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.