A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST
In 1930 there was an all out war being waged in Ardmore, Oklahoma on slot machines. Parents were mad that their children were using lunch money on the slot machines in local eating establishments. Ouster proceedings had been brought earlier against former sheriff Ewing London of Carter County, mainly because he would not enforce prohibition laws and do something about the slot machines operating within the county. Here is the complete story:
The Daily Ardmoreite
Monday, January 27, 1930
Ardmore, Oklahoma
War Renewed on Slot Machines
Eight Ardmore Places Raided by Con Keirsey
Operators Arrested on Warrants Sworn
Out by
John L. Hodge, County Attorney
HODGE PROMISES PROMPT ACTION
Charges Filed in Court of Fount Duston, Justice of the Peace
Renewal of the war on the operators of slot machines was started Monday morning big league style when Con Keirsey, constable for Ardmore township, armed with warrants issued by the county attorney, raided eight places in Ardmore, seized the machines and arrested the operators.
Keirsey explained that insistent demands from citizens of Ardmore that something be done to eliminate the practice of operating the devices have been pouring in for some time. He mapped out a careful campaign, he explained, working up a case of each machine in detail. The operators of the machines have been formally charged with operation of a slot machine in violation of the law.
Charges have been filed in the court of Fount Duston, justice of the peace, for preliminary hearing. Six of the eight machines were brought to the county attorney's office by Keirsey before noon Monday. Others will be picked up, the officer stated.
Warrants Issued
Operators of the machines who were served with warrants and told to post bond at once were Jake Williams, J.B. Ponder, J.W. Berry, F.H. Clark, Emmett Goode, Bill Kirby, Jack Gray, and Mrs. Press Roberts. The defendants are operators of small cafes and newsstands.
Keirsey said the defendants will be prosecuted to the fullest, in an effort to settle the long argument over the devices for once and for all. Several attempts in the past, each terminating abruptly through issuance of court orders or for other causes.
The law, according to John L. Hodge, county attorney, is specific as to operation of the machines, and it will be the intention of his office to handle the cases with thoroughness to sift this troublesome matter to its bottom.
Keirsey explained that many minors were playing the machines and the parents were worried over the practice.
Wasted Lunch Money
"One mother," said Keirsey, "reported that she gave her son lunch money and that the boy oftentimes wasted the money on the slot machines and that parents were worried over the practice."
"I have also evidence that the tokens taken from the machines were used for trade and thus have value and being value come under the provisions of the state law.
Slot machines have long been a bone of much attention in Carter county. They featured in one of the attempted ouster actions against former sheriff E.C. London in a major way. Two or three grand juries have been specifically instructed to delve into the matter. Several peace officers have tried to handle the situation and in each case some obstacle has forestalled a definite final solution of the problem.
This is the first wholesale filing of charges in connection with the practice.
Talking about the prohibition wars around 1930.... the assessor's office at the courthouse here, in a room with windows next to the Hinkle Street, is a piece of the past. Back in those days, when drive by shootings with Thompson submachine guns were common in the big cities, I guess being afraid it might happen here in Ardmore, they installed a heavy duty roll down metal curtain. This "metal curtain" rolls up into a large round holder where it is kept out of the way. I guess if a shooting was suspected, they'd quickly pull down the metal curtain, complete covering the window to the street.
August 1932
Scottish Rite Kadosh services for W. H. Martin, former president of the
now-defunct Hargrove College and for many years a southern Oklahoma educator,
were held at the First Methodist Church at midnight interment followed in the
Lone Grove Cemetery
August 1932
Cole Johnson, the District 3 County Commissioner, his wife, son, daughter, and
brother, all escaped serious injury when their automobile turned over on US
Highway 70 near Lone Grove Saturday morning. A faulty steering mechanism was
given as the cause of the accident.
August 1932
From beneath a rooming house bed in Clemscott, Elmer Byrd, Carter County sheriff
and A.W. Ward, deputy, pulled two youthful farmers who had allegedly robbed the
the Wirt Bank of $786 and escaped in a stolen automobile. They were Jess Pruitt,
35 and Floyd Tate, 26.
August 1988
The First Community Bank & Trust of Lone Grove is celebrating its 10th
anniversary. It first opened for business September 20, 1978.
One of the bricks I sandblasted this week.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/EdHarwoodPaver.jpg
You can find current gas prices for a particular Oklahoma town by entering the name or zip code in the GasBuddy search box.
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/
Q. We know there are 77
sheriffs offices in Oklahoma. Make a guess at how many total law enforcement
agencies are in Oklahoma?
A. According to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics' 2008 Census of State and
Local Law Enforcement Agencies, Oklahoma had 481 law enforcement agencies
employing 8,639 sworn police officers.
Q. How many lakes in Oklahoma?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
From This and That newsletter archives of September 21, 2002:
Here is a rare 1890 photo of a Chickasaw
Nation Indian Policeman taken at Duncan, Oklahoma. His name was Toi-tah-ner-ew.
