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Old Opera House Mystery
The Alva Pioneer, Alva, Woods County, OK, Friday, November 11, 1910
Inquest Being Held - news article
Indications Are That Mabel Oakes Was Cruelly Murdered
Doctors Testify The Girl was strangled, that the stomach was empty and no attempt at poisoning was made
Judge Lawhon impaneled a jury this morning for the purpose of holding an
inquest upon the dead body of Mabel Oakes, who yesterday was found in a
room at the back end of the old opera house, which is directly connected
with the office of N. L. Miller, lying upon her back, with her hands carefully
folded across her breast, and with every appearance of having died at peace
with mankind. Had not she been found in that little back room, where evidences
of midnight revels appeared on every side, no great suspicion would have
been aroused.
Sheriff Martin immediately took charge of the body, placed Miller under
arrest and in jail, and this morning the wheels of retributive justice commenced
to turn. Three physicians were called in, Drs. Bilby, Templin and Grantham,
and the doctors performed a post mortem autopsy. Their evidence this morning
was a revelation.
It had been supposed that the girl might have died from heart failure, or
because she was making an attempt to procure an abortion, but the testimony
of the physicians precluded this theory. They found that she was in a delicate
condition, and had been so for five months, and in order to remove any doubt
upon this question, they removed the fetus, and preserved it for future
evidence.
They testified that the organs were all in normal condition, and Dr. Templin
said that the heart was in the best condition of any that he had ever examined.
Their testimony was unanimous upon the fact that the stomach was practically
empty, and this organ showed no signs of any drug having been taken that
would either aid in an abortion, or assist in an attempt at suicide, and
the testimony of these physicians removed any and all suspicion that any
attempt at suicide had been made.
The district court room was crowded this morning with the people of this
city and vicinity, every one of whom hoped that something would arise to
show that no murder had been committed. Old citizens said that for seventeen
years, notwithstanding that we were living in a new country, filled with
pioneers, and from which could not be kept a certain element that follows
the boundaries of pioneer settlements, that no murder had ever disgraced
the annals of our city, and each and every one hoped that this would not
prove to be the first.
However, it is our duty to record the facts. The testimony of the other
witnesses sworn, points with an unnering finger to the fact that a foul
murder has been committed in the broad light of day within the borders of
this little city. Mr. Oakes testified that his daughter had been in the
employ of Miller for some time, and that in the months that had gone by
he had kept careful note of her condition. That she had up to a certain
time showed that the female functions were performing their usual duties,
and that he discovered the date in which they stopped.
Then further noting the appearance of the neck he and his wife commenced
an investigation, charged the daughter with her condition, but found that
she strenuously denied that there was anything wrong. He then went to Miller,
and the latter also denied that he was responsible for Mabel's condition.
However, while Miller attempted to put the father off by saying that he
had a gun that would shoot as straight and as often as any that could be
found, he also called the father in one day and said that he intended to
procure a divorce, and that he and Mabel would soon be married. This was
the most damaging testimony introduced, outside of the evidence of the physicians,
as it showed that Miller practically confessed that there were reasons why
he should marry the girl.
The evidence discloses that this girl was in a healthy condition two hours
prior to being found dead. The fascinator that she wore was still upon her
when found, and this was wrapped about her neck, and the ends carefully
tucked away in under her waist at the back of her neck. The physicians testified
that death had been procured by strangulation, and that the girl herself
could not have possibly strangled herself, and then placed her hands in
the condition in which they were found folded across her breast.
Mr. Oakes further testified that he was out on a search for his daughter,
and that he was on his way to Miller's office, and saw Miller waiving his
hand at him, to come to his place, and heard him say to hurry up. When he
arrived Miller took him into the room where lay the dead body of the girl
and that he noticed that Miller was under the influence of liquor. This
was practically the testimony up to the hour at which the coroner's jury
adjourned for dinner, and every reader can draw his own conclusions.
Coroner's Verdict
State of Oklahoma,
County of Woods, ss.
Before I.B. Lawhon, Justice of the Peace of the city of Alva, Woods County, Oklahoma, acting coroner:
We, the jury impaneled, charged and sworn to inquire into the cause of death of Mabel Oakes, do upon our oaths find that the said Mabel Oakes is dead, that she came to her death on the 9th day of November, 1910, in Woods County, Oklahoma, and that said death was caused by violence, to-wit: by strangulation, with a scarf in the hands of another person with intent to kill and murder the said Mabel Oakes, and from the evidence before us, we believe said person to be N. L. Miller.
Jurors:
Geo W. Crowell, foreman
J.T. Herold,
C.R. Moore,
T. B. Roby,
Wm. Goebel,
Russell Dugan,