Abe Dotson well-known Marble City farmer shot to death

25 Years Ago

—Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative turned on its new Liberty Substation north of Roland at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Cheryl Mills, cooperative spokesman, said the new $1.9 million substation will relieve the near capacity load on the Muldrow Substation and will ease future operational problems at the Nicut Substation. The substation was constructed in the Liberty area due to the growth in the area, Mills said.

Kendall Beck, Cookson Hills Electric general manager, said, “Growth in the area has outpaced our ability to serve this area for the last few years. We’ve added over 2,000 new meters in the Muldrow- Liberty-Nicut area in the last decade, and we have already added over 200 new meters this year.”

50 Years Ago

—Around 100 fishermen are expected for the Oklahoma Fisherman Bass Tournament slated for this Saturday at Applegate Cove on the Robert S. Kerr Reservoir.

The weekend activities will get underway Friday night with the kickoff banquet at Eastside School cafeteria set to begin at 8 p.m. The banquet speakers will be wildlife biologists Jim Smith and Garland Wright.

The tournament is sponsored by the Oklahoma Fisherman magazine, published by Gary White in Midwest City, along with the Sallisaw Chamber of Commerce.

75 Years Ago

—The Sallisaw Lions Club netted a total of $937.15 from their big home talent benefit show, “It’s a Date,” presented at the High School auditorium the nights of June 29 and 30, it was disclosed Tuesday evening at the regular meeting by Gene Hunt, Lions Club president.

The gross amount, he said, was $1,000.07, from which expenses of $62.93 were deducted.

“The money is in a special fund, aside from the regular Lions Club treasury,” Hunt stated. “That amount will be used to construct a playground for children under six years of age, and to buy awnings for the Sequoyah Memorial Hospital.

—J.W. Hunnicutt, being held in the Sequoyah County jail on charges of automobile theft, waived preliminary late Monday and was bourn over to district court, according to County Attorney Fred Campbell Jr.

Judge W.R. Russell set Hunnicutt’s bond at $1,000 said Campbell.

He allegedly took a delivery truck from Brockman’s store at Vian to his home in McClain last week. He was apprehended there by Undersheriff Floyd Walters and two Muskogee County deputies Thursday night.

Hunnicutt is still under a five-year sentence for burglary handed down by a Muskogee court, but at the time of his alleged theft of the truck was out on appeal bond.

100 Years Ago

—Sequoyah County’s long list of homicides was made larger on Wednesday of this week, when Abe Dotson well-known farmer and stockman of Marble City was shot and killed five miles northwest of that town by Henry Edwards, aged 24, at the home of John Wallace, farmer.

The killing occurred about 9 a.m. and within one hour and a half thereafter, Sheriff John E. Johnston and County Attorney Harry Pitchford were at the scene making full investigation and securing statements from those who knew any details whatever as to causes surrounding the case.

From the meagre information at hand, it seems that Abe Dotson, Tom Dotson, Henry Edwards, Merl Edwards and John Wallace live in the same immediate community, and that Wednesday morning Abe Dotson and the Edwards boys went to the Wallace home to get some barber work done. While there a minor quarrel ensued which was thought nothing of and to which no one took any exception. When Dotson and the Edwards boys started away from the house, it is said that Dotson drew a butcher knife and started after Henry Edwards. Edwards ran back into the Wallace house grabbed a double barreled 12-gauge shotgun, turned in the doorway and called to Dotson to halt. Dotson took a step forward at the gate and Edwards fired, the shot striking Dotson in the right shoulder and breast. He fell and rolled four or five steps from the gate, and according to one eye witness, Edwards fired another shot which struck Dotson in the left ear and temple. Mrs. Wallace witnessed the tragedy, but her husband was at the barn back of the house. Dotson lived fifteen or twenty minutes but was unconscious and could make no statement. The Edwards boys, who are cousins, left soon after the tragedy and rode to the home of Deputy Campbell Beller, who lives near Sycamore school house and surrendered.

Abe Dotson was a brother of Berry Dotson who was killed by Constable Nicholson at Ramona, Oklahoma, about two years ago. He was also an uncle of Mack Dotson who was killed on the streets of Marble City on March 9, 1923, by Jeff Kirk. He was the third member of the family to “die with his boots on” within a period of two years. Bee Dotson, a son of Berry Dotson and nephew of Abe Dotson, is a fugitive from justice at this time and has been wanted for more than a year upon bank robbing charges. He is thought to be in hiding in the Cookson country and by many is credited with having assumed leadership of the band formerly led by Ed Lockhart.