Submitted by

Robert L. Haddock

TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM

Temple, Bell Co., Texas

Friday, November 11, 1910

Oklahoma Murder of Former Bell

County Man Was Frame-Up Affair

     Mr. Henry Pratt leaves today for Madill, Okla., accompanied by his brother, Dr. Pratt, who resides in another city in that state. They go to attend the examining trial of the men who were arrested for the murder of their brother Joe last Sunday, an account of which was published in The Telegram.

     In an interview with Mr. Pratt, the following particulars of the murder were secured:

            Joe Pratt, his brother, had been sheriff of the Oklahoma county, and on retiring

            from office, he was induced to take the place of city marshal. He had proven

            himself able to cope with the rough element which had infested that section,

            and until he secured the upper hand of them there had been no officer who

            could command their respect and obedience.

            As sheriff and as marshal, Mr. Pratt had sent many a one over the road, and

            had caused others to leave for other fields. The man who killed him had been

            in Mexico for some time, returning to Madill but a few days before the tragedy.

            He and others of his kind determined to get rid of the officer who had made their

            old untenable for them, and they made threats on numerous occasions,

            the slayer especially giving it out that he was going to kill the marshal, and

            publicly going armed with the threats in his mouth. Mr. Pratt, whose methods

            were of quietly going about his duty, looked the man up and asked him about

            his intentions, and there was some sort of an understanding arrived at, the

            man professing to become friendly with the marshal, and withdrawing his

            threats. This was taken at its face value by the one, but it proved to be only

            a subterfuge of the other.

            Last Sunday, the man who did the killing and who kept a wagon yard,

            evidently conspired with friends to do the work. A message was sent to the

            marshal that he was wanted at the wagon yard, and unsuspecting, he started

            there. In a doorway was  concealed the murderer and others were concealed

            at advantageous places along the route. Mr. Pratt’s 14 year-old son was

            about a block from his father when the shots rang out from the doorway and

            laid the officer low. The boy ran to the prostrate form and raised the head of

            the dying man, when the murderer approached and threatened to kill the son

            as he had the father.

            The murderer escpaed with one companion, but posses quickly formed and

            chased the fugitives, the whole country being aroused and the governor

            offering a reward. They were captured and jailed, and several others of

            the gang suspected of complicity in the plot were also put in jail. The good

            people of the community were very much wrought up, and there is apt to be

            more trouble after the examining trial brings out the testimony.

     Mr. Pratt brought with him the oldest son of the murdered man, and he will remain with his grandfather at Blevins for the present.

     The examining trial is set for Friday.