Local turnip greens bought in California

-Sequoyah County Times, March 19,1948

From the files of Your Sequoyah County Times

25 Years Ago

(From the March 19, 1998, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —“The road will be opened,” shouted one Vian resident as she left the Vian Board of Trustees meeting Monday night.

After three years of controversy, the Vian Board of Trustees voted to reopen a road that leads into the Brockman Addition from State Highway 64.

The road was given to the city in an easement by then property owner Roy Kohler in 1978. The city closed the road in May of 1995. The current property owner, Ted Blackwood, does not want to see the road reopened.

Trustee Delmar Schultz made a motion to reopen the road. The board voted three to one, with one abstention from Buford Martin, to reopen the road. There was no further discussion during the meeting as to when the road would be reopened.

50 Years Ago

(From the March 15,1973, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —Heavy showers Saturday brought near flood conditions to many areas in Sallisaw as drainage ditches crested and overflowed around 10 a.m., and it appeared that some water damage would result. Showers subsided around 10:30 and by noon, most water had drained from yards in the southern part of Sallisaw.

—The Sallisaw City Council Tuesday night accepted the low bid submitted for the resurfacing of the city’s streets in a gigantic road improvement project that will get under way when rain and temperatures permit.

The bid was for the first portion of the two-inch hot lay asphalt resurfacing that has been tagged Category One. That category includes several major roads including Redwood Street, City Manager Lloyd Haskins said the contractor will be given the go ahead to start the project after city crews have completed preliminary work and the one-year maintenance and performance bonds have been secured Haskins said it might be early May before the project gets in foil swing.

75 Years Ago

(From the March 19,1948, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —When grocery buyers of Bakersfield, Calif., purchase canned turnip greens, if they look closely at the label, find the product they get was packed in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, according to a letter received recently from an observing TIMES subscriber of that city, Mrs. David Jordon.

In her letter Mrs. Jordon, who is a former Sequoyah Countian, enclosed the label from a can of turnip greens she purchased in a Bakersfield market.

“I thought it might be of interest to the good folks back home to know how far a can of turnip greens can travel,’ she concluded.

Mrs. Jordon is the sister of Mrs. Gleason Bennett of Gore.

—Huckleberry Shell of Marble City became chief of police of Vian last Monday succeeding George O. Sanders, resigned, mayor J. Lewis Brockman reported to your Sequoyah County Times.

Shell has many years experience as a police officer in this area, Vian mayor remarked.

—Wilson Gilbert, proprietor of Ward’s Café, Wednesday purchased Wiley’s Café from Neal Wiley.

According to the new owner, Wiley’s Café will retain its name at least for the time being. Future plans of Wiley, who could not be reached for comment, are unknown.

100 years ago

(From the March 16,1923, issue of the Sequoyah County Democrat) —Brodie Diffee, Boyce Sloan and Owen “Tinker” Kirk are in the county jail charged with the murder of Mack Dodson, a prominent Marble City farmer last Friday evening.

Young Dodson was shot through the heart and instantly killed by unknown persons who escaped in a high power car following the shooting. Dodson was found dead only a few minutes after the fatal shot was fired in front of Holcomb Drug Store soon after darkness had set in. He had been dead less than half an hour when found. Sheriff John E. Johnston and several of his deputies were at the scene of the shooting less than one and one half hour after the fatal shot was fired. Sloan and Diffee were arrested when they failed to answer questions that were asked them by the officials. They are now in the county jail and their preliminary hearing is set for this afternoon. Following a thorough investigation by Sheriff Johnston and County Attorney Harry Pitchford of the fatal affair, Owen “Tinker” Kirk who is employed by the county as a cattle dipper for Marble territory was placed under arrest with charge of murder placed against him.

Young Dodson had separated two Kirk boys earlier in the day during a personal encounter and it is thought by the county officials that it brought about his death. Dodson was found in his shirt sleeves and only a short distance away his coat and hat had been carefully placed and it is the theory of the sheriff’s office that young Dodson was preparing to fight when killed.

Denver Sloan and Harry Tootle, two other Marble City men were released under bond following their arrest on charge of harboring the two Kirk boys, who are wanted in connection with Dodson’s murder.

—Joe Brandon, a local barber, charged with embezzlement, passing bogus checks and forgery and who was apprehended in Portland, Oregon after a three week’s chase over the western states will have his preliminary hearing, Tuesday, March 20.

Brandon’s trial was set for last Tuesday, but was postponed on account of his attorney being out of the city. His trial will come up before Justice of Peace Jim McLaughlin and it will attract possibly the largest crowd ever seen at a preliminary in Sallisaw on account of the notoriety the case has received.