FORGOTTEN MURDERS, COLD CASES & UNUSUAL STORIES

Some are to be solved, some are to be discussed, and some are to invoke curiosity.

Welcome to the shadowed corridors of history, where whispers of unsolved mysteries and echoes of silent voices yearn for resolution. This page is dedicated to the forgotten murders, the cold cases that have withstood the test of time, and the unusual stories that have slipped through the cracks of the everyday. Here, we shine a light on the darkest corners of the past, seeking truth and giving voice to those who can no longer speak for themselves. Join us as we delve into the depths of these enigmatic tales, piecing together the puzzles left behind. These are the stories that time forgot but we remember. Let the journey for justice and understanding begin.

CASES

CASE #1 OKLAHOMA; TWO CREEK WOMEN HANGED Indian returns to his Cabin and his Wife and Daughter Dead OKMULGEE I. T. June 14— (Special) Ose-Yarhola, a Creek Indian- returned home to his cabin yesterday after an absence since Sunday He found n!s wife and daughter hanging dead to the rafter of the cabin The husband and father is suspected of the crime The cabin is located twenty miles from here near Okfuske Coffin were secured here and an investigation began - MUSKOGEE I T June 14— (Special) A call made on the marshal’s office here this morning to send a force of deputies to Okfuske to the Creek nation where a woman and girl had been hanged. No particulars of the hanging were given. Officers were sent at once. Okfuske is located in a settlement of full-blooded Creek Indians on the south bank of the Deep fork of the Canadian River and the wildest part of the Creek nation, and it will be several days before authentic information can be received.-

Kansas City Journal • Page 8 Sunday, June 15, 1902

AWFUL CRIME ENACTED Near Okfuskee I T the Wife and Daughter of an Indian was Hanged to Their Cabin Okmulgee I T June 16 — A posse of United States marshals have arrested William Bear and George Jacobs, two full-blood Indians charged with the killing of the wife and daughter of Bear near Okfuskee The killing is said to have grown out of the refusal of Mrs. Bear to deed away some land. The women were found dead hanging in their cabin.

Union City, Oklahoma • Thu, Jun 19, 1902Page 2 Union City Advocate

* I have created a FindAGrave for the wife because I don't want her forgotten. I will also make one for the niece.

Unknown Unknown Bear (unknown-1902) - Find a Grave Memorial

* Names Mentioned: Nekose Bill (William Bear), Uknown Scott Bear (female), Unknown Niece/daughter, Ose-Yarhola, George Jacobs,

Case #2 Oklahoma, MURDERED BY AN INDIAN

An Oklahoma Woman Cruelly Slain by a Seminole

Wichita, Kan., Jan. 5. – Mrs. Julia Leard, a white woman was murdered by a Seminole Indian yesterday evening four miles east of Maud, Oklahoma Territory. The crime was committed in the presence of the woman’s children. Early in the afternoon Mrs. Leard had frightened the Indian away, threatening him with a rifle. Later she stepped out of doors carrying her baby, and the Indian stole into the house, securing the rifle and attempted to shoot her, but the cartridge failed to explode. The Seminole then attacked her with the butt of the gun, clubbed her to death and ravished her body. He hurled the baby into the house through the open door. Several Indians have been arrested, but the murdered woman’s 8 year-old-daughter, the oldest of her family has been unable to identify any of them as the murderer. There is great excitement in the vicinity.
(Topeka Weekly Capital, January 7, 1898, page 3) Submitted by Peggy Thompson

Additional Research Information

Searching for historical records from 1902 in Okfuskee, Oklahoma, which was part of the Indian Territory at that time, can be quite challenging due to the limited digitalization of records from that era. However, Okfuskee County has a rich history as part of the Creek Nation, and it was organized at the statehood of Oklahoma in 1907 1.

The area was originally occupied by the Quapaw and Osage before the Creek were removed from Alabama and Georgia to Indian Territory in the 1830s 1. By 1902, the region had established towns and a post office in Okfuskee, which was the location of Samuel Checote’s trading post 1.

If you’re looking for specific information about an individual named Sam Scott from that time and place, you might need to consult local historical societies, archives, or libraries in Okfuskee County, as they may have access to historical documents, land records and personal accounts from the period. The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture could also be a valuable resource for understanding the context of the time and possibly finding leads on individual records. Additionally, newspapers from the era, such as the Weleetka American, might contain mentions of residents or events involving them 2.

Okfuskee County Family Histories - Bits and Pieces (okgenweb.net)

Learn more

*1okhistory.org *2okhistory.org *3loc.gov *4okhistory.org