Davis, Murray County

The DAVIS NEWS

February 15, 1923

Marriage Licenses

James QUINTON, 21, and Pauline BEASLEY, 18, both of Mill Creek.
Wes TAYLOR, 24, and Mary BALDWIN, 20, both of Dougherty.
Oscar JOHNSON, 27, Hamden and Viney SIMPSON, 23, Sulphur.

Won Case Against Bank
The most important case tried by jury last week before the adjournment of the district court was the case of J.C. STOCKTON versus the First National Bank of Stratford. He sued for the recovery of a $1,000.00 draft of the failed State Bank of Stratford, which the First National Bank was handling for him at the time of a failure of the state bank. The court granted a decree for the plaintiff, awarding him the $1,000.00 and interest, and $700.00 damages. He sued for $5,000.00damages. - Pauls Valley Democrat.

Trade off your old furniture for that right up to now.
HUTCHINS Bros.

Death of Rev. BLACKWOOD
It was with sadness that Davis friends learned of the death of Rev. J.G. Blackwood, which occurred at Wynnewood last Saturday morning. He had been ill for some time and was in a hospital of Oklahoma City awhile but seemed to get no better. A post morten examination showed that he had a cancer in the right side. Rev. Blackwood was a minister of the gospel about 40 years. He was pastor of the Methodist church here several years ago and was considered one of the best preachers ever stationed in our city. He was superannuated tow or three years ago, since which time he has lived in Wynnewood where he served as justice of peace. He was about 65 years of age and is survived by a wife and three grandchildren.
Judge W.N. LEWIS and O.M. WOODWARD attended the funeral at Wynnewood Sunday afternoon.

Business Change
Marvin S. GREER has sold his interest in the Greer Oil Co. to his partner and brother, L.H. GREER, who will continue the business. The company has an oil station here, handling gasoline, kerosene, etc. by wholesale and retail, and seems to be doing a splendid business. Marvin left Monday for a trip into New Mexico and Western Texas and said he would be gone three or four weeks.

Hennepin Items
The flu has still got a good grip on our community, but not so bad as it has been. Dr. MORTON reports no new cases in the last few days.

Mr. Ed LOONEY and wife have been very sick for last two weeks but are able to sit up.

Mr. and Mrs. Carl MARTIN ' s little daughter, age 17 months, died Monday, with pneumonia. They were living at Carver. The baby was brought here for burial. We extend to them our deepest sympathy.

We have been trying to guess why Mr. Melvin CLUBB has become so popular with the girls all at once, but we can't guess, unless that new Ford that he is driving around has something to do with it.

Miss Lorene CHAMBLESS and Miss Florence GREGG have just returned from Oklahoma City where they went to attend the teachers' convention. They report a nice time and enjoyed meeting many of the Oklahoma teachers.

Mr. and Mrs. B.F. LOONEY of Pauls Valley are visiting friends in Hennepin. Mr. Looney lived here several years but moved to Pauls Valley where he could give his children better school advantages.

Mr. Clarence SATTERFIELD, is visiting friends here this week, Clarence has been away quite awhile and saw many wonderful things while on his trip in the West, but is now proud to be back with old friends at Hennepin.

Quite a crowd of young folks called on Mr. Claud JOHNSON and his bride the other night and demanded the treats. Claud gladly responded with a bountiful supply of candies, oranges, apples and cigars, which was greatly enjoyed by all present. The young folks are now wishing that some of the other boys would get caught in Cupid's net.

Mr. H.G. LOONEY was taken suddenly ill last evening with appendicitis and was carried to the sanataruim at Pauls Valley. At this writing we have not heard whether he will have to under go an operation or not.

The oil well 2 1/2 miles northwest of Hennepin is still going deeper and deeper into Mother Earth. The prospect for a good well gets better each day.

Mrs. J.M. GILBERT, near whose home this oil well is being dug, is seriously itt with pneumonia.
Gilbert Family researched by Janet Sue Milam [email protected]

Mrs. J.E. WINGO was in Hennepin Monday helping the boy and girls with their club work.

February 22, 1923

A Few Things Our President Gets
Salary of $75,000 a year.
Finest home in the land, rent free.
Furnishings and maintenance of home.
Private art gallery and historic library.
Twenty-five thousand dollars for traveling expenses.
Flocks of finest automobiles and private yacht.
Private detective force and force of forty policemen.
Scores of greenhouses to provide plants and flowers for his home.
Best brass band in the world and flag that no one else may use.
Numerous secretaries, a personal physician and naval and military aides.
Finest silver and china ware and linens and chamber furnishings and draperies.
Privilege to fill his larder at the army and navy commissary, taking advantage of the reduced prices.
Service of dentists, physicians, tailors, etc., without cost and innumerable gifts from people here and from all parts of the world.
Barbers, gardeners, a clipping bureau, a private pew in church, private box in the theatre, a private room at the Union station.

