Vintage Enid News Clippings

News clippings about Enid from the Daily Oklahoman in the early 1900's.

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These news clippings are very interesting to say the least. These are stories from around Enid that were published in The Oklahoman. A few of these articles actually involve rather famous people in Enid. Here's more historical facts about Enid, OK.
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Published in The Oklahoman on April 26, 1904:
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ENID MAN AND WIFE HAVE FAMILY QUARREL J.K. DOUTHITT THE VICTIM BOTH HAD PISTOLS WHEN FUSS BEGAN.

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Mrs. Douthitt Accused Her Husband of Being Unfaithful – Shot Him Once Before It---Was Not Arrested.
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Enid, Okla., April 25, -- A family quarrel ended last night in the fatal shooting of J.K. Douthitt, a retired capitalist, the shooting being done by Mrs. Douthitt in a fit of jealous rage. Both had revolvers during the quarrel, but Mrs. Douthitt fired first, the ball taking effect near the spinal cord and passing through the left lung, which paralyzed the man. He was then unable to shoot. Three shots were fired, all making wounds in Douthitt.
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The quarrel which ended in tragedy was brought about by a disposition on the part of Mrs. Douthitt to be suspicious of her husband's action. Sunday, he went to his downtown office early and did not return home until late in the evening. She accused him of being unfaithful and the quarrel resulted. She shot him on the same accusation two years ago, but the wound made was slight. This time the man cannot recover. She has not been arrested.
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Published in The Oklahoman on March 6, 1906:
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Farmer Commits Suicide

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Enid, Okla., March 5—Fred Grosso, aged 43, a prominent farmer living near Ringwood, Okla., committed suicide yesterday by shooting himself through the head with a revolver.  He left a note dated March 1, saying he was tired of living.
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Published in The Oklahoman on April 15, 1906:
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Young Poole Elope.

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Enid, Okla., April 14.—Daniel Lewis, aged 21, an employe of the Garfield County Milling company of Enid, has eloped with a 13-year-old girl of this city, named Mary Reed.  No trace of the couple has been found.
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Published in The Oklahoman on May 2, 1906:
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FREIGHT BRAKEMAN KILLED AT ENID
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Clothing Caught to Cattle Guard and Threw Him Under the Engine.
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Carl White, a Rock Island freight brakeman, was instantly killed in yards here at 11 o'clock last night by a southbound passenger while he was riding the pilot of the engine to the end of the siding to turn a switch. He reached the switch all right, but his coat caught and threw him under the wheels of the engine, which completely severed his head from his body, throwing this body outside and his head inside the rails.  The remains were sent to Lawton, Okla. This morning.
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Published in The Oklahoman on June 27, 1906:
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BAD FIRE AT ENID.

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Gasoline Lamp Lets Go and Serious Results Follow.
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Enid, Okla. Of June 26.—A fire at 7 o'clock this evening caused by an explosion of gasoline lamps, completely destroyed Bhown's pool hall and the city's business office.
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For a while the firm  threatened the entire block.  It was finally confined to the pool hall, both buildings on each side being brick.  Loss is about $5,000.
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Several firemen were slightly injured during the fire by a falling awning.
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Mayor Powers and Street Commissioner Sam Reeves, were also among those injured, the latter it is thought seriously.
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Published in The Oklahoman on August 2, 1906:
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A WRONGED WIFE LOOKS UP HUSBAND ENID BUSINESS MAN AND PARAMOUR HIKE WHEN WIFE AND BABIES APPEAR.

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Enid, Okla., Aug. 1—Ceril Carpenter, proprietor of the Quick Lunch restaurant, and a woman calling herself his wife, who came here about four months ago from Columbus Junction, Kansas, left town suddenly last night on account of the appearance here of his lawful wife from Iowa, whom he deserted for the woman, Psyche Kletz, who has been posing as his wife and running the business.
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Mrs. Carpenter and two children have taken charge of the business here.
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Published in The Oklahoman on August 29, 1906:
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CIRCUS MAN HAS BOTH LEGS CUT OFF BY TRAIN

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Enid, Okla., Aug. 28—Early this morning while the Sells-Floto circus was leaving here for El Reno over the Rock Island, William Gavin, a bodyguard of the cashier of the circus, who was standing on the platform of the sleeper, fell to the tracks and in trying to regain the platform, was pulled under the coach.  His left leg was severed above the ankle, his right leg above the knee.  It is thought he will not recover.
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Published in The Oklahoman on September 14, 1906:
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THROWN INTO TANK OF BOILING WATER AWFUL EXPERIENCE OF AN ENID MAN MAY RESULT IN HIS DEATH

