I just received info on the murder of an ancestor. Hoping someone can give me more info or guidelines to find out more.
Jim (James) Martin was ambushed, shot and died later that day, Sept 10 1906 near Oswalt, Chickasaw Nation IT. The killers, according to newspaper article, were John Banks, Eldridge Gasoway and Bill Adelholt. According to family members, these men were all convicted and sent to Prison.

Sure would appreciate any help on this item
Jo Cox

If it's any help Lansing prison was probably their destination due to the time and location. The KSHS is online. You have the most important info for looking up the prison inmates there names, the aproximate incarcaration date, and the crime.
Lots of luck.
John

Thanks John and please excuse a dumb question. Where is Lansing located? What is KSHS?

Sorry, I have not been at this very long.

Jo

Lansing prison at Lansing, Kansas. KSHS - Kansas State Historical Society. Good luck hunting.
John

Since I posted the first time, I have more information. I contacted the National Archives in Ft Worth and they found (In an index) a docket# 5812 that names the 3 men that did the shooting. They were, John Banks, Eldridge Gassoway and W.S. Aderholt. I was told though, that they do not have the records.

Thinking this might have been transferred to State court, since OK became a state in 1907, I tried the Courthouse in both Carter and Love Co, but they had nothing.

From other postings on this page, it appears they might have been taken to Paris TX, but if that was the case, it seems that records were destroyed by fire.

Anyone have any other ideas?

Jo

If the cases were still in the court system, ie: no conviction until after November, 1907, they were probably transferred to the State Court system. If they were, they should would be available at the County Court house in the county where the murder took place. If that be the case, the place to look would be in Court Docket Number one.
The case most likely would not have gone to Paris. By 1906, the Indian Territory Courts had jurisdiction over all felonies. However, often cases in the old Federal Courts received a change of venue. Cases in the Ardmore Court were most often sent to Pauls Valley and Ada. I know of one which was appealed to Sherman, Texas. Most of the dockets from Pauls Valley survive and I'll take a look the next trip to town.
Where did the news article you quoted come from? Sometimes you can follow a case through newspapers (on microfilm). If this is the Daily Ardmorite, the libraries in Ardmore have those papers on microfilm. If it is Love County, try the local library or the Chickasaw library in Ardmore.

The clipping I have was from the Ardmoreite, but I have not been able to find any later articles. I am waiting now on a look up from the Marietta Monitor newspaper.

I would appreciate anything that can be done.

Thanks, Jo

Tower is correct. After 1896 and before Statehood, the Territorial Courts were allowed to hear the more serious types of criminal cases. Capital cases were tried in Marietta AFTER 1904; therefor, a homicide dated 9/10/1906 would most likely have been tried in Marietta, unless a change of venue was asked.

I did not find any record of this case in the Indian Territory (1896-1906) Criminal Court of Appeals.

For some reason, this case may have been continued (postponed) for several years before being tried. I found one newspaper citation dated 12/17/1909 (p. 8 col. 1-2) in the LOVE COUNTY NEWS, indicating that this case was on the Court Docket, scheduled for trial in January 1910.

If I have time, when I visit the Oklahoma History Center on Friday, I'll scan the Marietta newspapers for this period and see what I can find.

(NOTE: If they were actually tried, convicted, and sent to prison "in 1910", they probably were sent to the Oklahoma State Penitentiary at McAlester, OK. They may be on the 1910 Census -- in prison. I have a print-out copy of that Census. I'll check it out - tomorrow!)

I have not heard "Love County News" Mentioned before. Is that a section of a paper or another paper entirely? I have not found anything else in the Ardmore paper and I am trying the Marietta Monitor now, but I have been looking in late 1906 or early 1907. Sounds like 1910 is where I need to be looking.

I did find a man named John Banks in Mcalester Prison in 1910 and there is a man named Eldridge Gassoway in the 1910 census with his family in Love Co. I have been told that W.S. Aderholt died in 1910 but I have not been able to find any proof of that.

Do you think, since you found something on a 1910 date that it might have been in State court instead of Federal?

Thanks so much for your help. It appears that not only am I related the the murdered man, but also to one of the shooters, Aderholt was my great Grandfather.

Jo

I checked the dockets and the case was not sent to the Pauls Valley court. With those dates, it's probable the case was handled in the State District court and since a Love County paper is mentioning the case, you might try a records search at the Love County Court beginning with felony Docket book one.

Thank you. I feel like I have a little more hope of finding something on this now that I did a few days ago.

I appreciate all the help.

Jo