Stories from the past
147 YEARS AGO
Saturday, October 27, 1877
TERRIBLE DOUBLE MURDER OKMULKE, CREEK NATION
The most terrible and hideous crime ever committed even in this Territory – a crime committed without a shadow of cause was brought to light the past week. About forty miles northwest of Okmulke, near the mouth of the red fork of the Arkansas river, a little over 2 ½ miles from the nearest residence, John Ingley, a white man who came from nearby Greenburg, Hood County seven years ago, and married a mixed blood Creek Indian, was found dead by a boy who was sent to Ingley’s house by a Mr. Clinton on an errand and discovered Ingley’s dead laying in the yard near his house.
Becoming frightened the boy returned for Mr. Clinton, who in the meantime had started for Okmulke. The boy hastened after and overtook him a dozen miles from home.
They immediately returned with some neighbors and proceeded to search the premises.
The body of John Ingley was found but a few feet from the door, his broken gun by his side, his skull split open by an axe, portions of his face eaten away by animals and partly decomposed.
On looking further, the skull of his wife was found, the flesh all eaten off, only small portions of hair adhering. The body was not to be seen until further searching revealed it some distance away. The dress had been torn off in the struggle, the head cut off the body, carried some distance, laid down, and a tire burnt on the body, consuming all the clothing except what lay underneath, and roasting the flesh. This too had been eaten by animals and was partly decomposed.
The murderer then went into the house for the purpose of killing a little child 18 months old, which had crawled under the table during the melee.
Here the heart of the killer failed him. The child was looking him in the face, too young to comprehend its fate. The killer turned and went off, leaving everything untouched in the house.
The child was not discovered till it was so nearly dead of starvation that it could not moan or make a loud noise. It was taken home by Mr. Clinton and cared for – the remnants of the bodies gathered up and buried, and the Creek authorities notified.
Two days after, 25-year-old John Post Oak, native Creek Indian, who had been discarded by his father three years ago for his waywardness, confessed to Dunnee Yargee that he had killed John Ingley and his wife, that he killed the man first, that the woman made such an uproar that he knifed her to stop her noise, and then went in the house to kill the child, but his heart failed him.
That he had now killed five persons and meant to kill five more, naming them, among the number was his father, who is a member of the House of Kings (the upper house) of the Creek National Council, now in session at this place.
Within a few hours of the confession young Yargee took an opportunity of informing one of the threatened parties who rode hastily to Okmulke and informed Chief Ward Coachman who immediately summoned the Light Horse (or mounted police) and issued a warrant for young Post Oak’s arrest.
He was arrested Saturday morning and brought into town today.
He is a young man, with one hand crippled by being caught in a sorghum mill.
He was turned over to the United States authorities for trial for killing a United States citizen. If not hung by them he will afterwards be tried by the Creek authorities for the murder of the woman – and shot. There will be but little chance of his escape from punishment.
••••• 120 YEARS AGO
Friday, February 9, 1906
Territory News
– B. Ricker, a miner employed in one of the Hailey- Ola mines, was run over Monday night by a Rock Island train and instantly killed while lying on the track in the outskirts of the said. He is said to have been drinking during the evening.
– The Choctaw National council has been in special session at Tuskahoma this week, but no business of importance was transacted.
••••• 100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, October 30, 1924
OKLAHOMA STILL RANKS SECOND IN NATION’S COTTON Oklahoma still maintains a rank of second in cotton production for this year and promises to furnish more than 20 percent of the total United States crop, says Carl H. Robinson, agricultural statistician of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a monthly cotton report released by him.
••••• 80 YEARS AGO
Thursday, October 19, 1944
SECOND DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE SEEKS REELECTION Congressman Bill Stigler announced today that he will speak in Eufaula Thursday night, October 19 at 8 p.m. in the interests of his candidacy for reelection to the house of representatives for the second congressional district.
Yank Fliers Released from Nazi Prison Camps Yank fliers from Romanian prison camps lined up for hot showers and new clothing while their old outfits were deloused.
Another group of former prisoners in Bulgaria lined up for ice cream sodas in Egypt.
••••• 75 YEARS AGO
Thursday, September 15, 1949
Drive Is On For New Recruits In Company “M” Company “M” of the 180th Infantry, Oklahoma National Guard, has launched a recruiting campaign beginning this week, Captain Harold D. Pinney, Commanding Officer of Company “M” announced today.
The goal of the campaign is to bring Company “M” to its full authorized strength of 117 officers and men. Its current strength is 80 officers and men.
••••• 65 YEARS AGO
Thursday, August 13, 1959
Gennings Resigns Pastorate Here
Rev. Marvin Gennings, pastor of the First Baptist church here, resigned the pastorate Sunday, July 26, effective the last week of August.
Rev. Gennings, who had just finished leading in the construction of the new Baptist church here, would have served five years as pastor here, in September.
Sunday, Aug. 23, he will preach his last sermon here as pastor, and will be leaving with his wife, Rena, and daughter, Rebecca Lynn, to accept the pastorate of the South Side Baptist church in Fort Smith, Ark., where he will begin his work there on Sunday, Aug. 30.
••••• 55 YEARS AGO
Thursday, November 27, 1969
Ad Valorem Taxes Due In December
It will be tax-paying time for McIntosh county property owners starting Monday, Dec. 1, 1969.
McIntosh county treasurer J.E. Ice, has received the completed abstract of 1969 property assessments from the county assessor, Claude Jennings.
••••• 34 YEARS AGO
Thursday, December 19, 1991
Office Of Emergency Services Director Resigns
The McIntosh County director of Emergency Services has resigned.
Seth Turner, who converted the county’s old Civil Defense system into the reformed and expanded agency, gave no specific reason for resigning in a letter to the county commissioners.
Search For Baby Jane Doe’s Killer Continues Lawmen are still searching for the killer of Baby Jane Doe. McIntosh County Sheriff Bobby Gray said his office had investigated new leads this week and still have no suspects.
••••• 10 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014
Team Up to Clean Up wins Excellence Award Team Up to Clean Up received the Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Environmental Excellence Award at the 24th Annual Celebration.
The event was held on Nov. 20 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City.
Statewide recognition was made for cleanup events organized by TUCU, a non-profit group of volunteers.
