City going to the dogs
— Sequoyah County Times, July 24, 1975
From the files of Your Sequoyah County Times
25 Years Ago
(From the July 27, 2000, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —A fire destroyed a liquor store in Roland Monday and authorities do not know what caused the fire.
Kevin Flurry, Roland fire chief captain, said someone drove by Harvell Package Store, noticed the fire at about 1:30 a.m. Monday, and reported it to the police.
Firefighters responded to the blaze, but the fire had already destroyed the business.
The fire caused about $40,000 worth of damage to the building and $25,000 worth of damage to the contents.
50 Years Ago
(From the July 24, 1975, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —Sixty-five residents of Sallisaw have signed a petition being circulated by Mrs. Jeannie Shropshire asking the city to do something about dogs running wild in the streets.
“It’s getting to be such a problem. The city is going to have to do something about it, Mrs. Shropshire said.
Dr. William Joe Humphrey, a veterinarian, said that within the last two weeks there have been 17 reported attacks by dogs. All of the victims required medical attention.
Dr. Humphrey recently started a fund to establish a local chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). He is donating to the fund all of the money he receives for putting an animal to sleep. He estimated there is about $196 in the bank so far.
Dr. Humphrey said it will cost between $10,000 and $15,000 to build an adequate facility to hold the animals until they are either adopted or destroyed.
75 Years Ago
(From the July 28, 1950, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —Two county candidates filed Wednesday for a recount of the county election returns, according to Bill Lovern, county election board chairman.
T.H. Harrell, loser of the commissioner district number three seat by 16 votes to Frank Tickey Green, incumbent and Huckleberry Shell, who lost the sheriff’s race to E.W. Floyd by 35 votes, were the two who filed Wednesday afternoon.
The ballot boxes were placed in a vault in the courthouse Tuesday night after the election and have been under guard ever since.
100 Years Ago
(From the July 24, 1925, issue of the Sequoyah County Democrat) —Jess N. Baker, Fred Campbell, Richard Bib, Wilse Reeder and Glen S. Allen, departed Monday evening for the Illinois River in the Cookson country, for a week of fishing and pleasure. They claim to know where the best fishing is and further claim that they know how to catch them. All of the party are experienced fishermen and they expect to spend a week of enjoyable pleasure in this favorite sport.
—George Lee Thomas, age 19, wanted in New Boston, Texas, for obtaining money under false pretense was arrested last week about eight miles south of Sallisaw on Drake Prairie by Deputy Sheriff Joe Wilson and a Burns detective sent here to take charge of the wanted man.
Thomas, also wanted in several other Oklahoma towns on small theft charges, is accused of breaking jail several times, and had escaped from the Stilwell and Hominy, Oklahoma jails recently after being placed there on small charges. According to officers who took Thomas in charge, he has escaped from officers several times while enroute to various jails.
While in the Sallisaw jail, Thomas it is said tried an attempted jail break while J.M. King, jailor, was the only man in the sheriff’s office. according to officers, Thomas began acting as if he was crazy, trying to get King into the jail so the other prisoners could escape. King waited for the return of other officers before entering the jail.
