Ed Lockhart, pal of late Henry Starr, caught

-Sequoyah County Democrat, Feb. 23, 1923

From the files of Your Sequoyah County Times

25 Years Ago

(From the Feb. 26, 1998, issue of the Sequoyah County Times)

—An abandoned recreational vehicle (RV) apparently abandoned due to mechanical problems, burned Tuesday near the 304 mile marker, in the eastbound lane, on Interstate 40.

A passing motorist is believed to have reported the fire, which was extinguished by the Sallisaw Volunteer Fire Department.

Although no one was with the locked RV when the fire was reported, OHP Trooper Bud Smithson’s investigation revealed the vehicle belonged to Ruth Summers of Phoenix.

—Two Fort Smith, Ark., teenagers face a variety of charges after leading Sequoyah County law enforcement officers on car chases Friday evening.

Johnny Philpot, Sequoyah County Sheriff, said drivers on Interstate 40, at about 4 p.m. Friday, reported two vehicles traveling west at a high rate of speed, and apparently playing tag.

Deputy Kelly Karnes and Steve Fioretti, Vian police officer, attempted to stop the two vehicles at Vian, but they accelerated, left the interstate at the Vian exit and drove north on State Highway 82.

Philpot said one of the vehicles, a white Chevrolet extended-cab pickup stopped at that point but the driver of the second vehicle, a Ford Ranger, continued to attempt to elude police.

50 Years Ago

(From the Feb. 22, 1973, issue of the Sequoyah County Times)

—K.C. Eubanks, son of Mrs. Georgia Eubanks, Vian, has been selected by Second District Congressman, Clem McSpadden to compete in filling a vacancy in the United States Air Force Academy. Nominees have been selected on the basis of their all-around performance (scholastic, extra-curricular activities, etc.) Final selection to fill the vacancy will be made by the academy in reviewing nominee’s ACT scores, as well as all other aspects of the competitors. K.C. is currently enrolled as a junior at Vian High School.

—Miss Dana Aydelott, a sophomore at Sallisaw High School, was crowned the District 2 Miss Poppy for the American Legion in ceremonies held in Sallisaw Sunday.

Miss Aydelott was crowned by Reba Loflin, Stillwater, the state Poppy chairman for the American Legion Auxiliary.

Dana won the honors as Sallisaw’s Miss Poppy at a pageant held during a “Patriotic Weekend” in Sallisaw.

75 Years Ago

(From the Feb. 27, 1948, issue of the Sequoyah County Times)

—Last Tuesday, workmen constructing the nine mile stretch of United States Highway 64 east of Sallisaw were able to pour the first concrete since Jan. 22. Actually, only three working days have been possible since Jan. 1. The other was on Jan. 11, so reported the state highway department office in Sallisaw Thursday.

According to the department spokesman, there are still about three miles and a quarter of the roadway yet to be paved.

—Just about a month ago a new business was established in Sallisaw, the Poole Bakery. Since that time many Sallisaw and Sequoyah County housewives have been purchasing Poole’s doughnuts and maple bars, chief products of the establishment. Judging from the fact the bakery has doubled its daily output, their merchandise is meeting with the solid approval of the residents.

Answering Sallisaw’s urgent request for a bake shop was ex-GI A.R. Poole who with his wife, Lorene, make the delicious doughnuts and maple bars before daylight every day except Sunday.

—Jack Pierson, used-car dealer and private pilot from Shawnee, has made two beautiful forced landings near Vian in the last month.

Pierson, who has relatives in Vian, was reported to have been low on gasoline both times.

Last Sunday afternoon, he had to make two attempts in his airplane before the third successful try was made.

This was due to difficulties in wind direction, he said.

100 years ago

(From the Feb. 23, 1923, issue of the Sequoyah County Democrat)

—Ed Lockhart, alias Dave Lockhart chief lieutenant of the late Henry Starr’s gang of bank bandits and one of the most noted desperadoes of the southwest, together with his brother Sam Lockhart and Matt Carlile were apprehended in this city early Tuesday morning by Night Patrolman, Perry Chuculate.

Lockhart is wanted in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas for bank robbery and at one time a price of $3,000.00 was set on his head.

The arrest of Lockhart and his pals was a sensational one, filled with spectacular feats and only through the alertness of Night Patrolman Perry Chuculate the arrest of the trio

SEE was accomplished. Chuculate was making his rounds about 3 o’clock Tuesday morning, and he discovered two men entering the garage of Bert Cotton, undersheriff. He immediately went to the garage and commanded the men to hold up their hands and called for help and Cotton came to his assistance. Chuculate thought he had arrested automobile thieves or whiskey runners and did not know that he had captured one of the southwest’s most noted bank bandits until Undersheriff Bert Cotton recognized Lockhart, as they were marching the men under a street light on their way to the county jail.

When the men were searched a .45 automatic pistol was taken from each man. They were heavily armed and had enough ammunition to last them through a long battle. Suspecting that a third man might be of the party, Chuculate and Cotton reinforced by Deputy Sheriff Roy Cheek started in pursuit in Cotton’s car and as they were driving on Cherokee Avenue in the west end of town they noticed flashing lights off and on as if signaling and the officers turned their attention to this, and upon drawing near to the place where the lights were flashing they noticed a Ford roadster and they found Sam Lockhart. The car contained money, sacks, high powered rifles, pistols and plenty of ammunition.

It is thought by Sheriff John E. Johnston that the trio had planned to raid the First National Bank in Sallisaw.

It was rumored on the streets Monday that the First National had more than $100,000.00 in cash in its vault and the lure of a rich haul made Lockhart gather up his faithful band and come marching to Sallisaw under the cover of darkness.

Lockhart in his cell at the county jail stated he could easily have killed Chuculate, but he thought he could get close enough to the officer to take his gun away.

—The Sallisaw Bank and Trust company, a State Banking Institution established about 1910 by I.H. Nakdimen, now a prominent banker of Fort Smith, President of the Citizens National Bank of that city, and interested in several banks in Arkansas and Oklahoma, closed its doors Saturday afternoon about 3:30 after a slight run had started by depositors.

This is the largest State Bank to fall under the administration of Joe Strain, who has just taken over the duties of State Bank Commissioner, and also it is the first bank failure that this city has ever experienced.