His badge read, "US Indian Policeman". The original glass negative was owned by
Dale Terry, newsman for KFDX-TV in Wichita Falls, Texas back in 1968.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/toitah.jpg
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We have some more workers from the
Genealogical Society of Utah at the courthouse archiving our public records to
microfilm. These four workers are working everyday archiving land records,
school records, old records from Indian Territory, deed records, mortgage and
lien records, Chickasaw Nation Indian citizens and slaves and land allotment
records, plat maps of Ardmore and other indexes. Workers Ray and Marilyn Ostler
of South Jordan, UT will be here until February 2003 microfilming. And Jerry and
Lynn Adams of Jerome, Idaho will be at the Carter County Courthouse for about a
year helping microfilm courthouse records for future generations.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/adams9.jpg
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Here is a close up of the inside workings
of their 1940 something Recordak microfilmer they are using to archive all those
records. This a Recordak Model MCD-2 Serial number 251.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/recordak.jpg
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On Tuesday night, September 24th, at
7:45pm I received a strange call. It was a recording telling me to "call
DiscoverCard at 877-553-0228". The message repeated about four times. I wrote
the number down and called. Another recording answered and said "please enter
your 16 digit Discover Card number". I thought hum, this is strange. After a
couple minutes wait, the recording said, "if you do not know your 16 digit
Discover Card number, please stay on the line and a representative will be with
you". When this guy on on the phone he asked me for my 16 digit discoverCard
number and then my social security number. I told him I didn't want to give that
info out, so the conversation was over rather quickly. hahaha. We need to be
very careful when taking calls like that. There are so many scam artist out
there, seeking to take our money.
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In the early 1960s when I was a wee teen a
friend of mine talked me into becoming a representative of a company in Houston,
Texas that sold Swipe-a-Shine. It was a shoe shine in an aerosol can. Boy, I
bought two or three cases (12 to a case) and sold them to my relatives and
anyone else I could talk into buying one. I thought I'd was going to be rich!
hahaha. I remember after using the stuff a few weeks, your shoes developed a
coating and cracks in the coating developed. I still have one of those
Swipe-a-Shine containers as a memento of my young entrepreneur years.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/swipecan.jpg
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"From Beth Gunn, Arlington, TX: This is a
picture of the Franklin Grade School, or First Ward, in Ardmore (1923 or 1924)
with all the students on the steps. Mr Cisco was the principal and the teacher
was Mrs. Wolverton (I think that was her name). Elizabeth (that's me) is
directly back and to the right of Mr. Cisco."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/frank23.jpg
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"Also, here is an old picture of the
Healdton School - this picture was in my paternal grgrandmothers things. She was
Minnie Lee STEWART YORK. Pictured in the front row sitting, boy with the blonde
hair and shoes on is my grandfather, Minnie's son, Harlton Franklin YORK - who
changed his name as an adult to Jerry Frank YORK. He was born in Carter Co.,
Healdton, OK, in 1912."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/heald20.jpg
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"Today the stories of King's Lake was very
interesting; so this is my short story: My brother, Ira Junior Bridges, played
High School football with one of the King boys & could tell many stories about
NE Ardmore if he had a PC like we have. My brother Paul & I walked the sandy NE
3rd moving small herds of Kings cattle from King's home-place to other grassy
pastures. We handled the cattle move, walking in the sandy 3rd Ave and using our
home-made cattle whips for our "Cattle Drive''. Each time someone writes of
happenings in NE Ardmore of tales in the years of late 1920's or 1930's; I read
T&T many times. I just wish my Ardmore brother had a PC so he could give Butch
NE Ardmore history."
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"This is a picture of the old Young's
school that was about six miles north of Baum. It was on the old road to Berwyn
(now Gene Autry). The Young's cemetery was close by. My Grandfather was buried
there in 1900 and and my Grandmother in 1940. The Baum school was about one half
mile east of the Baum store toward the white hills. Amos Wolf was the teacher in
1936. I will try and find a picture of it. Would it be possible to get the
e-mail address of the person who entered the info on the Pittman's or give them
my e-mail address? I believe it is a cousin of mine in Ardmore. Thanks for the
picture of the Young's school house. They also used to have church in both
school buildings at night and Sundays. Take care."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/youngsch.jpg
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"Man, you have asked for it now! While
browsing thru the last quarter of your back issues, I noticed that everyone is
remembering old stores, which is right down my line because that was my parents'
(Robert D. and Delphinia Ward) business from before I was born (1936) until
1956. When I was born, they ran the store on the southeast corner in Woodford,
OK. I have a photo of them inside the store, taken late in 1935; will send you a
copy when I locate it. A little later, when I was 1-2 years old, they ran (funny
you should mention it!) the Milo store for awhile, and my mother was
Postmistress in the Post Office, which was about a 6 x 9 foot cubicle in the
southwest corner inside the store. The old store was solid red brick with a
concrete porch all along the front. In 1939 they moved to Wirt, OK, and started
the "Ward's Grocery," which they ran until my dad died in 1954, and then my
mother kept running it until she sold out in 1956. If I can find pictures of the
