This information will
be .transmitted to the proper Red
Cross chapter which will be asked to
render appropriate aid as Ik final ser-
vice to those men who gave their lives
for their country. The services the
Kiowa County Chapter of the Red
Cross will be called' upon to render
will depend! upon whether or not any
remains of men from this vicinity are
returned.
A situation arose recently that
made clear the necessity for the co-
operation that has been worked out.
In this instance, because ef a change
of address, relatives failed to receive
from the War Department the offi-
cial notice of the return of a slain son.
Upon being apprised by newspapers
of the scheduled arrival, the family
applied to the Red Cross in the emer-
gency for information as to time of
landing, requesting help in matters
incident to burial arrangements.
It is expected that by the new plan
of the War Department, Red Cross
Home Service Sections will be
to get in touch with all relatives to
whom the message is of vital import
ance, far enough in advance to allow
sufficient time for the completion of
all arrangements for burial.
DODD CHARGE HELD
UNBAILABLE OFFENSE
♦ -j if
District Judge Edwards Denied
Bond to Defendant Charged
With Murder, After Showing
Made by Defease
After a hearing f hich lasted thru
two sessions of the district court,
Judge Thomas A. Edwards Thursday
morning, denied George W. Dodd bail
holding that the evidence introduced
in a hearing on a writ of h E eas
corpus, was insufficient to justify a
bond in the case. Dodi is charged
with murder, in connection with the
death of aMrshall T. Brooks, at Moun
tain View April 26.
County Attorney Hayes and his as-
sistant, Calvin T. Bass assisted by
Judge J. R. Tolbert, retained to as-
sist in the prosecution, handled the
state's side of the esse, while Atty.
Thos. W. Conner represented the de-
fendant.
At Dodd's preliminary hearing last
week, Squire Hunter denied bail,
when an examination was waived,
preferring to let the matter go before
Judge Edwards. The case was reach-
ed Wednesday afternoon and continu-
ed over until Thursday morning. Some
testimony was introduced, and the
case was submitted with argument.
The defense excepted to the ruling of
the court, and atated they would con-
sult over taking the writ to the crim-
inal court of appeals and report to
the court when it re-convenes Mon-
day morning their decision.
CONSTABLE RETURNS
ALLEGED CAR THIEF
Constable John Lindsay returned
Friday evening from Oklahoma City
with Herbert Gibson, wanted here n
a charge of stealing a Ford automo
bile from F. W. Walker, who lives
east of Mountain View.
It is alleged Gibson first stole the
caf at Tipton, sold it to Walker, war
ed a week and stole it again. In the
deal Walker is out a car, $125 and
has only a watch in return. In a<
dition to this he posted a reward of
5200, $100 for the capture of the
thief and $100 for the return of the
EX-SOLDIER NAMED DEPUTY
County Treasurer R. L Kelsay r.n*
appointed C. I* Thompson of Snyde \
as deputy in his office. Mr. Thomp-
son started in on his work Mondav
morning. Mr. Thompson was with
TWO MORE CHARGED
WITH CATTLE THEFT
Joe Staley and John Smith were
arrested at Mountain View Friday, by
Undersheriff Gann and Deputy Sher-
iff Hartzog, and brought here and ar-
raigned on a charge of stealing a cow
from T. C. Evatt of Saddle Mountain
Both entered pleas of rot guilty be-
fore Squire Hunter. Staley's bond
was fixed at $2000, which he gave.
Smith, who is only 1C year3 oid, was
released on a cash bond of $1000.
CREDITED WITH JAIL TIME
GOOD ROODS TOPIC
OE lions' KE1IIE
Rev. Don H. LaGrone Elected
Representative to Federated
Convention to be Held in Den
ver Next July
On account of the P. C. D. conven
tion opening here Tuesday, the Lions
club held their regular weekly lunch
eon Monday «.t the Nash hotel, knd s
side from receiving comnuttee repor t
the meeting was turned into a good
roads discission, with U'.lUs by J. L.
Bu-ke. F E. Gillespie and C. O
Keiger.
Don H. LaGrone, secretary of the
club, was elected delegate to the Fed
eration of Lions Clubs, which meet'-
in annual convention in Denver, Jul>
14, 15 nnd 16
H. II. Hoover, was toast master
and reported on the progress towrr,
securing a night train to nnd from
Oklahoma City over the Rock Island
The outlook is promising toward
curing this additional service over the
Chickasha-Mangum Branch
The committee appointed to lease a
tract of land on Elk Creek for o pic
nic ground, reported progress and was
instructed to continue us work and
report back to the next meeting.