Hennepin Items
Mrs. J.H. GILBERT, who was sick with pneumonia at the time of our last writing was buried a few days ago at Henepin. She was 50 years of age, and had been a member of the Baptist church for 16 years.
Gilbert Family researched by Janet Sue Milam [email protected]

Mrs. Annie POE, the proprietress of the Poe Hotel, is very sick with pneumonia. She has been very low, but Dr. MORTON reports her some better today. Dr. DUNN of Davis was called in consultation with Dr. MORTON Sunday morning.

We are anxiously awaiting the time when the flu will loosen its grip on our community, for it has been very nearly as bad as it was in 1918.

Mr. and Mrs. Joe POE, Mr. Ray GALLIGHER,  Percy MCCOLLUM, Jessie MCCARY and Miss Ocie NEAL of Dougherty were the guests of Miss Jessie MCNEILL last evening. A very enjoyable time was spent by the young folks in singing and instrumental music until 11 o'clock. At that time they departed for their home at Dougherty. Come Again.

Mr. Frank COCHRAN of Wynnewood was in Hennepin Monday evening. Mr. Cochran is manager of the Hennepin gin. We are always glad to see him for he is liked by all that know him, and speed the time when ginning season will come again so he and Mrs. Cochran will move back to stay a  few months.

Richard MORTON says he would be proud if the school board would employ the same teachers that we have for another term. especially the one from Wynnewood.

Uncle Sam

NOV. 3, 1932
Listed 5/14/1998

MRS. OLIVER KILLED WHEN CAR OVERTURNS
Just as we go to press, Mrs. ______ Oliver, who lives north of Davis, was killed when the Ford roadster in which she and two relatives were riding missed a culvert and overturned into the ditch.
The accident happened three miles south east of Davis and was said to have been caused when the driver ran off the bridge while looking to see if he had a flat tire.
Mrs. Oliver jumped, the car falling on her and killing her instantly.

NOV. 10, 1932

MRS. CLAUDE OLIVER
Mrs. Oliver, who was killed last Thursday afternoon in an auto wreck near the Brassfield home south east of Davis, mention of which was made in last issue, was Mrs. Della Ring Oliver, aged 15, wife of Claude Oliver. His cousin, George Oliver was in the car with them at the time of the accident.
She was the daughter of T. L. Ring of Wynnewood, was born in Emery, Ark. and moved to Wynnewood in 1923. She was married to Claude Oliver last August.

NOV. 17, 1932

GIRL-WIFE MURDERED FOR INSURANCE; HUSBAND AND NEPHEW CONFESS
Mrs. Claude Oliver, who was reported killed in a car wreck 2 1/2 miles southeast of Davis on Nov. 3, met her death at the hands of her husband and his nephew, George Oliver, according to their confession to Murray County Officers Sunday.
It was first asserted her death was due to injuries when the car overturned off a bridge into a creek.
As the woman was insured for $5,390, which had been in force only a few weeks, the insurance company sent a man here to ascertain if the death was accidental.
Investigation by Sheriff Johnson, Deputies Rowe and Samples and City Marshall Ramsey soon showed evidence that the young woman had been slain, within 100 steps or more from where the car was wrecked, clotted blood, hair and parts of her skull were found. Blood in the car indicated the woman had not been killed by the overturning of the car.
Claude and George Oliver were arrested Saturday and placed in jail at Sulphur. Sunday afternoon they confessed to County Attorney Fagan in the presence of other officers that they plotted and executed her death for the purpose of obtaining the insurance. Both men were interviewed separately and each told practically the same story, the officers said.
They stated they plotted the matter in the summer, and Claude married her in September, then took out more than $5000 insurance on her life.
On Nov. 3, the three went riding in a car, drove to a selected place south of Davis where the nephew struck her first and as she appealed to her husband for protection, he finished the job with a rock, it was stated they confessed.
The car was then overturned into a ditch and the men went to the home of Jas Brassfield, a short distance away, phoned for help, saying the woman had been killed when the car ran off the bridge.
A Wynnewood undertaker was called and came for the body and arranged for the funeral, no suspicion having aroused them.
A file, piece of car spring and rock with blood and hair on it, said to have had a part in the killing, were found by the officers near the scene.
Signed statements later have been made by the two men, confessing their guilt and giving details of the crime.
The murder is a horrible affair and has shocked the community. The murdered woman, who was 15 years of age last April, was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. L. Ring of Wynnewood and had lived in that city about 9 years.
The Olivers live 2 or 3 miles northeast of Davis on Mrs. Howard Martin's place.
Bird Atkins and Vinah Ervin, both colored, were arrested Tuesday and placed in jail in connection with this case. They are wanted as witnesses and officers state they may be otherwise connected.
The preliminary hearing will be heard before Justice Shaffer at Sulphur at 10 a.m. Friday.

