The Daily Ardmoreite
Ardmore, Oklahoma
Monday, May 28, 1906
HISTORICAL MURDER CASE
Final Chapter Being Enacted
Murder Committed in 1902
Guthrie, Okla., May 27, 1906 – Sheriff Elliott, who recently went to British Columbia, has wired here that the prisoner under arrest there is Sam Green, one of the men under indictment for murdering Sheriff Bullard and Deputy Sheriff Cogburn, in 1902. Extradition papers are being prepared at Washington, asking for the return of Green to Oklahoma. When arrested the prisoner gave his name as G. McGiven. He arrived at Vancouver in April from Portland, Oregon. Sheriff Elliott went to Portland, in September, 1905, and to North Dakota in August, 1904, when he was informed of the supposed arrest of Green and his co-partner, Pete Whitehead. Both trips, however, were wild goose chases, but the Vancouver prisoner is positively identified as Green.
The killing of Jack Bullard, sheriff of Roger Mills county and his deputy Cogburn, occurred in June, 1902, near Cheyenne. Pete Whitehead and the Green boys, Sam and Richard, with Mrs. Sam Green and a confederate named Otis Stuhl, were in hiding near Cheyenne, having in their possession a bunch of alleged stolen horses. Bullard learned of their whereabouts and with Cogburn went to arrest them. As they approached the underbrush, where Green and his partners were hiding, the latter opened fire on the officers, instantly killing Bullard and fatally injuring Cogburn.
All members of the Green-Whitehead gang made their escape, excepting Stuhl and Mrs. Sam Green. Following their arrest, the defense was made that Bullard and Cogburn had called the women of the gang thieves and outlaws, and that the members of the gang fired on the officers to protect the honor of their women. But little evidence was ever given this story, however.
The original Convention Hall was built in the location where Heritage Hall now stands. When the Ardmore auditorium was built in 1940 through the Works Progress Administration, part of the south and east walls of the convention hall was incorporated into the new Ardmore auditorium. At some point the name changed to Civic Auditorium, and in 2000, after much renovation the name was changed to Heritage Hall. (Courtesy Sally Gray)
Building on the left is City Drug Store (NE corner of Main and North Washington), W.B. Frame, proprietor, next bulding at right is the J.T. Hamilton Fine Shoes, (Photo courtesy Sally Gray)
A nighttime shot of the Ardmore Depot. Beautiful
Followup on my HAM activities: I’ve talked to 92 people all over the U.S. and the world since renewing my HAM license a couple weeks ago (KC5JVT). Let’s see, England, Wales, Sweden, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, Tasmania, Brazil, India, Austria, Canada, South Korea, Indonesia, and over 35 states including a lady HAMer in Washington D.C. I’m keeping a log of all my contacts at the end of my HAM webpage
https://oklahomahistory.net/my-ham-radio-shack/
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG….
Last week I came across a really cool bell in Tishomingo. It sits in front of ‘Doug’s Plumbing’ at 7080 US 377. Doug himself saved the bell from being scrapped when they tore down the old Methodist church. If you are ever that way I thought you might want to check it out.
“The original DeHart Roofing Company was just west of Ardmore’s depot at 203 East Main where the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company was located. The area is now called the Ardmore Depot Park.” -Laura DeHart
Hi Butch, I missed your HAM call via echolink. No transmit on my end. Sorry, don’t know what’s wrong. Let’s try to connect again. send me your echolink node for your area, or an HF freq and time to call. -Wayne In Taos, NM W5GWR
Below is from my Vol 4, Issue 143 January 15, 2000 newsletter:
“Butch, Thanks a bunch for putting the article about the Arch Campbell shooting in your T and T last week. You know I do a lot of Garrett and Ballew research, and can’t get up that way often enough to have a look at as many of the old issues of the Ardmoreite as I would like. So thanks again for this glimpse into the past.”
This week Ardmoreite Robert Hensley passed along to me this most amazing photo of Buck Garrett and Bud Ballew. Buck Garrett was the most famous sheriff of all time in Carter county. And Bud Ballew was his infamous undersheriff. There was an oil painting of this photo hanging in Ponders Restaurant at I-35 and Highway 142 on the north edge of Ardmore. That’s Sheriff Buck Garrett on the right, Ballew on the left.
Well, I am pleased to say not one computer or Server at the courthouse crashed or had problems with the advent of January 1, 2000. Even a couple of “older” computers made the change over just fine. I had to go check all the printers to make sure they were Y2000 Compliant. But I do believe it is because of a lot of program upgrading and such, that made sure 2000 was uneventful. Without all the upgrades and changes before December 31 there could have been a lot more problems, everywhere.
This past week The Daily Ardmoreite ran a feature story on the new “flight suits” the Southern Oklahoma Ambulance Service is sporting around now as their official uniform. The medics sure look better in those “flight suits” then we did back in the early 70s when I worked there. We wore solid white shirts and pants. Back in those days there was a Burger and Fries at the SW corner of Grand and “K” Street here in Ardmore. I was wearing my ambulance uniform, standing in line, and the person behind me made a derogatory statement about our uniforms.
Back in April 1999 Ardmoreite photographer Joyce Franks came by my off with a manilla envelope of large photos he had taken over the years. Below is just one of those photos, a color aerial photo of the Skyview Drive-in theater on the NE side of Ardmore on Highway 199.
“Aloha Butch…. Love all the info and unique stories! I have a small request …is it possible for you to add to the subject line the volume and issue so as when saving they don’t overwrite each other??? I find that I refer back to them to send on info to friends or just for my own use and would like to keep them without having the hassle of renaming them ….. Just a thought!…. Mahalo”
“I have received permission from Markie to tell you about a book, “Living On Holson Creek, A Choctaw Journal”, written by Neal White. This book is a collection of short stories written about Neal’s growing up years in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma as well as current goings on here on Holson Creek. It has stories that will make you laugh, stories that will make you cry, and some that will make your blood boil. This is Neal’s first book, and as he is continuing to write short stories, there’s a chance of a second book somewhere in the future. But for now, if you would like a copy of the current book, just send a check or money order for $19.95 (which includes shipping and handling) to:
Neal White….. Rt.1, Box 2685….. Wister, Oklahoma 74966″
“I have a question for you….it’s an Ardmore mystery that no one has been able to help me solve yet. Apparently about 1905, my great grandfather, Sylvester Clarence Ballard, was shot and killed in the Ardmore area. I have been unable to locate his grave or any information about it. I gather he was a bad person and got into some trouble around Lone Grove. My grandfather located his grave allegedly in Love County in the 60s but made my entire family promise to never ask around about Sylvester Ballard in the Ardmore or Lone Grove area. He was allegedly followed and warned to never return to the area or he’d be killed.” [email protected]
Failure to prepare is preparing to fail
See everyone next Thursday!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore, OK
580-490-6823