CARES FOR «41 . 00 MEN
There are 641,900 veterans of the
world war dependent on the bounty
of the United States for future exist
ence at annual co«t of $.;25,000,000
according to Dr. W. C. Rucker, chief
medical adviser of the bureau of war
risk insurance. He reported that
number dischnrped from the army
and navy with disabilities. The fig
ures. said to represent the first au
thentic tabulation, were made public
tndny by the committee for aid to
abled veterans arid referendum on the
bonus.
Doctor Rucker's report showed nt
least 76,588 cns?« of neuro-phychiat
Lindsay Harlow, of Devol, hild
in the county jail here more thsn
three weeks, went before Judgo Car-
penter in the county oourt, Monday.
and withdrew his plea of not guilty
and plead guilty to transporting ric disease among the dissbled dis
liquors. He was fined $50 snd sen- charged men. There are 46,310 case*
tenced to serve 30 days in jail.
Harlow's father was here, and in-
terceded in behalf of his son with th<*
court, pleading to be allowed to take
the sixth marines at Chateau-Thierry: him home as ths wife and mother was
and other notable engagements par-{ill. Ho was credited with the time he to make 641,900, which is believed to
ticipated in by tin mariens in the spent in jail awaiting trial and was be tha maximum number discharged
allowed to go home with hia parent, with disability."
WOMEN OF HOBART
VOTE EXCESS LEVY
More Than Two-Thirds of Votes
Cast in Special Election Held
Friday. Were by Members of
Gentler Sex
Hobart women exercised their
right to equal suffrage Friday in the
special election called by the Hobart
board of education to vote an excess
of 10 mills over the statutory 5 mill
levy for the operation of the Hobart
public schools, thus insuring increases
in the salary of the teachers and a
nine months term of school.
Out of the .106 votes cast, more
than to-thirds of them were by wo-
men, according to election officials.
Little publicity was given the special
election, and those in favor of the
excess levy started in early and work-
ed diligently all day. Many women
assumed the responsibility of getting
out a representative vote.
The election was held at the fire
station, and only one polling place
was used for the four city wards and
the outlying district.
Two-hundred and eighty-five votes
favored the excess levy, and only 21
voted against the proposition. Ten
of the negative votes were cast by
women, election officials declare.
Hobart voters have never failed to
cast their ballots in favor of an in-
creased levy for the schools.
PIERCE CONVICTED
OF BIGAMY CHARGE
Two Women Both Claiming to
be Married to Same Man Tes-
tify in Case—One for State,
Other for Defendant
James Riley of Lone Wolf, was in
town Mondsy.
The dearand far Bull tickets is above what we had hoped-
We think this a|*aks well Cor the community as it indicates th
great interest in better Live Stock.
Shorthorn, (Victory Sultan) should be here in a few days.
John A. Stewart has charge of "YouH Do."
Ask Carder about them, each will go as a gift to some cui
A (/ . . ' HAM* /V A C'< 1 '/ ' A yeV <V
CITY BANK
HOBART,
OKLAHOMA
EvCCO 0«M
'mo FOR BIGMNT
George E. Jones Held at Quanah
Texas, for Officers Here—Al-
leged to Have Two Living
Wives—Married Here May 1
SEELS STOLER OHIO
UNO THEN STOLE OR
Herbert Gibson Alleged to Have
Sold Machine to F. W. Walk-
er and Waits a Week and
Takes it Again
A Fcrd enr, alleged to have fce?r
tolen from F. W. Wulker, four mile?
east of Mourtai i View, lost Sun.iaj
night, has been recovered in Oklaho-
ma, and Herbert Gibson, from wlioni
Walker purchased the car is under
arrest.
Walker claims he traded a car snd
gave $125 difference for this auto and
JOKES Run
00 BIBMOT GHHR6E
Man Alleged to Have at Least
Two living Wives Enters A
Plea of Not Guilty Before
Squire Hunter
Walter V. Pierce, held in the county
jail since early last month on a
charge of bigamy, was tried in the
district court Wednesday, and found
guilty as charged in the information.
The jury left the punishment to be
meted out to Pierce to the discretion
of the court.
The defendant did not deny his
plural marriages, but based his de-
fense on the fact that between April
15 and 25, 1919 his first wife in Ne-
braska, he alleges wrote him that she
would not leave her folks at Broken
Bow, Nebr., for the best man
earth, and that she had divorced him
and never wanted to hear from his
again.
