Padlocks for Moffett’s resorts
— Sequoyah County Democrat Jan. 15, 1926
25 Years Ago
—Carl Albert State College (CASC) officials announced that enrollment is up this spring. They believe this is a result of the successful sales tax that will expand the Sequoyah County Campus in Sallisaw.
“We’ve had a good, good enrollment,” Cathy Ruark, Sequoyah County Campus assistant director, said Monday, Ruark said Monday that 329 students had enrolled at the school since pre-enrollment began in November. By Friday, the number of enrollment had gone up, but officials wanted to hold that information until enrollment ended Friday night.
Ruark said the school usually enrolls about 250 to 300 students each semester.
50 Years Ago
—Dr. Gerry Craft, head of the University of Christian Leadership at Green Valley has invited everyone to help him kick-off the Bicentennial year by attending a special program at Vian High School featuring international famed recording and motion picture star, Dale Evans.
“This is the kick-off year for international outreach of the Gerry Craft Ministries at Green Valley, and Dale Evans will be here to help celebrate the expansion of the facilities,” said Craft.
Dale Evans and husband, Roy Rogers, became famous for their television series and more than 90 feature films. They are often considered the greatest pair of entertainers in show business today.
75 Years Ago
—Another one of Sallisaw’s City Ordinances came in for criticism Thursday when Dr. S.S. Kirkland, M.D., branded Sallisaw’s dog killing ordinance as inhumane and an infringement on the personal property rights of individuals.
Dr. Kirkland’s statement came as the result of the shooting of the setter bird dog belonging to Richard Perry Wheeler, son of Mr. and Mrs. W.R. Wheeler, in the business section of Sallisaw last Wednesday afternoon by Chief of Police, Buck Johnson. Johnson told Mr. Wheeler that he was shooting at a female dog and missed, the bullet striking and killing his son’s dog.
Dr. Kirkland said Thursday “ The manner that undesirable dogs are disposed of is inhumane and brutal. Besides, this wild shooting is dangerous to the lives of people. I have my dogs assessed on the tax rolls and consider them not only my pets but as tangible personal property. If one of them is killed I expect to prosecute the person responsible to the full extent of the law. I think that the way I feel about this is the same as nearly everyone else in Sallisaw feels.”
The City dog tax had been paid and the dog had been inoculated against rabies by young Wheeler.
The dog was shot in the alley, then ran up the street and fell across the street west from the Post Office, where it died. It remained there for several hours, where it attracted quite a bit of attention.
The recognized manner of disposing of dogs by the state humane laws is the taking up of dogs and holding them for a period of time for their owner’s reclaiming. Unclaimed dogs are disposed of mercifully by gassing them.
100 Years Ago
—A great big lock is now hanging on “Joyland” and seven other locks were placed on seven roadhouses in Moffett the “Little Juarez” of Oklahoma. The locks were placed Thursday by Sheriff John E. Johnston, after County Attorney Harry D. Pitchford had appeared before Judge Parks. Wednesday afternoon and secured seven injunctions closing the activities of the road houses in Moffett.
This is another step of County Attorney Pitchford’s to make Moffett bone dry during 1926 and years to come.
In his petition the county attorney stated that these people were maintaining a public nuisance and they were permitting a great number of people to congregate in and around said properties in an intoxicated condition. He also stated, “ They also permit vicious and immoral characters to congregate at all times of the day and night.”
—George W. Hicks, junior, deputy sheriff under John E. Johnston was exonorated in the federal court of Muskogee last week on charges of having tampered with a United States mail sack and with intimidating a government witness, while Joe Fisher, a former town marshal of Muldrow was sentenced to twelve months in the federal jail after his conviction of conspiracy of violating the liquor law.
Charges against Hicks were filed about one year ago following the theft of a mail sack from the depot at Gans. Federal postal inspectors assisted by federal authorities investigated the disappearance of the mail sack, and following their investigation they had Hicks placed under arrest. Following Hicks’ arrest it is said Hicks assaulted a government witness at Gans and another charge was filed against him.
Hicks has been serving as a deputy sheriff under John E. Johnston since the resignation of former deputy sheriff Joe A. Wilson, and the promotion of Dan Sharpe to a regular berth on the sheriff ’s force. Since his appointment Hicks has taken part in a number of whiskey raids and has shown proper ability as a peace officer.
