Officers in raid get slot machine, tax paid whiskey

-Sequoyah County Times, April 22, 1948

From the files of Your Sequoyah County Times

25 Years Ago

(From the April 23, 1998, issue of the Sequoyah County Times)

—Students at Roland Junior High School will soon have access to the Internet when telephone wiring is installed Craig Cromley, Southwestern Bell Telephone (SWBT) area manager, said the Southwestern Bell Pioneers will install the Internet-access telephone line Saturday.

The Pioneers, a volunteer group, includes Southwestern Belle employees and retirees.

With access to the Internet, Cromley said the students “will be able to conduct research at the Library of Congress, look up the Sahara Desert’s average annual rainfall, and e-mail friends and family worldwide.

“Southwestern Bell Pioneers will wire the classrooms for Internet access as part of Southwestern Bell’s Operation SchoolNet program,” Cromley said.

Schools were selected for the program on the basis of the availability of computer equipment and detailed plans on how the Internet would be incorporated into the classroom curriculum.

50 Years Ago

(From the April 19, 1973, issue of the Sequoyah County Times)

—The Believers, a musical group from Central High School, were scheduled to appear on the John Chick Show Thursday at 7 a.m. Clyde parsons, the group’s advisor, said.

The group, composed of students from Central, will perform about 10 songs during the first half of the program which is televised on KTUL Channel 8 in Tulsa.

Members of the group are Ricky Thomas, Tommy Barrett, Joy Burcham, Kelly Parsons and Judy Bollinger.

75 Years Ago

(From the April 23, 1948, issue of the Sequoyah County Times)

—Lester Sparks, gas station and café proprietor, west of Sallisaw, appeared before the Justice of the Peace WR. “Bill” Russell Wednesday morning and entered a plea of guilty to a charge of owning and operating a coin operated gambling “slot” machine. Russell fined the defendant $50 and costs of the court. The machine and its contents, $4.50 in nickels were confiscated.

The appearance of Sparks came as a result of a raid made last Thursday (April 15) by undersheriff Charlie Hutchens, field deputy Junior Farmer and State Highway Patrolman K.O. Rayburn. The time of the “visit” to Sparks’ establishment was between four and five o’clock in the afternoon.

Armed with a search warrant, the officers entered the premises and found in addition to the “one-armed bandit” slot machine, 33 half pint bottles of tax paid alcoholic liquor, Hutchens said.

—Sequoyah County Memorial Hospital officials were advised by Dr. Grady Matthews this week that parts one, two and three of the plans for the construction of the hospital have been approved by federal authorities in Dallas, Texas.

Part four, the final part, of the plans to be approved before permission will be granted to the hospital board to ask for construction contract bidders, may now be sent to the state health department’s division of hospitals.

Part four, a purely legal phase portion of the matter, it should be explained, could not be submitted for state and federal approval until the other three parts had been accepted.

—Although the last concrete was poured this week completing the new 8.9 mile stretch of new highway on U.S. 64 east of Sallisaw, it will be about 30 more days before the road will be opened for travel, Lee F. Brooks, state highway department resident engineer in Sallisaw estimated Thursday.

Brooks warned motorists to keep off the new concrete highway west toward Fort Smith and emphasized that any driver doing so was trespassing on private property.

Until the road is inspected and approved by the highway department authorities, the highway, technically, is owned by the construction company.

100 years ago

(From the April 20, 1923, issue of the Sequoyah County Democrat)

—Judge J.T. Parks of Tahlequah who was recently appointed district judge of this judicial district to succeed Judge J.H. Harman, who was elevated to the supreme court commission, was in Sallisaw Wednesday on business pertaining to the defunct Sallisaw Bank and Trust Company. This is Judge Parks first official visit to Sallisaw and he made many acquaintances during his stay. He will preside over the May term of criminal court.

—A statement reiterating his determination to prevent capital punishment in Oklahoma while he is chief executive and declaring that the electric chair will some day be as much a curiosity as the ducking stool, was issued here today by Governor Walton. The governor declared the state’s function does not extend beyond efforts to reform criminals and incarceration of those who are incorrigible.