Wife No. 1, who was Miss Elva
Gier, until her marriage to Pierce
Nebraska on May 14, 1917, with her
child and father, appeared in the
court room, Constable John Lindsay
having gone to Nebraska last week
inducing them to come here and tes
tify on behalf cf the state. Soon af-
ter she was put on the stand Pierce's
attorney moved to strike out her tes-
timony for the reason that a wife
cannot testify against her husband,
unless a crime has been committed a
gainst her. The jury was sent f^om
the room, while the point was argued
The court overruled the motion and
she was allowed to testify. She con
firmed her marriage to Pierce, which
was not denied by the defense. An
uncertified marriage certificate was
also introduced as evidence by the
state.
Pierce went on the stand, and made
an ideal witness for himself. He wss
well posted as to dates, and was not
confused on cross examination. He
testified he went various places and
secured work, and that his wife would
not come to him. He also says he
sent her money on several occasions
This she denied with the exception of
one time when he sent her $35.00.
Pierce told of his whereabouts fron-
the time he left his wife in Nebraska
until his second marriage here and
his arrest and lodgment in the county
jail on a charge of bigamy.
The defendant did not inquire of
the Nebraska courts to see if his
first wedding was annulled by di-
vorce, but relied entirely on the state
ment he alleges Wife No. 1 made in
her letter. This letter he claims he
lost, as well as money order receipts
for money he claima he sent her.
Wife No. 2, who was Miss Sussn
B. Bristow of Roosevelt, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Bristow, a prom-
inent family of Roosevelt, went on
the sUnd in behalf of her husband.
She testified Pierce told her prior to
their marriage here on February 2,
that he was divorced from Wife No. 1
She also stated that the consent of
her parents to her marriage was not
secured by Pierce at her request.
They came to Hobart unattended and
went to the county clerk, secured a
marriage license and were married
by Judge Hunter.
Several witnesses were used by the
defense to prove Pierce's good char
acter, since his residnce in Kiows
county, dsting back to last December
George E. Jones, SI years old, is in
jail ut Quanah, Texas, and is wanted
here on a charge of bigamy. It is
not known whether be will return
without requisition papers or not.
Deputy Sheriff John McDonald of
Snyder, went to Quanah Thursday to
if Jones would return. He is a
Frisco brakeman.
Undersheriff W. T. Gann was ad-
vised by Deputy McDonald Wednes-
day evening to arrest a man named
Jones, on this division of the Frisco,
believed to be the one wsnted. The
officer went to the station when the
north bound local pulled in and took
W. G. Jones into custody. Later how-
ever, one of the other Jones' wives
was called on the long distance tele-
phone, and her description did not fit
the Jones held here. However, his
train hsd gone on and left him, and
he went to the jail and remained all
night the guest of Sheriff C. R. Lee
and Thursday rejoined the crew when
they went south.
After discovering the Jones here
was not the man wanted, Mr. McDon-
ald telephone to Quanah and had the
other man arrested on his arrival
there.
It is charged that he was married
here May 1 to Miss E. B. Vaughn, 25
years old, and at the time had an-
other wife living at El Reno. Her
maiden name was Eula Coffer and it
is slleged he was married to her Feb-
ruary 28, 1918. It is also stated that
he was married prior to either of
these weddings in Nebraska, but it is
not known whether the first wife is
desd or divorced.
George E. Jones, Fr'sco brnkeman,
arrested Wednesday night at Quanah
Texas, on a charge of bigamy, waiv-
ed reiuisition and wes brought to Ho-
bart Fridny morning by Constable
Dee Griffin of Snyder.
The d< frnlant wus taken before
Squire Hunter and arraigned on the
He entered a plea of
charge. He entered a plea of not
small watch from Gibson, about a! guilty. and his prelimi?v ry examina-
week liefore it was stolen. It is now tion was set down for hearing, Tues-
disclosid that the car Gibson traded day. May 11. Bond was fixed at $2,-
Walker was stolen n few days before 000.
at Tipton by Gibson, so it appears | It is alleged that Jones wss mar-
Walker will be out one perfectly good ried here May 1, to Miss E. B. Vaughn
automobile ar.d 125 good, hard earn- of Snyder, and at the time had an- list twenty stations which will be
ed American dollars, as the Tipton 'other wife at El Reno. One of the given the privilege to send correction
owner is claiming rightful possession wives was here Friday. (reports by wire, if any marked change
in the westher occurs after the regu
SIU PRICES CUT
MC 10 02 0 IMO
Chicago Jobber Says Every wtat
Merchant Should
Stock—Price Drop oa
With Cotton Goods
Chicago, May 7.—Following the ex-
ample of the house of John Wana-
maker, in the East, the Morris Woolf
Silk Company of Chicago, Said to ha
the largest silk jobbing concern in the
United States, announced selling to
the retail trade of 3,000,t00 yards a#
bolt silk at reductions in prim rang-
ing from 50c to more than 92 a ysrd.
