I'm trying to find out about this ancestor and would appreciate any help to fill in gaps.

William Newton b. 1882, was a lawman in Oklahoma in the early 1900s. Family members think he was a U. S. Marshall, but it could have been any branch of law enforcement. He lived in Cleveland County, down around the Buckhead area...

At some point though William turned outlaw, or so the family lore says. I'm not sure just what he did, but supposedly he was caught down in Texas doing something illegal, and was hanged/shot.

Family lore says the family in Oklahoma didn't know about it until someone read in a law-enforcement magazine of his death. At that point two Newton family members went down to Texas and brought back his body. William was buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery, Cleveland County. The date on his headstone says he died January 22, 1912 -- or could that be the date he was buried? I don't know.

Does anyone have anything on this fellow? What did he do? How exactly did he die? Is there a magazine article?

Thanks... Mae

I was intrigued about your post. I too had a person "down in Texas" that was said to have shot and killed someone. Finally, I made a trip to the county where I found him "in jail" on the 1900 census. While there the first thing I did was to read old newapapers and found tons of information. Also found some court records at the courthouse. When I got back home I checked the law library where I used to work, I found out of the West Books where he appealed his murder conviction (and won). If you know the county where his body was obtained from, I would suggest you start in that county (maybe have a paid researcher in Austin read the old newspapers for you). Also, I would make contact with the genealogical/historical society in the county from which his body was obtained - with a small donation to them they probably could did up tons of information. Since he was killed/buried in 1912 - have you found him on the 1910 census - that might give a clue where to start.