Duchess Corner

We find ourselves struck with the mid-May Spring-fever that hits so many this time of year. We did get some tomato plants planted in large pots on our patio. We will keep you advised as to their production in the future.

We have been working on our "Old Opera House Mystery Chronology the past few weeks. We have started compiling our next sequel of the "Old Opera House Mystery" for the "Prairie Connection" July/August edition. So... stay tuned!

We found an old photo of our grandmother Constance (Warwick) McGill that we date back to the 1910 era, give or take a few years, to give you an idea of the women's clothing of that time period (between 1907 & 1910). That is the photograph on the left. Our Grandmother McGill was around 26 or 27 years old in 1910 and married our grandfather, Bill McGill, March 24th of that same year.

This is short, sweet this week so we can get out of here and enjoying the rocky mountain sunshine this weekend and get caught up on our outside chores.
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Old Opera House Mystery Tidbits...

[l & r: Woods County map of Twp. 28N-Rge 14WIM] - Where was Oakes land North of Alva? Who owns the Oakes' land now? We looked through our handy "1906 Woods County Atlas" and found where George Oakes owned 160 acres in the northeast quarter of Section 11, Twp 28N, Rge 14WIM. His neighbors to the north were J. C. Martin, Chas. E. Watkins, and L. H. Walton. To the west was Irena Jarred; South, E. A. Higgins, W. F. Reid; and East was L. Kranz.

Miller, Mabel & Spring 1910 Buggy Ride... [r: 1906 Woods County Map - Twp. 27N-Rge 15WIM] -- In the "Old Opera House Mystery" we spoke of a Spring 1910 buggy ride that Nelson Miller and Mabel Oakes took out west of Alva where Miss Oakes allegedly lost her innocense. While we were thumbing through the 1906 atlas we did a search for the parcel of land that Nelson Miller was supposedly inspecting on a Spring, Sunday in 1910 with Mabel Oakes. Miller described the land as 6 miles west of Alva to the southeast corner of the section line. We estimate that would put it about the southeast corner of Sec. 23-Twp. 27N-Range 15WIM, West of the old McKeever School and near the N. B. Litton land. Other owners showing around there were W. T. Abbott and J. M Benton, and T. R. Shirley.

As to Moman Pruiett... Why Did the famous criminal lawyer, Moman Pruiett, take the side of the prosecution in the "Old Opera House Murder?" We are not quite sure of that yet, but Moman's second wife was Leda Sniggs, daughter of the Hon. August T. Sniggs who was residing in Alva, Oklahoma, Woods County during that time, and the sister of Pruiett's junior law partner Victor Sniggs. We suspect that the "Law Enforcement League (Law and Order League)" made Pruiett an offer he couldn't refuse. The League was one of Pruiett's chief hecklers. It was during the another case and defense of Jim Stevenson, Judge Maben, and Agnes Gilbert, Moman had broken the morale of the League. The League was persuaded that they could NOT beat Moman Pruiett and decided to enlist him for $3,000 in cash to go to Woods County to act as special prosecutor in the N. L. Miller vs. State of Oklahoma murder trial. Leda Sniggs and Moman Pruiett were married on July 7, 1903 in Leda's hometown of Alva, Oklahoma, and their marriage lasted forty-one years until her death in 1944. This information came from a book written about Moman Pruiett (He Made It Safe To Murder) by Howard K. Berry, pages 346-352.

Claud McCrory, county attorney (1910)... resigns & vanishes... The county attorney, Claud McCrory, was under pressure by the Oakes family, citizens and Law Enforcement League to quit stalling the case. When Moman Pruiett moved in as a special prosecutor hired by the League, the gang around the courthouse acknowledge that a lawsuit was going to be tried. Claud McCrory resigned as prosecuting attorney, 9 January 1911 when public sentiment had risen that he had to do one or the other -- resign or prosecute Miller. McCrory quit when it appeared that the case was coming to trial. After McCrory quit, he seemed to vanish into thin air. The League hired runners and detectives to find Mc Crory and supoena him as a witness, but to no avail. Who was hiding this ex-county attorney? AND... Why? Stay-tuned for the "Prairie Connection" July/August edition.

