Maple Fire Department needs more firefighters
From the files of Your Sequoyah County Times
-Sequoyah County Times, May21,1998
From the files of Your Sequoyah County Times
25 Years Ago
(From the May 21,1998, issue of the Sequoyah County Times)
—The Maple Fire Department is looking for a few good men or women.
Fire Chief Jack Steinmetz explained the fire department has about 14 active volunteer firemen, but most work during the day.
“We only have two available during the day time,” Steinmetz said. “We would like to have four at least for the day time.
The ultimate goal is 14, Steinmetz said.
“We’re shooting for 14 active members who will be able to fight a fire in the daytime. We can get 100 at nights, but it’s hard to find people available during the working hours,” Steinmetz said.
50 Years Ago
(From the May 17, 1973, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —Four Fort Smith, Ark., residents found that the sailing wasn’t too good Saturday when their twin hull sailboat sank about three miles west of Applegate Cove Marina on Kerr Lake.
Oklahoma Highway Patrolman John Davis told Your TIMES that the four, Arnold Spruell and his 6-year-old son, Scott and Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Cates were sailing in their small craft when the left hull was damaged and took in water.
Officer Davis said the incident occurred around 4 p.m. Saturday.
Davis said after the boat sank Spruell and his son stayed near the craft but Cates and his wife, Sherry, swam over a mile to shore to seek help.
The couple phoned the highway patrol and several officers responded.
Officer Jerry Baccus took the OHP boat out to the scene and picked up both Spruell and his son.
The boat was recovered early Sunday morning.
75 Years Ago
(From the May 21, 1948, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —A new air conditioning unit has been installed in Agent Funeral Home, Sallisaw, it was announced by manager Jack Agent this week.
According to Agent this is the first air conditioner to be installed in a funeral home in Sequoyah County.
Agent said air conditioning keeps discomfort at funeral services to a minimum.
—For the past two weeks workmen have been busy making improvements to the interior of the Dan J. Matthews grocery and market.
A new concrete floor was laid and a rearrangement of the food departments is being made.
100 years ago
(From the May 18, 1923, issue of the Sequoyah County Democrat) —Jeff Kirk, self-confessed slayer of Mack Dodson, a Marble City youth was sentenced to twenty years in the penitentiary by a jury in the district court late Saturday evening. Kirk was found guilty of manslaughter in the first degree.
Young Dodson was shot and instantly killed in front of Holcomb Drug Store in Marble City soon after darkness had set in on the 9th of March. His slayer was not apprehended until several days following the crime. Owen “Tinker” Kirk, brother of the slayer, Boyce Sloan and Brodie Diffee, associates of young Kirk were arrested by Sheriff Johnston when they refused to talk when questioned about the murder. At the preliminary hearing of Owen Kirk, Royce Sloan who had been in jail since the killing confessed on the witness stand that he knew the slayer of Mack Dodson and named Jeff Kirk; but at the same time stated Kirk had to fire in self-defense.
The story told by Kirk must have been completely ignored by the jury. The story was that Dodson had Kirk down and was pounding him over the head with a buggy hub, causing cuts and bruises and that he had to fire to save his own life. The cuts and bruises on Kirk, according to the jury’s verdict were made by his brother, Harry, during their fight on the same day of the killing.
—Frank Allen was given his freedom by a jury in the district court Thursday morning. Allen shot and instantly killed Quesenbury Beasley on 14th day of June of last year, by shooting him in the back with a charge of buckshot as he passed by in an automobile. The jury was out only a short time before it reached its verdict. Allen was defended by Ben Cravens of Fort Smith and T.M. McCombs of this city.