Nov. 24, 1932

"Two Olivers & Negro Plead Not Guilty; Taken to Pen at McAlester"
Not guilty, said Claude and George Oliver who waived preliminary hearing when arraigned before Justice Shaffer at Sulphur Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock.
The complaint, charging them with the murder of Mrs. Claude Oliver, wife of one of the defendants, on Nov. 3, was read by County Attorney Fagan, after which they were asked if guilt or not.
Neither was represented by counsel. They will be held to the district court which starts the criminal docket on Dec. 12.
Bert Adkins, colored, also is charged with being an accomplice in the murder of the Oliver men and asked for a continuance of his preliminary  which was granted. He is represented by Holmes Colbert, Sulphur Attorney.
Mrs. Claude Oliver, aged 15, was killed at a point about three miles southeast of Davis on Nov. 3. The husband, Claude Oliver, and his  nephew, George Oliver, confessed to officers that they plotted her death  to obtain $5,300 life insurance taken out on her a few weeks ago. in a  signed statement, they confessed to killing her, then placing her body in a car an overturning the car into a ditch in order to make her death appear an accident.
When arraigned in justice court last Friday morning, they asked for an extension of time in which to plead. The hearing was then postponed  until Tuesday morning.
Great crowds were in attendance at both hearings and the case has attracted wide attention.

IN DISTRICT COURT
Tuesday afternoon the case was transcripted to the district court and the tow
Olivers taken before Judge Long; each plead not guilty.
No attorney was assigned to represent them, but the Court stated if they failed to get an attorney he would appoint them one to represent them in  the case that is expected to be called during the week of December 12.
Immediately after the plea in district court, Judge Long ordered the two Olivers and the negro, Bert Atkins, taken to the pen at McAlester for  keeping until their case is called.

Dec. 1. 1932

Bird Atkins, Col., Pleads Not Guilty
Bird Atkins, colored, charged with George and Claude Oliver, in the murder of Mrs. Della Oliver, preliminary was heard Monday at 2 o'clock in the county attorney's office. The defendant plead not guilty and the state put on  J. D. Ramsey of Davis, Earl Rowe, Bose Johnson and Venah Ervin as  witnesses. H. H. Colvert, representing the defendant, demurred to the  testimony. Justice Shaffer ordered the defendant held to await the  action of the district court.
Atkins along with two Olivers had been held in the penitentiary at McAlester since arraignment of the Olivers last week. Sheriff Bose  Johnson and Deputy J. H. Samples drove to McAlester and brought Atkins  back for the preliminary hearing Monday. He was returned until the 12th, when the three defendants are to be tried.

DEC. 15, 1932

Olivers Get Death Sentence on Plea of Guilty of Murder
Death in the electric chair is the fate awaiting Claude Oliver, 28 and George Oliver, 18, according to the sentence passed on them Wednesday noon by District Judge W. G. Long at Sulphur. The extreme penalty was  pronounced after both plead guilty to the murder of Mrs. Delia Oliver,  age 15, wife of one of the defendants.
Claude Oliver, with his attorney, J. L. Pullen, appeared in district court Monday morning, withdrew his plea of not guilty and entered a plea of guilty.
Tuesday morning, his nephew, George Oliver, jointly charged with murder, appeared with his attorney J. H. Dunn and with drew his former plea of not guilty and confessed his guilt.
The two Olivers were to go on trial at this term of court for the murder of Mrs. Claude Oliver on Nov. 3. They lived a short distance north of  Davis and according to their signed confession, they plotted that one of  them should marry the girl, daughter of T. L. Ring, Wynnewood, insure her life for a large sum then kill her.
The marriage took place in August, then $5,300 life insurance was taken out and on Nov. 3, she was reported killed in an auto wreck two miles southeast of Davis. Her husband and nephew were with her when the supposed accident occurred.
Later the Olivers confessed to having killed her with a tire tool and pushed the car off the bridge into a ditch to leave the appearance of a wreck.
Her death so soon after taking out the insurance, caused an investigation and county and city officers soon unearthed one of the foulest murders ever known in this vicinity.
Public sentiment seems to be that the sentence of the court was merited by the character of the crime.
Bird Atkins, 36 year old negro, is in jail charged with being an accomplice in the murder. He has refused to plead guilty, a demurrer was offered yesterday by his attorney Holmes Colbert, but same was overruled. Motion for a continuance was granted.