George Oakes' Filings of November 9 & 10, 1910... Last week we had a couple of filings that George Oakes had filed back in November 9 & 10, 1910 during the Old Opera House Murder case. We thought that rather strange that the victims family had to file a complaint & warrant to get the authority to investigate and prosecute, but with some other information we found concerning the gang at the courthouse and county attorney Claud McCrory... we think we are beginning to see the "REAL" picture here. BUT... we are not going to divulge too much here until it comes out in the "Prairie Connection's" July/August edition. Stay Tuned!
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The Rest of the Story...

1950's Memories... "The Foreman Scotty Show and 3-D Danny were favorites of mine growing up in the 50's in Helena (Alfalfa County), Oklahoma. The Helena kids were all so excited when 3-D Danny and another character, Hog Waller, appeared at the Helena Fair one year in the 50's as part of our Saturday evening entertainment, along with WKY Radio Disc Jockey Dale Webha. Danny was also the early morning Disc Jockey at WKY and mom would turn up the kitchen radio very loud at 7 AM weekdays as Danny was proclaiming he was the "Rockin' Bird" and it was time to "rise and shine". This was our wake up call to get up and come to breakfast so we could get ready for school. We also looked forward each Saturday night @ 10:30 PM to watch Danny Williams on Channel 4's Championship Wrestling. My grandpa (Glenn Dague), who lived next door, just made sure we were up early for Sunday School the next morning if we did stay up late. For the past several years, Danny was my clock radio wake up call on KOMA radio, the other favorite Oklahoma radio station from the 50's. Now, 50 years later, Danny doesn't get up early enough for my 4:30 AM alarm, but I still listen to him today on KOMA radio during my morning commute to work each day in OKC @ 5:30 AM. I can even listen to DJ Ronnie Kaye on KOMA and my favorite golden oldies on the drive home, and remember the fun we had at the sock hop dances Ronnie hosted in the 60's. Thanks to Danny and Ronnie still hanging around playing my favorite tunes of the 50's and 60's, I don't feel "quite" so old. They help keep the wonderful memories of growing up in rural Northwest Oklahoma fresh in my mind."

..."Dan D. Dynamo was at the Red Bud Supermarket on east Flynn where Marshall Funeral Home is now. I got his autograph there in the 50's. They also had a large hoola hoop contest in the parking lot there. Speaking of kids shows does anyone remember the Popeye cartoon show starring the captain of the good ship "K-George" (KGEO)broadcast from Enid in the 50's?"

Mabel Oakes Murder - 191... "Moman Pruiett compiled the most impressive record of success in death penalty cases of any lawyer in America. From 1900 to 1935, he defended 343 persons accused of murder as found on page 614-615 of the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review when he was excluded as a candidate for Lawyer of the Century. Three-hundred four of his clients were acquitted-not one was executed. Why did he help prosecute N.L. Miller? Were his clients part of bands like the Southern Tenant Farmers Union? Also See Gerald F. Uelmen, Moman Pruiett, Criminal Lawyer, CRIMINAL DEFENSE, May-June 1982, at 35. See also Pruiett's autobiography, MOMAN PRUIETT, CRIMINAL LAWYER (1944). Do you have any information about the Oakes' land North of Alva, OK? Who owned land near there and who owns Oakes' and the surrounding land now?

