25 YEARS AGO – 1998

COMES ACROSS 1865 PAPER

The country was shocked to read of the news of the Presidents death. Most people had to wait days to receive confirmation from their news source - their newspaper. The headlines in the newspapers caused dismay and, shock and consternation among the entire United States of America. President Abraham Lincoln has been assassinated and, quite naturally, a nation was stunned.

Now, some 133 years after that tragic event, almost every living American can tell you the basic facts about what happened. Movies, TV, radio, newspapers, and plays have all reenacted one of the most traumatic events in our nation’s history. But when Frank Kubicek from Okmulgee opened a box of papers from his late wife, all those century old events came to life again.

Kubicek’s late wife had brought home a box of official papers stock certificates from her father’s estate. There were stock certificates and other papers one gathers on their journey through life. He said his wife and her father’s lawyer had gone through the papers in settling the estate.

But when Kubicek’s daughter was going through the box, she opened a brown envelope. She got excited, according to Kubicek. She said, “You better look at this!”

What she had discovered was an original 1865 New York Herald telling of the death of Abraham Lincoln. Kubicek recognized what a treasure it was and immediately began looking for someone to restore the paper. His search led him to Fort Gibson and a Polish immigrant who specializes in that type work.

The story of that man, master bookbinder Zbigniew T. Niebieszczanski, is a story of America itself. The bookbinder also became excited when Kubicek took the paper to his shop. Kubicek said, “He was excited when he saw it.” The paper is presently under tight security while preservation work is being done.

The paper may have come from Kubicek’s wife’s great grandmother. He said his wife had inherited things from her father, grandmother, and great grandmother’s personal possessions.

The headlines read: IMPORTANT Assassination of President Lincoln. Smaller headlines, down the side of the paper, tell of the event. Also on the front page is a detailed account of the assassination. A drawing of a clean shaven Lincoln, five by five, is at top center.

One dispatch says that Lincoln was shot in the throat. It also tells of the attack against Secretary of War Seward. He was at his home and was attacked by a man with a dagger. Seward’s wounds were not fatal.

The story reads of that time gone when writing style was florid and wordy. It reads: Washington was thrown into an intense excitement a few minutes before eleven o’clock this evening, by the announcement that the President and Secretary Seward had been assassinated and were dead.

“The wildest excitement prevailed in all parts of the city. Men, women, and children, old and young, rushed to and fro, and the rumors were magnified until we had nearly every member of the Cabinet killed. Some time elapsed before authentic data could be ascertained in regard (sic) to the affair.”

Other headlines and stories tell of the progress of the Civil War. We studied that American tragedy as a long dead event. To the people who first read this Herald Tribune, it was as current as the newspaper you are holding.

One headline tells of Sherman’s army moving, as his march began on the 9th instant. Johnson’s army is west of Raleigh and was “endeavoring to form a junction with Lee.”

There was a dispatch from a Mr. D. P. Conyngham dated April 11, 1865 telling of the fall of Richmond by Sherman’s Army. “Sherman’s veterans testified their rejoicing at the fall of Richmond in the most noisy and frenzied manner.”

There are many advertisements which read almost as same as ads of today. There are dispatches from Brazil about the surrender of Montevideo in that war. There are also reports of coffee and cotton being shipped.

A report from San Francisco tells of the sailing of the steamer Sacramento with a large number of passengers and $1,530,000 in treasure. That must have been a staggering amount of money for those days.

This “time capsule” which has been passed down for 133 years is in good hands once again. Kubicek plans on taking very good care of the historical document.

50 YEARS AGO – 1973

LOOKING FOR NEW PRINCIPAL

Applications for the Okmulgee high school principal’s job made vacant by Melvin Skelton are being taken by the Okmulgee Board of Education according to Superintendent Dr. Lonny Parrish.

Parrish said the appointment will be effective July 1 and the salary is open, depending on training and experience but equal to that provided in Oklahoma school systems of similar complexity.