DEC. 16, 1933

Oliver Brothers Asking Mercy
Claude and George Oliver, who confessed they murdered the former's bride to collect insurance, Thursday appealed to the state criminal court of appeals from death sentences passed upon them when they pleaded guilty before W. G. Long, Pauls Valley District Judge in Murray County last December.
Their attorneys contended the penalty excessive in view of the guilty plea.
Claude Oliver, 28 years old, is an uncle of George Oliver, 18 years old.
They told a strange story of how they agreed that Claude should marry and that the bride's life would be insured and that she would be murdered for the money, according to attendants of Murray County officers when the guilty pleas were entered.
The bride, Mrs. Della Oliver, was killed near Davis, Nov. 3. The appeal will stay execution, set March 10, pending outcome of the plea.

JUNE 22, 1933

High Court Affirms Death Verdict for Oliver Brothers
The death sentence of Claude Oliver, 28 year old Murray County farmer and his nephew, George Oliver, 18, for the killing of Claude's 15 year old  bride to collect her insurance, was affirmed by the criminal court of  appeals last Friday. Execution date was set for Aug. 26th.
The Olivers formerly were engaged in farming a short distance north of Davis. They plead guilty before District Judge Long last December and now are in death row at McAlester penitentiary.
After pleading guilty and getting the extreme penalty placed on them, an appeal to the higher court was made in their behalf.
Reciting the testimony in the Oliver case to the effect the nephew struck Claude's bride with a file, beat her to death while her husband held her, then upset a car on her body to give the death the appearance of  accidental; Thomas H. Edwards, presiding judge wrote:
"The plea is more in the nature of one for clemency than one for a legal right.......the facts here show a heartless murder, coldly planned and deliberately and cruelly executed. The motive - a procuring of money for the life of the victim.
"The age of the defendant, George Oliver, appeals to this court , as no doubt it did to the trial court, but under the admitted facts, if this crime is not deserving of the death penalty, then indeed few crimes justify it. It is not a province of this court to extend clemency. That belongs to the chief executive."

JULY 20, 1933

Oliver Boys Denied New Hearing
Oklahoma City, July 18 -
Claude Oliver, young farmer and his nephew, George Oliver, sentenced to die for the murder of the former's wife for her insurance, were denied a rehearing by the criminal court of appeals today, leaving gubernatorial clemency their only avenue of hope.

AUG. 24, 1933

Olivers to Die After Midnight
Claude Oliver, 28 years old and George Oliver, 18 years old, confessed slayers of the former's 15 year old bride, will die in the electric chair  at the penitentiary at McAlester shortly after midnight tonight.
Their only hope of escaping the chair was through executive clemency and that fell yesterday. when Gov. Murray stated, "I'm going to let them go".
Claude Oliver is an uncle of George Oliver. Last December, they were sentenced to the electric chair by Judge Long after having confessed the murder of the bride near Davis last November to collect her insurance.
In the confession, they told of the agreement to wed the girl (Della Ring of Wynnewood) and have her life insured for $5,000, then kill her. The scene of the killing was two miles southeast of Davis, a short distance off  Price's Falls Road. She was attacked and killed with a file and piece of car spring and the car overturned into a ditch to give the appearance of an accident.a
The Olivers were farmers and lived north of Davis. The men had previously borne good reputations, it is said.

AUG. 31, 1933

Olivers Executed Last Friday Morning
George Oliver, 18, the youngest person ever to die in Oklahoma's electric chair, was executed early Friday morning at the penitentiary at McAlester  with his uncle, Claude Oliver, 28 for the "insurance murders" of Claude's  girl bride, aged 15.
George was pronounced dead at 12:13 a.m. after telling the 227 witnesses
"I did a crime and now I must die for it. I feel like I am going to heaven". He warned all that crime does not pay.
Claude went to his death mumbling to himself, but without any statement to the crowd, said to have been the largest ever to witness an execution in Oklahoma. He was pronounced dead at 12:19 a.m.
Della, Claude's bride, was beaten to death with a tire tool and file near Davis last Nov. 3 and left under a motor car in a ditch to make it  appear she was killed accidentally. Later, the Olivers confessed a  preputial (sic) plot to marry the girl, insure her life for $5,000 and kill her.
Bodies of the Oliver boys were brought to Wynnewood, where the funeral was held last Saturday. Large crowds viewed the bodies at the Coonrod Funeral Home and also attended the funeral.

Contributed by Jackie Sites [email protected]"
"The Sites Home Page"  http://www.angelfire.com/ok/jackjan/

Thanks to David W. Morgan for submitting this to OKbits.
[email protected] --- David W. Morgan --- Honolulu Hawaii