While other Chicago merchsadia
I in various lines are advertising
cuts in prices on standard goods, this
was the largest and most important
announcement to tha retail trade in
more than three years of pyramiding
WEATHER BUREAU TO
GET ROAD REPORTS
Oklahoma City, May 8.—Daily
weather reports on conditions of th.
roads throughout the entire state will
be available at the United States
weather office within two weeks, ac-
cording to J. P. Slaughter, meteor-
log ist
Slaughter has received a complete
list of forty-eight cities in the state
where reporters have been obtained
by R. A. Singletary, manager of the
Oklahoma Good Roads association
to make reports to the office here.
Singletary and Slaughter nre to
meet immediately and pick from the
NO MORE JURY CASES
of tul«erculosis; 75,000 surgical cases
62,R<'i9 eye, ear, nose and throat, and
22,847 miscellaneous.
"To the abovo figures," ssid Doctor
Rucker, "should be sdded enough men
of the car. Sheriff Lee has hopes of
recovering the car Walker traded to
Gibson.
Constable John Lindsay went to
Oklahoma City Thursday afternoon
after Gibson, and will bring him the present term of the district court,
back for arraignment on a charge of on account of the court fund being ex-
grand larceny. | hnusted, Judge Edwards announced
| Thursday, just before returning to
MARRIAGE LICENSE RECORD Cordell.
I Thursday morning Judge Edwnrds
Leo C. Thur, 22 years old and Miss recessed until Monday. On his re-
Hanna Schreinor, 18 years old, both turn only enses that do not need a
of Lons Wolf. 'jury will bo hoard.
liar mail report hn« been sent.
______ I Reporters for the Centra! route of
I RESENT IOLRT TERM the Osark Trail and Star highways,
'are as follows:
There will bo no more jury cases
According to Morris Woolf, presi-
dent of the compsny bearing his
name, with this selling, silks are rel-
atively lower in price than cotton
goods, which will force an early
slashing of cotton prices.
"Silk prices are the last to go up
and the first to go down," snid Mr.
Woolf.
"For this reason they are a pretty
good barometer of other markets.
We hsve placed these goods on sale
at great reductions, taking losses on
them. Wo are liquidating stocks,
which is something every wise mer-
chandiser is doing now or will be do-
ing shortly.
"Raw silk now costs $18 a pound
where it was $5 a pound in 1914.
"A normal price with a fair profit
to the Japanese producer would bo
$9 a pound," said the merchant. "R' w
silk is 100 per cent, too high. The silk
itself is only about one-third of the
total coat of the finished fabric.
"If more people throughout the
country would make the same experi-
ment and would offer large stocks of
standard merchandise ut far less than
the market price there is no doubt
but that the entire country would he
benefitted."
W. H. Kuder, Gotebo.
John Butler, Taloga.
D. S. Wolfinger, Hobart.
I. U. Smith, Clinton.
A. B. Colbath, Anadarko.
H. C. Jones, Carnegie.
H. T. Wanxor, Mountain View.
Dr. F. Dinkier, Fort Cobb.
J. C. Rickerts, Chickasha.
TO GRAND LOIKiE
A. O. Romine, grand keper of tee-,
ords and seal of the Knights of Pyth
ins, and L. V. Goodson, representative
from Hobart Lodge No. 40, nnd *
member of the grand lodge fiaaac-
committee, went to Oklahoma City
Saturday, and next week will attend
the annual sessions of the grand lodge
Hotel in Buffalo, N. Y.
bonds ot eacn,
chargc.
IMov on eacn |
CUM. Th«r Is
fcw.onvnan
1 Moss,
11.60 per
Lomafty.
Phone
4-2 -w3t
3. H P
3t |
mono KW'A J. M. uoldtrap. s
5-6-W3U Til
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The Weekly Democrat-Chief (Hobart, Okla.), Vol. 18, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 13, 1920, newspaper, May 13, 1920; Hobart, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc185050/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.