December 4, 1908
Ardmore, Oklahoma
Bloody Tragedy At Fire Headquarters
Terrible pistol duel in which Earnest Plyler is shot to death and Joseph Roberson wounded
Ernest Plyler, driver for the fire department, lies dead at Bridgman’s undertaking rooms with a bullet hole through his right breast and Joseph Roberson, also a member of the fire department is in the county jail charged with the killing and having as a result of the bloody encounter a bullet wound in the right thigh.
The shooting occurred last night at 8:00 in the doorway of the fire station and was precipated by the fact that Roberson believed that someone of the fire boys was “knocking” him
Ernest Plyler on Find-A-Grave
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68645738/reece-ernest-plyler
After 26 years my website now has a SSL certificate. What is SSL? It just means my website is protected and secured from outside interferece like overseas hackers, etc. So now people’s web browser will not show “unscured website” when you go to it. Some web browers even shows “the webisite is unscure, are you sure you want to continue.? YES or NO.” You can see the “s” at the http at my website (now https). You will notice the “s” in the URLs of financial institutions, hospitals, schools, goverment websites, etc. Wait, my website has been on the internet before ANY other website in this county, so why am I being treated this way. LOL Anyway, much safer now.
From my June 8, 2003 newseltter:
“In 1908 there must have been one heck of a shoot-out in Marietta, Oklahoma. John Braziel shot and killed two men, one a policeman. The policeman was Smith Redmon, and the other person was T.C. Bridgeman. Three other men were wounded by Braziel according to the info I’ve researched so far.
Smith Redmon survived his 4 shotgun pellet wounds he received on Dec 1, 1908, and went back to work on Dec 22nd according to Ardmoreite of 12-23-1908.
Also see Ardmoreite of 12-11-1908 Redmon was seen in town and recovering from his wounds. It appears he was an Ardmore Police Officer. The articles all seem to indicate the shooting was in Ardmore. A 12 year old boy named Luther Ford (05/11/1896-12/01/1908) buried at Rosehill Cemetery in Ardmore) was killed in that shootout. Not sure if William Ballew died or not.”
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..
I stumbled across your newsletter tonight searching for family history. The photograph you have on your website from Healdton in the 1920s is one I’ve been looking at my whole life (Vol 23 Issue 1,195, December 19, 2019)
My father R. Milton Schayes was born in Healdton in 1937. His Father, Telesfore George Schayes(TG to everyone else) was my grandfather and the owner and operator of Schayes Hardware and Furniture. It was a surprise to bump into this on the web.
My Father passed away a month ago, so I’m searching for more about his early days. One question I’ve wondered about but he could never tell me was what was going on in the photo. We both guessed local politics, but we’re never certain.
I’m not sure where the old Schayes hardware store was located in Healdton, but I’d like to visit and spend some time in my family’s old haunts someday. Does anyone know where my Dad’s store in Healdon was located? Maybe an address?
-Greg Schayes, WA
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Q. How many flags have flown over Oklahoma?
A. “There were 14 flags that flew over Oklahoma. This is our answer because, when we lived in Oklahoma City, there was a Drive In Theatre called 14 Flags. It was on Western Ave and we could see it down the street from our house. The girls would climb on top of our Mini Motorhome and camp out and watch movies. They couldn’t hear them very well, though. haha” -Carol & Dale Wise
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/11854
Q. What is Oklahoma’s state rock?
A. Answer in next week’s newsletter
Whether the weather be fine, whether the weather be not, whether the weather be cold, whether the weather be hot, we’ll weather the weather, whatever the weather, whether we like it or not
See everyone next Thursday!
Butch and Jill Bridges
236 Timber Road
Ardmore, Oklahoma
580-490-6823
butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
https://oklahomahistory.net