..."That''s an interesting question. Who owned land near Oakes' north of Alva? AND... Who owns the Oakes' land now? Why did Moman Pruiett took the side of the prosecution? I am not quite sure of that yet, but suspect that his father-in-law (Hon. August T. Sniggs) whom was living in Alva, Oklahoma, Woods County during that time. The "Law Enforcement League" made Pruiett an offer he couldn't refuse. The League was one of Pruiett's chief hecklers. During the defense of Jim Stevenson, Judge Maben, and Agnes Gilbert, Moman had broken the morale of the League. The League persuaded that they couldn't beat Moman Pruiett, decided to enlist him (Pruiett) and made Pruiett an offer of $3,000 in cash back in 1910, to engage him to go to Woods to act as special prosecutor in the N. L. Miller vs. State of Oklahoma murder trial. This information came from a book written about Moman Pruiett (He Made It Safe To Murder - The Life of Moman Pruiett) by Howard K. Berry, pages 346-352. Moman and his 2nd-wife, Leda Sniggs Pruiett were married on July 7, 1903 in Leda's hometown of Alva, Oklahoma -- their marriage lasted forty-one years until her death in 1944. Leda Sniggs was the daughter of August T. Sniggs of Alva, Oklahoma Territory, and the sister of his junior law partner Victor Sniggs.

Apple Blossom Time In the Valley... "Howdy! It is chilly up here in NE KS. Today's high was 70 with the overnight low forcasted to be in the low to mid 40s, but who is complaining? I just wanted you to know that our hummingbirds have returned. Last week I saw one Ruby-Throated hummer visiting our nectar/sugar water station. Our Columbine is in bloom and that usually tells us it is time for the little fellows to arrive, so we put out our feeding stations. Of course all feather of other birds find it tasty, Baltimore Orioles, Bluejays, and others. Cheers!"

Old Opera House Murder - The Preliminary... "Why did Claud McCrory resign in such a hurry as prosecuting attorney when public sentiment had arisen that he might be stalling -- had to do one or the other ... resign or prosecute the defendant Miller for the murder of young, innocent Mabel Oakes? Why was the League depleting it's treasury with it's runners and detectives during the September, 1911 trial looking for the whereabouts of ex-county attorney Claud McCrory? Where did Claud McCrory vanish after he resigned as county attorney and prosecutor of the Miller murder case?
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1915 - McCRORY et al. v. BOARD OF COM'RS OF WOODS COUNTY...

1915 OK 554, 150 P. 683, 48 Okla. 684, Case Number: 4623, Decided: 07/06/1915, Supreme Court of Oklahoma -- "County Attorney--Excessive Compensation--Liability. Where a county attorney files claims from time to time during his term of office for more salary than he is entitled to under the law, and such claims are approved and allowed by the board of county commissioners, and warrants issued therefor and paid, the act of the county attorney in this respect is not a breach of the terms and conditions of his official bond for which the sureties thereon are liable. The county attorney, however, is liable personally for the excess salary received. Error from District Court, Woods County; R. H. Loofbourrow, Judge. Action by the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Woods against Claud McCrory and others. Judgment for plaintiff, and defendants bring error. Affirmed as to defendant McCrory, and reversed as to the other defendants. E. W. Snoddy, for plaintiffs in error. Sander J. Vigg, for defendant in error. McCrory, county attorney, is liable, of course, personally for the amount received in excess of the salary allowed by law; the sureties, upon the bond, however, are not liable. The petition does not state a cause of action as against the sureties, Matthews and Shafer, and their demurrer thereto should have been sustained, and the trial court committed error in overruling it and rendering judgment against them. As to them, the judgment is reversed; but as to McCrory, the judgment is affirmed .....

This is an appeal from the district court of Woods county. On the advent of statehood, Claud McCrory, one of the plaintiffs in error, was elected county attorney of Woods county. He duly qualified as such, and entered upon his duties and served until January 9, 1911. He gave a bond for the faithful performance of his duties in the sum of $ 1,000, with James Matthews and Anton Shafer, plaintiffs in error, and L. A. Westfall, as sureties. This bond is the regular statutory form, and was duly approved by the proper authorities. He presented claims for salary at the end of each quarter during the term of his office. These claims were allowed and approved by the board of county commissioners, and warrants issued as required by law, which were paid. On each claim presented, allowed, and paid, he received more salary than he was entitled to receive under the law. The total amount received in excess of the salary allowed him was $ 538.99. In November, 1911, the board of county commissioners of Wood county, the defendant in error here, commenced this action against Claud McCrory, as principal, and James Matthews, Anton Shafer, and L. A. Westfall, as sureties, upon said bond, to recover the excess salary so received by the said Claud McCrory, claiming that by taking and receiving more salary than he was entitled to under the statute, and appropriating the same to his own use and benefit, he breached the terms and conditions of said bond, and that by reason thereof he and his sureties were liable for the amount thereof. There are 12 separate counts in the petition, and a copy of the bond sued on is attached thereto. James Matthews and Anton Shafer, two of the sureties on said bond, plaintiffs in error here, filed a general demurrer to the petition, which was overruled. They stood on the demurrer and declined to plead further. Whereupon the court rendered a judgment against them and McCrory in the sum of $ 500, from which they have perfected an appeal." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

