25 YEARS AGO – 1998

FAREWELL TO DUKE

Long time Police Officer Ronnie Duke will be working his last shift with the Henryetta Police Department on January 29. On February 1, Duke will start his new position as investigator for the district attorney’s office in Okmulgee and McIntosh Counties.

Duke’s career in law enforcement started at Fountain Head where he was a Park Ranger for the State of Oklahoma for one and a half years. He was then hired as Assistant Chief of Police at Weleetka by Henryetta’s former Chief, Jock Summers. He worked three and a half years at Weleetka and attended Seminole Junior College for two years, studying law enforcement, while on the force at Weleetka.

On May 13, 1979, Duke was hired in Henryetta by former Chief Richard Larney. Ronnie Has gone from Patrolman, Lieutenant, Assistant Chief, and the last seven years has been the Night Supervisor.

Duke stated that he has enjoyed his career in Henryetta and has had good days and bad days just like with any other job. Ronnie says he has seen a lot of officers come and go over the years. Chief Everett Allen is the only one left that he started out with at Henryetta. Chief Allen was the Assistant Chief and Detective when Ronnie joined the force here. He says Chief Allen helped guide him and gave him good pointers for his career with the Henryetta Police Department. Former Chief Larney was also a big help.

Ronnie did not come into law enforcement by chance. His father, Dorvan Duke, retired from law enforcement where he served in Okemah as Patrolman then as Police Chief before going to the Okfuskee County Sheriff ’s Department where he retired. Ronnie’s Uncle Sammy Williamson of Henryetta retired from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol after being shot near Okemah. Ronnie credits his successful career to these two fine men.

So come February 1, people with scanners will hear Ronnie as 1410 instead of two. He will now be reporting to Chief Investigator Robert Frost. Ronnie says he will be around to lend a hand to Chief Everett Allen and the staff of the Henryetta Police Department and to the people of Henryetta if ever needed.

The Wilson Booster Club is hosting a Chili Taste and Talent Show on Saturday, January 31 at Wilson High School Gym. The Chili Taste is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Cost for the Chili Taste is $10.00 for family of five, $3.00 per adult and $2.00 per student. You will taste a large variety of chili from mild, hot or beanie, deer, beef or turkey and lots of trimmings with dessert and drink.

If you are not able to attend the Chili Taste the senior class will have the concession stand open for your convenience. Admission for the Talent Show is $1.00. The Talent is from Wilson school students, teachers, and parents and from our surrounding communities.

Any teacher or staff member who participates in the show will receive a large Valentine Party basket for their class or office. Everyone plan to attend and see who receives the baskets. This plans to be a family event that will be tasteful and profitable at the same time.

50 YEARS AGO – 1973

CHIEF SAYS TIE UP DOGS

Complaints of dogs killing chickens have been pouring into the Henryetta Police Department, according to Chief Richard Larney.

“We’ve had a report of a dog killing six chickens down on Corporation Street and other places,” Larney said. “We’d like to remind people that we do have a dog-catcher who picks up these stray dogs,” he said.

Howard Garrison, a Henryetta street department employee, also serves as part-time dog catcher. He picks up dogs after 5 p.m. and on his days off, Larney said. He said anyone wishing to report loose or stray dogs should call Garrison.

LOCALS TO HUD MEET

Henryetta city officials will attend an all-day seminar in Oklahoma City Monday on plans of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Local officials, along with those from 20 major cities with urban development programs, will be headed by Mayor W. R. Stubbs.

Attending will be a majority of the Urban Renewal Authority, the city council, the chairman of the Public Housing Authority and the city manager.

75 YEARS AGO – 1948

SCHOOL NEEDS $

Okmulgee County Association for Mentally Challenged Children officials Saturday appealed to the public for an additional $3,718 to match an $18, 590 federal grant to keep the OK School for the Mentally Challenged operating.

Annie Bell Allen, president of the association, said, “We already raised about $1,800 because they told us the local share would only be 10 percent. But then, when the federal officials found that we are not in a poverty area, they said we would have to have 30 percent.”

“This amount is needed by February 15,” she said. She said that contributions could be made to the association’s account in the First National Bank of Henryetta, or to the Okmulgee County Association for Mentally Challenged Children.

DIVORCES CATCHING UP

WITH MARRIAGES HERE?

For every five marriages in Henryetta last year, four couples called it quits and got divorced. According to Okmulgee County Court records in the Henryetta office, 103 marriage licenses were issued during 1972 while 79 divorce decrees were recorded.

Marriages were up 10 percent over 1971 from 93 to 103, while divorces increased only 6 percent from 74 to 79. Biggest increase in fillings at the Henryetta office were in traffic. There were 518 traffic cases filed in 1972, more than double 1971’s 218 figure.

The jump in traffic fillings was attributed to the fact that cases are now being filed in Henryetta which used to be filed in Okmulgee.

Felonies dropped dramatically from 64 in 1971 to 30 in 1972.

100 YEARS AGO – 1923

COMPANY SUED

J. H. Garner has filed suit in the superior court against Barclay Morgan, W. F. Kindred and William Brink, trustees of the Henryetta Development Company, a common law trust.

The plaintiff alleges in his petition that the defendant company was organized by a declaration of trust executed July 24, 1921, with an authorized capital of $20,000; that the assets of the said company amount to $3,000 and that the debts owing are about $6,000. It is also alleged that the company has assets in the way of certain leases. The plaintiff also alleges that the defendant company is indebted to him in the sum of $120.

He asks that a receiver be appointed for the company to take over its assets; that the same be sold and the money distributed among the shareholders; that the trustees be required to make disclosure and accounting of the said company since its organization; that the company be dissolved and the trust agreement revoked.

