Re: Eliza Scribner/Oklahoma

Hi Ted,

I have been researching the descendants of Solomon Scribner who was born February 28, 1812 in Maury County, TN and married Lucinda Smith in Shelby County, IL on February 08, 1832.They raised a large family of 13 children.Between 1850 and 1875 they moved back and forth between Texas and Arkansas finally settling near Bridgeport in Wise County, Texas.Solomon died in Wise County on Sept. 25, 1877.

My connection to this family is through my great-granduncle, Francis Calloway "Frank" Stephens who married Solomon's daughter Sarah "Sallie" Scribner on August 13, 1896 at Center, Chickashaw Nation, OK Indian Territory. They lived near Dibble, McClain County, OK where Sallie died prior to 1930 and Frank died March 03, 1933.

But, this post is not about Frank and Sallie. It is about the four sons of Sallie's older brother, William E. Scribner, who were involved one way or another with the 1909 murders of Allen Town Marshall, Zeke Putnam. and Frank's wife, Lillie Stix. These four sons were Daniel "Dan", Andrew Jackson "Andy", John and Frank.

Dan Scribner was arrested, tried twice, and conviced twice of the Zeke Putnam murder and sentenanced to life in prison at the State Prison in McAlester, OK.At Dan's first trial, his ranch foreman, Ed Johnson who had assisted Dan in committing this murder turned state's evidence and on the stand gave a detailed blow-by-blow of the events leading up to the murder and their actions afterward until finally arrested about 4 months later.Ed Johnson's textimony was aptly recorded and reported on in the Ada Evening News.These accouts have been posted on the Internet and make for very interested reading. (Contact me by e-mail for more info).

Andy was tried and conviceted for the murder of Frank's wife, Lillie Stix, in May of 1909.This murder was a key to the arrest of Dan Scribner in the Zeke Putnam murder.Andy claimed that he was innocent, that he had a alibi, and that his brother Frank was the one who killed his own wife.Andy appealed all the way to the OK Supreme Court (I have read the Court denial of his appeal).Both Dan and Andy were transferred to McAlester and listed as inmates there at the time of the 1910 Census.Frank was later indited in his wife's murder but as you say, he skipped town and as far as I know, was never apprehended.

Frank Scribner was living in Muskogee County, OK when he registered for the WWI draft on June 3, 1917.Apparently because he was on the lam, he was very carefull not to provide enough detail to tie him back to Pontotoc County relatives; howver, he did give his date and place of birth. He reported his occupation as a self-employed blacksmith and that he was married and had wife and one child.When asked to list his next of kin, he said "none".Frank died 6 months later on January 16, 1918 and is buried in a lone grave in Highland Cemetery, Stonewall, Pontotoc County, OK.His mother Julia was living in Stonewall at that time and may have been responsibe for errecting a very impressive marker over his grave. If Frank was killed in New Orleans, it seems possible that after submitting his draft card, he realized that he was likely to be discovered and when on the lam again.

Andy's first wife divorced him while he was in prison.He was still in prison when he registered for the WWI draft in 1918. I do not know if the death of brother Frank in January, 1918 had anything to do with this, but Andy was apparently pardoned (or parolled) from prison that same year.In the 1920 Census, Andy is married to his second wife, has a two month old son, and is living back in Stonewall near his mother Julia.Andy went on to raise 6 children by this second wife before he died in 1957.

Dan Scribner was living in McCurtain County, OK at the time of the Zeke Putnam murder.He had 4 children by his first wife who was enumerated there in the 1910 Census.She apparently died before 1920; she could not be located in that census but her 14 year old youngest son, Cecil, was living with his uncle John Scribner.

Dan apparently served less that 15 years of his life sentence. He was enumerated in the McAlester prison in 1920 but was released sometime in the mid 1920s.His mother Julia died in Stonewall in 1923 and in the 1930 census Dan is living in Stonewall with a new wife Beulah and two children, apparently having married her about 1926 or 1927. Findagrave.com shows he died Nov 3, 1943 and is buried in Eagletown Cemetery, McCurtain County, OK.Bulah diedFebruary 4, 1966 and is buried in the same cemetery.

A next step in this research is to access the release records of McAlester State Prison to learn more about why and when Dan and Andy were released.