Application blanks available at the superintendent’s office should be filled out and returned together with a letter stating the applicant’s conception of the role of a high school principal in a system such as Okmulgee.

He said the school board will select candidates for interview from the applications. Okmulgee High School has an enrolment of 1,150 in grades nine through 12.

The school is accredited for 93-1/2 units with a full time staff of 60 certified personnel and seven secretarial and clerical aides.

75 YEARS AGO – 1948

DISABLED VETS IN

CITY DRAW $10,000 MONTHLY

World War II disabled veterans residing in Henryetta are awarded approximately $10,124.00 in government compensation each month, it was estimated today by national headquarters of the Disabled American Veterans in Cincinnati.

This estimate was based on a recent survey by the DAV which shows that by the average monthly compensation being paid to veterans of World War II is $42.01. In the earlier estimate the DAV placed the number of World War II disabled veterans living in Henryetta at 241.

Wm. E Tate, National Director for Claims, said monthly compensation is awarded by the government for disabilities and handicaps incurred in the armed forces of the nation.

“Disabled veterans are paid by a grateful government.” Tate said, “To help them live a normal life and become useful citizens in their communities.”

Pointing out that the present compensation average is a far from adequate in maintaining a disabled veteran and his family. Tate said the DAV is urging Congress to enact a law which will provide dependency allowances for handicapped ex-servicemen.

The DAV has estimated the average compensation for veterans of World War I as $53.89.

TWO CITIANS GET IPF AWARDS

Two Henryettans were awarded certificates and pins for five years’ service on behalf of the Infantile Paralysis Foundation at a meeting of county foundation officials in the Beauclair hotel in Okmulgee Thursday night.

R. B. Patton and Walter Ingram both of Henryetta were given the pins and Harry Graves, Senator James Nevins and Dr. M. L. Peter, all of Okmulgee, also received the five year service awards.

Awards were presented by Richard Hays ,county March of Dimes drive chairman. Permanent county officers of the foundation are Graves, chairman; Ingram, vice-chairman; E. L. Roberts, treasurer; Mrs. Truman Oliver, Secretary; Nevins, Dr. Peter and Dr. Carlton E. Smith, directors.

100 YEARS AGO – 1923

CAPTAIN SMITH GIVES LECTURE

The lecture given by Col. Dan Morgan Smith was changed from the city building to the new tabernacle at the last moment, and it is fortunate. The crowd could possibly have found room in the auditorium. True it did not occupy all the room in the tabernacle, but still there were fifteen hundred people present.

The newly organized choir was a revelation. It is composed of members of all the choirs in town, and that number augmented by every volunteer singer. Mrs. Harry Waller presided at the piano, and rendered excellent accompaniment.

Rev. J. C. Curry stepped forward and conducted the song service like the veteran he is. After rendering two or three numbers Mr. Curry called Mr. Kindred for prayer. After this the speaker of the evening was introduced by Mr. Curry in a graceful and pleasing manner.

The commander of the “Battalion of Death” was cheered freely when he stepped to the platform. He began in an easy style, and soon launched into a general description of the movement of the battalion that caused the civilized world to pause with bated breath. He described how his men marched two thousand yards under machine gun fire in their spectacular drive to capture Hill 304. He related how it happened that the battalion was cut off from the main army, and was surrounded by three regiments of the enemy. “We fought them all night long, and whipped them in the morning,” he said simply.

During his talk he brought tears and laughter alternately. He is a capable platform orator, and held his audience during the entire time required for the delivery of his message.

After going into the matter of the death grapple at Hill 304 he said: “There was a man from this part of Oklahoma, Julien, Ben Julien. Is Ben Julien in the audience?” Julien, as well known Henryetta man, was sitting near the speaker where he could hear every word. Ben had come home shot up, and had not recovered for many months after arriving here.