GREAT MEETING AT TABERNACLE SUNDAY

What was probably the greatest assemblage of people ever gathered under one roof in Henryetta, greeted Rev. M. F. Ham at the big tabernacle last evening. Large as is the structure its spaces were fully occupied by the huge crowd who attended the opening series of discourses in the most pretentious attempt at a gospel meeting ever made in the city.

Word went from lip to lip that unless one started early, there might be no chance to find a seat. This fear was groundless, for that structure is 140 feet deep and 90 feet wide. We have not counted seats, nor can we state just how many people were present. Buy it is safe to say that no more people might have been comfortably cared for. Looking from the rear seat of the choir, there appeared to be no vacant seats in the room.

Mr. Ramsay began the meeting by a few remarks. His manners so easy and graceful that the crowd was “with him” in a moment. After some rather keen wit, and some happy turning of phrases, he began the song service. Here he is “monarch of all he surveys” and gave abundant evidence of his title to such distinction.

Several numbers were rendered by the large chorus. It is said that this chorus numbers about two hundred. We did not count them, but they were sufficiently numerous. Mr. Rodgers, pianist for the meeting, is wonderfully capable as an accompanist. To make one piano supply even reasonable basis for so many voices requires muscle as well as skill and daring.

At this juncture, and when 8:20 had been reached in point of time, the evangelist stepped forward and began his discourse on “Why I Believe in the Bible.”

It is fair to conclude that Mr. Ham is fully and entirely familiar with this discourse. In other words, it is not an extemporaneous sermon, but on the other hand, is a studied discourse. It is therefore all the better, for the simple reason that its logic, rhetoric and historical references are verified and correct. He displayed a most remarkable grasp and intimate knowledge of history, both sacred and secular. He took up the prophesies, glanced briefly at their forecasts and placed them with reference to the time of utterance, and then traced them to their fulfillment so far as the scroll of human events has been unrolled. He expressed the conviction that England can never make a real nation of Egypt, because the early prophesies do not indicate it as a human possibility. He declared that during the World War he listened for the fall of Jerusalem, and it fell.

Prophesy had foretold that it should fall into the hands of Christians, and it did. He said that Russia had been forecast in prophecy many hundreds of years before Russia was in existence, and pointed out that even the fall of the monarchy and the removal of the capital from Petrograd to Moscow had been clearly indicated in the old Bible many hundreds of years before there was a Russia.

He said further that a combination of Russia, Germany and Turkey is due to occur in the logical fulfillment of the prophesies.

No man ever held an audience better than did this speaker hold that vast assemblage of men and women. While he speaks rapidly, his enunciation is clear and his voice carries well. There is no affectation in his manner or style of delivery. He speaks as a man who has a message to deliver, and he goes right at the meat in the coconut. His scholarship is undoubted, and his travels in the Holy Land have enriched his mind with wonderfully interesting details of vivid instances where the Bible scenes are fully verified by facts and conditions existing today, thousands of years after the writing.

Henryetta has had some excellent preachers here during the more than twenty years of its existence. The writer has had the pleasure to hear practically every one of them during that time, and the pastors of the several churches here now are men of ability and power. And yet, Mr. Ham leaps to the top rung of the ladder in a single discourse. It is no disparagement to any former minister, nor yet to one of our present clergy to say that has no abler discourse ever been delivered in the city than that of last evening.

IN POLICE COURT

A woman giving the name of Mrs. Mot and a man named Williams were arrested at Kate Westfall’s place last night, charged with disorderly conduct. The woman deposited a $15 cash bond and the man put up $12.50 for their appearance in police court this morning. They failed to appear and the bonds were forfeited. These cases, with those of two men charged with fighting on Main Street, to be tried at 4 o’clock this afternoon, made up today’s docket.

GOES THROUGH PICTURE DESPITE BROKEN HAND

A careful observer will note that in the early scenes of the “Sea Lion,” shown at the Morgan Theatre tonight, Honbart Bosworth, the star, treats his right hand gently and uses it no more than the action of the story demands. This action is explained by the fact that during the filming of “The Cup of Life,” the story that immediately preceded “The Sea Lion,” Bosworth broke his hand in a terrific fight with Emory Johnson. For nearly six weeks he carried it in splints and only removed them when the filming of “The Sea Lion” had begun.

In the fight scene of “The Sea Lion” all engaged for this conflict were informed by the star that he would not hit with his right hand. He would use it only to protect himself, but all punches would come from his trusty left.

The fight was on and the star sailed into the melee. For a few moments he remembered his injured hand, then in the excitement of the combat sailed in. The fighters watching only his left fist, stopped several husky wallops with his right. Bisworth did not feel the pain of the blows until after the fight, when one of the pugs came up nursing a bruised ear and demanded to know what the damage Bosworth could really do if his right hand was in action! Also 4 acts of the best in vaudeville.

HYATT PLAYED HERO

A frightful runaway occurred at about four thirty yesterday afternoon when a team of heavy horses became frightened and ran. They started from near the Boerstler wholesale house on Trudgeon Street. From there they dashed east for a distance. The driver was not in the wagon at the time.

W.H. Hyatt, who lives at 308 Merrick Street, was coming along on Trudgeon and saw the horses coming. They were moving fast and the heavy wagon was careening along behind them. Hyatt planted himself by the side of their line of travel and at the proper moment leaped for the lines. He got one line and calculated to catch a home of the horse with the other hand. He failed in this and was instantly at a serious disadvantage. He threw the horse all right, but failed to protect himself. He was badly hurt.

Mr. Slagle and the owner of the team were in a car chasing the horses. They rushed up and took Hyatt in the car and hurried him to Dr. Holmes and McKinney’s office where he was given attention. Fortunately he was not seriously hurt.