Milo or Wirt store, I will send them to you also. By the way, I would appreciate
your putting me into the next drawing for your history CD. Thanks." Keith Ward
[email protected]
"Here is the picture inside the old
Woodford store, taken late in 1935. My mother is by the stove and my dad on the
right. If you enlarge the picture and scan around the shelves and in the
showcases, you can find some interesting old brand names." -Keith Ward
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/woodstor2.jpg
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"I'm sending you a picture of a Baum
School VBS.....Some of the people listed there are Julie Love, Shorty West,
Ollie Carroll, Annie West, Mae Battle, Elvie West, Lawanna Scruggs Tynes, Clem
Love, Hazel Cavner, Leland Cavner, June West, Billie Edwards, Glenda Battles,
Charlene West. Thought you might like it."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/baumvbs.jpg
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"I was born in Oklahoma City, Okla. in
1943 @ St. Anthony's hospital. We lived in Mannsville, Okla. from 1944 until
1955. Then we lived in Tishomingo where my maternal grandparents, Sam and Mamie
Faulk lived for about a year. Then moved to Ardmore until 1958 when we moved
back to Britton, outside Ok City and moved to Houston, Tx. in 1958. I have lived
in the Houston area ever since. My father's parents, Francis Marion & Sarah
Elizabeth Koons moved from Wayne County, Kentucky to Thackersville in 1914. They
are buried in Marietta. My father was buried in Mt. Zion cemetery in
Thackersville in 1995. My GreatGrandfather, Dave Faulk of Kingston, outside
Madill, was a member of the Oklahoma House of Representative for 13 years. His
son, Pryor Faulk, was the District Attorney in Marshall County for several
years. His wife Emma Jane Little was kin to Sebastian Little and Sebastian
County in Arkansas was named after him. She was also kin to Quentin & Ruel
Little from Ardmore, Okla. My father, John William Koons, was a salesman and
mechanic for Ferguson Tractors in Ardmore for several years and I used to go to
work with him and we would go eat at the Hamburger Inn. That wonderful smell of
grilled onions filled the air all around. I attended Ardmore Junior High in the
7th, 8th and 9th grades. Thanks for putting my name in the drawing. I really
enjoy your newsletter and all the pictures." -Loretta Koons
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Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"I have a question for you. In looking at the old pictures, people never smile, they all seem to have a frown or no expression. Now, everyone taking a picture says ?Smile?. When did that change?" -Rick"I wanted to let you know we had a flood Aug. 12,2016 I lost the brick you engraved for us, I lost myhome and everything in it- and vehicle. Our truck dodge ram 1500 with hemi got under water all but 7 inches from roof. Everything a total loss.
I am on oxygen and was rescued with my oxygen machine in a kayak. He was rescued in a big boat. We have been displaced to our daughter's house in La Place 30 miles from New Orleans.
We are getting a FEMA Trailer so we can get back to our property. It just is so overwhelming to know you had everything you wanted or needed, then lose everything you owned.
I just wanted to let you know this. Every one down our road lost everything they owned.
It had never flooded before. We built the church in 1982. In 1983 April and Aug water came to 4 feet of getting inside the church- but in 2005 Katrina, Rita, Gustaf, or Issaiac did any water get in the church.
People down our road would bring their vehicles and park it in the church yard because it was higher. This time it did not matter- hubby took the truck and our daughter took her van, and other people brought theirs, all all are a total loss- we got 6 ft. of water in the church- and 6 ft. in our pl Never have I been in this position to have and then to have nothing - It is over whelming. Like a bad nightmare we cannot wake up from. But we are a survivor and we will make it." -Rita Howell [email protected]http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/HowellBrick.jpg
"Would any of your readers have a photo taken from the Arbuckles toward Ardmore at about the 46 mile marker? It is about the county line where three people were killed a few years ago, including two ambulance drivers, and a car wreck victim. From that point you can see Ardmore and lakes below. My mother expressed desire to have her ashes scattered there, and recently her wishes were fulfilled. I would love to have a photo of the view looking south of this point." -Leslie
"Red River Valley" by James Kerrigen, 1896
From this valley they say you are going,
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile,
For they say you are taking the sunshine
That brightens our path for awhile.
CHORUS:
Come and sit by my side if you love me,
Do not hasten to bid me adieu,
But remember the Red River Valley,
And the girl that has loved only you.
Won't you think of this valley you're leaving?
Oh, how lonely and sad it will be,
Oh, and think of the dear heart you're breaking,
And the grief that you're causing me.
CHORUS
From this valley they say you are going,
When you go, may your true love go, too?
Would you leave her behind unprotected?
When she loves no other but you?
CHORUS
I have promised you, darling, that never
Will a word from my lips cause you pain;
And my life, it will be yours forever
If you only will love me again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgrG9j7_e4A
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Bells of Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
Carter County Courthouse Paver Project
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/pavers
Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ArdmoreCriterion.com/
Oklahoma Bells:
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm's Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
American Flyers Memorial
Fund - Administration Webpage
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/crash66.html
Official American Flyers
Memorial Website
http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force
Base Website
http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/airbase/
Carter County
Government Website
http://cartercountyOK.us/
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