This information is offered FREE and taken from 
http://www.okgenweb.net/~okcaddo/ 
If you have arrived here using a pay site please know 
that this information has been donated by volunteers in a 
joint effort to provide FREE genealogy material online. 

Caddo County - Newspaper

Anadarko Tribune
1905

Billingsley Trial

The trials of R.W. and Logan Billingsley, for the murder of A.C.
Wheatly, will doubtless occupy the attention of the district court next
week. When the cases were called Tuesday the defendant's attorneys, H.B.
Mitchell and Stilwell Russell made application for a change of Judge,
swearing Judge Beaucamp off the bench. The trials of father and son will
be held separately, that of Logan Billingsley being called first. It is
thought that Judge Pancost will be sent here to try these cases, as
Judge Gillette, whom all people most desired, will be engaged in heavy
cases at Enid. The Billingsley cases will occupy several days' time as
there are many witnesses and much conflicting testimony to be untangled
before the jury.  The witnesses in the case were ordered to report here
Monday, though it is doubtful if the case is called on that day.

MURDER TRIAL
Strong Defense Favoring Logan Billingsley

EVIDENCE ALL IN
Evidence is Voluminous and Mixed-Many Visitors Attending

Logan Billingsley, a young man, is on trial in the district court for
murdering his father-in-law, A.C. Wheatley, early on the morning of
September 3, 1904.  The trial is attracting crowds, and a great deal of
interest is being manifested.  The prisoner is being defended by
Attorney Stilwell B. Russell of Ardmore, a noted criminal lawyer,
assisted by H.B. Mitchell and William McFadyen of this city.  The case
is prosecuted by County Attorney Vaughan, assisted by A.T. Boys and Carl
Giltach.

When the case was called Monday the defense asked for a continuance,
which was not granted, and the hunt for a competant jury was begun.  The
regular venire having been soon exhausted, a special venire of 35 was
ordered.  By noon Tuesday the following men were chosen as acceptable by
both sides:

Y.B. Finch,  D.R. Kaylor, W.H. Hartman, C.C. Poar,  J.D. Hellums, R.
Bentley, C.H. Studeville, A. Martin,  Henry Tapeer, Frank Clark, J.H.
Robinson, and  E.E. Delano.

In these rests the future of Logan Billingsley.

The prisoner when brought into court was neatly dressed and tidy
looking. He is pale and somewhat careworn in appearance, due doubtless
to steady confinement in jail since the time of the murder.

The defense Billingsley's lawyers endeavored to make is that he shot
Wheatley in self defense.  They had in evidence a large hunting knife
which they tried to prove Wheatley was in the act of using on
Billingsley's father at the time. Logan rushed  back and shot, killing
Wheatley. The prosecuton introduced evidence in rebuttal of this theory,
showing that the knife alluded to was in Wheatley's pocket, closed,
after the  killing.

The Territory finished its side of testimony Wednesday evening. It is
thought the defense will close its case and rest tonight (Thursday) or
Friday and the case will get to the jury not later than Saturday
morning.

At the time of going to press the opinion of those who have kept close
watch of the testimony is that the charge of murder will not stand, but
that a verdict in some of the lighter degrees will be brought in by the
jury. What the prosecution will bring in as rebuttal cannot be foretold.
The evidence is so voluminus and contradictory that it would not be
worth while to print it.

Submitted By Sandy Miller
*************************************************************************

June 02, 1905

PASSES THE SENTENCE
Verdict of Manslaughter in Second Degree
GETS FOUR YEARS
Bond Fixed at $2,500-Has appealed to Supreme Court

After a weeks hard work hearing the evidence in the Billingsley trial
the final argument was closed Saturday forenoon, the case going to the
jury at 11:30. After being out twenty-four hours the jury announced that
they had reached an agreement, and when half an hour later the jury
filed into the courtroom the room was crowded with an anxious crowd of
Anadarko citizens awaiting the reading of the verdict of the jury. The
verdict presented by the foreman was "manslaughter in the second degree"
which conclusion was arrived at as a compromise.
The jury from the first stood seven for acquittal and five for
conviction of murder in the first degree.  Judge Gillette deferred
passing the sentence until Monday afternoon when the courtroom was again
crowded. A sentence of four years, from which an appeal was taken to the
Territorial Supreme Court, was passed.  The prisoners bond was fixed at
$2,500 which is now being raised.

June 23, 1905

BILLINGSLEY RELEASED

Logan Billingsley, the murderer of A.C. Wheatley, is out of jail and is
said to be again living with his wife and child.  It will be remembered
he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to four years in the
penitentiary at the last term of court.  His case was appealed to the
Supreme Court and his attorneys at once set out to secure his release on
bond. The bond was set at $2,500 and recently it was furnished by the
following persons: Mrs. E.R. Billingsley, C.L Peacock, W.H. Divers, F.F.
Davis, J.B. Hurley, S. Barber and C. Hoser.

The wife is the daughter of the man whom her husband killed, and by the
recent death of her mother she was left almost alone with a child. It is
said there really never was in estrangement between the young couple, so
far as their own hearts were concerned, and it is considered well that
they are again together.

Submitted By Sandy Miller
**************************************************************************