PIONEERS AND PIONEERING IN WOODS COUNTY...

As appeared in Cronicles of Oklahoma and written by Jesse J. Dunn -- "On the 16th of September, 1893, I rode into Alva on the train. My companion was a tall, slim fellow by the name of A. H. Burtis, from Garden City, Kansas. When I got off the train, everybody started to run for town lots, and I observed my slim friend running neck and neck with a tall woman and a long, one-legged shoemaker from Kiowa. The woman had drawn her skirts up about her knees so she could run easier and the shoemaker was lunging and plunging with his one leg, and the three of them were making the best time they could to the town lot section. The spectacle was too much for my risibles , and in laughing at them I fell down and failed entirely to get a lot...." -- [Chronicles of Oklahoma, Volume 3, No. 2, June, 1925, Page 141] View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Class of 1928 Pictures...

"My father, Emmett M. Veley, graduated from Carmen High School in 1928 (I believe that was the year.) I have 5 graduation pictures of his classmates and would love to send them to family members if I could find any. Only 3 have names on the back of the folder. They are very hard to read, but to the best of my ability they are as follows: Leo Speaker, Victor Brown, and Blanche Belkap. The other two have no names. Could I scan and send copies of the pictures to you for publication in your ezine? Thank you." -- Nola (Veley) Wilkerson - Email: wilkerne@bluevalley.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Muse, Oklahoma...

"I found this story very interesting. I found it while searching for a one room school, near Muse, Oklahoma. My mother and dad got married there in 1955 and lived in the old school for a while with my mothers family. My mothers parents were Guy and Ethel Kilpatrick. I haven't had any luck finding any information on it yet but I'll keep trying." -- Angela Sullivan - EMAIL: angmarsu@itlnet.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Saturday Night At Dacoma, OK...

"There is so much to tell you that I know you don't have enough time to read it all. I remember the hamburgers on saturday night at my grandparents house outside of dacoma oklahoma, I remember going to church on sunday morning too. Not to mention watching Ho Ho the clown on saturday morning, drinking fizzies. Fizzies were like alka seltzer. You dropped them in a glass of water and they turned into a soft drink more or less. I wonder what happened to them? Anyway thanks for the website and I hope you have a wonderful mothers day. It seems like the years just fly by now." -- Rocky View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Vada Paris' March 1938 Diary...

"I was just googling my grandfathers name and found it in Vada's (March 4, 1938) diary. My grandpa is Tom Gaden from Seiling, OK. Could it be the same guy? He would have been 21 at the time of this entry. Kinda funny, do you know of any other mentions. Could I get the dirt on grandpa? if you find any other mentions please let me know. I'll be seeing him this weekend (he's 89) and let him know about this. ;-)" View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Oklahoma Gas & Weather...

"The gas prices DID change but I was surprised. They went DOWN some more instead of up. In Perry, Oklahoma the prices for regular unleaded gas is now $2.61.9 at the Conoco and Phillips, and the independents have posted $2.59.9 per gallon. Also, summertime has returned with temperatures in the upper 90s (some areas hit 101 yesterday)!" -- Roy View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Murrow Reunion...

"I suspect that Mae Paris is in this photo. The only person I am certain of is my great-aunt Blanche Murrow Bergersen. The photo is on Murrow Flickr website and you can copy it if you think it is appropriate for an issue of The Okie Legacy. I surely would like to know who some of these gals are." -- Rod Murrow
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