Greer County, OK - Law: Charles Raulston, 1923
Saturday, 04 October 2008
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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RAULSTON, CHARLES
(25 Jan 1923, Thursday, Sayre Headlight, Sayre, Beckham Co, OK):
BRUTAL MURDER NEAR WILLOW
Chas. Rawlston, Well Known Farmer Beaten to Death With Clubs.
A brutal murder was committed sometime between 2 and (blurred) o'clock on
Thursday afternoon last, on the public highway one mile north and one-half
east of Willow, and three young men are now in jail at Mangum charged with
the crime.
Rawlston was reputed to belong to the Ku Klux, and things around Willow
have been somewhat hot recently, it being claimed that the Klansmen have
been out and after the bootleggers.  Quite a number figure that because
Rawlston was known as a law abiding citizen, and a reputed Klansman, he
had thus gained the enemity of the tough element, which fact led to the
killing.
It seems that Chas. Rawlston, well known farmer, was engaged in taking the
school census, and the last time seen alive was when he called at a home 
(blurred) o'clock.
In traveling over the area Rawlston used a horse and buggy, and he was
found lying in the bottom of the buggy, while the horse wandered up the
road.  An examination showed that he had been hit with some heavy
instrument, breaking his neck and one jaw.
Officers were at once notified, and a short distance west of where the
body was found, three clubs were found in the road, together with the
remnants of a fruit jar, which had been broken, but which still contained
a small amount of corn whiskey.
Rawlston is quite well known in Sayre, and is well spoken of by all, both
here and among his neighbors in the Willow section.  Two theories as to
the motive for the crime are being advanced.  One that he came upon these
young men, who it is claimed were drunk, and they fearing that he would
report them as transporting liquor, killed him.
(26 Jan 1923, Friday, The Carter Express, Carter, Beckham Co, OK):
Chas. Ralston of near Willow was found dead in his buggy in a road near
Willow on Thursday evening of last week.  He had been beaten to death with
clubs, several bones being broken.  Three clubs were found in or near the
buggy.
Three young men of that neighborhood are being held pending investigation.
 Mr. Ralston is spoken of as being a highly respected citizen, being a
32nd degree Mason as well as being both a Woodman and Odd Fellow.
Just as we go to press a report reaches us that the young man received his
foul treatment and death blows at the hands of some four men which (with)
whom is seems he had had a controversy over a basket ball game a night
before.  It is reported that they attacked him, first taking him from out
the buggy, then after administering the death blows, replaced him in the
buggy and placed some whiskey near him, evidently to leave the impression
that their victim had died from intoxication.
We hope to give a more detailed account next week.

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