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Enid, Okla., Sept. 13.—Thrown into a tank of scalding hot water out of which he crawled on his hands and knees, his body nearly cooked, was the terrible experience of Washington Jett, one of the proprietors of the Enid Machinery and Supply company, near this place last night.
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Mr. Jett was operating a threshing machine when it exploded, hurling him twenty feet through the air and into the vat of boiling water.  He was rescued as soon as fellow laborers could reach him, but his recovery is extremely doubtful.
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Published in The Oklahoman on September 18, 1906:
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SCHOOL PROFESSORS IN A SLANDER SUIT POND CREEK PRINCIPAL SUES ENID MAN FOR SAYING NAUGHTY THINGS

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Enid, Okla., Sept. 17.—Suit has been filed in the district court of this county by Manatt and Sturgis, attorneys for Jean Madalene, principal of the Pond Creek, Okla., schools, and formerly principal of Kenwood school in this city, against Milton Wright, principal of Kenwood school, for $10,000, alleging slander. It is charged that Professor Wright has stated publicly that Madalene "had no respect for God, or for the institution of learning of this county."
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Published in The Oklahoman on September 29, 1906:
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AN EXPLOSION OF GASOLINE ENDANGERS LIVES AT ENID

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Enid, Okla., Sept 28.—A gasoline stove exploded this morning in Charles Stuttman's restaurant near the Rock Island depot while the place was filled with people eating breakfast, and they barely escaped with their lives, so rapidly did the fire spread.  A large hay and feed store room adjoining, occupied by W.S. Grubb, also burned.  Loss $2,500.
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Published in The Oklahoman on October 8, 1907:
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MYSTERY IN ENID'S MURDER CASE DEEPENS

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Enid, Okla., Oct. 7.—Although six days have elapsed since the night on which C.L. Cardwell, a Frisco brakeman, was found dead, his body horribly mutilated, on the Rock Island tracks in the center of this city and the coroner's jury has been in almost continuous session for five days, the mystery of the tragedy has deepened and no decision has yet been reached as to how the man lost his life.  But it has been established beyond question that he did not come to his death by accident.  He was murdered. Every effort is being put forth by the officers to discover the perpetrators of the crime.
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How much the coroner's jury has learned of the real facts connected with the mysterious death of Cardwell is not known and cannot be fully determined until that body makes its formal report, for all sessions have been secret and the strictest precautions are being taken by the officers to prevent what they know from becoming general information.  Yet part of the evidence offered in the jury room has reached the public.
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Three trains passed over the body of Cardwell on the tracks in the dense darkness of a cloudy night.  Although the body was torn into many pieces and scattered along the tracks for more than 100 feet, there was little trace of blood, showing conclusively that the man was dead prior to the time any of the various trains struck his body.
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Cardwell had been drinking the evening before he was killed.  In a semi- intoxicated condition he visited the "bad lands" of the city.  There he fell in with men and women of the lower world.  And the next morning he was found dead.
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Cries heard from the vicinity of one of the worst resorts in the city about midnight were unheeded at the time bur were later recalled when the mystery of Cardwell's death became the great topic of conversation in that locality.  Then habitues of the place whence the cries of terror had emanated were summoned before the inquisitor ybody.  At first little could be learned.  Cardwell had been there, it was admitted.  He had left, it was said, in an intoxicated condition and that was all known about him.
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But the probing continued.  Conflicting stories developed as to what happened in that resort on this fatal night.  Suspicion grew stronger, and was apparently well founded when it became known that an engineer of one of the trains which struck the body had seen two men crouching among the weeds near the track.
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It is now believed that Cardwell was murdered in a fight in the den in question, that he was beaten to death and robbed while in a drunken condition, and that his body was placed on the track by the assassins in order to hide the crime.
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Suspicion attaches to two tough characters who came to this city recently from Wichita and one of whom is known to have been in company with Cardwell the night he was killed.  Whether sufficient evidence can be secured to definitely charge the crime where it apparently belongs yet remains a question.  The coroner's jury has adjourned until the middle of this week when it will again resume its investigation.
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This bold and bloody deed has aroused public sentiment to such a high pitch that officers can no longer postpone their duty of cleaning the thugs out of Enid.  Within the last few months this city has become a rendezvous for tough characters.   The police force of six men is utterly inadequate properly to protect the city.  Holdups and other crimes have become frequent.  The people demand a cleaning out and are determined that it shall be done at once regardless of expense.
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Published in The Oklahoman on October 23, 1907:
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SHOOTS WIFE; LEG CUT OFF MRS. J.T. HOVEY OF ENID VICTIM OF ACCIDENT, MAY NOT SURVIVE