Learning that Ben was present, Col. Smith called out: “Ben Julien, stand up.” Ben arose, reluctantly and in modest confusion, Col. Smith faced about with military precision and stood at salute. “Ben Julien,” he said, “I salute you as one of the bravest of the brave.” He then paid high tribute to Mr. Julien in language that permits no misunderstanding the language of a soldier.

Col. Smith called for several other men whom he hoped might be present and who had been amongst the survivors in that never to be forgotten hour when, surrounded and destitute of food and water, the devoted band had stood back to back for an unbelievable length of time in a fight against such odds as to quail the strongest heart. It happened however that only Mr. Julien was present out of the survivors.

After recounting in dramatic manner the terrible price paid by the soldiers of the United States in the war for democracy as pitted against autocracy, he paid a beautiful tribute to former President Woodrow Wilson. The crowd cheered the mention of the war president.

Col. Smith then contrasted the efforts of some of the people in the United States to render void the constitution that same constitution for which thousands of our brave boys have died on the glory fields of France. “The bootlegger,” he said, “is now trying to make a joke out of that sacred constitution that measure of liberty for which these boys suffered and died. The bootlegger and his thirsty patron, be the rich banker, rich oil man or rich anybody else, is striving by every dishonorable means set at naught that constitution by the flagrant violation of the prohibition law. The law is a part of our constitution, and to disregard it is treason against the flag of our country.”

Col. Smith made an eloquent plea for law enforcement. He declared it is not a question of whether or not an individual sanctioned the making of that law; no matter whether that law is pleasing to that individual the question is that the law is a part of our constitution, and is just as much a part of the organic law as any other portion.

At the conclusion of his address he sought and obtained funds for use of the Anti-Salon League in its ceaseless fight against liquor.

CLEANEST JAIL OF COUNTY

In returning the twenty-three indictments last night in the district court at Okmulgee, the grand jury also handed in an exhaustive report. Most of this was given up the recommendation that at least $50,000 be expended on the improvement of the poor farm and the greater part of the remainder to the conditions of the jails in the county.

Not a word is said relative to the investigation of the affairs of the failed banks of the county, but it is explained that this is by reason of the fact that the arrests would not have been made at the time of the filing of the report.

The grand jury, however, finds space to say something about election frauds, as follows: “One of the most important crimes presented to us for investigation was wherein the sacred right of franchise has been said to be lost. In this matter the Grand Jurors were awakened to the quick, and our investigation of that matter was rigid and painstaking to the end that the innocent might not suffer, but that the guilty might be brought to justice.”

In that part of the report relating to jails, the following is said of the Henryetta city jail: “Henryetta jail was clean, fumigated, and a safe place for prisoners. The jail is in the basement of the City Hall, with special accommodations for women. The cages are separated from any portion of the walls, and have a run-around. We would recommend that one additional peep-hole be made on the corridor leading to the jail, and that all peep-holes be made large enough so that a gun may be used through them. We also suggest that the City immediately proceed to relight the jail in such shape that there will be no dark corners, and that all lights be worked from one switch block, conveniently located on the outside of the office of the Chief of Police, in the main corridor of the basement. We found the jail well fumigated.”

Of the jails at Kusa and Dewar the report says: “At Kusa found reinforced concrete jail, cement floor, all in one room. Jail was clean, had no inmates. The door on the outside was gone. The grated door was in place, and in good shape and secure. Would recommend that a new door be placed on the outside of the grated door. There did not seem to be any bedding or bed accommodation of any kind in this building. However, we presume that this is only used for a temporary and daytime goal. If this is the case, it should have a chair, or at least a box for the use of those who may be incarcerated.

“Dewar jail is brick outside, cake inside, concrete floor. Seems to be in two apartments. No special accommodations for female prisoners, and no prisoners were in the jail. The building seems to be used more as a storage place than for a jail. We consider that this building needs cleaning, fumigating, and general repair. It is not a credit to the town of Dewar.”