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Enid, Okla., Oct. 22.—Mrs. J.T. Hovey, wife of a real estate man of this city, was shot and probably fatally injured at her home, 666 Jefferson street last evening, while her husband was demonstrating to an eight-year- old child how to load and unload a shot gun.
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One barrel of the gun was discharged, the shot striking Mrs. Hovey in the calf of the right leg making amputation necessary this morning. Physicians state that her recovery is doubtful.
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Mr. and Mrs. Hovey were preparing to leave home when the accident occurred and their three children, the oldest of whom is eight years, objected to being left alone in the home.  The parents attempted to quiet the children's objections but could not.  Then Mr. Hovey took a shot gun which he had purchased that day and began explaining to the little ones how they could scare burglars away with the gun.  He pulled back the safety pin and before it was replaced he accidentally touched the trigger and the gun was fired.  Mrs. Hovey was standing about six feet from the end of the barrel and received the shot in her right leg.
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Published in The Oklahoman on December 31, 1907:
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ABANDONS ILLEGITIMATE CHILD

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Miss Joe Anderson of Tulsa Leaves Enid Presumably With Man From Tulsa
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Enid, Okla. Dec. 30.—Abandoning her three weeks old baby boy as he lay smiling in his cradle, to the mercy of strangers, Miss Joe Anderson, of Tulsa, has left Enid for parts unknown.  Arriving in this city recently without friends the young woman knocked at the door of B.J. Ferguson, whose home is in the north part of the city, and begged to be admitted.
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Pitying her Mrs. Anderson took the woman in and kept her until her child was born.  As soon as she was able to be about the house the young woman disappeared and has not been seen since.  The boy is unusually bright. His childish innocence has captivated the officers and all others who have seen him.  A letter that came to the woman's address after her departure indicates that she has gone to Kansas City with a man from Tulsa.  The officers are endeavoring to locate the couple and bring them back.
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Published in The Oklahoman on April 22, 1908:
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ENID WAVE IS SOLD

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Enid, Okla., April 21.—The Enid Wave, owned an edited for 15 years by J.L. Isenberg, was sold today to D.D. Campbell of Lima, Ohio.  The name will be changed to the News and it will be issued as a morning, independent paper.
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H.P. Crouse, formerly of the Toledo, Ohio, News-Bee, will be editor.
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Published in The Oklahoman on May 6, 1908:
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INDICT MAYOR OF ENID AND 2 OTHERS CHARGED WITH ADVANCING PRIVATE INTERESTS THROUGH OFFICIAL JOBS

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Enid, Okla., May 5.—Indictments against Mayor Stephenson and Water Commissioner Brooks, charging them with having used their official positions in advancing their private interests through the purchase of city warrants from city employes, were returned by a special grand jury today, together with an indictment against W.H. Hills, former member of the city council, charging him with having advanced his private interests through the employment of his firm, Cruce & Hills, lawyers, as counsel in a case in which the city was involved.  He alleges offense was committed while Hills was a member of the council.
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The investigation resulted from charges made against the city clerk by members of the city council and counter charges by the clerk against the mayor and members of the council.
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In its report the grand jury asks the removal from office of Mayor Stephenson and Water Commissioner Brooks and urges the people to change the city government to the commission system.
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Published in The Oklahoman on September 6, 1908:
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WAYWARD MAIDEN QUITS LOVE HOME

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Running away from the Home of Redeeming Love in Enid, where she was sent in the hope of reform, Olga McKinney, 14, police court frequenter and incorrigible lass about town, returned to Oklahoma City yesterday.  She is in the county jail, together with a companion, a girl of about he same age, whom the MicKinney girl picked up in Enid.
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Miss Kate Barnhard, state commissioner of charities and corrections, through whose influence a place for the McKinney girl in the Enid home was secured, is in a quandary as to future action.  She appealed to Police Judge Highley last night for advice.  He may aid her in an effort to secure Governor Haskell's help toward sending the McKinney girl to the St. Carroll school in Illinois.
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Published in The Oklahoman on September 16, 1908:
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PLEADS GUILTY TO OPENING MAIL BOX AT ENID OFFICE

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Enid, Okla., Sept. 15.—Seventeen indictments have been returned by the federal grand jury which has been in session here.  No indictments were returned against R.J. Jones, C.H. Billings, Memphis Jones and Fred White, who were charged with violating the postal laws.  Arthur Price, of Enid, charged with opening mail taken from the postoffice boxes of other persons, pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in October to a reformatory.
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